When does a programmer call it quits?
The bulk of my profession the last 6 1/2 years has been developing web applications. I spend the majority of my days typing, so I’ve often wondered, how long can I keep doing this?
I’m not a big fan of sitting in one place all day, which has been one of the big downfalls of programming. I’ve also run into other physcial problems such as arthritis in my fingers, wrist, forearms, and most recently my knees. I have a shitty chair, and a desk that’s too high so I straighten my legs out. This is comfortable for me, but sitting like that all day puts strain on my knees.
Another problem I’ve been having is eye strain. At my work, I stare at a 15″ PowerBook all day. I do have the PowerBook elevated, but it is hard to see at times. If I’ve been staring a screen for too long I get these annoying eye twitches.
Aside from the physical problems, I guess I just don’t see myself typing at a desk until I retire in about 35-40 years. So, why do I do it now? Well, the money is good, and there is some satisfaction in developing web applications.
For now, I still feel like I’m on the upslope of my web development career, but sometime down the road, a change is inevitable.
