Well, I made it past my 50th birthday. Being a 50-year-old computer programmer is definitely better than being 20 — you get more toys to play with and more autonomy in choosing what to do with them. But I confess that it's not as nice as being 30, or even 40 — I miss the energy that came with those relatively youthful milestones. My main consolation is that I still have some energy left, and I'm much wiser about how I spend it now than in years gone by.I couldn't help but notice at 30 that many of my 40-year-old colleagues weren't as active in the trenches as I was. Ten years later, I found out why. With maturity in one's profession comes increasing demands to serve as caretaker rather than front-line contributor. Someone has to write all those proposals, job descriptions, requirements documents, requisitions, etc. They eat time like candy and sure don't resemble programming. But only the most dedicated techies can resist the siren lure of responsibility. The rest of us get suckered into acting like grownups.
I couldn't help but notice at 40 that many of my 50-year-old colleagues weren't even fighting interesting battles, or so it appeared to me at the time. They seemed to attend interminable meetings and talk about policy matters and other ephemeral abstractions. I mean, how important can it be to draft international standards, or procedures for software quality control, for heaven's sake? Now, after a decade or more of doing that sort of stuff, I've come to see the merit in it. I've learned how to play the guru, or the statesman, or the doddering old fool, as the need arises. I can even sit through a two-hour meeting without squirming (excessively).
I still write the odd bit of code, or the odd requirements spec, and it's more fun than ever. I spent the half-week before my birthday in New Jersey, beating on the draft C++ standard with Andy Koenig, Tom Plum, Bjarne Stroustrup, and others — and I have to admit it was mostly enjoyable. The computer business has never been more exciting than it is today. I have much to be grateful for.
When I stumbled into this field at the age of 19, I never dreamed it would consume my entire adult career. Or that it would bring me so many rewards. I can only hope that most of you who read this magazine can enjoy a comparable passion. May your candle burn equally bright.
So how does it feel to be half a century old? My favorite quote on that topic is from Lowell Thomas, who was asked on his birthday how it felt to be 80. He said, "It's not bad, considering the alternative."
P.J. Plauger
pjp@plauger.com