How about this, for a career ?

Recently I came across a blogpost, on one of the technical blogs which I read. Let me give a short history about my blog reading interests.

As a developer I always loved to read blogs. I used to read  a few of them. But after joining Honeywell, I began to read a bit more of them and then came SharpReader into picture and I started reading a whole lot of blogs. I still have my Exported Subscription file (*.opml) file in my mail. Unfortunately both Honeywell and my current organization have not been so friendly in promoting the use of " FREE TO USE " feed readers. Hence I have not been able to import my opml file into reader. But let me practice using google reader for now.

Ok thats a bit of history.

Now I still remember some of my favorite technical bloggers url. I happened to read one such blog. The author studied electronics and music , then graduated with Computer science bachelor and master degree. He was a part of a UK based band, and then stopped it all and came down to programming. Now he has been a programmer for last 13-14 years. He is an amazing programmer, I wish someday, I could be a bit atleast like him.

Recently he posted an article, where he said, he would quit programming, since he found his talent else where. That is music.

It kept me thinking and thinking. I am so much in favor of UK or US or any other country other than India. It allows you to lead a life of your own.

I have seen bikers, their fulltime passion for bikes, programmers and their dedication for coding for a period of over 25 years. I have seen musicians and their passion for music for their entire lifetime.
In other words, they all enjoy what they are doing and that too big time.

But here in India, people ask me to settle down in a a company. Do whatever work which comes to me, rather than do the work which interests me the most. People advise me not to change too many companies. And everywhere I go, people tell me you will end up as a manager in sometime. Forget about coding. Don't take it seriously.

I mean this is one thing which I do not like about Indian software industry. There is no scope nor respect for coders. Everyone who studies in an engineering college dreams of becoming a project manager someday. No one is interested in coding for more than 4 years.

If you code for more than many years, people think you are unfit to become a manager.

How about this for a career, I was wondering. What a lightyear gap between Indian market and those markets.

Someone please tell me how to pursue coding as a career for another 10-15 years. I am running out of time and answers.

Cheers,