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"There's no point in making some software for the sake of making the software."

This is like telling an artist there is no point of making art for the sake of making art.

"The only point to making software is filling a need" During the years I have listed to myself several "needs" that are waiting to be solved

1 comments

That's actually a valid point to make. It's a perfectly valid theory that if you don't have a point to make with your art, that you're not doing anything worthwhile.

But apparently you've got an idea or two, so it wouldn't hurt for you to try them each out.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you're not an artist?

My mom paints. She doesn't do it because she has a point to make with her art or because she wants to radically change society. She does it because she enjoys it: it's relaxing, mentally stimulating, and ultimately satisfying.

Which incidentally are the exact reasons why I program. Sure, there's the whole money and career and changing the world thing, but when you get to the bottom of it I do it because it's fun.

I don't seem to be the only one who thinks so (http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html)

I'm a writer. When I write, I try to avoid things that have already been done for precisely that reason. I would hate to show somebody something that wasn't new and stimulating for THEM.

For me, a part of the fun of making art is creating things that other people truly, honestly enjoy. I think the same would occur with programming.

I definitely agree that creating something that other people enjoy is the most rewarding.

I'm not a writer, so I don't presume to tell you about your own craft, but there might be a difference between writing and programming/painting: I can definitely enjoy programs I've written (not reading my own source code, but actually using the programs), and if I were more talented, I could see myself enjoying looking at my own paintings, but I find it hard to see myself reading my own writings for enjoyment. Perhaps making something that other people enjoy is more necessary for a writer than for a programmer or painter?