Why shouldn't I leave software?

Question

About Me:I'm a mid-career developer, age 48. I started programming in 1983 on a TRS-80 Model 3, then graduated to an Apple //c, and fell into a Computer Science degree. I've been a professional software developer since about 1996, with a couple of detours, including getting a business degree and doing project management. I'm a good developer and have been successful in my work.Nearly all of my professional development experience has been doing "full stack" web applications using a (much-evolved) Java backend with whatever passed for frontend at the time, starting with godawful applets, HTML, and Javascript in Netscape Navigator 3 and culminating in Vue.js and the madness that is Webpack.I still love programming; the satisfaction of dreaming up a solution and making it work is strong, but I don't love the software industry. In fact, as time has gone by, I'm coming to hate it. The obsession with youth, novelty, and the accompanying hubris (even ignorance) cause me to want to move to another industry and give up professional programming. I also don't see a path for personal growth that isn't software development management, something for which I find no enthusiasm.I've got a family and other interests and abilities, and hopefully about another 20 years of full-time work ahead of me.Here's the Question:Why should I stay in software?Is it just money? Have you faced this decision, and what and how did you decide?

ThrowawayR2 · Accepted Answer

Web front-end/back-end took the brunt of the impact of the commoditization of software developers and is rapidly on it's way to becoming the McJob of tech. Everything you said is why I stayed away from web technologies as much as I could in my career. Head over to work at a platform company (e.g. Salesforce, Atlassian) where they care more about reliability and maintainability than rewriting everything in the latest hot framework. Another option is to head over to IoT, embedded development, or some other area of systems development. Fundamentals still matter, evolution of technologies is benefit driven rather than fad driven, and experience is considered a positive.

mech422 · Answer

If you're having to ask why to stay, and not why to go... perhaps it is time to move on?A wise man told me when I was really young, "Computers can be a great hobby or a great career, but not both". As I get older, I see more and more people burning out...

ramtatatam · Answer

You can stay in software but move to more conservative industry, like oil and gas. Lots of SCADA is JAVA based, some solutions have HTML based GUIs. And the industry is centered around reliability, experience counts there.

rawgabbit · Answer

I went through a similar situation years ago. I have been working at a Nonprofit for ten years now. Same insanity as when I worked at for profit companies but more stability. I also love Salesforce.