I read an article a while ago (I forget the source but I’ll try to find it) which was talking about how coding and programming should be more than a job, it should be a passion. I have to say that I am starting to feel like that.
Programming has become a 9 – 5 job which when the end of office hours comes round all said is and done. I remember that I used to enjoy coding more when I had some problem or other to solve at uni, or when a group of us were working on a software solution. These projects were written in Java and were desktop based and now I am predominantly web based using PHP but the idea of coding still excites me.
I think the problem is the type of project I’m working on. They are all business focused and serious. Making every site look just how the client wants it to look. Designing to the a strict visual identity to match their brand. This is ok, it brings in the money which is good. I just have this feeling that all this corporate work is spoiling the experience, not just for me but for a lot of designers. Coding becomes a job, mundane, and needs to be done to survive. A passion for coding is what drives innovation and pushes boundaries rather than being content with the same old sites.
I want to revive the passion in my coding. I’m not saying leave client work all together, that would be silly but to be able to write some software with no client to please, no designer to satisfy, just good old fashioned code hacking, innovation and excitement that you actually want to work on when you finish in the office. This is where you come in.
I work a 9 – 5 job but I want to at the same time revive the passion with some good old fashioned coding. I’m talking fancy effects, flashy graphics sites that people actually want to use and be part of. What sites would you like to see built, or what projects do you have that you need some help with? For free of course, this isn’t about money. Leave your comments here and I will be glad to jump on board.