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Yepp... That's a problem...
May be you need to set "I'm too busy" status in IM?
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Want to be happy - do what you like!
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This one has been around the traps for a while - the 'help with my pc' thing. Just get yourself a standard schedule of charges, and get it well known amongst friends and relatives.
For instance:
- operating system reinstall or similar : carton of beer
- Virus removal or restore of accidentally deleted files : sixpack of beer
- accompany to shop for assistance with buying new computer : lunch afterwards
The other condition is that you don't make house calls - all computers must be dropped off/collected from your house.
You mightn't drink beer, but there's surely something else you can use. You can always swap it for chores you don't like doing, like mowing the lawn or washing your car.
My point is : if you don't feel you can charge money, at least make them swap something of value to you, or spend an equivalent amount of time helping you out.
Most people will be happy to come good, if they expect something for nothing, then, well they need a lesson in how the world works, and tell them to take it to a shop. In fact, I find people are happier getting you to do something if they know you are being rewarded for your time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a carton of Stella Artois I need to put in the beer fridge...
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Being a developer is like being a slave. You do way more work than the average employee.
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That really (really, really) depends on who you work for and what kind of company it is. I have had programming jobs where I was a baby sitter (the guy in charge was just riding out until his retirement so didn't want to hear about real work) and jobs where the focus was on closing out issues (didn't matter if they were fixed right, just get them closed).
In my 17 years of coding I have found that the person you work for most directly impacts your like or dislike of a job, followed by the company and it's policies. In my current job I do not think I do any more work than anybody else in the development staff (engineers, software, documentation, etc).
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I would if they were 1) young and remaining single or 2) older and empty nester. It is just too hard to keep up and keep the family a priority.
WarePhreak
Programmers are tools to convert caffiene to code.
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I would only recommend a development career to someone who exhibits a potential talent.
Our industry suffers from a plethora of two-bit hacks. I wouldn't want to be responsible for bringing even more of them in.
Grim (aka Toby) MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB
SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL
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[i'll here it now, based on that title]
I see more assembly-line programming these days. There is no innovation. It's all about lowest price.
If I knew someone who was creative and talented and coming out of college, I'd say "write up the spec's for your program...then pay someone to develop it. Then spend your time marketing the software."
If they like programming just for the sake of programming then they can do it, I don't care.
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Even nuclear physicists start off as someone else's flunky.
If they're talented and driven, they'll eventually get an opportunity to do the really innovative and interesting work. Same thing goes for our industry.
Except in our industry, there's way too high a percentage of "professional programmers" who have neither the talent nor the skill to ever be anything more than a code-monkey.
Grim (aka Toby) MCDBA, MCSD, MCP+SB
SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue IS NOT NULL
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A "would you" needs qualification, otherwise it's just too wide open. As the question stands it can't be answered.
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it can be answered. many have answered it.
take the plunge.
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Heck no. If I say "Yes", I may get a call saying Granny wants to learn VB!
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and...? What would you say to her? 
cheers,
Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
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I would not encourage such behaviour.
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I'd have to ask if she stopped taking her meds.
Darroll
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That's what I saw the maybe answer as doing, allowing for an if...
WarePhreak
Programmers are tools to convert caffiene to code.
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Nop. They think "hey free tech help!" 
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Simply put 'You are taken for a free ride.'.
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I get always free cake, cookies and coffee for helping. :->
Greetings from Germany
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Thats true for a lot of techies. People always feed me when I am at their house working on their computer.
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Family/friends IT for ![Beer | [beer]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/beer.gif) (or ![Java | [Coffee]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/coffee.gif) in the morning).
Software Zen: delete this;
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I usually require food and socializing for me and my fam if I am to work for free. I have a wife and 3 kids. They will weigh that heavily against 40-50$ per hour. It also depends on how much work I have to do. if it is more than a couple of hours then I don't offer the work for dinner. Yes this applies to immediate family too. The grandmas always choose to cook.
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I like very much what I do.
I feel like like very few people enjoying to work, not just working because I have to but because it's what I like to do.
A big problem I see with kids now is that they don't know what they like.
They seem like they don't like to do anything despite TV, hanging out doing nothing, sleeping,... whatever...
Computers are a easy to like, and if a kid can overcome the "fascinating" world of games and chatting, I think he/she can take a profession out of it with some ease.
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AlexCode wrote: I like very much what I do.
I feel like like very few people enjoying to work, not just working because I have to but because it's what I like to do.
I've had the privilege of doing something I like to do for a living for 30 years. What's to hate about that?
If someone in the family likes to "make" things then, sure! Making software is as creative and can be as much fun as making anything else!
-CB 
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I'm a kid that overcomed the fascinating world of games and chatting and started programming. Well, the fascinating world of games was the main reason. I'm a kid, you know. And still - my goal is to code a game...
But that's not really related to the poll 
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Good for you that you made the "jump"
What I meant was that usually kids (and the not so kids) just play and chat and do nothing else.
Spending all day glued to the keyboard playing doesn't mean that that person is talented to be a good IT professional in whatever area including development.
True is that most computer get their entrance into homes because of games and word processing occasionally revealing new talents.
As an advice if you want to take it, gaming industry is just one small part of software development and depending on where you are (country) may be very difficult to be professional on that. Stick to what you want but also consider other areas.
Cheers!
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