For the last two years, I've basically been in an ever increasing spiral of depression over the fact that I hated my job and had grown to hate the menial work of programming that pretty much consists of 80% of all work. I jumped around on projects and new jobs trying to deny it, to find some kind of secret sauce that would fix it all ("Maybe I just need a different environment, maybe I need to get away from this shitty code base."), and it only served to make me want to wall myself in my room and never come out again.

So I quit. I'm going to quit programming for a living. I haven't had any fun programming in the last 3 years because I've been too caught up with programming for work that when I get home I'm spent. I might end up flipping burgers, or I might end up a freelance photographer, or something. I don't really know right now. But I'll be damned if I write another God damned bug ticket or estimate another iteration or deal with another pedantic asshat who won't shut up about the differences between classes and objects, even though I know what they are and just misspoke that one time, "would you please shut up, I'm trying to actually get to a point here".

I've got my rent covered for the next 3 months, I've got a friend willing to put me up after that, of the stuff I have I can probably sell a lot of it because I don't actually use it that much, and there are plenty of ways to make some spare cash on the side. We'll see what happens.

Good luck with your latest adventures.

I quit my last programming job too....now sometimes I wish I hadn't, as I'm on the search again for a job that's not going to be much different.

I'm starting to think there's not going to be an employee job that's gonna make me "happy" most of the time....if somehow I could be my own boss that'd be great, but I don't see it happening. At some age you start to realize there's bills to be paid no matter what. It's shitty all over. You just suck it down and go on I guess. Just a question: Are you sure you want to give up a career in something you are talented at? Maybe you should just have more patience, you're quite young.

Very gutsy move though. Don't know many who would do it, so I hope all turns out well for you

Best of luck to ya, capn.

Have you given much thought to about what it is you would like to do? You say you're into photography?

I think I know how you're feeling. I haven't quite reached my breaking point yet in the programming field (I've only been in the workforce for like 3.5 years now though) but my job has definitely been draining the life out of me. It's become monotonous and is essentially the exact same thing everyday... I feel like I've lost the passion I once had for this stuff. Something about the thought of being stuck in a cube for the rest of my working life is really unsettling. Not sure if it's a permanent thing or if I just need a nice long break to do something else for a while.

The primary thing that keeps me from taking the plunge and getting into something else is the uncertainty in these times, and things like health insurance. If things were a little better economically right now I would totally take the plunge and get into my real passion: music. Would probably give guitar lessons, I think I could make a halfway decent living out of it if I went full time. Probably not as good as I make now but I would be happier overall.

I have a lot of respect for that move. Best of luck.

I got out of programming regularly a few years ago because I got burned out, but I did it by moving up in the company. I sort of decided that someone higher up in the company needs to understand how software gets developed, so I decided to take the Pepsi challenge. Now my software programming tends to consist of the occasional 2-day home project or writing VBScript to bend an Office application to my analytical will. But that's okay.. I've found it's more challenging to program people than it is to program computers. (oops, did I say that?)

Good luck capn, best wishes for your future.

You sir have done what I don't have the balls to do.

Except I'd kill to have a job programming, and not a job working in retail, which I have now...

Actually, a job in retail is probably more exciting than the average job in programming.

From what I hear, programmers just copy/paste libraries together all day.