Woodworking as an escape from the absurdity of software

Software estimation, Agile, and “T‑shirt sizes”

• Big subthread on whether engineers can estimate time accurately.
• One side: time estimates are inherently bad; unknowns (bugs, external systems, staging≠prod, library issues) make even “1–2 days” vs “1–2 weeks” unreliable. Ranges and “effort” are seen as more honest than “time.”
• Other side: estimation is hard but not impossible; ranges plus experience can be useful for planning and prioritization. Estimation becomes bad when rushed or politically pressured.
• T‑shirt sizes / story points: some see them as sensible effort sizing; others note they are always converted back into days, undermining the abstraction.
• There’s frustration that estimation is treated as a quick guess instead of real engineering work (prototyping, research).

Users, support, and modern software quality

• Several comments vent about supporting non-technical users and “civilians” who don’t read docs, corrupt inputs, or blame software for process issues.
• Common feeling: modern software is brittle, overloaded with features, and often user‑hostile; engineers rarely get time to refactor or polish UX.
• Some are embarrassed to say they work in software because of general app/website frustration in the public.

LLMs and the future of software work

• Mixed views: some say “software dev as we know it is about to disappear,” others push back, noting LLM limits (data quality, hallucinations, need for careful task decomposition).
• LLMs help with stable, slowly changing stacks; they’re more frustrating with fast‑moving web tooling due to hallucinated APIs and outdated libraries.
• RAG and feeding current docs are suggested mitigations.

Craft hobbies: woodworking, gardening, embedded, retro, etc.

• Many respondents echo the OP: physical crafts (woodworking, gardening, metalworking, sewing, cooking, embedded, retro consoles, small games) provide tangible results, slower pace, and mental reset from abstract software.
• Strong advice not to “monetize the hobby” if you want to preserve its meditative quality. Professional woodworking and other trades are described as hard, low‑margin, client‑driven work.
• Some highlight cheap, incremental entry (hand tools, classes, makerspaces); others note real constraints of space, cost, and time.

Big companies, startups, and meaning in work

• Split experiences:
  • Some find big companies soul‑sucking (layers of management, “cost center” mindset, endless ceremonies) and prefer small, fast‑growing firms or solo products where they see direct customer impact.
  • Others prefer big‑co stability, limited hours, and using surplus time/energy for hobbies and family; startups seen as stressful, underpaid, and chaotic.
• Recurrent theme: burnout, mid‑career disillusionment, and desire to work on products one would personally use or find ethically meaningful.

Linters, formatting, and “the tyranny of tooling”

• Large subthread on linters/formatters:
• Pro‑linter side: automatic formatting reduces bikeshedding, eases code review, and is essential for large teams; style rules should be enforced by tools, not PR comments.
• Anti‑/skeptical side: rigid rules can harm readability, stifle minor stylistic communication, and feel “tyrannical” when used as hard gates or over‑configured.
• Some differentiate: formatters for syntax are widely liked; overly opinionated lint rules about structure and style are more controversial.

Broader reflections: work, identity, and balance

• Many argue the core issue isn’t software per se but corporate culture, bureaucracy, and “bullshit jobs.”
• Strong support for having non‑coding identities and hobbies to avoid tying self‑worth solely to economic output.
• Several note the privilege implicit in being able to choose boring but well‑paid work and then “buy back” fulfillment via hobbies; others point out many people don’t have that option.