I am retiring from tech to live offline
A longtime open source leader has announced he is leaving a senior tech role to work at Home Depot and pursue an almost entirely offline, “neo‑Amish” life, prompting wide reflection on burnout, AI-driven changes to software work, and the role of technology in modern life. Many commenters empathize with feeling exhausted by constant hype, surveillance, and productivity pressure, and say they dream of simpler or blue‑collar careers but feel constrained by family responsibilities and healthcare costs. Others argue that tech still offers unmatched flexibility and pay, question whether such radical disconnection is practical or partly performative, and stress the importance of financial independence and intentional use of technology rather than total rejection.
Reactions to Leaving Tech and Going Offline
- Many readers empathize with the desire to leave tech, citing fatigue with AI hype, constant connectivity, and “whatever this is now” versus the earlier, more enjoyable web.
- Some admire the move to a modest retail job as “walking the talk,” others see it as enabled by significant financial and career privilege.
- A few question the performative aspects of announcing an “offline” life via a heavily produced online letter and social posts; defenders argue a public figure owes a clear sign‑off to communities and projects.
Burnout, Management, and Late-Stage Tech Culture
- Repeated themes: exhaustion from “max shareholder value” culture, endless process (Scrum, metrics, planning boards), unrealistic deadlines, and arbitrary reorgs.
- Several long‑time developers report retiring early or wanting to, not from coding itself but from corporate politics, perf reviews, layoffs, and “do more with less.”
- Some argue the real problem is MBAs/execs and VC‑driven hype, not technology per se.
AI’s Impact on Software Work
- Strong split:
- Pro‑AI: says tools remove drudgery, speed up boilerplate, and boost productivity without necessarily lowering quality if used carefully.
- Anti‑/ambivalent: feel AI hollowed out the craft, turned them into “AI wranglers,” worsened anxiety, and is being forced by management via usage tracking and expectations of 10x output.
- Concerns about “AI slop” code, overreliance by weaker devs, and long‑term robustness of systems; some predict niches where non‑AI workflows will survive, others think they’ll dry up.
Career Changes, Trades, and Financial Independence
- Many fantasize about switching to trades (plumbing, electrical, mechanic, garbage collection, teaching) or rural living; those with kids debate timing and risk.
- Counterpoints: retail/blue‑collar work can be physically hard, poorly paid, and low‑autonomy; some who tried it went back to tech or self‑employment.
- Strong advice to younger devs: live below your means, save heavily, and aim for financial optionality (whether labeled “FIRE” or just humble living).
Open Source, Community, and “Old vs New Guard”
- Several note the author’s prior OSS sustainability efforts and see his departure as a bad sign for open source health.
- Complaints about OSS politics, entitlement, and now AI‑generated low‑quality PRs; calls for a “sexy revitalization” of OSS with new models for collaboration and funding.
Offline / Neo-Amish Ideals and Critiques
- Some are inspired by “neo‑Amish”/1980s‑tech minimalism, smartphone‑free living, and print‑only projects as a path back to human‑scale tech.
- Others criticize romanticizing isolated tribes and violence, and question whether full retreat is necessary versus selectively discarding surveillance, social media, and addictive patterns.
- Accessibility concern: posting a scanned image of a letter without text is called out as unfriendly to visually impaired readers.