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Comment by oldboyFX | Hacker News Reader

> There's this terrible myth that I want to kill; that software engineering is a well-paid field. That's a lie.

For me it's been very profitable.

> Here's something pharmacists, account managers, farmers can afford: 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom houses near where they work.

I can easily afford that. Most software engineers I know can afford that.

> We can't. We're asked to live in apartments in Jersey and commute 45 minutes to Manhattan every day.

I don't live in NYC. I work from home or from an office 5min away from my home.

> Or we work remotely and are expected to take a smaller wage

I work remotely and earn more than most engineers in SF. I save 300-400% more.

> where the company can't wait to get big enough so that it can force us all to move.

I've never experienced this.

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All of your points here are "me, me, me". Well, good for you? The fact that you, a rich guy working from home, who never experienced these issues is merely an anecdote. It doesn't contribute anything to the discussion, it just states your own dissatisfaction with GPs comment to which I would reply with "so what?"

GP's experience is also anecdotal because software engineering clearly is a well paid field, AS IN better paid than the majority of other fields.

Feeling victimized because you have to commute for 45 minutes, do your cushy job, and get paid incredibly well compared to most of your fellow citizens is just sad.

This mentality does not represent the majority of software engineers. Most of us are (among other things) grateful and content, thank you.

Science has shown commuting to be quite bad for health: http://time.com/9912/10-things-your-commute-does-to-your-bod...

Was curious about your situation so looked at your profile.

> I run a high-grade 2-person consultancy that works with both established companies and passionate entrepreneurs to help them polish their ideas, turn them into state-of-the-art working products, and bring those products into the market.

Sounds like you own a successful business. Congratulations, that is very impressive.

Keep in mind though that entrepreneurship is far riskier than employment, and this discussion is around being an employee. So it’s not an apples to apples comparison.

Thanks but contracting / doing projects with a friend is hardly "owning a successful business".

You wouldn't call $5/hour folks on upwork "business owners". We're basically doing the same thing, selling our time for money.

It’s fairly straightforward if you use the irs definition.

Small business owner: files 1099, pays self employment tax.

Employee: files 1040, doesn’t pay self employment tax.

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