I agree that we should try and make good things. On my behalf, all the ad incomes from this web site is given to charity, and at least that’s something to start with.

Thanks for your comment! I’m just glad if this in any way did make you think; I think it’s important to delve deeper and to get a perspective to things. It’s way too easy to just get blinded by everyday things and miss the big scheme of things.

I concur with what you’ve written, enough so that I’m seriously considering changing my profession! I’ve been having these not-so-good thoughts about death, etc. and inevitably I ask the question, what is life all about?

Constructing bridges, core 2 processors, monumental buildings, even writing … for what? God? Afterlife?

Everybody goes out works, for money, fame etc. But it will eventually disappear all one day. And I’m not saying that one person’s death takes it all away, but from what I know the Earth is not a forever thing, it has a lifetime. What after that?

This thought rattles my brain, this may be a tangent to what you really said in your post, but just thought I’d share my feelings!

Most definitely. Your work gives you money which in turn helps you to make the best for your children, i.e. your legacy.

My work as a .NET developer is wonderful in that it’s fun, challenging, creative, and generally right up my alley. I simply love it. But I know it’s not going to be remembered years down the road. It just won’t matter. But it does one final thing: It pays for me to raise those kids in a great environment.

Thank you! I think you make an excellent point. We won’t necessarily be remembered for our work itself, but our ways of thinking, handling situation and how we affect and support other people.

And I agree; what better legacy to leave?

Something to be remembered for is a great concern for a lot of people, now, there seems to be little agreement in what is the best. Some want social recognition and then want to be remembered by the greatest achievements that are objective and socially recognizable, like work titles. TakeGauss , for instance, who did so many things for science, required that his tombstone had engraved the solution for the “>heptadecagon problem.

I don’t think the Web Developer case is so unique. It is similar to some other professions.

A cuisine chef, for instance, what legacy will he leave? Either (s)he creates an incredible recipe, a new cooking philosofy or their work will vanish as quick as lunchtime.

Some other professions produce durable things, but I don’t think durable means valuable. I guess in all professions a stand like yours is better.

Leaving a legacy two or three kids at a time is, not only more valuable, but also is a good way to invest in diversity of thought.

I can only hope that the values instilled in my children live on. As a bonus, after my death, maybe something will grow in the soil that my body composts :0)

1. God is timeless.
2. Design principles endure, but change gradually.
3. Code is constantly changing and being refined (ex: current popularity of Ruby).

What drives the vision of Godbit.com, for me, is that we’re using a medium that (at the moment) is the best way to facilitate and get the word out about the (in my opinion) timeless message. To me, that’s legacy. Whether or not someone remembers my name, or what I did, is ultimately irrelevant and doesn’t matter to me. All I want to do is faithfully keep the torch kindled until it’s time to pass it on.

When I eventually have kids, I imagine that my sentiments will be similar to yours. In that aspect, we are alike. We want to instill and inspire something in future generations.