Sitting at one place and just type 😂...

I initially started out as learning for a hardware maintainer (not sure how you would actually call it in english.) But then I got invited to make a custom launcher for a private server of a game.

We made it in C# and once it was completed and it worked I was super satisfied and that was the point where I knew I wanted to do more developing.

Over the years I liked making desktop apps less and less and started to focus on making web apps with PHP. And I like that a lot.

It is still a good feeling to make something from scratch and see it working. Even though these days I use code other wrote already in the sense that I am using a framework now.

You might know that I originally started programming because of game hacking. So, what inspired me in the first place to start programming were actually all those cool reverse-engineers and wall-hack releasing guys on a certain German MMO-hacking forum. They were the VIPs and everyone admired them. Me too. I wanted to be one of them and I wanted to deliver programs others use and say "Hey, that's one of the rad tools by *insert-my-old-forum-name-here*." (sorry for redacting, but I was young and dumb back then)

However, I think what really drove me wasn't actually wanting to destroy others' gaming experience or being admired. It was delivering software which was useful. I wanted to be useful to others, not just a freeloader living off free stuff others delivered. For the younger me, game hacking was just the way to do so. As a result, I took the CS course at school, and that's when everything started 😁 I assembled a team of people who wanted to create a game, I learned web dev and C++, and I got into web-server making. Not much has changed since then, concerning my motivation. I am still working on web-servers, still making websites and still creating games. I don't create as many desktop applications anymore, though I do make web applications, so I think that's fair.

I'm not quite sure exactly what originally inspired me to pick up C++, PHP, and Python books as a kid but I suspect it was just the desire to learn how the computer worked and how to control it.

I spent a lot of time on the computer as a kid; most kids watched TV it seemed, but the computer was "my TV" so-to-speak.

However, I can tell you now that I'm doing this professionally, 2 main things keep me inspired:

1.) The desire to help protect/secure people's data and activities

2.) Very good programmers and folks who contribute a lot to our community such as Uncle Bob Martin and Casey Muratori from Handmade Hero

Most of the time I am happily chugging along, but at times when things seem stale or grim, watching a video or two by folks like those guys is refreshing and re-inspires me that not all software has to suck, there are indeed some developers who actually care about quality and have standards, and we're all in this together.

It's also refreshing to me when developers have a strong voice. One thing that the two aforementioned programmers have in common is that they have very strong beliefs and they stick to them - even if that means having to piss some people off. There is obviously a lot of technical focus in software - and rightly so - but it's nice to take a step back and listen to a well-rounded human being at times as well who is part of the community. In fact, I would say that as I get older and get more experience, those things are more and more important to me aside from just the technical prowess.

Put more simply - I work in security - and unfortunately the quiet genius in the corner who discovered the latest greatest attack on a system does no good if he/she cannot communicate the importance to the business to effect change that helps customers remain safe. Other skills and passions are required.