Last week, I asked the question "Why do you do what you do? What drives you?" I wrote a short description of 7 possible categories you might fall into, and asked you to let me know if you saw a match. (I've copied the categories at the end of this article, so that if you didn't read that article you can check on what each one was defined as).
I have to say, I was blown away by the response! Loads of you picked a category, and as promised, I'm back to tell you what you all told me.
The figures:
Bootstrap: 7%
Entrepreneur: 7%
One App Pony: 9%
None of the above: 9%
Educator: 12%
Consultant: 12%
Visionary: 12%
Hobbyist: 29%
How to interpret this? Well first of all, with caution! This was not a scientific poll, the questions were not carefully tested, randomized or checked for bias. The population this went out to is necessarily skewed by who is on the Newsletter list and who is willing to respond to a poll. The numbers of responses relatively speaking were small (although possibly big enough to be statistically valid IF the questions and method had been valid...)
Having said all that... out of our sample, around 47% either make a living or aspire to making a living from coding/LiveCode. I got this figure by putting together Entrepreneur, Consultant, Visionary, 1 App Pony and Bootstrap. The biggest single category was "Hobbyist" at 29%, which probably reflects the large numbers of Community users of LiveCode. Great to see you all having so much fun with LiveCode. It's heartening to see that 7% of you feel you've really made it with LiveCode, and consider yourself Entrepreneurs!
Pro/Hobbyist split
The other thing I took away from this, which showed really in the comments, is that a lot of you are not static in a particular group. You may start out as a hobbyist, and move on into the Consultant or Entrepreneur group, or perhaps you begin as a visionary coder, and when you get older and enter a well earned retirement continue to use the program just for fun.
I enjoyed reading the comments some of you sent. Here are a selection, which illustrate the wide range of ways people are using LiveCode. (I found it amusing that all the consultant quotes were really really short - you guys really are busy!).
"This is close to me. I'm older, coded as a hobbyist, returned to college to get an Associates in programming, worked as a developer until I was laid off in 2002. After a brief time working other jobs, I joined the Peace Corps and served as an IT PCV in Kenya for 3 years, where I also coded. I returned and worked as a government IT Specialist, then became a Technical Writer. All the time, I took classes, programmed as a hobby, and wrote. My master's project was 6 Flash games for US immigrants. Now, I'm a Senior Technical Writer and want to use LiveCode to convert one of my books into an app before creating another book/app and then creating my most important app, which I thought of after my parents died." ~Theresa Munanga, Visionary
"I teach computer science in a German gymnasium for grades 8/9 (13 - 15 years old) with LiveCode. What I need most? Multiple undo!!! " Horst Hildebrecht, Educator
"I code because software is critical to whatever business I am currently focused on... but that business is not writing software." ~ Richard Miller, Other
"Yes, this is me - but I still do almost all of the coding in my own apps in LiveCode.
Starting in 2001, I had to write 4 apps to find the most successful one which provides the bulk of the revenue. But it is a nice little niche market nobody else serves." ~ David Simpson, Entrepreneur
"I consider myself both a programming hobbyist and educator. I use LiveCode to write educational Mac programs and iPad apps designed to strengthen math skills and promote problem solving. You can find my programs described at http://home.comcast.net/~tcbretl/site/. All of my software is free." ~ Thomas Bretl, Hobbyist and Educator
"As a microbiologist, I had developed very specific applications with Hypercard, in particular an application to systematically describe strains of cyanobacteria.
By chance, I still have an old Mac with system OS9 and can copy the codes of my Hypercard stacks. I am now trying to adapt my Hypercard stacks to Live Code
Wish me good luck !" ~ Pierre Armand ROGER, One App Pony
Yep, sure is!
And LiveCode lets me do it! ~ Simon Asato, consultant
Yep. There are aspects of Bootstrap and OneAppPony that resonate with me (and Educator when it comes to kids), but this pays the bills. ~ Phil Davis, consultant
This is me! I am a teacher and the app I was using in my class is no longer supported. Univ. of Illinois was the host. Their team said, we don't have time to update it, sorry! But I NEED it! ~ Angie Bergman ~ One App Pony
"i suppose i've been in more than one category over the years. my primary work is with web scale data center storage (object). i support livecode because i like what you are doing with the language and i'm fond of xtalk. looking forward to better networking over time along with the HTML5 release. Unicode and refactoring was certainly a beast, but you did it. So, congrats!" ~ Mark Clark, Hobbyist
Thank you Mark. It's been great getting all your responses, and if you'd still like to add your two cents, here are the categories again. Let me know what you do with LiveCode!
The Bootstrap Developer
Maybe you see writing your own app as a way out of poverty, something you can do without expensive premises, overheads and huge amounts of equipment (you will of course need some kind of computer and probably at least one mobile device, but these needn't cost the earth). You're a startup developer, probably working alone, and most likely without a formal programming education. Perhaps you are a single mother or have health issues that make it difficult to get a "traditional" job. Coding could be a godsend for you. You're determined to knuckle down, learn it, and make it work for you.
This is me.
The Hobbyist
You do it for fun. You like a challenge, to keep your brain ticking over, and you enjoy making your computer do what you want it to do. You like to share apps you make with friends, and maybe upload the occasional free app to an app store. Maybe someday something you make will take off in a big way, but you're not too fussed. Coding is a great way to spend your spare time and it makes you smarter!
This is me.
The One App Pony
You need a specific app and its not out there. You could commission someone else to do it but after your experience with outsourcing app development you're not keen. Why not just do it yourself... How hard can it be? You've dabbled a bit with html and websites, writing an app is just another step on the ladder. LiveCode looks promising...
This is me.
The Visionary Coder
You just love to code! You have a dream. You know you can do it. Most likely you started coding at kindergarden, you discovered (insert programming language here) at school and were hooked. You went on to study coding at university and now you work for (insert company name here) but one day you're going to write the next Angry Birds for yourself.
This is me.
The Consultant
You've been coding for a while now, and built yourself a nice little business. Probably mostly doing consulting work for others, writing business apps and services. Maybe you write the odd app for yourself, to publish in the app store and see if it takes off. Your biggest problem is finding enough time to do all the work, and/or hiring programmers to help.
This is me.
The Educator
You want to teach the world to code. You believe that coding is a vital skill for the future. You spend your time teaching it, either in schools or colleges, or to anyone with an interest in learning to program.
This is me.
The Entrepreneur
You probably started from one of the other groups on this page. Now you have your own business based around your highly successful app. You've cornered the market in (insert business area here). It was hard work, but you knew where you were going and you got there. Congratulations! Most likely these days you don't do so much coding yourself. You have a stable of developers working on the app for you. Possibly you miss it...
This is me.
