I’ve been struggling with something for a while now and ironically a sitcom from the 80’s finally helped me pinpoint the problem. My TV was on for background noise and I noticed that it was an episode of Family Ties. In the episode, Elyse Keaton was having a problem. A prominent building that she designed was being torn down and replaced by a cookie cutter mini-mall. She was struggling with her “legacy” - her mark on the world - disappearing. After the building was gone, what evidence would there be that Elyse Keaton was there?
I’m facing a similar issue. I don’t like getting into my day job too much online (for various reasons), but suffice it to say that applications that I developed for decades are being sunset/replaced. I’ve developed quite a lot over the decades, but eventually it would all be replaced. Once it is, what will I have as “proof that TechyDad was here”?
How do you handle the existential crisis of our works being digital and transient versus having an actual, physical product?
I feel like I’m in a position to reply to this professionally. My product is top in class. Literally best in the world but will inevitably be reduced to nothing, comparatively and will eventually be recycled as typical tech eol.
But that doesn’t make your accomplishment any less valid my guy. Like you said probably thousands of people relied on you and your sw for a long time. That in Itself is your legacy. Tbh you can’t expect any more from that when youre In tech. Uk how fast it moves.