> All of this has caused me to spiral into depression the last 1.5 years. Is it possible to get out of this situation?

Honestly, I'd doubt that working with legacy code simply causes you to feel depressed.

You might have an actual depression and changing jobs might just make things worse.

Go see some therapist, at least do some online screening for symptoms of depression.

I've had a very good time at my first job where my only task was to maintain a horrible legacy Java codebase because I wasn't depressed.

I've had some tough months in my current job at a startup, working with modern NodeJS, Python + ML, Docker stack because I was depressed.

Have you tried out working on multiple projects or tasks at the same time?

When I hit a wall, it's often futile to continue working on that single problem. So I'll just leave it as is is for a day and work on something else.

When I revisit task one the next day, I often have a fresh approach or I'm able to spot that bug I just couldn't find the previous day.

Other devs seem to prefer working very "linearly", but I'm doing better if I juggle several tasks at once.

I have been thinking to do exactly this lately. Just keep switching between projects when I hit the walls, keep the momentum going somehow

I have the impression that some people can be software developers for 10 years or longer but they still don't "get it" while some junior devs are really great right from the start.

These Seniors might be good at duct taping, overengineering or have a "my way or the highway" mindset but aren't capable of finding and implementing a good solution given the constraints.

It probably boils down to factors like intelligence, creative problem solving, ability to focus, reading skills, knowledge retention and a healthy dose of humility.

I guess everyone can (and probably should) learn basic coding skills, but it doesn't mean everyone can become a great software engineer.

Absolutely. Some people just find learning itself hard too. It's a whole other skill that's orthogonal and similarly trainable. To keep making progress at making more things feel easy, you need to remain curious and ambitious. Many don't internalize that and just plateau when pressure lets up enough.

A common definition of intelligence is the capacity for problem solving.

There are few fields where the capacity for problem solving is more relevant.

People do have innate limitations. I agree that it's dangerous to categorize one's self too harshly, but it's also important to understand your own capabilities and limitations.

Telling people they have no innate limitations sounds nice, but probably just results in them becoming more frustrated and confused if they do hit those limits later on.

I say this as someone who has hit my own limits before. They exist. Maybe not in an absolute sense - I could likely learn nearly anything - but in a relative sense. If it takes me ten times longer than the average participant, it's simply not viable as a career. As a hobby? Sure, go wild.

None of that implies an innate inborn limitation. Although I know the concept flatters a lot of people here.

You don't think a lack of intelligence limits people in stem?

This could even play out on a broader scale and even increase the demand for software engineers.

What is going to happen if more and more people are creating lots of software that delivers value but is difficult to maintain and extend?

First it's going to be more high-level stuff, then more plumbing, more debugging and stitching together half-baked solutions than ever before.

AI might make our jobs suck more, but it's not going to replace them.

> As long as they perform the tasks of their jobs, why shouldn't they be "getting away with it"?

I'd say it depends a lot on the legal framework of employment contracts. I don't know how it is in the US, but in Germany you sign a contract with your employer stating „I will work X hours a week for you“. It's not about the output.

If you work less than X hours, you commit fraud and breach the contract. Your employer can then fire you for an „important cause” and typical legal protections don't apply. If your employer forces you to work more than X hours without compensating you appropriately, he breaches the contract and you can sue him for that.

So obviously, there have been a lot of legal cases like „Does changing your clothes count as working hours“, „Does driving to a client count as working hours“, „How do working hours need to be tracked“,...

The US is very different. For salaried workers (the vast majority of good jobs), there isnt generally a stipulation of hours.

You get $X/year whether the company gives you so little work you're only working 20 hours a week, or if they give you so much that you're working 60 hours a week. Neither is forbidden by typical contracts.

Some salaried workers are supposed to be paid overtime if they work over 40 hours, but I don't think I've ever heard of it actually happening. Most salaried employees don't even have timecards.

Theres an underlying argument about whether it's okay for employees to try to only work 20 hours a week if it's okay for businesses to try to get them to work 60. Basically that we should either have something like Germany does that limits both sides, or both sides should be free to try to screw the other. A lot of people find it acceptable for companies to try to overwork people, but not acceptable for employees to slouch off.

This sounds horrible.

I'd rather sign up for a salary and time blocks during the day to be available for meetings, but my contribution is measured in output, not hours I logged.

If I take 40+ hours to do my work, that's on me.

In the US there are few scenarios where there is an employment contract. The vast majority of employment is "at will"; an employee can quit (or be terminated) at any time for any reason, so long as it is not expressly forbidden by law (e.g. firing someone for race, sexual orientation, age, etc). In particular, at-will employees are not guilty of breach of contract for working multiple jobs - there is no contract

However, there is typically a code of business conduct and other things along that line that an employee agrees to even if there isn't an explicit "contract" as there often is in Europe for example.

Yeah if it's more like "you work for me; I pay you as long as the results are good but will fire you at will" it's much easier to pull this off while maintaining a clear conscience.

> healthcare loses their incomes as people become healthier not being obese -> jobs are lost there too, plus those same people will now have a lot of energy and losing their incomes.

In most developed countries, an effect like this would be desperately needed in order to prevent the health care systems from crumbling under the weight of few healthy, young people financing many old and sick people.

Worst case would be Pharma companies making a bit less profit, stable or falling health insurance costs and health care professionals having enough time for their patients. Not exactly a disaster.

Not having the bad stuff at home is the most effective fix for me.

I am capable of exercising enough discipline while I'm shopping at the grocery store.

But I will eat sweets if there's anything at home.

I can confirm that I can focus much better throughout the day, have higher mental clarity and energy if I do some sports in the morning.

It doesn't have to be the gym or a 45+ minute high intensity run - just jogging for 20 minutes and doing a few pushups or pullups is sufficient as „baseline activity“ for me.

Another good approach: Write down that email/ message in a text editor but just leave it there for a day.

Often, I'd realize that I don't want to send it at all. The emotion was processed and now it's fine.

Sometimes, there is a valid point (e.g. because someone was rude in tone) and I'd just give that as feedback in a non-violent manner.

I do this with Twitter/Reddit comments and occasionally HN. 99/100 I write the comment and then close the tab. Writing helps me process my emotions and then I can leave it "unresolved".

Most of the time if someone is being intentionally rude on the internet, they're also being a troll. Don't feed the animals!

This is my go to method. Write/vent it down somewhere(privately) and just forget about it(you usually feels much better after write it down anyway) I often found that the things in my head that I got so worked up a week ago is just mostly my made up thought.

> This moment will never come if you just sit and wait for it.

If you're literally just doing nothing, I'd agree.

But I haven't felt the urge to write anything creatively in over 8 years. Last year, I met someone (my muse?) who sparked this desire in me.

Nowadays I spend much of me free time writing songs, lyrics and I'm working on a draft for a novel.

It's not like I do that because I expect to make money from it - it's because I have to in order to feel al peace.