[Semi-OT] On the topic of build tools

[Abdulhaq]

On Tuesday, 24 August 2021 at 07:42:36 UTC, SealabJaster wrote:
> If only something actually useful ever came out of it though.
>
> I keep escalating the complexity of the things I want to do:
>
> "I'll write a build tool!"

> "I'll write a package manager!"
>
> "I'll write an assembler!"
>
> "Then a JIT, or an OS, then, then, then....."
>

I think many of us experience this TBH. Again I'm in the same 
position but as someone in his 50s I can say that the skills, 
craft and experience learnt during the process of building these 
tools comes in useful at certain key junctures in our later 
careers. Also, hopefully, the building and learning was fun, even 
if no-one else witnesses it! The explosion of social media, 
hacker news etc., has polluted out thought processes to the 
extent where we can end up wanting approval for what we have 
done, and feelings of failure if the work is not recognised. When 
this happens to me I reflect on what my life goals really are 
(and they don't include getting recognition for my pet projects) 
and that helps me orient where I place my efforts and the 
satisfaction derived from them (in theory, anyway :-) ).

On a side note, I once watched an episode of Chasing Classic Cars 
and a recenty widowed lady was selling her husband's prized 
classic car. Passing through his workshop and referring to the 
lathes etc., she commented: He was building a tool to build a 
tool to build a tool. I totally get this!