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How to deal with the shiny object syndrome in tech:
Ever came across the latest new framework / library in your ecosystem? Did you immediately think to yourself "Maybe I need to know and learn this, as well?" or even "I need this!"?
This
is for you 
Ever came across the latest new framework / library in your ecosystem? Did you immediately think to yourself "Maybe I need to know and learn this, as well?" or even "I need this!"?
This
is for you
1) Think about your intention
Why do you feel the need to learn it, why is it so important to you?
1) Are you frightened to be left behind?
2) Are you just eager to learn?
Try to come up with the motivating factors that actually make you care.
Why do you feel the need to learn it, why is it so important to you?
1) Are you frightened to be left behind?
2) Are you just eager to learn?
Try to come up with the motivating factors that actually make you care.
2) Analyze your motivating factors
Be absolutely honest to yourself. Is this your real intention?
If so, be honest to yourself again: What value does it provide to you to to jump in and learn about it?
Is it just personally? Well, then it's up to you!
If not, go on.
Be absolutely honest to yourself. Is this your real intention?
If so, be honest to yourself again: What value does it provide to you to to jump in and learn about it?
Is it just personally? Well, then it's up to you!
If not, go on.
3.1) Understanding the industry
If, at any point, you're frightened to be left behind, stop!
Yes, there are places where a lot of innovation happens every day, but no company has ever thrown out a piece of technology in a single day, without months of migrating to another one.
If, at any point, you're frightened to be left behind, stop!
Yes, there are places where a lot of innovation happens every day, but no company has ever thrown out a piece of technology in a single day, without months of migrating to another one.
3.2) Understanding the industry
Technology adoption is usually relatively slow to happen, until you notice a serious impact on the job market.
You will start noticing tweets and articles spreading out of the ground, telling you about the wide-range adoption of a new shiny lib.
Technology adoption is usually relatively slow to happen, until you notice a serious impact on the job market.
You will start noticing tweets and articles spreading out of the ground, telling you about the wide-range adoption of a new shiny lib.
4) Understanding hype
Hype is something that happens more and more these days.
But hype is just what it is, hype. It is no indicator of things really happening, it is first and foremost an expression of excitement.
And that excitement can vanish with time.
Hype is something that happens more and more these days.
But hype is just what it is, hype. It is no indicator of things really happening, it is first and foremost an expression of excitement.
And that excitement can vanish with time.
5.1) Dealing with hype
As I told you before, the industry is relatively slow to adopt.
There will be a few early adopters, and there will be those that require you to know a technology (that existed for a year) by heart since 5+ years.
But those are exceptions.
As I told you before, the industry is relatively slow to adopt.
There will be a few early adopters, and there will be those that require you to know a technology (that existed for a year) by heart since 5+ years.
But those are exceptions.
5.2) Dealing with hype
Take your time. It is enough to pay a visit to your favorite Twitter user or blog every now and then, and you will, at one point, find out if the hype for a technology was really justified, or not.
If it wasn't, you saved a lot of your time and nerves.
Take your time. It is enough to pay a visit to your favorite Twitter user or blog every now and then, and you will, at one point, find out if the hype for a technology was really justified, or not.
If it wasn't, you saved a lot of your time and nerves.
5.3) Dealing with hype
If it was, you still have plenty of time until the industry really adopts it to such an extent, that it is nearly mandatory for anyone to learn it, that works in a certain field.
We're speaking about 1+ years here, not a few months or weeks.
If it was, you still have plenty of time until the industry really adopts it to such an extent, that it is nearly mandatory for anyone to learn it, that works in a certain field.
We're speaking about 1+ years here, not a few months or weeks.
6.1) Understanding recruitment processes
Most companies try to hire for their stack, of course.
It's cheaper if you get someone that knows how to get around.
If every second job ad involves a certain technology, the time has come to really deal with it.
Most companies try to hire for their stack, of course.
It's cheaper if you get someone that knows how to get around.
If every second job ad involves a certain technology, the time has come to really deal with it.
6.2) Understanding recruitment processes
But software development / engineering has one huge advantage:
If you know the basic principles, you'll get along pretty well.
Skills in one technology are transferable to another one.
But software development / engineering has one huge advantage:
If you know the basic principles, you'll get along pretty well.
Skills in one technology are transferable to another one.
6.3) Understanding recruitment processes
Many companies know this, and won't reject you just because you don't tick every box.
If you are able to show them that you have solid foundations, they will mostly be willing to teach you what you need to know on the way.
Many companies know this, and won't reject you just because you don't tick every box.
If you are able to show them that you have solid foundations, they will mostly be willing to teach you what you need to know on the way.
7.1) Impact of new technologies
New technologies usually don't make older ones vanish over night.
The same goes for the jobs that use those.
There will be companies that migrate, and companies that don't and stay with their old stack.
There WILL be jobs left for you.
New technologies usually don't make older ones vanish over night.
The same goes for the jobs that use those.
There will be companies that migrate, and companies that don't and stay with their old stack.
There WILL be jobs left for you.
7.2) Impact of new technologies
And if the time for you really has come to move on from your current position -> Begin learning then.
Even if you loose your job (which would be sad!), there will be companies that will hire you.
And if the time for you really has come to move on from your current position -> Begin learning then.
Even if you loose your job (which would be sad!), there will be companies that will hire you.
8.1) Examples
With all of the above in mind, are you still feeling forced to learn every new piece of technology, just because some people say it's going to blast everything else out of the way?
Let me give you a few examples:
React hasn't killed Angular.
With all of the above in mind, are you still feeling forced to learn every new piece of technology, just because some people say it's going to blast everything else out of the way?
Let me give you a few examples:
React hasn't killed Angular.
8.2) Examples
Vue hasn't killed React.
Docker and Kubernetes haven't killed VMs.
Deno hasn't killed node.
R and Julia haven't killed Python.
Go hasn't killed Java and Python.
Even COBOL is used today!
People still use SOAP.
Vue hasn't killed React.
Docker and Kubernetes haven't killed VMs.
Deno hasn't killed node.
R and Julia haven't killed Python.
Go hasn't killed Java and Python.
Even COBOL is used today!
People still use SOAP.
9) Conclusion
Seriously, chill.
It's not worth following every new trend, except you're following a very specific plan, which involves getting rich by adopting a very early, hyped technology, and making the most amount of money possible before it becomes mainstream.
Seriously, chill.
It's not worth following every new trend, except you're following a very specific plan, which involves getting rich by adopting a very early, hyped technology, and making the most amount of money possible before it becomes mainstream.
