Geoff Holden

Everyone’s been asked the question ‘what do you do?’, I’ve been thinking about the right answer to it lately. I could say that I’m a computer or software engineer, but that’s not right because you can’t claim the term ‘engineer’ unless you’re a P.Eng. So, ’software developer’, or ’software designer’ seems to be what I can claim.

After I had thought that I had my conclusion, I began to think about it again. The terms above describe my job, but is that all I I do? I like to think that my job is only a small portion of ‘what I do’. I read (although I haven’t started a new book in over a month), watch movies, and watch TV (recorded, of course). I play poker, golf, and video games. I tinker with things, be it my computer or anything else that may be broken, I design/develop web sites. I try to stay reasonably active in the Linux/Open Source community (through developing software, or through education/advocacy).

So, the answer to the question doesn’t seem quite so simple. I know most people are expecting your job to be your answer, but I don’t think that it’s the real answer–unless your job is everything in your life, which I don’t think is healthy.

It’s something to think about the next time somebody asks you what you do.