[SketchySeaBeast]

That's a super important clarification. I'm sure a lot of us loved algorithm optimizations and solving fun problems, but for the majority of us programming devolves down to "Modify a CRUD website template for the next 20-35 years".

[meritt]

And that desire to work on algorithm optimizations and solving fun problems is why we have such utterly complex web development toolchains today.

[cix_pkez]

I actually agree totally, but perhaps not for your intended reason.

I have a hunch that the clear syntax and relative simplicity of web programming is what drives a certain kind of developer to long for complexity and turn something simple into this: `user.public? && (current_user.try(:test) ? user.test? : !user.test?)`

[SketchySeaBeast]

Yeah, that's something that a developer learns better as he gains experience, but as a younger dev I know that I craved complexity for complexities sake, and to prove that I COULD work with complexity. I've since grown out of that.

[crdoconnor]

I've always found "CRUD" work ends up being way more complicated, interesting and challenging than its reputation indicates.

Moreover, when it becomes tedious, it's almost always a result of poor tools, bad decisions or developers doing manually what should have been automated.

I'm also pretty sure if there were no intellectual challenge involved I wouldn't see so many unnormalized databases.