[Udo]

There is a very real evolutionary component to side projects. They are usually born out of an idea, a will to experiment or just because they sound fun. And they are fun, not necessarily due to reaching a certain goal, but as a way to spend time. You could argue that time is wasted, but not every intellectual or emotional pursuit has to be oriented on externally viable goals. Time you spend on side projects could also be time you spend on playing a computer game, crafting something, or any other hobby-like activity. Even though the remnants of old projects can sometimes feel like tombstones or failure markers, for some reason we don't feel the same way about, say, an old save game file.

But most importantly, I want to circle back to the evolutionary aspect: side projects are explorations. The subject of that exploration can vary hugely, but at the end there is a result. The result may be that the project is not viable or not fun. Or it might be a lesson about programming that will improve your performance further down the road. Occasionally, side projects survive and get to pass on their genes in the form of continued development, or partial re-use, or even a commercial spin-off.

All of this is fine, and it's part of the process many programmers go through. I would like to invite people to embrace the impermanence and whimsical nature of side projects from the get go. Learn to love what you're doing, instead of thinking about what the world will be like when you're done with a project.

[nsheth17]

> "Even though the remnants of old projects can sometimes feel like tombstones or failure markers, for some reason we don't feel the same way about, say, an old save game file."

Very true. We beat ourselves up over leaving projects unfinished in a way that we don't about other things. It's probably because side projects mean something more to us, and the way we look at ourselves.

Also true that side projects are explorations. It's also more fun to explore with other people than it is alone.