"So, perhaps better advice is to be aware that some day you will want to graduate to definite goals."
Or perhaps it would better be worded as: be aware that some day you MAY want to graduate to definite goals.
But even that sounds pretty condescending and limiting. Why should I have a goal in mind when I create? Why should I have deadlines? Why should I sprint? What's the hurry, anyway?
When I started writing a 68000 emulator, I did so because it posed an interesting challenge. When I finally got it to the point where I could plug it into MAME and play Rastan Saga on it, I was thrilled. When I got its speed to the point where it rivaled the existing assembler core, I was stoked. And then eventually it reached a point of accuracy and performance that it supplanted the old core and became the standard 68k core in most emulators in use today. Did I have a plan? Not really, other than to try my hand at emulation. Did I have deadlines? Hell no. Did I have metrics? Well, if accuracy and speed counts, then sure. Did I make any money off it? Nope. And you know what? I don't care. I created something of beauty using the skills available to me at the time.
That was over 10 years ago. Now I create different things and post them to github, but my motivation remains the same.
Or perhaps it would better be worded as: be aware that some day you MAY want to graduate to definite goals.
But even that sounds pretty condescending and limiting. Why should I have a goal in mind when I create? Why should I have deadlines? Why should I sprint? What's the hurry, anyway?
When I started writing a 68000 emulator, I did so because it posed an interesting challenge. When I finally got it to the point where I could plug it into MAME and play Rastan Saga on it, I was thrilled. When I got its speed to the point where it rivaled the existing assembler core, I was stoked. And then eventually it reached a point of accuracy and performance that it supplanted the old core and became the standard 68k core in most emulators in use today. Did I have a plan? Not really, other than to try my hand at emulation. Did I have deadlines? Hell no. Did I have metrics? Well, if accuracy and speed counts, then sure. Did I make any money off it? Nope. And you know what? I don't care. I created something of beauty using the skills available to me at the time.
That was over 10 years ago. Now I create different things and post them to github, but my motivation remains the same.