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Comment on Ask HN: I'm a Developer, I make good money, Where do I put it?

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I put mine into new opportunities.

Mostly equipment for the day I might venture out on my own.

I have an entire music studio (hardware and software), creative studio (cintiq, nice cameras [video and still], adobe creative suite), and the start of an electrical engineering lab in my apartment. I have built a pretty good home theater in my living room (projection system), and lots of DVDs for inspiration. Lots and lots of boooooks.

It's pretty expensive, but makes me feel more secure. I'm not worried about money; I am worried about boredom. Make sure to get good insurance.

I would spend some of it curating a taste in something as well.

The most important thing you have to spend is time. Whatever you can buy to save time (without losing control over things you need control over) is a good investment.

I see a problem with this approach. In 5 years much of your equipment will be obsolete and have almost zero value on the second hand market. And if you do decide to use them, everyone will have moved on to new media/software.

Technology only becomes obsolete when it no longer solves a problem you have. It becomes irrelevant when it solves a problem you no longer have.

He is investing in stuff that will allow him to create. The only problem is if he can't create stuff faster than his competitors (not much of a problem if you have enough talent and skill) or if people suddenly become no longer interested in the stuff that he wants to make (which also seems unlikely).

I don't see anyone creating anything with an 8-track or VHS tape except as a novelty because it would be painfully slow and the quality not up to par compared with what we have now. It's only useful if he's creating stuff and earning money/fame/fulfillment or whatever rocks his boat. But as 'investment' for some future date when he decides to use them he might be better off investing the money pending that future date which brings us back to square one.

You're describing obsolete formats. Some stuff that was first created during the 8-track era is still desirable and available in other formats.

Besides, I took his comment to mean that he's buying the equipment to develop new and marketable skills.

"I'm not worried about money; I am worried about boredom."- Investing done right.

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