Obsession, Invention & State Payroll (Dec 18)

In the previous post I blamed some big rocks for slow progress on our new accounting software. But I think the problem is deeper.

Programming requires intense focus. In fact, it works best with more than that. Every new product we’ve made took a spell of total obsession. TurtleSoft’s history has a few of those, interspersed with low-focus coasting.

The first batch of software obsession was a couple months in Winter 1986. It built spreadsheets and macros for estimating and accounting. The second was five years, 1988 to 1993, as TurtleSoft grew exponentially. Then another five, 1997 to 2002, to finish and polish Goldenseal.

More recently, it took a year of obsession circa 2015 to update to 64 bit and rewrite the database engine. Only shorter spurts since then. Most creative binges were interrupted by something: noisy neighbors, Covid, moving, need for other work to pay bills. A few years of effort were wasted on platforms that didn’t work out.

In between the creative bursts, small stuff still gets done. But most energy goes to other interests. One can only stay focused on one thing for so long. Obsession is draining, and not healthy. Sitting for many hours at a computer add 2 or 3 pounds of body fat per month.

Software is not the only thing that requires obsession. It applies to anything big and new. I just watched The Wind Rises, a Studio Ghibli film about aircraft design. In it, Count Caproni says you only get ten years in the sun, for that level of creativity. Hayao Miyazaki may speak from his own experience.

The new accounting app is close to completion, but it’s hard to find motivation to work on it. My ten years are up. Work is getting done, but it’s moving very slowly. The rocks, yard and house are too enticing.

I don’t know how many people still use the current Goldenseal. Most of our users started in the 1980s to 00s, and probably retired by now. Construction has similar creative burn-out issues (plus Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and back pain).

There’s a bit of a turning point for TurtleSoft, right now. It’s almost time to make payroll tax tables for 51 US states/DC, plus 13 provinces and territories in Canada. Skipping it this year is an effective way to count the surviving Goldenseal user base (at least for the payroll software). If nobody squeaks, a tedious week will be avoided. Something else can get accomplished instead.

I don’t know how many people read this blog. Usually that doesn’t matter, since I enjoy writing it. It’s a good way to gain clarity. Maybe Google likes it, and sends searches our way. However, hearing from readers who still want the new accounting/estimating software will be useful. An aid to motivation. Send a hello to support@turtlesoft.com.

Since 2015, the project has been a long, long slog with zero financial reward. It will finish just out of sheer inertia and guilt, but completion will be quicker if there’s a better reason in sight.

Dennis Kolva
Programming Director
TurtleSoft.com

Author: Dennis Kolva

Programming Director for Turtle Creek Software. Design & planning of accounting and estimating software. View all posts by Dennis Kolva