Ask HN: What Matters Most in Tech? Awards, Media Praise, or Peer Respect

2 pointsSoundsDebatable1mo ago5 comments

What’s the biggest honor someone in tech can receive that isn’t money, a job title, or company success?

Is it being inducted into a Hall of Fame like the Internet Hall of Fame?

Winning a major industry award from groups like ACM?

Being profiled by top outlets such as Wired or TechCrunch?

Or is it something less formal — like earning deep respect from peers and being cited as an inspiration by other builders?

What do you think is the highest non-financial honor in tech?

5 comments

JacobArthurs1mo ago

Peer respect, without a doubt.

An award means a committee agreed you were impressive. Having engineers who've actually shipped things at scale cite your work unprompted means people with taste and context consider you credible.

SoundsDebatableOP1mo ago

Yeah peer respect is important

Chachingfm1mo ago

Depending on the person.

toomuchtodo1mo ago

“What are you optimizing for, materially and emotionally?” Status? Validation? Material comfort?

Many can provide advice on what to chase and optimize for, only you can decide for you.

SoundsDebatableOP1mo ago

True

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

Ask HN: What Matters Most in Tech? Awards, Media Praise, or Peer Respect

2 pointsSoundsDebatable1mo ago5 comments

What’s the biggest honor someone in tech can receive that isn’t money, a job title, or company success?

Is it being inducted into a Hall of Fame like the Internet Hall of Fame?

Winning a major industry award from groups like ACM?

Being profiled by top outlets such as Wired or TechCrunch?

Or is it something less formal — like earning deep respect from peers and being cited as an inspiration by other builders?

What do you think is the highest non-financial honor in tech?

5 comments

JacobArthurs1mo ago

Peer respect, without a doubt.

An award means a committee agreed you were impressive. Having engineers who've actually shipped things at scale cite your work unprompted means people with taste and context consider you credible.

SoundsDebatableOP1mo ago

Yeah peer respect is important

Chachingfm1mo ago

Depending on the person.

toomuchtodo1mo ago

“What are you optimizing for, materially and emotionally?” Status? Validation? Material comfort?

Many can provide advice on what to chase and optimize for, only you can decide for you.

SoundsDebatableOP1mo ago

True

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse