< how did you start dev (for those who do)?
I started in 1996. I knew before I had turned 18 that I wasn't likely to ever make a decent living as a musician or a writer, and I wanted a job that paid a hell of a lot better than sweeping floors and cleaning toilets. I had discovered that I had a minor talent for fucking around with computers in high school, so I decided to take advantage of it.
I'm not passionate about tech. TBH, I low-key think the Butlerian Jihad is a good idea. But the work still pays reasonably well so I keep doing it.