I don't program in my spare time. Does that make me a bad developer?
when i'm working a 9-5 job, the last thing i want to do is go home and program more.  i'd rather throw the ball around with the dog or rock out on my guitar.<p>in my experience the people who say "you have to have side projects to be a good developer" are either people who do program in their spare time, or people who want to hire the type of programmers who voluntarily chain themselves to their desk.<p>this is one myth i'd really like to see die.  good accountants don't balance checkbooks in their spare time, do they?  lawyers don't hold mock trials, doctors don't do surgery on their friends as side projects, and construction workers don't pour concrete for kicks on the weekend.