I’ve developed an online system for the firm I work for. It’s an online reporting system. It sucks up all the marketing activities from the executives, and feeds it into a MySql database in Canada. I’ve developed it in ASP which I learned for the purpose. I’m very proud of it, and look at it with great affection.
Yesterday, my employer said that the system, fantastic though it was, was distracting me from my real work, and said that my particular skills require me to contact top firms, which others will have difficulty doing. There is no danger of course of the system stopping, since the benefits are tremendous. However, I did feel sad that I can be pulled off development whenever the firm chooses to. Should I get too attached to my own work.
I’ve learned a great deal with this system. I’m now going to migrate it to the .NET platform. So much learning. Perhaps, the good of the system is inside me, since I made it. It by itself is nothing. The animating force behind it, is myself. I suppose that if others take over the task of maintaining it, it’ll begin to have it’s own life separate from me. Like a child that has grown too big for it’s parents to take care of any more. I will fight to see that it does not die, but should I be so selfish as to say that no one else can take charge of it?
It is only human to feel possessive about something that has come from you.. But holding on to it can also be dangerous to your own well being. Maybe you should take time out for other activities at work. It might help lessen the grip your online system has on you.