The DeepSeek Case and Measuring Real Software Developers
An interesting paradox exists in today's technology world. The recent announcement by AI model developer DeepSeek that they developed a GPT-4-like model with a budget of $7 million is a striking example of this paradox. On the one hand, companies like OpenAI are working with enormous budgets at the level of $7 billion, claiming to produce the most advanced technology. On the other side, teams like DeepSeek demonstrate they can produce solutions of similar quality with just a thousandth of that budget. This situation is a striking indicator that the transformation of the IT sector in recent years and the balance between talent and resources needs to be questioned.
Tech giants have become experts at skirting regulations, dodging serious oversight while looking like they're playing by the rules. We see this especially with US companies manipulating their own regulatory institutions, often using the fear that China might surpass them technologically as justification for looser oversight. We can't know exactly what's happening behind closed doors, but it doesn't smell right. This is exactly why we need to find real developers who code because they love it, not because they're caught up in these bigger political and financial games.
Unfortunately, the IT sector has recently become a center of attention for people at all levels who 'appear useful but cause harm.' So, how can we distinguish genuine software enthusiasts without wasting time and resources in such an environment?
Actually, a very simple question can be asked to understand this:
"Do you have any software projects in your area of interest that you developed outside of work or school projects without being obligated to?"
If you're looking for more passion, you can also ask this question:
"Have you ever gotten up in the middle of the night when you couldn't sleep and sat down at your computer to write code?"
The answers to these two questions help us understand whether the person in front of us is genuinely passionate about software or just chasing high-salary dreams.
For someone who carries the spirit of a developer, coding is not a task limited to working hours but a passionate pursuit. And it's even become a social responsibility now. These people love to dig into the root causes of problems and can, therefore, understand that configuring ready-made solutions might not solve the underlying problem. They prefer to develop from scratch when necessary and enjoy bringing their projects to life. This passion quickly sets them apart from others who enter the sector for high salaries. So much so that although some may pass the challenging interviews of Silicon Valley companies by memorizing interview techniques and algorithms thanks to their strong memories, they fail when it comes to producing real value. Because software development requires much more than memorizing formulas...
Whether you're hiring a new software developer, planning to invest in a software project, or evaluating yourself in your career journey, these questions will serve as an important compass to help you choose the right path.
For some, these questions might be a final wake-up call to choose different career paths that will allow them to better utilize their talents and interests rather than continuing in software development.