I agree much of this fall under "working for free" but it doesn't have to. I for instance, work as a web developer and really want to get into making games, which is a huge undertaking in itself. It requires deep, productive time of learning and experimentation, and I often find myself drained after work to tackle such activities.
However, I do feel like working through projects like this and coming out the other side with something tangible is a high like no other, and I despite how hard it might be, it's really invigorating and gratifying.
You're treating tech as a hobby and engaging with it accordingly.
This piece literally started with:
> My software developer colleagues often ask me where I do get all the time for reading all the tech books or articles, watching conference talks and listening to podcasts.
Immediately we, the reader, know this isn't about having fun in your spare time or learning and building purely for pleasure.
It's all about achieving, about being that person that other people look to and think "wow, where do they find the time to be so productive??"
If it were as you say, I'd have no issues with the piece at all.
Wether you consider learning a hobby, a chore, or part of the job description, is entirely up to you, regardless of how close to the topic of paid work it is.
The things I may want to learn or do in service of a hobby or personal interest are very different from those topics relevant to my professional life, and the motivations and the value I get from it are entirely different as well.
And this article is clearly written with a professional context in mind.
Unless you think that when he mentioned how his "software developer colleagues often ask me where I do get all the time for reading all the tech books or articles, watching conference talks and listening to podcasts," they were marveling at his woodworking hobby?
So the things you may want to learn are not job related. But maybe the things he wants to learn are.
I've certainly gone through periods where that happened, and others where it didn't.
I don't think it's correct to judge anyone for not wanting to do job related stuff out of the job, but neither is it correct to judge someone who's so interested in their work area that they spend their spare time learning more about it.
However, I do feel like working through projects like this and coming out the other side with something tangible is a high like no other, and I despite how hard it might be, it's really invigorating and gratifying.