Subj : Re: Are programmers like this in the real world?
To   : comp.programming
From : Scott Moore
Date : Tue Jul 26 2005 12:06 pm



Charles Richmond wrote:
> Scott Moore wrote:
> 
>>Mike Deeth wrote:
>>
>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>     I've been coding for over a decade in all sorts of languages, as a
>>>hobby.  My career is mathematics.  As such I was obligated to take an
>>>intro programming class.  "Well" I said to myself, "let's get this over
>>>with, it's the last 'nonsense' course needed for the degree so from
>>>here on out it'll be all upper division and graduate math classes.
>>>Anyway, I'll probably learn some new stuff!"
>>>
>>
>>Are all mathematicians as whining and critical in the real world?
>>
>>The problem was prime number sieves, which you would probably have a
>>better than average knowledge of, being a mathematician.
>>
>>There is programming, and there is programming. Our job description
>>in the 1960's and 1970's was to improve the tools for computers so that
>>it didn't take a compiler and operating system genius to get a business
>>application to work.
>>
>>We succeeded. Now there is much better productivity and less need for
>>top level experts to do mundane programming work. If you say "any idiot
>>can program", it's because we made it possible.
>>
>>Yea us. Thanks for the complement.
>>
> 
> And what do you think that your reward will be for making yourself
> obsolete??? Do you think the organization is going to keep you on
> salary as a "programmer emeritus"??? Sounds to me like you just
> worked yourself out of a job.
> 

No, you are assuming the numbers of programmers remains static.
The group of programmers gets larger, the skill level required for
most of them goes down, and some personel that we would have formerly
termed "operators" are now programmers.

When Windows, Mac and other interfaces came out, the pundits were saying
that they were too complex for average people to operate. Microsoft went
as far as introducing "Bob", an animated help interface to bridge the
"gap". What happened is that we became a computer literate nation
instead.

The number of highly skilled programmers has probally not declined.
Certainly there have been washouts, mostly due to overhiring in the
first place. For example, I joined Cisco in 1996 at 10,000 employees,
they went up to 40,000 employees, then they had cutbacks to about the
25,000 level. If they had not binged, they would have doubled in
size since 1996, which is not bad. But everyone sees it as a big
shakeout. I see it as a cycle.

Are programmers getting dumber ? Well, there are more of them, and
there is more use of low skill programmers, so to outsiders, it
may seem that way. I, as a medium skill level programmer, have
never seen unemployment, a pay cut, or any of the down cycles. I
just had a few periods were I had to fight harder to stay current
and stay on top.

.