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> compare developer wages to manual labourers or retail staff apples to oranges. we're highly specialized knowledge workers. well most of us are, so it is mor

> compare developer wages to manual labourers or retail staff apples to oranges. we're highly specialized knowledge workers. well most of us are, so it is more fair to compare with bankers, lawyers, medics, architects, politician and middle managers which can count on a year to year income growth instead of having to playing idea lottery.

Chris2048 11y ago
Arguably, none of us are chartered. But I agree, you have to compare like-for-like.
vinceguidry 11y ago
I wouldn't exactly call developers highly specialized. Specialized developers work in a tiny niche and make lots of money by being one of the very few in that niche. Any of us could potentially become specialized, but very few of us actually are. Hell, most of us could jump fields without losing steam. Systems administration, security, database administration, all of these can be done by a decent developer.
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  At some level. But I would never hire a developer to do security, or sysad. Because they have the wrong mindset for it. I want some OCD single-minded person keeping my network safe. Not someone who like to just 'get it done' as efficiently as possible. Totally different goal, and to be really good at it takes a different person.
agentultra 11y ago
I'd compare us only superficially to capital-P Professions like lawyers, architects, engineers and the like. There are no bar exams to get a license to practice programming in the industry; no liability -- it's really easy for people to misrepresent themselves and for companies to take advantage of us. Comparing us to retail workers has some merit. We're not professions, have no collective representation, and can be easily replaced (despite current myths about how difficult it is to hire programmers there are hoards of new graduates and self-taught individuals making the leap from other careers and professions because of the money and cushy benefits -- most hiring processes seem to be designed to keep the majority of people out).

Chris2048 11y ago

Arguably, none of us are chartered. But I agree, you have to compare like-for-like.

vinceguidry 11y ago

I wouldn't exactly call developers highly specialized. Specialized developers work in a tiny niche and make lots of money by being one of the very few in that niche. Any of us could potentially become specialized, but very few of us actually are. Hell, most of us could jump fields without losing steam. Systems administration, security, database administration, all of these can be done by a decent developer.

JoeAltmaier 11y ago
At some level. But I would never hire a developer to do security, or sysad. Because they have the wrong mindset for it. I want some OCD single-minded person keeping my network safe. Not someone who like to just 'get it done' as efficiently as possible. Totally different goal, and to be really good at it takes a different person.

agentultra 11y ago

I'd compare us only superficially to capital-P Professions like lawyers, architects, engineers and the like. There are no bar exams to get a license to practice programming in the industry; no liability -- it's really easy for people to misrepresent themselves and for companies to take advantage of us. Comparing us to retail workers has some merit. We're not professions, have no collective representation, and can be easily replaced (despite current myths about how difficult it is to hire programmers there are hoards of new graduates and self-taught individuals making the leap from other careers and professions because of the money and cushy benefits -- most hiring processes seem to be designed to keep the majority of people out).