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But one of the downsides of doing Linux systems programming is that it is much more niche and really restricts your options for employers as well as where to li

But one of the downsides of doing Linux systems programming is that it is much more niche and really restricts your options for employers as well as where to live.

bboreham 10y ago
Containers is an exploding field, and basically "Linux systems programming". Sure it's more niche than the web, but there are many many companies hiring, all over the world.
- Zelmor 10y ago
  Maybe in 5-10 years I'll consider taking a look at containers. Currently, they are a fad not much unlike React.
  - Jtsummers 10y ago
    Hmm, why do you think they're a fad? Virtualization as a way of controlling specific application environments has been around for decades. The current movement (kicked off by the hypervisor work over a decade ago) is towards running more virtualized environments now that hardware and software support is much better (reduced overhead associated with it, greater portability). Do you mean that they're overused or that their value is overstated?
    - Zelmor 10y ago
      When Fortune 500s start adopting a technology, it can be considered ripe and stable. Big companies move slow for a reason. You wouldn't want your banking site to pull the newest javascript magick, but something to do dull-looking business logic, and be rock solid. You brought up virtualization. That started in the '60s. It too 40 years for the technology to get to a level where it is widespread and adopted by everyone and their cat. We will see if Docker and other container technologies will get their hold in industries other than startups. For now, all the people who use it that I see are the cool kids on the block in their hoodies. I think boring technology is good technology in that it provides value and stability for everyone. I am yet to hear of one Docker adoption where at scale the company saved more than a three digit sum year-on-year. Remember that you also pay an extra for sysops folks who run these things, and they will ask a higher price because the tech is hip! For me, I'll stick to VmWare and kvm for now.
Zelmor 10y ago
>as well as where to live Those very same companies offer remote work increasingly, as they struggle to find talent in the aforementioned field.
thesmallestcat 10y ago
Is that meaningful? Even if they're hiring, it's not like I'm going to get a good senior web dev job (pay, challenges, respect, oppportunity..) in Boise or Nashville or wherever. Yes there are jobs, but unless you're going to work remotely, almost all of the good ones are clustered in a handful of metro areas anyway.

But one of the downsides of doing Linux systems programming is that it is much more niche and really restricts your options for employers as well as where to live.

bboreham 10y ago

Containers is an exploding field, and basically "Linux systems programming". Sure it's more niche than the web, but there are many many companies hiring, all over the world.

Zelmor 10y ago
Maybe in 5-10 years I'll consider taking a look at containers. Currently, they are a fad not much unlike React.
- Jtsummers 10y ago
  Hmm, why do you think they're a fad? Virtualization as a way of controlling specific application environments has been around for decades. The current movement (kicked off by the hypervisor work over a decade ago) is towards running more virtualized environments now that hardware and software support is much better (reduced overhead associated with it, greater portability). Do you mean that they're overused or that their value is overstated?
  - Zelmor 10y ago
    When Fortune 500s start adopting a technology, it can be considered ripe and stable. Big companies move slow for a reason. You wouldn't want your banking site to pull the newest javascript magick, but something to do dull-looking business logic, and be rock solid. You brought up virtualization. That started in the '60s. It too 40 years for the technology to get to a level where it is widespread and adopted by everyone and their cat. We will see if Docker and other container technologies will get their hold in industries other than startups. For now, all the people who use it that I see are the cool kids on the block in their hoodies. I think boring technology is good technology in that it provides value and stability for everyone. I am yet to hear of one Docker adoption where at scale the company saved more than a three digit sum year-on-year. Remember that you also pay an extra for sysops folks who run these things, and they will ask a higher price because the tech is hip! For me, I'll stick to VmWare and kvm for now.

Zelmor 10y ago

>as well as where to live Those very same companies offer remote work increasingly, as they struggle to find talent in the aforementioned field.

thesmallestcat 10y ago

Is that meaningful? Even if they're hiring, it's not like I'm going to get a good senior web dev job (pay, challenges, respect, oppportunity..) in Boise or Nashville or wherever. Yes there are jobs, but unless you're going to work remotely, almost all of the good ones are clustered in a handful of metro areas anyway.