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I think the whole thing with webdev is that the barrier to entry for starting your own little company or SaaS or even being a contractor is much lower. Not many

I think the whole thing with webdev is that the barrier to entry for starting your own little company or SaaS or even being a contractor is much lower. Not many bootstrapped embedded programming startups - if you're doing low level stuff you seem to always be working for medium to large companies.

noobermin 10y ago
So I don't do work with low-level stuff (computational physicist here, so different low-level), but I was of the impression things like the Arduino and Raspberry Pi and all these open source maker tools have significantly lowered the barrier too, if not at least the overhead.
- lacampbell 10y ago
  Are people making enough money to quit their day jobs doing stuff for the Arduino and Raspberry? My impression was that it's all hobbyist. If there are, please someone let me know.
  - di4na 10y ago
    There is a market for stuff like that that integrate into tools, especially for factories. But it needs more integration and investment, and it needs to be able to sale to big entreprisey world, where you compete with IBM, Cisco and co. But there is definitely something to do to instrument factories and lines.
- dsp1234 10y ago
  It's definitely easier to get into embedded programming. But blinking a light, or monitoring the air pressure around you isn't going to pay the bills as easily. Compare that to making a simple web application or extension, and signing up for adwords. Almost all programming is easier now than when I was growing up (regardless of area), but that doesn't mean that those areas have all had the same level of growth in terms of actual proficient programmers. ex: Compare the ease of creating the site at the top of the google search for "subnet calculator", and how much it makes in ad driven traffic vs what you would have to do to monetize even the simplest embedded project.
jpindar 10y ago
That's not true at all. I've only worked for small companies. Nowadays, almost any kind of electronics design or manufacturing involves digitally controlled components and thus microcontrollers, so even old school rf companies, for example, have to bring on someone to do the embedded stuff. And of course there are also many small companies derived from the maker movement.

noobermin 10y ago

So I don't do work with low-level stuff (computational physicist here, so different low-level), but I was of the impression things like the Arduino and Raspberry Pi and all these open source maker tools have significantly lowered the barrier too, if not at least the overhead.

lacampbell 10y ago
Are people making enough money to quit their day jobs doing stuff for the Arduino and Raspberry? My impression was that it's all hobbyist. If there are, please someone let me know.
- di4na 10y ago
  There is a market for stuff like that that integrate into tools, especially for factories. But it needs more integration and investment, and it needs to be able to sale to big entreprisey world, where you compete with IBM, Cisco and co. But there is definitely something to do to instrument factories and lines.
dsp1234 10y ago
It's definitely easier to get into embedded programming. But blinking a light, or monitoring the air pressure around you isn't going to pay the bills as easily. Compare that to making a simple web application or extension, and signing up for adwords. Almost all programming is easier now than when I was growing up (regardless of area), but that doesn't mean that those areas have all had the same level of growth in terms of actual proficient programmers. ex: Compare the ease of creating the site at the top of the google search for "subnet calculator", and how much it makes in ad driven traffic vs what you would have to do to monetize even the simplest embedded project.

jpindar 10y ago

That's not true at all. I've only worked for small companies. Nowadays, almost any kind of electronics design or manufacturing involves digitally controlled components and thus microcontrollers, so even old school rf companies, for example, have to bring on someone to do the embedded stuff. And of course there are also many small companies derived from the maker movement.