5 ms·

I can't decide if you're being sarcastic or not.

dgabriel 16y ago
I'm not being sarcastic at all. I know several people who would make excellent developers, but they went into teaching, or consulting, or marketing, or whatever. The pay is either equivalent or less, but the status for those positions is higher. Here's an anecdote: a friend of mine decided that the template blogs available were not what he wanted for a website to showcase his art. So he taught himself php, sql, html, javascript, and gimp, rolled his own site, and asked me to look at the code. It was completely fine -- on par with work I've seen from professionals with 2-3 years experience. He works at Starbucks, which is the kind of job you get with a BFA.
- mmelin 16y ago
  Sorry, can you define BFA?
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
  - Psyonic 16y ago
    Bachelors of Fine Arts.
- hugh3 16y ago
  Is it really a tragedy that the world is being deprived more software developers? Doesn't the world already have pretty much all the software developers it needs? Or, to put it another way, if the (relatively mild) stigma of software development keeps people out of the industry, it helps to raise the pay of those who are in it.
  - dgabriel 16y ago
    I don't buy that argument. In my opinion, the more talented developers there are, the fewer bad ones will be able to remain in the industry. I don't see the market being glutted by great developers under any circumstances. Artificial limits on the number of Professional Software Developers established by some governing body (ala dentistry or orthadontics) is a better way of keeping salaries high. Of course, I think that's a terrible idea.
  - billswift 16y ago
    Judging from both Windows and Linux and programs running on each, there are far too few very smart programmers.
  - squidsoup 16y ago
    > Doesn't the world already have pretty much all the software developers it needs? I'm unaware of the job market elsewhere, but in New Zealand there's a distinct shortage of good developers and a decline in the number of CS graduates.
- cousin_it 16y ago
  If I were you, I'd advise that person to get some contract jobs programming, and maybe find some for them. Talent shouldn't go to waste.
axod 16y ago
I upvoted on the assumption it was sarcasm. If it wasn't, I want my upvote back!
- dgabriel 16y ago
  I apologize for my sincerity. Please downvote any of my other comments to get your vote back. :)

I'm not being sarcastic at all. I know several people who would make excellent developers, but they went into teaching, or consulting, or marketing, or whatever. The pay is either equivalent or less, but the status for those positions is higher. Here's an anecdote: a friend of mine decided that the template blogs available were not what he wanted for a website to showcase his art. So he taught himself php, sql, html, javascript, and gimp, rolled his own site, and asked me to look at the code. It was completely fine -- on par with work I've seen from professionals with 2-3 years experience. He works at Starbucks, which is the kind of job you get with a BFA.

mmelin 16y ago
Sorry, can you define BFA?
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- Psyonic 16y ago
  Bachelors of Fine Arts.
hugh3 16y ago
Is it really a tragedy that the world is being deprived more software developers? Doesn't the world already have pretty much all the software developers it needs? Or, to put it another way, if the (relatively mild) stigma of software development keeps people out of the industry, it helps to raise the pay of those who are in it.
- dgabriel 16y ago
  I don't buy that argument. In my opinion, the more talented developers there are, the fewer bad ones will be able to remain in the industry. I don't see the market being glutted by great developers under any circumstances. Artificial limits on the number of Professional Software Developers established by some governing body (ala dentistry or orthadontics) is a better way of keeping salaries high. Of course, I think that's a terrible idea.
- billswift 16y ago
  Judging from both Windows and Linux and programs running on each, there are far too few very smart programmers.
- squidsoup 16y ago
  > Doesn't the world already have pretty much all the software developers it needs? I'm unaware of the job market elsewhere, but in New Zealand there's a distinct shortage of good developers and a decline in the number of CS graduates.
cousin_it 16y ago
If I were you, I'd advise that person to get some contract jobs programming, and maybe find some for them. Talent shouldn't go to waste.

axod 16y ago

I upvoted on the assumption it was sarcasm. If it wasn't, I want my upvote back!

dgabriel 16y ago
I apologize for my sincerity. Please downvote any of my other comments to get your vote back. :)