4 ms·

One of the things that I think is unique about programming is unlike being a lawyer or a doctor, the difficulty of programming is not "front loaded" and lies be

One of the things that I think is unique about programming is unlike being a lawyer or a doctor, the difficulty of programming is not "front loaded" and lies beneath the surface, not easily visible to the average person. It's easy to see why a doctor gets paid so much after you see the brutal hours they put into residency, the difficulty of becoming a doctor is out there for everyone to see in the form of med-school and residency programs. It's different with programming because on the surface level it just looks like guys playing on the computer all day, to the average onlooker it doesn't seem that difficult. But most of that difficulty is hidden under the surface. It might be easy to become a programmer, but to get to the level where you are an Senior SWE making what doctors make will take you quite some time and effort. While I wouldn't put programming on the same difficulty scale as becoming a doctor, I think it would be far to say it's about as hard becoming a Senior SWE (in terms of years of experience required) as it is going through law school.

woodruffw 4y ago
> unlike being a lawyer or a doctor, the difficulty of programming is not "front loaded" and lies beneath the surface, not easily visible to the average person. I think this is very much like those professions, especially law. Lots of people think they can be their own medical professional or lawyer, to inconsistent (at best) results.
WWLink 4y ago
Not to mention with exceptions - a good programmer in my particular niche is someone who probably spent YEARS fucking around with embedded devices and Linux machines. Most of the hardcore nerdy types had at least 10 years of experience with the technology they're working on before they even graduated college. It's not impossible to do the same in medicine or law....
JamesianP 4y ago
As the article said it's a cartel limiting entry into medicine. The cartel places an artificial barrier in terms of a giant hurdle requiring uncompromising quality. Much like the FAANG interview process limiting who they hire, (and thereby inflicting the need to pay high salaries upon themselves). Just south of the border doctors make a fraction as much. Perhaps the quality can't compete in certain areas like the ICU, but I'd also bet their care is fine for most things. But overall there's no cartel that can stop salary arbitrage for programming. Variants of IT/Engineering are most of the top majors in India, and they don't need to immigrate here to be hired, though whatever cartels do exist in tech are working hard to help programmers do so.

woodruffw 4y ago

> unlike being a lawyer or a doctor, the difficulty of programming is not "front loaded" and lies beneath the surface, not easily visible to the average person. I think this is very much like those professions, especially law. Lots of people think they can be their own medical professional or lawyer, to inconsistent (at best) results.

WWLink 4y ago

Not to mention with exceptions - a good programmer in my particular niche is someone who probably spent YEARS fucking around with embedded devices and Linux machines. Most of the hardcore nerdy types had at least 10 years of experience with the technology they're working on before they even graduated college. It's not impossible to do the same in medicine or law....

JamesianP 4y ago

As the article said it's a cartel limiting entry into medicine. The cartel places an artificial barrier in terms of a giant hurdle requiring uncompromising quality. Much like the FAANG interview process limiting who they hire, (and thereby inflicting the need to pay high salaries upon themselves). Just south of the border doctors make a fraction as much. Perhaps the quality can't compete in certain areas like the ICU, but I'd also bet their care is fine for most things. But overall there's no cartel that can stop salary arbitrage for programming. Variants of IT/Engineering are most of the top majors in India, and they don't need to immigrate here to be hired, though whatever cartels do exist in tech are working hard to help programmers do so.