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I think the shortage of software development skills really has to do with the lack of there being enough people who get impassioned with this kind of stuff. I

I think the shortage of software development skills really has to do with the lack of there being enough people who get impassioned with this kind of stuff. I was at a party recently I was asking someone about their work. I was really interested in how they solved certain problems, etc... We were probably only talking a minute or so when she says, "Can we not talk about my job and ask me about my car or some great meal I've had?" So I apologized and we talked about other things. But it did get me thinking that at a random party I'd be happy to talk about my job/industry/etc... While I have a lot of interests, I don't think I've ever thought, "I'm tired of talking about programming or technology". Usually when I stop talking about it, it's for the sake of those around me :-)

aiscott 15y ago
I don't like talking about my job because it's so esoteric from most people's perspectives. I think a lot of people at least have some small idea about what programming is about. I'm a digital ASIC designer. Next to nobody you randomly meet has any clue what that is about. It actually sucks in a lot of ways because talking about work is an ice breaker, even for people that don't like talking about their work. For me, somebody asking about my work just adds another relational barrier.
- robryan 15y ago
  Having an unusual profession can be an ice breaker to, as long as you don't expect the other person to really grasp what you are doing day to day. I guess you can just simplify it to say you make device x work when a button is pressed or something depending on what you are actually designing.
robryan 15y ago
Yeah lots of people don't want to talk much about their work outside of work. I think it comes down to whether someone is passionate about it or it is just a pay check. Of course some could love their work but just get sick of talking about it. As you say I am interested in how other industries solve problems, particular how technology is being applied to help (or hinder) their workflow. Often people who work in other industries just accept workflow processes for how they are and aren't really interested in thinking about how they could be improved. Not that someone working at a big company really has the power to enact these kinds of changes but they are interesting to discuss.
FuzzyDunlop 15y ago
I think you can look at this another way too. How many people in other industries voluntarily embark on pet projects or hobbyist experiments that involve the same things they do at work? How many people in other industries blog about their profession in their own time? And not just about their day to day, but about new things they've found or interesting things they've figured out. People want to go home and leave work at the office, but it's not at all uncommon for a programmer or developer to carry on in their spare time, working on their own stuff. You probably started off your career as a hobby in the first place. Sometimes it can be hard to switch off when plenty of other people manage it fine. It seems almost implausible to imagine a fellow colleague who wasn't interested. I also think that specialist journalism is another profession that almost expects 'extra-curricular' interest in the field.
- the-cakeboss 15y ago
  >How many people in other industries voluntarily embark on pet projects or hobbyist experiments that involve the same things they do at work? Well this behavior isn't limited to those involved with software development. I'd say that this is the case for any profession that involves the formulation and then creation of content, ideas, products etc. Take this guy for example: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/01/the_best_american_wall_map_david_imus_the_essential_geography_of_the_united_states_of_america_.html http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/01/the_be... A lot of other fields necessitate a customer in order to perform, such as medicine.
noduerme 15y ago
No work, no tech and no food? God help you if you ask her about politics or religion. She was hot, obviously. Sounds like a nightmare.

aiscott 15y ago

I don't like talking about my job because it's so esoteric from most people's perspectives. I think a lot of people at least have some small idea about what programming is about. I'm a digital ASIC designer. Next to nobody you randomly meet has any clue what that is about. It actually sucks in a lot of ways because talking about work is an ice breaker, even for people that don't like talking about their work. For me, somebody asking about my work just adds another relational barrier.

robryan 15y ago
Having an unusual profession can be an ice breaker to, as long as you don't expect the other person to really grasp what you are doing day to day. I guess you can just simplify it to say you make device x work when a button is pressed or something depending on what you are actually designing.

robryan 15y ago

Yeah lots of people don't want to talk much about their work outside of work. I think it comes down to whether someone is passionate about it or it is just a pay check. Of course some could love their work but just get sick of talking about it. As you say I am interested in how other industries solve problems, particular how technology is being applied to help (or hinder) their workflow. Often people who work in other industries just accept workflow processes for how they are and aren't really interested in thinking about how they could be improved. Not that someone working at a big company really has the power to enact these kinds of changes but they are interesting to discuss.

FuzzyDunlop 15y ago

I think you can look at this another way too. How many people in other industries voluntarily embark on pet projects or hobbyist experiments that involve the same things they do at work? How many people in other industries blog about their profession in their own time? And not just about their day to day, but about new things they've found or interesting things they've figured out. People want to go home and leave work at the office, but it's not at all uncommon for a programmer or developer to carry on in their spare time, working on their own stuff. You probably started off your career as a hobby in the first place. Sometimes it can be hard to switch off when plenty of other people manage it fine. It seems almost implausible to imagine a fellow colleague who wasn't interested. I also think that specialist journalism is another profession that almost expects 'extra-curricular' interest in the field.

the-cakeboss 15y ago
>How many people in other industries voluntarily embark on pet projects or hobbyist experiments that involve the same things they do at work? Well this behavior isn't limited to those involved with software development. I'd say that this is the case for any profession that involves the formulation and then creation of content, ideas, products etc. Take this guy for example: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/01/the_best_american_wall_map_david_imus_the_essential_geography_of_the_united_states_of_america_.html http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/01/the_be... A lot of other fields necessitate a customer in order to perform, such as medicine.

noduerme 15y ago

No work, no tech and no food? God help you if you ask her about politics or religion. She was hot, obviously. Sounds like a nightmare.