>The automation of tasks that formerly required writing software, are automated by someone writing new software. This. User timr writes: "Then take a close l

>The automation of tasks that formerly required writing software, are automated by someone writing new software. This. User timr writes: "Then take a close look at AWS, Heroku, Rackspace...those were all systems engineering jobs. Startups don't have to hire people to do that now. What used to be thousands of jobs is now maybe a tenth of that." Let's take this point and unravel it a bit. AWS is hugely disruptive. It takes work previously done by operations folks (like me) and puts useful tools directly in the hands of users (programmers). This is a huge change that increases a programmer's efficiency. (I prefer the term developer, but I'll keep it to stay consistent). In effect, it has removed one of the major barriers to entry, that is, getting your code online and accessible from the internet. So automation is the thrust of the argument; robots on the assembly line replacing auto-workers jobs. Someone had to build those robots. In the programmers case, that someone is a programmer. So, what can we learn from all this? Change is good. We need these disruptions to setup the next growth phase. Software is different. The barriers to entry are being removed. Productivity increases as a result. Be on the positive side of the change. Predict, plan, strategize, and stay relevant. Happy Labor Day.