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HTML was a new thing then. Despite how simple it seems now, it was a black art then. I was also around for those times and this is pretty similar. The warnin

by ry0ohki 13y ago

HTML was a new thing then. Despite how simple it seems now, it was a black art then. I was also around for those times and this is pretty similar. The warning signs to me are when people "not in the industry" want to become involved. IE, in the 90s bubble, accountants were looking to become IT Professionals with MCSE certifications because the job market was so hot. Now people who had no interest in starting a business or technology are starting companies left and right. It will be a different type of bubble, but it's definitely a bubble.

Homunculiheaded 13y ago
The biggest difference I see is that while I know many non-developers wanting to get into software, only those that actually become strong developers make it. In the 90s it wasn't just that HTML was new, anyone that was "good with computers" was able to land jobs that paid stupid amounts of money for the skill set. There's good money and a demand for developers now, but companies are still looking for good developers, not just bodies with the right buzzwords on a resume. And also mentioned in the parent comment: there's nowhere near the zeal from the general public. I don't know anyone in the non-tech world that thought groupon or zynga was a good deal, and almost everyone is curious how exactly fb plans to make money in the long run. Compare this to the dotcom bubble or the real-estae bubble and it is very different (I remember many people telling me in 2007 that I was foolish not to buy a house).
- runawaybottle 13y ago
  I'll add that if we have to make some kinda of parallel, the best we can do is put the cut-off at low-level frontend development. That includes taking PSDs and slicing them, maybe hook up some jquery. Anything beyond that such as complex html5/js web and mobile development, native apps, and backend work all take a significant investment of time. I don't think one can just jump into it.
Terretta 13y ago
No, it's not the same. Those late 90s guys were well employed. The current crop of wantrepreneurs are very often not.

by ry0ohki 13y ago

Homunculiheaded 13y ago

The biggest difference I see is that while I know many non-developers wanting to get into software, only those that actually become strong developers make it. In the 90s it wasn't just that HTML was new, anyone that was "good with computers" was able to land jobs that paid stupid amounts of money for the skill set. There's good money and a demand for developers now, but companies are still looking for good developers, not just bodies with the right buzzwords on a resume. And also mentioned in the parent comment: there's nowhere near the zeal from the general public. I don't know anyone in the non-tech world that thought groupon or zynga was a good deal, and almost everyone is curious how exactly fb plans to make money in the long run. Compare this to the dotcom bubble or the real-estae bubble and it is very different (I remember many people telling me in 2007 that I was foolish not to buy a house).

runawaybottle 13y ago
I'll add that if we have to make some kinda of parallel, the best we can do is put the cut-off at low-level frontend development. That includes taking PSDs and slicing them, maybe hook up some jquery. Anything beyond that such as complex html5/js web and mobile development, native apps, and backend work all take a significant investment of time. I don't think one can just jump into it.

Terretta 13y ago

No, it's not the same. Those late 90s guys were well employed. The current crop of wantrepreneurs are very often not.