Is Experience in Programming Worth Anything?

damphlett asks: "My boss is a person of considerable hiring power within the Software Development area of a major global Investment Bank. I've just had a conversation with him that scared the hell out of me. He believes that people with 10 years experience in C++ have nothing significant to offer over people with 2 years experience. As someone with 12 years C++ the difference is so self evident I barely knew where to begin explaining his error, but he won't be convinced otherwise. Can Slashdot offer up some tangible benefits that can result from 10+ years experience in programming that I can share with him?"

Comments

Re:Your boss is almost right

[The MESMERIC]

No disrespect.
But it figures now why such difference of opinions.

MFC's, API's all Microsoft technology, which changes ever so rapidly DOS->API->ATL->MFC->ActiveX->COM+->.NET->Whitdbey( ?) .. [something like that, not an expert here]
so any accumulated experience just goes down the drain.

No disrespect seriously, but that is why I started hating Microsoft, because it didn't matter what I've learnt and specialized in, they would move to something else and "Oh sorry you don't know our latest crappy DNA++ technology? Can't hire you".

Even macro VBA code changes entirely each version!
It's like playing catch.
Bet it's done purposely to churn out more books, courses, software, processors, etc ..

Now it *seems* at least with Linux and ANSI C++, experience does matter, 10 or 12 years matters a lot.
Someone that programmed 12 years ago in X windows, would still be able to do something now. But a Microsoft developer of 12 years ago? Mmm .. definitely not