Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Where Do All of the Old Programmers Go?

Posted by Cliff on from the wherever-it-is-I-hope-it's-FAR-from-a-cube-farm dept.

full-of-beans asks: "I work as a software developer for a large UK based international organization. Most of my colleagues that program are under 40 years old. Those that are over 40 tend to be in either Management or IT Support! I was wondering were do all the old programmers go? They can't all end up in management. I know we don't get paid enough to take early retirement. Is there some other career that tends to attract 40+ year old programmers, if so I'd like to know, because I'm not that far of 40 myself!"

15 of 799 comments (clear)

  1. Loony Bins by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    They're all in sanitariums, driven insane by debugging assembler for countless hours.

    1. Re:Loony Bins by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

      Notation Polish proper in write!

      Kids Damn!

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  2. Do not be afraid. by douglips · · Score: 5, Funny

    40 year old programmers are recycled into yummy treats called "cheetos" and fed to proto-programmers. It's the circle of life.

    --
    My amazing wife - Artist, Author, Philosopher - Laurie M
    1. Re:Do not be afraid. by jkeene · · Score: 3, Funny
      40 year old programmers are recycled into yummy treats called "cheetos" and fed to proto-programmers. It's the circle of life.
      Sure, go ahead and recreate that food path for Creutzfeld-Jacob. You'll wind up with nothing but MCSEs and Flash designers, you whippersnappers!
    2. Re:Do not be afraid. by cratermoon · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well at least now I'll finally be able to say to the young turks who love to produce bad code and come up the endless excuses to justify it: EAT ME!

    3. Re:Do not be afraid. by LifesABeach · · Score: 5, Funny

      Legend has it that there is a hidden valley. This is where the "old" programmers go. There the lan's flow at 100gb, there's total 3D emersion games, and software licenses cannot survive. PHB's can't see it, and Users read the GD Manual. I hear it calling me now.

      Rats, its my boss asking how to reboot his "Etch-A-Sketch" Lap Top.

  3. Re:First Post! by grumpyman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ah that's what you do after 40 eh?

  4. Well.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You ever hear of Mountain Dew? It's old programmers, I tell you! Mountain Dew is old programmers!

  5. Silicon Heaven, of course! by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
    > Where Do All of the Old Programmers Go?

    Silicon heaven, of course.

    (No such thing as Silicon Heaven? Preposterous! Just ask the collection of HP calculators nobly enshrined atop the PDP-11 in my basement!)

  6. If we told you, we'd have to... by ddent · · Score: 5, Funny

    Fortunately you are almost 40 and won't have to be wondering in suspense for too long, but you can start saying your goodbyes to your friends and neighbours. Just tell them your going on a trip and you don't know exactly when you'll be back. We don't want to attract too much attention to our operations. At the stroke of midnight, we'll be dropping by. You can bring a couple boxes with you if you like, though you'll be well provided for even if you don't.

    --
    SSL Certificate
  7. Old C programmers don't die by bsartist · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... they're just cast into void*

    --
    Lost: Sig, white with black letters. No collar. Reward if found!
  8. Re:The Barrier by kibbey · · Score: 3, Funny

    Relax, all the old coders (like me) are still here fixing the crap the youngsters keep trying to pass off as working code.

  9. Re:look forward to your exciting new career ... by Fulcrum+of+Evil · · Score: 4, Funny

    Younger IT workers are cheaper, and more familiar with newer technologies at the same time!

    As a bonus, they can make the same old mistakes all over again!

    --
    "We returned the General to El Salvador, or maybe Guatemala, it's difficult to tell from 10,000 feet"
  10. Well billy, you see ... about your programmer by RembrandtX · · Score: 3, Funny

    the first thing that popped into my head :

    "Well billy, you see ... about your programmer, he wasn't feeling so good anymore, and city life would be just mean. So Daddy put him in the car and drove him out to this WONDERFUL farm, where he could play in the sun, and see cows, run around having fun all day long. He seemed really sad at first, but Daddy said he REALLY enjoyed it there, we might be able to visit him eventually, once he is back to his old self."

    --

    --Ne auderis delere orbem rigidum meum, non erravi pernicose!
  11. Re:They get executed when they turn 40 (nt) by TheWanderingHermit · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's more like when you reach 40, your life clock (that crystal on your palm) turns from red to black and you're on Lastday. At the end of the day, you go to Carousel, where you float into the air and explode. If you're lucky, you come back and get to do it again.

    Since you're near 40, I'm sure you're thinking of running. Don't bother. There are Sandmen who will stop you, and then you don't get to go on Carousel for a chance to come back.