All true, but business is run by accountants and banks, not engineers. A reasonably low power x86 opens up development of a plethora of cheap devices. You and I and anyone doing consumer homework will want an ARM based device for the better power performance, but the average consumer is only concerned with the price in Best Buy's and Walmart's weekend flyer. The ratio of x86 programmers to competent ARM developers must be enormous; so must the development tools. This would reduce development costs significantly and allow smaller players into portable device markets. I think they may not have a top mobile technology product, but Via has a winning marketing product.
When I start building embedded I used the Zilog Z80. It was not the best performance choice but it was very cheap and that's what the customer cared about.
QNX has USB support. It was first introduced after the QNX 2000 conference in Vancouver May 2000 when the specification docs were released and an open invitation to write the basic USB 1.0 drivers went out.
QNX is not only the most stable of all micro-processor operating systems, but is the longest in use. It dates back to CPM days. Most people have not heard of it for two reasons: 1. It is Canadian. QNX is based in Ottawa, Ontario. 2. It is not a Micro$oft product.
QNX is a developer's OS and is specifically targeted to an industrial market. However, it can run Linux programs (with a little tweaking of a compatibility layer) and can be a nifty (and free for non-commercial download at QNX.COM) OS for who wish to play with something exceedingly cool.
I did my first development with QNX in 1987. It allowed me to setup a 20 terminal data entry sytem and database in under two weeks.
QNX is best known in Europe due to the different computer culture. In North America only very high-end engineers in leading edge companies use QNX. This is not because it is expensive or difficult to use, but because the best seek out the best and learn about it rather the kludge something from what they already know.
Tools are only as good as the people who use them. Manual systems are flawed too. I have to make sure that the receptionist at my doctor's office (using a paper and colored folder system) does not yet again miss my file and pull the file of the six year old that has the same first and last name as me. She has done it twice. The solution is to improve the system by training the staff to confirm birthdates.
Computerized systems allow mistakes to be made more easily and quickly.
Embedded Linux is a good if not the best solution for non-RTOS OS requirements for portable devices as is evident with the number of devices being produced using Linux.
After reading the comments posted here I have little to add to the excellent observations and descriptions of experiences. I have worked as a freelance teleworker (software/IT/technology consultant) for several years and have not seen a single person I have worked for in that time. Everything I do is over telephone, fax or the Internet.
My favorite part of telecommuting is that it forces managers to clearly define tasks and goals in writing. When I worked in an office and was verbally instructed to perform a task that did not have a positive outcome, the manager usually denied her/his involvement.
I do miss office socializing. However, the politics I can do without and I can join clubs or do volunteer work if I wish to meet people.
Teleworking requires trust between employee and employer. This is the usual barrier to a business setting up this work structure. Also, managers may feel they are losing power if they can not oversee your work directly and generally oppose teleworking efforts.
As a consultant I do not have this problem. Work is paid for after completion so my motivation is assured. When previously working in an office I (and I am sure most of you) have seen coworkers spend entire days feigning work and actually doing very little despite management productivity efforts.
I am sure that most groups that exercise any freedom of thought and originality are on the FBI watch list. Here is my list of the top three that SHOULD be on the list:
The US Republican Party
The US Democratic Party
Microsoft
I'm a COBOL programmer with mainframe experience that specializes in COBOL to Java/C++/VB/Internet interfaces and no one is trying to hire me - I work freelance and mostly write technical papers for a living.
This crisis of demand for and no supply of mainframe and COBOL people is media generated and does not exist.
QNX is stable, so is Linux and in defense of Microsoft (a company that has caused more medical and psychiatric grief to more programmers and users than any other force in the universe) Windows is getting better and my Win2000 Pro system has not crashed in months (although it is funky at times).
Crashes are ore often caused by applications than the operating system. My advice is to complain loudly and often.
I agree. People's eyes get big when I sit down at a computer and do in five minutes what the failed to do in five days.
I have 20 years in programming and can not get a job coding for three years now. I do make money writing programming articles for IBM and Intel. The money is good, although the amount of work is not quite enough to get by on, but it keeps me from being homeless.
Advise on a goverment job: Get into a public sector position in anything-anywhere. Once in place you can apply for internal postings that are more plentiful and the general public can not participate in.
IT is still in a boom-bust cycle typical of young industries. It is remider of the railroad frenzy of the mid-1800s and the car manufacturing boom of the 1910-1950 period.
I have experienced many ups and downs of IT (this ages me) each became bigger than the last and the fall was equally as large: the pre-IBM-PC boom of CPM on the Sinclair (still a great computer) of 1978, the IBM-PC/Visicalc boom of 1980, the Artificial Intelligence boom of 1985, the computer in every home push of circa 1990 (remember the IBM peanut?) and, of course, the Internet when Mosaic Netscape 0.9 was released in October 1994.
The next boom will occur. When and in what manifestation I am not at all certain of.
IT is still an emerging industry, an art more than a science. Engineering of structures took several thousand years to become a science of known methods and quantities so that to build a bridge anyone with the basic training can read a book and know how to build a bridge over any obstacle. Try to get a book on building a CRM to handle user support with a Web browser front end. There is no agreed method.
Java/Perl/Python/VB/PHP/C#,
Oracle/MSSQL/mySQL/DB2, HTML,XHTML,XML,ASP
Windows/Linux/UNIX/AIX/Solaris/BeOS/BSD
The choice is personal-it is art. There is no standard book of engineering for specific software constructs.
When standards are truly standards and art becomes science then software will be a mature industry.
I had to purchase a Windows machine. I informed them that there was no way that some IT knucklehead (no offence to Slashdot IT folks) was going to dicate to me the tools with which to perform my job and that I in fact was going to purchase a Macintosh from my grant.
How dare you think for yourself?! We, the Captain Kirk worshipping, eternally adolescent, snivelling virgins of geekdom, have all and any rights to impose technology that falls within our narrow spectrum of actual knowledge.
If your choice is useful to you, but not what we have earned a MCSE/A+ for, everyone will be made painfully aware how little we actually know.
Seriously, the heart of the matter is that IT people do impose their will on the rest of us due to considerable efforts on the part of Microsoft and other companies to indoctrinate IT personnel when at school. I was given, free of charge, Office 2000 Professional when I went back for my masters degree.
It's hard to say no when you are a short-of-cash student.
A law specifically designed to force OS software into consideration would help remove the burden of monopoly from the taxpayer's wallet.
Of course, a distribution of a Linux the average office worker can handle with an associated complement of office tools that work as well as any is what is really needed.
Open Source will only gain ground when it is as good, meaning as easy to use, as any other software.
I was warned about the big push for IT development in India by another member of my gym about ten years ago. He is a Sikh and said the money is in creating a school in Bangalore or Hyderbad. Boy, was he right.
Our Chevys are built in Indonesia and Mexico and a top programmer in India makes USD$500-750/month, cheap for Microbash, but a very respectable amount- about 1800% above the average yearly wage of $400/year.
I you figure it at $25K as the average American wage then a top programmer here would be making $450,000. Can you imagine the motivation and quality of the people India must produce?
As an author, I was upset to see some of my work on the 'Net without my permission. Then I thought: "Well, I have been paid for the first publication, no one else is demanding my old work to be exclusively displayed and the exposure is valuable."
I believe it's the same for musicians, copying the music makes them more popular and enhances demand for touring dates. They do not get any money for the records they sell anyway.
It's another conspiracy by Microsquish!
Gates and his band of high-priced trolls and cronies are making any non-Redmond coders become accountants, farmers and construction workers. The plan is that only they will have programmers with up to date skills and those skills will be Microsquat only.
This will have the side-effect of eliminating Linux too.
What the heart of the issue: Recording companies greatly fear the Internet. It allows artists/bands to cheaply and easily distribute music to listeners. The artist can develop a fan base that, through simple software, can be quantified and analysed. With this knowledge the club/arena dates can be booked, advertised and even tickets purchased through Web sites.
Artists/bands do not make any money from record deals, they make money giving concerts.
Holy crap! I just invented my new business! I will create a Web site that allows artists to upload demos that my staff will critique and if marketable invite the artist/band to build an online album for free download to the public.
We analyze the downloads and feedback and if the numbers and public opinion are good we finance the band and book a tour. We take a fair cut of the after expenses profit and eat the loss if we are wrong. The band gets its fair share or a free trip if no money is made.
We can not take advantage of the band because this is too easy to set up and competition will force honesty and good business practices. The public get music. Bands get real earned money based on talent qand hard word instead of record company hype.
I am a genious.
The most important tools are in your head - knowledge and experience. Computer tools for the road, like any other, should be small, simple, light and multi-functional. They each should fit on a single floppy, if possible, and none should be GUI based if you intend to fix 286/386 hardware.
My list:
A binary editor A text editor A hard drive and file system repair/recovery utilities A Web browser A command line (non GUI) OS all of the above work with that boots from a floppy.
Slashdot Mirror
I have had the same experiences. I will not buy Creative products.
All true, but business is run by accountants and banks, not engineers. A reasonably low power x86 opens up development of a plethora of cheap devices. You and I and anyone doing consumer homework will want an ARM based device for the better power performance, but the average consumer is only concerned with the price in Best Buy's and Walmart's weekend flyer. The ratio of x86 programmers to competent ARM developers must be enormous; so must the development tools. This would reduce development costs significantly and allow smaller players into portable device markets. I think they may not have a top mobile technology product, but Via has a winning marketing product.
When I start building embedded I used the Zilog Z80. It was not the best performance choice but it was very cheap and that's what the customer cared about.
I did some WinCE development and it is a nasty OS. Any medical device running with it should be banned and scrapped.
QNX has USB support. It was first introduced after the QNX 2000 conference in Vancouver May 2000 when the specification docs were released and an open invitation to write the basic USB 1.0 drivers went out.
QNX is not only the most stable of all micro-processor operating systems, but is the longest in use. It dates back to CPM days. Most people have not heard of it for two reasons: 1. It is Canadian. QNX is based in Ottawa, Ontario. 2. It is not a Micro$oft product.
QNX is a developer's OS and is specifically targeted to an industrial market. However, it can run Linux programs (with a little tweaking of a compatibility layer) and can be a nifty (and free for non-commercial download at QNX.COM) OS for who wish to play with something exceedingly cool.
I did my first development with QNX in 1987. It allowed me to setup a 20 terminal data entry sytem and database in under two weeks.
QNX is best known in Europe due to the different computer culture. In North America only very high-end engineers in leading edge companies use QNX. This is not because it is expensive or difficult to use, but because the best seek out the best and learn about it rather the kludge something from what they already know.
Tools are only as good as the people who use them. Manual systems are flawed too. I have to make sure that the receptionist at my doctor's office (using a paper and colored folder system) does not yet again miss my file and pull the file of the six year old that has the same first and last name as me. She has done it twice. The solution is to improve the system by training the staff to confirm birthdates.
Computerized systems allow mistakes to be made more easily and quickly.
N-Gram algorithms are being rediscovered as a superior methodology and research into adding N-Grams to Soundex is being done.
What's wrong with OBD-III?
Embedded Linux is a good if not the best solution for non-RTOS OS requirements for portable devices as is evident with the number of devices being produced using Linux.
After reading the comments posted here I have little to add to the excellent observations and descriptions of experiences. I have worked as a freelance teleworker (software/IT/technology consultant) for several years and have not seen a single person I have worked for in that time. Everything I do is over telephone, fax or the Internet.
My favorite part of telecommuting is that it forces managers to clearly define tasks and goals in writing. When I worked in an office and was verbally instructed to perform a task that did not have a positive outcome, the manager usually denied her/his involvement.
I do miss office socializing. However, the politics I can do without and I can join clubs or do volunteer work if I wish to meet people.
Teleworking requires trust between employee and employer. This is the usual barrier to a business setting up this work structure. Also, managers may feel they are losing power if they can not oversee your work directly and generally oppose teleworking efforts.
As a consultant I do not have this problem. Work is paid for after completion so my motivation is assured. When previously working in an office I (and I am sure most of you) have seen coworkers spend entire days feigning work and actually doing very little despite management productivity efforts.
As a spokeperson of the anti-capitalist über-left cynical jaded morons I inform you we greatly resent being outed.
No, you misunderstood. These three should be on the FBI watch list - a list of subversive organizations that are opposed to American ideals.
I am sure that most groups that exercise any freedom of thought and originality are on the FBI watch list. Here is my list of the top three that SHOULD be on the list:
The US Republican PartyThe US Democratic Party
Microsoft
What is this - the NAZI cretan version of E! ?
I agree, there is no shortage of Mainframe operators/programmers. My lack of employment and any quick Web search is proof.
I'm a COBOL programmer with mainframe experience that specializes in COBOL to Java/C++/VB/Internet interfaces and no one is trying to hire me - I work freelance and mostly write technical papers for a living.
This crisis of demand for and no supply of mainframe and COBOL people is media generated and does not exist.
QNX is stable, so is Linux and in defense of Microsoft (a company that has caused more medical and psychiatric grief to more programmers and users than any other force in the universe) Windows is getting better and my Win2000 Pro system has not crashed in months (although it is funky at times).
Crashes are ore often caused by applications than the operating system. My advice is to complain loudly and often.
Agreed...
The IT money-makers are specialists that provide unique or rare services. Commodity boxes that you or I can produce will not earn a living for Sun.
It seems executives are always aspiring (conspiring?) to attempt to create the new Microsoft without understanding the dynamics of the market.
Waddya want for it?
Send it too me and I'll pay the postage.
I agree. People's eyes get big when I sit down at a computer and do in five minutes what the failed to do in five days.
I have 20 years in programming and can not get a job coding for three years now. I do make money writing programming articles for IBM and Intel. The money is good, although the amount of work is not quite enough to get by on, but it keeps me from being homeless.
Advise on a goverment job: Get into a public sector position in anything-anywhere. Once in place you can apply for internal postings that are more plentiful and the general public can not participate in.
IT is still in a boom-bust cycle typical of young industries. It is remider of the railroad frenzy of the mid-1800s and the car manufacturing boom of the 1910-1950 period.
I have experienced many ups and downs of IT (this ages me) each became bigger than the last and the fall was equally as large: the pre-IBM-PC boom of CPM on the Sinclair (still a great computer) of 1978, the IBM-PC/Visicalc boom of 1980, the Artificial Intelligence boom of 1985, the computer in every home push of circa 1990 (remember the IBM peanut?) and, of course, the Internet when Mosaic Netscape 0.9 was released in October 1994.
The next boom will occur. When and in what manifestation I am not at all certain of.
IT is still an emerging industry, an art more than a science. Engineering of structures took several thousand years to become a science of known methods and quantities so that to build a bridge anyone with the basic training can read a book and know how to build a bridge over any obstacle. Try to get a book on building a CRM to handle user support with a Web browser front end. There is no agreed method.
Java/Perl/Python/VB/PHP/C#,
Oracle/MSSQL/mySQL/DB2, HTML,XHTML,XML,ASP
Windows/Linux/UNIX/AIX/Solaris/BeOS/BSD
The choice is personal-it is art. There is no standard book of engineering for specific software constructs.
When standards are truly standards and art becomes science then software will be a mature industry.
How dare you think for yourself?! We, the Captain Kirk worshipping, eternally adolescent, snivelling virgins of geekdom, have all and any rights to impose technology that falls within our narrow spectrum of actual knowledge.
If your choice is useful to you, but not what we have earned a MCSE/A+ for, everyone will be made painfully aware how little we actually know.
Seriously, the heart of the matter is that IT people do impose their will on the rest of us due to considerable efforts on the part of Microsoft and other companies to indoctrinate IT personnel when at school. I was given, free of charge, Office 2000 Professional when I went back for my masters degree.
It's hard to say no when you are a short-of-cash student.
A law specifically designed to force OS software into consideration would help remove the burden of monopoly from the taxpayer's wallet.
Of course, a distribution of a Linux the average office worker can handle with an associated complement of office tools that work as well as any is what is really needed.
Open Source will only gain ground when it is as good, meaning as easy to use, as any other software.
Our Chevys are built in Indonesia and Mexico and a top programmer in India makes USD$500-750/month, cheap for Microbash, but a very respectable amount- about 1800% above the average yearly wage of $400/year.
I you figure it at $25K as the average American wage then a top programmer here would be making $450,000. Can you imagine the motivation and quality of the people India must produce?
I believe it's the same for musicians, copying the music makes them more popular and enhances demand for touring dates. They do not get any money for the records they sell anyway.
It's another conspiracy by Microsquish! Gates and his band of high-priced trolls and cronies are making any non-Redmond coders become accountants, farmers and construction workers. The plan is that only they will have programmers with up to date skills and those skills will be Microsquat only. This will have the side-effect of eliminating Linux too.
What the heart of the issue: Recording companies greatly fear the Internet. It allows artists/bands to cheaply and easily distribute music to listeners. The artist can develop a fan base that, through simple software, can be quantified and analysed. With this knowledge the club/arena dates can be booked, advertised and even tickets purchased through Web sites. Artists/bands do not make any money from record deals, they make money giving concerts. Holy crap! I just invented my new business! I will create a Web site that allows artists to upload demos that my staff will critique and if marketable invite the artist/band to build an online album for free download to the public. We analyze the downloads and feedback and if the numbers and public opinion are good we finance the band and book a tour. We take a fair cut of the after expenses profit and eat the loss if we are wrong. The band gets its fair share or a free trip if no money is made. We can not take advantage of the band because this is too easy to set up and competition will force honesty and good business practices. The public get music. Bands get real earned money based on talent qand hard word instead of record company hype. I am a genious.
The most important tools are in your head - knowledge and experience. Computer tools for the road, like any other, should be small, simple, light and multi-functional. They each should fit on a single floppy, if possible, and none should be GUI based if you intend to fix 286/386 hardware.
My list:
A binary editor
A text editor
A hard drive and file system repair/recovery utilities
A Web browser
A command line (non GUI) OS all of the above work with that boots from a floppy.
The easy, one word answer is Linux.