There's a big difference. A medical specialty is not likely to go away. The doctor who trains as a cardiologist will be able to spend his/her whole career treating heart patients.
OTOH, I used to specialize in writing word-processors. Now I specialize in writing EDA compilers. Ten years from now, I might have to specialize in something else. And the question is, will anyone hire me then (because I'll be pretty old).
I started using Konqueror around that time, and recall that there were many sites it could not handle. As time went by, though, it's gotten progressively better, to the point where I use it for about 95% of my browsing.
Maybe because a person living on the street because he couldn't keep his job doesn't get a bed to die in, and there's nobody to hear what he has to say.
Okay, I know that's a little bleak, but that quote's been a bit overused. Considering that the divorce rate is about 50%, I'd guess there are quite a few people who find work more satisfying than their home lives.
I still have the same turntable I bought in 1970, and it will play 100-year-old 78's that my parents have, along with all the vinyl I've bought over the years. I recently decided to replace the cartridge. They're still manufactured, and I had no trouble finding them at the local stereo store and on the internet.
I also wouldn't expect CD players to go away anytime soon, as there are millions (billions?, trillions?) of CD's around.
My daughter was working on an essay at home using OpenOffice on our Linux box, but wanted to email it to herself so she could finish it at school.
I said, "Um, are you sure you'll be able to edit this there... most places use Word." She said it would be no problem, since the computers there run Linux too. She also said it was nice, because every student had his/her own login, just like on our home PC.
No kidding. This sort of thing really ticks me off, too, as I know that anyone who's a decent software writer can pick up anything in a matter of weeks, if not days. A few years ago, I recall seeing requirements that were not just for Java, but for specific versions of Java and Swing.
No kidding. I've done extensive OSS work (Exult), and have been a software developer for a looong time - unfortunately, too long, since I'm way over 40. A few years ago when I was unemployed, I only received 2 interviews over a 5-month period when I was applying for about 20 jobs/week. And those interviews were for the company that hired me (and where I'm still working).
Working on open-source is fun, and I still do it; but I'm no longer under any illusions that it will help much with my career. But, your networking suggestion can't be emphasized enough. It is the way to get a job (and the only reason I got the chance for my current position).
If education worked like health care in the US, then:
1. Employers would (sometimes) provide education for their employees' children, but that would make US companies even less competitive with those of other countries.
2. The unemployed, and those working Wallmart-type jobs, wouldn't be able to afford to send their kids to school.
One thing I particularly remember is that drag-and-drop worked pretty much everywhere. For example, if you brought up the properties of a file, you could change its icon just by dragging an image file onto it. I know this wasn't earthshaking, or a necessity; but it seemed pretty cool at the time, especially when the MS alternative was Windows 3.1.
10 seconds? I cringe at the thought of buying a new printer for my Windows machine. I know from experience what the steps are:
1. Insert CD that comes with printer. 2. Click through a huge EULA where I possibly sign my life away. 3. Wait while it installs 100MB of who-knows-what on my disk. 4. Wait while it reboots. 5. Remove all the extraneous adware icons (AOL, etc), that it placed on my desktop. 6. Try to remove the 100MB of krud that was installed from my previous printer.
Maybe dressing like one can be the first step to being one. I once worked with this fellow who was a supervisor of 2-3 employees in software QA. Then he started wearing nice suits, got a Mercedes, and started hanging out with higher-up executives. Before long, he became a VP of marketing.
I'm even older - born in the early 50's - and the characters were recognizable. I bet you could go back 1000 years and you'd see the same outsider characters (except back then they might have been killed for being heretics or witches).
While I agree with your first sentence, I don't think the car analogy applies. The more expensive car isn't necessarily built or engineered that much better, but instead may have a lot of expensive gadgetry that's more likely to break down.
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How old is the daughter? Maybe she's 5.
Maybe this also shows that a Windows box isn't quite as easy to deal with as people claim.
There's a big difference. A medical specialty is not likely to go away. The doctor who trains as a cardiologist will be able to spend his/her whole career treating heart patients.
OTOH, I used to specialize in writing word-processors. Now I specialize in writing EDA compilers. Ten years from now, I might have to specialize in something else. And the question is, will anyone hire me then (because I'll be pretty old).
Maybe they should start calling it "software terrorism". It certainly does seem to scare a lot of media execs.
My guess is that we'll start seeing more 'designer' diamonds, and people will pay more for artistry.
I started using Konqueror around that time, and recall that there were many sites it could not handle. As time went by, though, it's gotten progressively better, to the point where I use it for about 95% of my browsing.
target = find_target();
if (target)
Dalek_exterminate(target);
Maybe because a person living on the street because he couldn't keep his job doesn't get a bed to die in, and there's nobody to hear what he has to say.
Okay, I know that's a little bleak, but that quote's been a bit overused. Considering that the divorce rate is about 50%, I'd guess there are quite a few people who find work more satisfying than their home lives.
I still have the same turntable I bought in 1970, and it will play 100-year-old 78's that my parents have, along with all the vinyl I've bought over the years. I recently decided to replace the cartridge. They're still manufactured, and I had no trouble finding them at the local stereo store and on the internet.
I also wouldn't expect CD players to go away anytime soon, as there are millions (billions?, trillions?) of CD's around.
Good points. From all the similar articles I read in the 70's, didn't the Japanese already "beat us" and take all our jobs?
My daughter was working on an essay at home using OpenOffice on our Linux box, but wanted to email it to herself so she could finish it at school.
I said, "Um, are you sure you'll be able to edit this there... most places use Word." She said it would be no problem, since the computers there run Linux too. She also said it was nice, because every student had his/her own login, just like on our home PC.
No kidding. This sort of thing really ticks me off, too, as I know that anyone who's a decent software writer can pick up anything in a matter of weeks, if not days. A few years ago, I recall seeing requirements that were not just for Java, but for specific versions of Java and Swing.
No kidding. I've done extensive OSS work (Exult), and have been a software developer for a looong time - unfortunately, too long, since I'm way over 40. A few years ago when I was unemployed, I only received 2 interviews over a 5-month period when I was applying for about 20 jobs/week. And those interviews were for the company that hired me (and where I'm still working).
Working on open-source is fun, and I still do it; but I'm no longer under any illusions that it will help much with my career. But, your networking suggestion can't be emphasized enough. It is the way to get a job (and the only reason I got the chance for my current position).
BS -- That's what I'd expect Longhorn to smell like.
I'd expect an Apple to smell...well... like an apple.
Maybe it's somehow getting converted into mass. Have you weighed your PC lately?
If education worked like health care in the US, then:
1. Employers would (sometimes) provide education for their employees' children, but that would make US companies even less competitive with those of other countries.
2. The unemployed, and those working Wallmart-type jobs, wouldn't be able to afford to send their kids to school.
Or write a symphony.
One thing I particularly remember is that drag-and-drop worked pretty much everywhere. For example, if you brought up the properties of a file, you could change its icon just by dragging an image file onto it. I know this wasn't earthshaking, or a necessity; but it seemed pretty cool at the time, especially when the MS alternative was Windows 3.1.
Q: How many Gentoo users does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: That's not funny!!
(Yes, I know it's not original either.)
The not-so-funny thing, though, is that when Windows finally gets this ability, numerous computer "experts" will tout it as a wonderful new feature.
10 seconds? I cringe at the thought of buying a new printer for my Windows machine. I know from experience what the steps are:
1. Insert CD that comes with printer.
2. Click through a huge EULA where I possibly sign my life away.
3. Wait while it installs 100MB of who-knows-what on my disk.
4. Wait while it reboots.
5. Remove all the extraneous adware icons (AOL, etc), that it placed on my desktop.
6. Try to remove the 100MB of krud that was installed from my previous printer.
I think it started out as a napkin for wiping your mouth while eating, then gradually devolved into something that was purely decorative.
Maybe dressing like one can be the first step to being one. I once worked with this fellow who was a supervisor of 2-3 employees in software QA. Then he started wearing nice suits, got a Mercedes, and started hanging out with higher-up executives. Before long, he became a VP of marketing.
I'm even older - born in the early 50's - and the characters were recognizable. I bet you could go back 1000 years and you'd see the same outsider characters (except back then they might have been killed for being heretics or witches).
More like a bunch of 30-year-old high school kids.
While I agree with your first sentence, I don't think the car analogy applies. The more expensive car isn't necessarily built or engineered that much better, but instead may have a lot of expensive gadgetry that's more likely to break down.