Fwd: Re: [plt-scheme] Re: Programming for non-programmers

> --- Noel Welsh wrote:
> > > Perhaps the US can out-educate inexpensive
> > > overseas labor, enough to catch up 
> > > cost-effectiveness-wise.  (An HtDP in
> > > every high school!)
> > 
> > Preach on, brother. (And generalise the US to
> > "Western nations".)  Here are two puzzles I'd like
> > to solve:
> > 
> >   1. How can I make myself 20x more productive
> than
> >      an Indian SE, so our salaries are comparable
> > 
> >   2. Why aren't top SE's paid £300ph (circa
> $600ph),
> >      which is what a top lawyer would easily
> charge?
> 
> >      Software is incredibly valuable, or Microsoft
> 
> >      wouldn't be what it is, so something must be 
> >      wrong if we can't charge what lawyers do.
> 
> I can't speak to #1, although when all factors are
> properly accounted you probably could get away with
> being 2 to 5 times as productive and be a better
> value.
> 
> As for item #2, there are at least three reasons I
> can
> think of for the disparity.
> 
> 1)  Lawyers often go into politics, and so they have
> very strong representation in government. 
> Consequently,
> there are very few instances where things are
> allowed
> to pass through government that would harm the
> industry.  Laws are usually written with an
> understanding
> of how it will effect lawyers, and there is strong
> and
> immediate feedback into the system to avoid bad law.
> There is no similar support for the technical world.
> 
> 2)  Lawyers generally deliver their product "on
> time".
>  When a judge has set a trial date, the lawyers
> generally
> appear at the appointed time.  This gives the
> illusion
> of competence and professionalism that our
> industry's
> constant schedule slips and cost overruns severely
> undermine.
> 
> 3)  We have allowed the term "Programming" to be
> applied to all manner of trivial tasks.  In some
> ways,
> the simple macro programming that most people are
> exposed gives them the impression that programming
> is easy.  Similarly, the mid-90's appelation of
> "Web Developer" to people who simply modified HTML
> files for new content gave many the impression that
> such work was at the same level as "real"
> development.
> 
> And I thought of one more:
> 
> 4)  Software companies are allowed to get away with
> truly horrible support and warranty of their
> products.
> Until companies are held accountable for the
> software
> that people rely on for their livelihood, comfort,
> and even their lives, they will continue to feel
> comfortable farming such work out to the lowest
> bidder,
> and to hiring unskilled people to perform what some
> have termed "the hardest branch of mathematics."
> 
> Right now there is no disincentive to do so.  "If
> Joe
> is a slow/buggy developer, so what?  We met our
> delivery date, and we can fix bugs as they are found
> by our customers."  If a medical device
> manufacturer,
> or a bridge builder had this attitude, they would
> rapidly be run out of business (or placed in jail).
> 
> -Brent
>