John;

From what I have seen in the San Francisco Bay Area, there are very few positions for developers using any Microsoft product. Java/Unix seems to be what is in demand and I could restate some recent figures to back up my statement. How about 2 positions for Microsoft (one each for VB and NT 4.0) and over 1000 Java/Unix positions at a recent Job Fair in Santa Clara, California? This was confirmed by using the computer at the Job Fair and visiting about 500 of the booths of employers. Head hunters I have delt with during the last two years will confirm this, as will the newspapers.

What I am trying to determine is the number of failures of Java development in our area. These are typically pre ipo companies who do not know what a business plan is. They just read the marketing analysis from the demi gods as to what product to use. Just follow the Lemmings and venture capitalists as it seems money drives what we do. Those that control the money demand what they feel is best and in reality have no clue what that is. Larry Ellison will tell them use Oracle and that is the only acceptable database a venture capitalist will insist upon.

Silicon Valley and Los Angeles may be a bit different than the rest of the world when it comes to software development. Many will agree we are different about other things too - might be we have too much sunshine and not enough snow.

Tom