:o)
The rest of the world IS like the world you describe (or at least the world I have experienced since 1981 as a developer is!) The only time I was compensated for overtime was while working for the government--and then every penny got counted. The hours required as well as the personal (and family) dedication in order to be successful are the same reasons I do not recommend this field to my daughter--I want her to have a happy life and if development is not the greatest desire in her life, then she should not venture into this field or she will end up miserable.

Tracy

>Gary;
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>I have worked as an electronics engineer and a software developer. I have instructed our son and daughter to not entertain the concept of entering either of these two fields as they lack human values.
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>Many who have work in electronics or software work long hours. Sleeping on the floor of your cubicle is not uncommon. Employers expect us to do these things, as we have to meet dead lines and shipping dates. Being first to market is the battle cry – while the boss enjoys the good life. Trying to equate these two careers to an 8 hour day is not acceptable. Just work longer hours and take no time off – we have to ship!
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>We have books published on this subject. According to the labor laws of the United States there are three classes of labor. Exempt, non-exempt and hourly. These books tell you how to make everyone in your company exempt so you do not have to pay any overtime. I have had to work 20 hour days seven days a week for months at a time. No additional compensation was received – that is the way it is. If you want a “normal job” you have to look elsewhere. High tech sucks if you want a personal life. In fact if you work in high tech you have no personal life – it belongs to the technology gods and the “company store”.
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>Perhaps the rest of the world is not like Silicon Valley where I work so the above are my comments based upon my working career. Do what our companies do hire H1B’s from other countries and pay them less. There is always an answer. If the H1B knows nothing or does not contribute to your work do not worry – you are paying him/her less and saving money. The boss wants to hear about saving money and does not care about anything else. You just have to fit the model of a high tech boss. Do not care about the workers - they are teeth on a gear and nothing else. Just tell them to crank!
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>Tom
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>>Mike:
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>>>> There is apparently some criteria that is used to decide if a bug gets a KB article or not.
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>>>You're right, there is. It's called "there's only so many hours in a day".
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>>OK. I'll bite.
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>>I am a solo developer in my own business maintaining and developing all of our systems. I run the business too. I try to develop our customer connections. I am struggling to maintain my supplier connections (in the retracting high-risk insurance market). Margins are tight and business is tough at the moment.
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>>I had to lay off a number of staff in October last year and I am having to do the same thing again at then end of this month. Me, personally doing the firing of good people who have been with us for many years (as well as developing, testing, bug fixing, "fire fighting" and so on).
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>>When I get home from the office, I start again in the evening (computing, learning .Net, C#, XML, HTML, Web Development etc.,) . This is whilst trying to keep my Wife and two kids, German Shepherd and assorted tropical fish happy, fed and entertained.
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>>I feel for me, there are only "so many hours in a day". I am not complaining. I am not saying "poor me" - I am glad to be alive and happy with my lot. I am however trying to paint a picture of a typical small business. Maybe even a typical original Foxpro developer - the small business man who got into programming because he had to. I was an insurance broker first and then I found Fox in 1989.
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>>You, on the otherhand work for MS, arguably one of the most successfull companies in the world and to the rest of us, sitting on a massive pile of cash. If there are only so many hours in a day for you Mike, then I would respectfully suggest that you call Bill G. and ask for a couple more guys for the Fox team. Whilst I am personally very happy with VFP, I just don't buy your "there's only so many hours in a day" remark. Your employer has the resources to change your workload. If MS can't lay on a few more staff for the Fox team, then there's little chance for the rest of us.
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>>-=Gary