>Charles
>
>>>I think the intensity of the "boredom" is ample evidence of the insecurity underlying it.
>
>Well I used to moan on this topic in 1995 and I'm completely bored with it, and increasingly annoyed that some people *still* beat sensationally on the doom and gloom drum all these years later as if we have not noticed.
>
>>>If a 21 year old person came to you right now and said, "I'd like to get a job as a programmer. What language should I learn?" could you in good conscience recommend Foxpro as a first choice?
>
>No, I'd find out why they wanted to be a programmer though. IMHO the golden age of programming draws to a close, our tools will continue to get smarter and smarter till they are smarter than we are. Hey, maybe I'll invade programing forums to announce that every day and see how long it takes before people start getting insecure at me ;-)
>
>Regards
>
>JR

John;

I have talked to many men and women who are in the 21 year old age group. Our son and daughter did not choose to go into engineering or programming as I did. I lead by example and our children have learned well.

After listening to why someone wants to go into programming I offer my suggestions, advice, experience, and predictions. This career field has changed within the last 20 years and noticeable changes have taken place about every 5 years. I would not wish to begin a career in a field such as programming at the beginning of my working career and expect to retire at age 70 with the same career field.

Seriously, I do not think programming as we know it will be a long-term career field. In the interim what other career offers long hours (I have worked 20 hour shifts seven days a week for months on end), communication with morons, back stabbing from incompetent employees who want to get promoted, managed by inept jackasses, for companies who have no concept of business or how to make a profit? At the same time I have met some great people who are life long friends and go out of his/her way to help you as best they can.

You are required to sacrifice your life for some idiots who come in one morning to tell you, “Well we are out of business”! Add to that the hacker mentality that is a part of this so called discipline, ever changing tools that never fully work but we find how to apply bandages and jump through hoops to attempt to satisfy the “requirements”, while waiting for the next version or a service pack to come to our rescue.

When a radically new release of a software package is received we may breath a sigh of relief! That could take the form of VFP 3.0 in 1995 or whatever packages you can think of. Then we are able to junk the old in favor of the new and the process begins again. We have the promise of new exciting capabilities but they always have some real limitations.

Have you ever worked on a project that was clearly understood? If more than one person is involved it becomes a complex issue. Yes this is indeed an interesting profession.

There is something about software that is unique to the human experience. Perhaps it could be compared to the “Wild West” and civilization of today. We are still in the “Wild West” period. Keep your pistol strapped down and tight and be ready for anything! :)

Tom