Dear Blogspot,
In the great span of events, it seems only yesterday that those who understood the mystical language of computers were called "Computer Programmers". Along with their fellow "Systems Administrators" and "Computer Operators", they formed the labor force behind the vital computing capital in large American corporations and governments.
My, but how times have changed.
Despite the fact that computers are in far more locations, Computer Operators have largely disappeared, due to the increasing ability of computer hardware to operate for indefinite periods without much attention. Systems Administrators have been broken into numerous specialized roles, dealing with upgrades, client software systems, security software, networking arrangements and components, monitoring, etc.
And likewise has gone the "Computer Programmer". Today, the market asks for specializations undreamed of in the past: skills with a specific programming language is minimal these days. Noone bothers to hire a C++ programmer for a PHP position. Knowledge of specific libraries, components, environments, and platforms also regularly appear on job descriptions. Even familiarity with specific development processes has entered demand.
So long ago, Adam Smith told us that "specialization is limited by the extent of the market".
The market for those who work on computers is large indeed.
Sorry, I'm not the person you are looking for: I specialize in Do-While loops. :-)
ReplyDeleteTechnologies change so fast that learning is the most important talent for a programmer to possess, in my opinion. If an employer hires such a programmer, they should be able to learn whatever technology is needed and thrive.