I have never followed that philosophy. Why are programmers bad but not installers, managers, vendors etc? If I was somewhere and heard that I think I would ask for an explanation.
Paul
Because programming is incomprehensible to them, it scares them, and they don't want to learn it themselves. Furthermore, they believe programmers not strictly under their control just want to rip them off, and really spend most of the day surfing the web rather than writing the code they are being paid for. There is some justification for that attitude. So, if offered a way to get the job done without what they deem an expensive resource, they are going to jump on it. Sadly, it's up to us programmers to prove that what we do enhances the value of the product enough to justify the cost.
Furthermore, they believe programmers not strictly under their control just want to rip them off, and really spend most of the day surfing the web rather than writing the code they are being paid for.
Total xenophobia. I would never surf the web while at work... oh, wait...
Because programming is incomprehensible to them, it scares them, and they don't want to learn it themselves. Furthermore, they believe programmers not strictly under their control just want to rip them off, and really spend most of the day surfing the web rather than writing the code they are being paid for. There is some justification for that attitude. So, if offered a way to get the job done without what they deem an expensive resource, they are going to jump on it. Sadly, it's up to us programmers to prove that what we do enhances the value of the product enough to justify the cost.
This was exactly the attitude around the table as I sat at the Savant Dealer's Converence in cognito. (Nobody at the table knew I was an AMX programmer) It was an interesting insight. Some of them pretty much saw all their employees this way. I feel you can pretty well dismiss them at that point. They are obviously in the wrong business.
As you've said before, at the end of the day, we're all just making IR emitters flash and TVs come on. How we accomplished that is clever and entertaining in our circles but not theirs. Their main interaction with us seems to be during those painful sessions where they promised the client the sun, moon and stars and we're slapping our foreheads complaining that what they want is impossible, improbable, won't work like they expect or too expensive to pull off. The other time is when they'er signing our paychecks or paying our health insurance benefits each month.
Technicians do stuff and the results are easy enough to observe and bill for. Sales people bring in clients and therefore money. Office staff move paper around and keep the owners from actually having to fill out actual paperwork and block unwanted phone calls. Programmers are just mysterious black boxes to them who are usually Type-B personalities that they typically don't relate to at all. Half of what I do is under the hood and nobody actually sees it go.
It's no wonder they feel the way they do. I'm blessed that my boss seems to think I add a lot to the company. But I don't rest on those laurels. It's a relationship that needs a lot of nurturing, care and feeding. I don't suffer any dillusions that I'm all that unique or that being a programmer means all that much to him or others.
I used to just go to the shows and wander around without much direction and I usually didn't accomplish much. Now I go with the plan of meeting with the engineers of the main companies I deal with and as I am walking between booths, I check out anything that grabs my attention. I find it to be very beneficial for me, but I understand that others have a whole different view of trade shows (basically get free drinks and food from reps, then hit the bars and stay out late, then wander the show looking for passes to another party to repeat the whole experience )
Jeff
If you go to cedia next week you may find something of interest at the Pronto booth that grabs your attention.
If you go to cedia next week you may find something of interest at the Pronto booth that grabs your attention.
In Minnesota the only thing that comes from a Pronto Booth - is a Proto Pup (corn dog), or a good foot long. But since the state fair closed yesterday I've got to wait another year for that.
Comments
Because programming is incomprehensible to them, it scares them, and they don't want to learn it themselves. Furthermore, they believe programmers not strictly under their control just want to rip them off, and really spend most of the day surfing the web rather than writing the code they are being paid for. There is some justification for that attitude. So, if offered a way to get the job done without what they deem an expensive resource, they are going to jump on it. Sadly, it's up to us programmers to prove that what we do enhances the value of the product enough to justify the cost.
This was exactly the attitude around the table as I sat at the Savant Dealer's Converence in cognito. (Nobody at the table knew I was an AMX programmer) It was an interesting insight. Some of them pretty much saw all their employees this way. I feel you can pretty well dismiss them at that point. They are obviously in the wrong business.
As you've said before, at the end of the day, we're all just making IR emitters flash and TVs come on. How we accomplished that is clever and entertaining in our circles but not theirs. Their main interaction with us seems to be during those painful sessions where they promised the client the sun, moon and stars and we're slapping our foreheads complaining that what they want is impossible, improbable, won't work like they expect or too expensive to pull off. The other time is when they'er signing our paychecks or paying our health insurance benefits each month.
Technicians do stuff and the results are easy enough to observe and bill for. Sales people bring in clients and therefore money. Office staff move paper around and keep the owners from actually having to fill out actual paperwork and block unwanted phone calls. Programmers are just mysterious black boxes to them who are usually Type-B personalities that they typically don't relate to at all. Half of what I do is under the hood and nobody actually sees it go.
It's no wonder they feel the way they do. I'm blessed that my boss seems to think I add a lot to the company. But I don't rest on those laurels. It's a relationship that needs a lot of nurturing, care and feeding. I don't suffer any dillusions that I'm all that unique or that being a programmer means all that much to him or others.
Hey - forums don't count - they're educational
If you go to cedia next week you may find something of interest at the Pronto booth that grabs your attention.
In Minnesota the only thing that comes from a Pronto Booth - is a Proto Pup (corn dog), or a good foot long. But since the state fair closed yesterday I've got to wait another year for that.