Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Computer Science Careers--do they still exist?

4 views
Skip to first unread message

uw-beave!furuta

unread,
Sep 21, 1982, 11:47:03 PM9/21/82
to
The local paper (Seattle Times) carries a Sunday syndicated "Careers" column.
This week, Joyce Lain Kennedy informed us that "the job market for computer
programmers no longer flames." In part, she says, this seems due to "new
high productivity systems now coming into use [that] will cut down on the
need for programmers, perhaps by as much as 50 percent [this point was
attributed to D. Ashley, a senior systems analyst in Pasadena, California]".

My reading of the rest of this article is that what she's trying to tell
us is that the market for entry level programmers and programmer trainees
is not too good. But it was my impression that this type of job has always
been hard to find.

I'd be interested in hearing the impressions of people around the country
as to how accurate these statements are. Is the computer programming business
bust? What are the outlook for someone getting a bachelor's degree in
computer science? How about a M.A.? How about a Ph.D.?

--Rick
...ucbvax!lbl-unix!uw-beaver!uw-june!furuta
...decvax!microsoft!uw-beaver!uw-june!furuta

or
Furuta@Washington from the ARPAnet

floyd!trb

unread,
Sep 22, 1982, 2:19:35 AM9/22/82
to
In this area of the country (greater NYC) and, I would assume, in other
areas, clever programmers (BS CS with experience) are hard to come by.
Always were. Trade school programmers DO have it hard now, the
"on-the-job training programs" are hard to get in to.

The smart money knows that competence in programming has only a little
to do with getting degrees from colleges. Many clever hackers coming
out of universities today were probably damned clever hackers when they
came out of high school.

Andy Tannenbaum Bell Labs Whippany, NJ (201) 386-6491

0 new messages