Comments on: How Quickly Does Programming Knowledge Become Obsolete? http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/ A Journey to Productivity Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:11:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-126551 Dave Sat, 23 Jul 2011 15:23:50 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-126551 Ada is well known for software that just HAS to work. Air Traffic Management Systems Commercial Aviation Railway Transportation Commercial Rockets Commercial Imaging Space Vehicles Communication and Navigational Satellites and Receivers Data Communications Scientific Space Vehicles Desktop and Web Applications Banking and Financial Systems Information Systems Commercial Shipboard Control Systems Television/Entertainment Industry Medical Industry General Industry Military Applications http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~mfeldman/ada-project-summary.html And not that it's FLOSS it's much more of a draw to programmers who are just tired of the shoddy practices of other languages. Ada was clearly designed for software engineering, and it excels. Ada will be around for a long time yet - it is alive and well, still a preferred high level language despite the plethora of other languages out there in the wild. Better to have a compiler which complains, than a binary which causes death and injury. http://adacore.com http://libre.adacore.com http://adaic.org FWIW my company's next commercial project WILL be using Ada after very careful consideration of the alternatives. Ada is well known for software that just HAS to work.

Air Traffic Management Systems
Commercial Aviation
Railway Transportation
Commercial Rockets
Commercial Imaging Space Vehicles
Communication and Navigational Satellites and Receivers
Data Communications
Scientific Space Vehicles
Desktop and Web Applications
Banking and Financial Systems
Information Systems
Commercial Shipboard Control Systems
Television/Entertainment Industry
Medical Industry
General Industry
Military Applications

http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~mfeldman/ada-project-summary.html

And not that it’s FLOSS it’s much more of a draw to programmers who are just tired of the shoddy practices of other languages. Ada was clearly designed for software engineering, and it excels. Ada will be around for a long time yet – it is alive and well, still a preferred high level language despite the plethora of other languages out there in the wild. Better to have a compiler which complains, than a binary which causes death and injury.

http://adacore.com
http://libre.adacore.com
http://adaic.org

FWIW my company’s next commercial project WILL be using Ada after very careful consideration of the alternatives.

]]> By: john http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-40718 john Sun, 21 Sep 2008 09:30:56 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-40718 I had to post because the Chris R comment made me lmao... But, all knowledge scenarios are covered nowadays. If your going corporate with large teams, they want you to be able to learn as a prerequ, but of course there are those that need you to be THEIR resource. This facilitates a specified need for the particular up to date languages or even the legacy code they still maintain or need to port... All answers are correct... I had to post because the Chris R comment made me lmao…
But, all knowledge scenarios are covered nowadays. If your going corporate with large teams, they want you to be able to learn as a prerequ, but of course there are those that need you to be THEIR resource. This facilitates a specified need for the particular up to date languages or even the legacy code they still maintain or need to port…
All answers are correct…

]]> By: Dustin http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-38206 Dustin Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:22:06 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-38206 Actually, some colleagues of mine who worked at some rather large defense contractors within the last 3 years or so have told me that ADA is still alive and well in those environments -- mostly for maintaining existing code. That they would be advertising for ADA programmers isn't a stretch of the imagination at all. Of course, these companies would probably be an example of the type of place you'd want to avoid... Actually, some colleagues of mine who worked at some rather large defense contractors within the last 3 years or so have told me that ADA is still alive and well in those environments — mostly for maintaining existing code. That they would be advertising for ADA programmers isn’t a stretch of the imagination at all. Of course, these companies would probably be an example of the type of place you’d want to avoid…

]]> By: Derek Park http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-26438 Derek Park Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:07:58 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-26438 All companies want experience. That doesn't mean they won't hire people who don't have it. You can also get experience without working a full-time job. Do internships. Take relevant classes. Study on your own time. Also, Ada? When were you applying for jobs, 1988? I have trouble believing that you were applying for Ada jobs at all, but even more trouble believing you were turned down for lack of experience. I've never touched Ada, and I'm 99.9% sure I could get a job programming Ada if I wanted/needed to. But I wouldn't, because even the DoD is moving away from Ada. Outsourcing is an overhyped concern. People have been worried about outsourcing for years, and the wholesale outsourcing of programming is yet to be seen. Good overseas programmers are cheaper than Americans, but they are not free, and there are very real communication costs (which turn into monetary costs). If you want to be a programmer, I'd recommend getting some kind of projects under your belt, either on your own or with an employer. Go to your professors and see if any of them have interesting work, or can direct you to some. My first jobs were all from networking through my professors. All companies want experience. That doesn’t mean they won’t hire people who don’t have it. You can also get experience without working a full-time job. Do internships. Take relevant classes. Study on your own time.

Also, Ada? When were you applying for jobs, 1988? I have trouble believing that you were applying for Ada jobs at all, but even more trouble believing you were turned down for lack of experience. I’ve never touched Ada, and I’m 99.9% sure I could get a job programming Ada if I wanted/needed to. But I wouldn’t, because even the DoD is moving away from Ada.

Outsourcing is an overhyped concern. People have been worried about outsourcing for years, and the wholesale outsourcing of programming is yet to be seen. Good overseas programmers are cheaper than Americans, but they are not free, and there are very real communication costs (which turn into monetary costs).

If you want to be a programmer, I’d recommend getting some kind of projects under your belt, either on your own or with an employer. Go to your professors and see if any of them have interesting work, or can direct you to some. My first jobs were all from networking through my professors.

]]> By: vick http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-26242 vick Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:35:34 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-26242 well, I'm majoring in computer science at a csu, but I still have my doughts as most companies want an "experienced programmer", believe me, I've tried many companies such as HP, Raytheon, Boeing,Northrup, and all of them will choose the programmer that has the latest programming. They said I "had" to know ADA programming. And that I couldn't just apply my experience of C++ of java and assembly language skills to any other language. Plus the above fella didn't mention anything about out sourcing. Most of the worlds computer programmer reside in foreign countries doing all the programming for americans. What's the point of learning and program, even when your good at it, when a peron in another country is willing to take up the same job for next to NOTHING. Trust me it happens. Why else do you think BILL GATES lobbied congress to allow 65,000 visas to be approved for software engineering every year. well, I’m majoring in computer science at a csu, but I still have my doughts as most companies want an “experienced programmer”, believe me, I’ve tried many companies such as HP, Raytheon, Boeing,Northrup, and all of them will choose the programmer that has the latest programming. They said I “had” to know ADA programming. And that I couldn’t just apply my experience of C++ of java and assembly language skills to any other language.

Plus the above fella didn’t mention anything about out sourcing. Most of the worlds computer programmer reside in foreign countries doing all the programming for americans. What’s the point of learning and program, even when your good at it, when a peron in another country is willing to take up the same job for next to NOTHING. Trust me it happens. Why else do you think BILL GATES lobbied congress to allow 65,000 visas to be approved for software engineering every year.

]]> By: Chris R http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-5382 Chris R Tue, 30 Oct 2007 21:20:16 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-5382 Found this blog as I'm trying to find out if Oracle can export in ancient punchcard format. This is because a mandatory insurance reporting bureau is still requiring punchcard. And I don't know whether I have to signify negative digits--character by character--over the whole number, or just the first significant digit and/or including leading zeroes. This technology covers more time than I've been alive. The green screen is alive and well---just ask your bank. Found this blog as I’m trying to find out if Oracle can export in ancient punchcard format. This is because a mandatory insurance reporting bureau is still requiring punchcard. And I don’t know whether I have to signify negative digits–character by character–over the whole number, or just the first significant digit and/or including leading zeroes. This technology covers more time than I’ve been alive.

The green screen is alive and well—just ask your bank.

]]> By: Joe Bochinski http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-3842 Joe Bochinski Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:54:50 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-3842 Owned. Owned.

]]> By: William Furr http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/comment-page-1/#comment-471 William Furr Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:18:55 +0000 http://formerslacker.com/blog/2007/03/20/how-quickly-does-programming-knowledge-become-obsolete/#comment-471 Bravo! Bravo!

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