NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #18/NN_1992_18.iso/spool/comp/programm/2349

Internet Message Format | 1992-08-16 | 1.8 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!lhdsy1!usho93!usho34.hou281.chevron.com!avh
From: [e-mail] (Alan V. Hardin)
Newsgroups: comp.programming
Subject: what skills does a programmer need
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 16 Aug 92 19:37:26 GMT
Sender: [e-mail] (USENET News System)
Organization: Chevron
Lines: 29


I have worked for a big Oil company for 13 years as a programmer,
and we have been shrinking along with lots of other companies.
One thing I have noticed is that the company was going in one
direction, especially with computers and data processing, and then
recently changed direction - unix and c.  If the people, including
programmers, did not make the transition, basically on their own,
they were lopped off.

We are certainly following a trend of buying more software than
developing lately, and buying expertise we do not have yet.  My
real question is how much time do most of the programmers spend out
there on education and keeping up with the latest trends, or are
most of you like we were, kept pretty busy in the same environment
using a lot of local tools.

Also what kind of skills most a programmer have today, if he wants
to have a good chance at getting another job, once your current company
eventually dumps on you.  Are things like unix, c, c++, yacc, lex,
make, X, motif, and windows MUSTS or is the fact you have been
developing algorithms and working with computers for 10+ years enough.

So the two quetions are,  how much of your time goes to training,
and what kind of skills are musts for programmers to have today.
--
   | Alan V. Hardin, Seismic Division      Mail: [e-mail] |
   | Chevron Exploration Services Co.      Tel:  [phone]  |
   | P.O. Box 42832                        Fax:  [phone]  |
   | Houston, Texas  77242-2832            Home: [phone]  |