DWUTKA at marlow.com
DWUTKA at marlow.com
Mon May 24 10:02:24 CDT 2004
ROTFLMAO! I could only wish! Drew -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of John W. Colby Sent: Friday, May 21, 2004 7:19 PM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: RE: [AccessD] On DB Bloat, Bad DB Design, and various >When I hear CEOs of companies like Intel proclaiming, "We have to go overseas because there aren't enough skilled software developers here in the United States," I keep waiting for the shareholders (and BOD) to realize that Indian CEOs are just as capable and don't want 50 million a year for their services. John W. Colby www.ColbyConsulting.com -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Lawhon, Alan C Contractor/Morgan Research Sent: Friday, May 21, 2004 2:33 PM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: RE: [AccessD] On DB Bloat, Bad DB Design, and various On Friday, May 21, 2004 at 11:16 AM, Of Arthur Fuller said (in part), <snip> Yes, it's money in my pocket -- about which I never complain. (Fuller's Second Law: money never arrives at an inopportune moment.) But part of me wishes that the client shouldn't have to re-pay for such low-level and obvious design decisions. The client got hosed, pure and simple, and it angers me that I'm in the same business as the previous developer. <snip> Arthur: Hello from Alan C. Lawhon. (It's been a while since we last conversed.) Part of the problem here, (if there IS a problem), is in the eternal desire of a certain type of management automaton to minimize cost. This attitude is best conveyed as: "Writing software is labor. Labor is just like any other raw material component in the manufacturing process. You find the cheapest 'labor cost' (per hour) and award the 'work' to that supplier." There is little appreciation for the fact that highly skilled software developers, (like you, William, Jim Lawrence, Charlotte Foust, Rocky Smolin, and John Colby), are qualitatively worth ten (or even twenty) times the cost of your "average Joe" unskilled programmer. The typical "cost conscious" manager will look at your rate, (say $150.00/hour), and compare it to some doofus "developer" who only charges $75.00/hour. (Of course, we all know which "doofus" gets the job.) You get called in only after the "cost conscious" manager discovers that his "cheap" programmer has actually turned out to be more expensive. Of course, the truth of the matter is that if this cost cutting manager had hired you to start with, (and payed your "exorbitant rate"), he would have wound up paying less - and getting more - for his money. However, some managers don't see it that way. They understand the cost of everything and the value of nothing. When such managers (and companies) get "hosed", you shouldn't feel bad about it. They deserve getting hosed - because they were so cheap - and stupid! I sense that this "cheaper cost" mindset is driving the movement of software development jobs to places like India. I have nothing against folks in India. They have as much right to work hard and try to improve themselves as you or I. However, the belief of some "shareholder value" obsessed CEOs that they're "cutting costs" [by moving jobs to India] may be shortsighted. When I hear CEOs of companies like Intel proclaiming, "We have to go overseas because there aren't enough skilled software developers here in the United States," I suspect that what they really mean is that there aren't enough "cheap" software developers here in the United States. To be totally objective about this, I don't think outsourcing software jobs [to India] is a threat to guys like you. For some reason, work always seems to find its way to highly skilled (and talented) developers. Alan C. Lawhon - (Semi-skilled developer) -- _______________________________________________ AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com -- _______________________________________________ AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com