A question to IT KBers - what are prospects of finding an IT job in Auckland?

**imdying** · 5th August 2008, 18:36

Originally Posted by avgas

I understand that, but what i dont understand is why the hell does Microsoft like "discontinuing" API's !?????
Its fucking awesome when you get 2/3rds the way through a project only to find the API you have been basing on is now non-existent in windows.

Can you a cite an example? The APIs don't actually go anywhere...

**Street Gerbil** · 5th August 2008, 20:07

Originally Posted by imdying

Can you a cite an example? The APIs don't actually go anywhere...

Actually I can see where he is coming from. Remember how System.getenv() has suddenly become deprecated in java 1.4.2 and undeprecated back in 1.5.0?

first word of each program name was "RECIEVE"

Well, I have to admit RECEIVE and RETRIEVE are my favorite nightmare words from hell. But at least I have mitigating circumstances: I am not an English speaker.

**scracha** · 5th August 2008, 20:07

Originally Posted by vifferman

A prerequisite for decent coders should be an ability to spell, (or at least to misspell consistently, I guess).
Reminds me of the first software company I worked for - there was one set of programs we had problems with (when editing or searching for them), as the first word of each program name was "RECIEVE".

Ye gads, a pedantic paleontologist programmer is in our midst.

**scracha** · 5th August 2008, 20:08

Originally Posted by Street Gerbil

Actually I can see where he is coming from. Remember how System.getenv() has suddenly become deprecated in java 1.4.2 and undeprecated back in 1.5.0?

That's what preprocessor macros are for innit

**Street Gerbil** · 5th August 2008, 20:29

Originally Posted by scracha

That's what preprocessor macros are for innit

Oh, and how exactly do you prevent their values from being visible in the process list?

**-df-** · 5th August 2008, 22:01

Originally Posted by Street Gerbil

After being stuck in a very narrow ecological niche for 10 years, and
becoming highly specialized in a very specific area of business
knowledge only a few companies in the world might be interested in,
I found myself at risk of becoming a corporate dinosaur (you know, like
experience with COBOL and C/C++ etc).
Do you guys believe that it is possible to find an employer willing to mentor me and let me grow into 21st century (Java/J2EE, .NET, and suchlike) or do you know of anyone seeking a person with experience in supporting large scale projects at all stages of SDLC? Please feel free to speculate or PM. There will be beer, I promise.

if you have experience in C++ and want to get into .NET their are alot of companies that are coverting their code to .NET. I know of one in albany that is hiring at the moment.

Just remember .NET is a M$ thing so as long as there is Windows...there will be .NET (within reason)

I got into C# from C++ by jumping teams within a company (after teaching myself)...seems to be the best way if its a posibility.

Good luck!!

**imdying** · 6th August 2008, 11:09

Anyone that knows C++ should be able to hose through C#

Framework is lovely, does most of your work for you

**enigma51** · 6th August 2008, 11:20

Originally Posted by vifferman

A prerequisite for decent coders should be an ability to spell, (or at least to misspell consistently, I guess).
Reminds me of the first software company I worked for - there was one set of programs we had problems with (when editing or searching for them), as the first word of each program name was "RECIEVE".

Since when do you need to be able to spell to wright desent code

I rather have 1 non speller that can code than one that cant wright code for shit!

**Cajun** · 6th August 2008, 11:36

Originally Posted by enigma51

Since when do you need to be able to spell to wright desent code

I rather have 1 non speller that can code than one that cant wright code for shit!

i concur i am disylex, and a coder.

**jrandom** · 6th August 2008, 11:41

Originally Posted by enigma51

Since when do you need to be able to spell to wright desent code

It's not a matter of direct causality; the simple fact is that a high level of literacy is correlated with high general intelligence.

Being able to 'write code' is only a tiny first step towards being able to design and implement robust and efficient solutions to complex software problems.

I would never hire anyone into one of my teams who was lazy and/or stupid enough to be sloppy in the written communication of their native language.

**enigma51** · 6th August 2008, 11:41

Originally Posted by Cajun

i concur i am disylex, and a coder.

I cant spell for shit but yet i manage to write code

how is it possible?

**enigma51** · 6th August 2008, 11:42

Originally Posted by jrandom

It's not a matter of direct causality; the simple fact is that a high level of literacy is correlated with high general intelligence.

Being able to 'write code' is only a tiny first step towards being able to design and implement robust and efficient solutions to complex software problems.

I would never hire anyone into one of my teams who was lazy and/or stupid enough to be sloppy in the written communication of their native language.

My native language aint english!

and on your comment

the simple fact is that a high level of literacy is correlated with high general intelligence.

BULL FUCKIN SHIT!

**Cajun** · 6th August 2008, 11:49

Originally Posted by jrandom

It's not a matter of direct causality; the simple fact is that a high level of literacy is correlated with high general intelligence.

Being able to 'write code' is only a tiny first step towards being able to design and implement robust and efficient solutions to complex software problems.

I would never hire anyone into one of my teams who was lazy and/or stupid enough to be sloppy in the written communication of their native language.

I had speech problems as a kid, there are words this day i can not say. you have meet me you would have noticed i also talk fast, this is also due to my speech problems.

I can read words find, i just can't put them down correctly.

This does not stop me knowning 20+ programming languages fluently

My spelling has got better since i have been in a business environment, but still not great. Some very smart, rich men/woman can't read/write very well today some very smart people thru out history couldn't either.

**jrandom** · 6th August 2008, 11:49

Originally Posted by enigma51

i manage to write code

how is it possible?

There's code, and then there's code...

One of the above sorts of 'code' is the reason for budget blowouts, company failures and the general perception of computers as piles of unusable shite.

Originally Posted by enigma51

the simple fact is that a high level of literacy is correlated with high general intelligence.

BULL FUCKIN SHIT!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_and_thought

Literacy and general cognitive capacity are inextricably intertwined. National literacy rates are, in fact, generally used to estimate national average IQs.

Before you yell 'bullshit' at that again, go check out the data for yourself. Go find me one single psych study showing that literacy is not correlated with IQ.