[Mr. Jeeves]

Lumpy, cynical, middle-aged, white software veterans aren’t willing to work 70 hours a week for $45,000/year the way young, single Indian nationals are, and thus represent a poor economic value for Microsoft when the global labor arbitrage is taken into consideration. Microsoft’s threat is, “Hey, at least the H1B’s are doing the work here and paying US taxes...but we can do this in Bangalore, if you really, really want us to.” And government is likely to fall for that argument.

[AlmaKing]

They don’t need to hire middle aged. I like ClearCase_guy’s idea better, hire our American youngsters and teach them a trade. It’s a better long term investment.

[Makana]

Thirty years in software consulting leads me to this point.

Yes, it is more difficult to re-train software folks. However, proficiency in a software program is akin to a religion. What I know is better than anything someone else knows. “

“Give me more time and budget and I can solve the problem with 1) COBOL, 2) C++ FORTRAN 3)Etc. , Boss.”

The “bitter clingers /S” hold to their skills even as the world moves on

[ravager]

Firstly I have hardly seen any H-1B actually make $45,000/year. The average income of Indian minority in the US is $90k. And lot of people make much more then that. And considering most H-1Bs work on contract with “middle-man” companies taking a cut, and companies have to hire attorneys for H-1Bs and green card filing, H-1Bs are actually much more expensive in reality.

Secondly I highly doubt an unemployed “middle-aged, white software veterans” would pass up a job offer only because he has to work 70 hours a week for less wage... unless of course he is having too much fun sitting on his butt collecting unemployment.

For most “middle-aged,software veterans” there might be a bit of a skill gap. The world have kinda moved far away from Cobol and Mainframe. Its always a challenge to keep up with younger blood with fresh skills in this trade.