>>I am sure that the Chinese are good programmers but software is now the epicenter of strategic advantage and America needs to the knowledge domestically or become a third world backwater.<<
I agree completely, but programmers born and bred here in the USA don’t get that they don’t command salaries like back in my (COBOL) day.
Mind you I am doing programming right this very minute, but it is within the context of also doing analysis, specifications, project planning, integration and user/technical training and documentation.
Many/most kids today cannot do all those things. Most might be able to do one or 2.
“I agree completely, but programmers born and bred here in the USA don’t get that they don’t command salaries like back in my (COBOL) day.
Mind you I am doing programming right this very minute, but it is within the context of also doing analysis, specifications, project planning, integration and user/technical training and documentation.
Many/most kids today cannot do all those things. Most might be able to do one or 2.”
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I guess you don’t consider that “born and bred here in the USA” programmers need time and experience to develop those broader system development skills and abilities JUST AS YOU NEEDED TIME to develop those skills & abilities. You likely had time to develop your skills at a time when your employers weren’t tempted to get rid of you (or never hire you) and use low wage foreign programmers. THAT WAS A BETTER TIME.
I am on a working vacation that has lasted about 3 years doing programming at a defense contractor at a rate of about triple what I could command in the private sector due to the prohibition of not being able to utilize foreign contractors or to outsource offshore. I was real tired of working with nutjobs in sales. Never let anyone tell you that supply and demand doesn't affect pricing.