Where are the old programmers?

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Somebody said something last week that I'd never thought of before -- that programming is a job for young people. I suddenly realized that I don't think I've ever met a middle-aged programmer.

So where are all the people who were programming in the eighties? Did they burn out and change careers? Did they all make so much money that they retired early? Did they move into the other fields that have opened up since then? Where are they?

 

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A popular mis-conception.

Many of us have learned not to admit to being a programmer in public. Unless you are well prepared for it the question usualy leads to some impossible-to-answer query about computers.

Many are still there. Some have migrated into managing teams of programmers. Some have moved away. And don't imagine for a moment that we make *that* much money!

Harry.

 

I have family overseas and always knew one of my uncle's as *the man at the bank*. After a recent MSN chat i found out that he is the *IT Security man for a bank*.

He is 50+, know's C, VB6 and *a lot* about networking in general (maybe Harry standard) and apparently helps out voluntary for a Linux distro testing.
What a result for Boyce! I plan a European visit soon, (planned to go at Christmas ) and will ask (of course!) for some training in exchange for some Sangria!

Si

 

Programming is based on ability rather than age, but for those programmers who start very young, like those in the games industry, something called 'burnout' can set in where enthusiasm for the job disappears and the feeling of the time to move onto other things becomes apparant. This is normally brough on by work stress.

Some go onto consultancy, production, management that may or may not be tied to their original programming careers.

I know one genius programmer from the States who is easily in his mid-forties and doesn't do anything apart from code.

 

Anywhere near me mate??

The programmers are still here, we just don't admit it.

 

Nug,

Seville.
I could always pop in for a Leffe on the way back.

Si

 

I know quite a few middle-aged programmers. And, as Math said, several of them have moved on to consulting and management.

 

I have tried to learn programming languages, but never really had the patience. I prefer to be hands on messing with computers, taking a sledgehammer to them when they don't work

 

lol - I guess you could say I am an old programmer from the 80s if you stretched the definition to include someone who wrote text based adventure games (getting a couple published) in BASIC and later in PASCAL.

What happened? I got into girls and did not get back into IT in the same way until just recently when the director told me to build a website without any training or knowledge on how or where to begin and I got married (so no need to devote so much time to chasing the fairer sex - lol).

But have to admit I kind of enjoy trying to catch up.

What am I doing now? I am an out of work terrorism specialist - amazing eh? Seems like working for our American cousins makes me a security risk back in the UK and not being an American makes it difficult to get new work in the US after my contract came to an end - LMAO - the irony of our special relationship in an age where terrorism is no.1 agenda in the West.

Incidently - lots of ppl talking about certificates vs degree - take the certificates, I got a first class degree (albeit not IT) plus a masters and I can't get a job - I am told I am overqualified - can't even get work in Llidl. Employers want vocational qualifications because HR staff don't know the job they are supposed to train you to do Seriously if you own a company sack all you HR staff except one who knows employment law - waste of space.