From: rpomeroy@aunext1.amd.com (Ron Pomeroy x(Coop))
Subject: Re: experienced NeXTSTEP programmer shortage
Reply-To: rpomeroy@aunext1.amd.com
Organization: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.; Austin, Texas
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 15:36:31 GMT

In article <1g8e59INN1p9@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> isbell@cats.ucsc.edu (Art Isbell)  
writes:
>>
>>
>>I imagine many of you are noticing that there seems to be an increasing
>>shortage of experienced NeXTSTEP programmers.  I've been receiving phone  
calls
>>with increasing frequency from NeXTSTEP consultants looking for experienced
>>NeXTSTEP programmers.  They seem to be getting more exasperated and have more
>>unfilled positions each time I talk with them.
>>
>>This bodes well for NeXTSTEP's future, up to a point.  NeXTSTEP sales must be
>>increasing.  The current Open Systems Today profiles the very positive
>>experience of a company migrating from the mainframe world to the UNIX
>>workstation world, with NeXTstation Turbos chosen as the front-end machines
>>with IBM RS/6000 database, email, and file servers.  InfoWorld, Unix World,
>>Unix Review, and even Byte are actually mentioning NeXT in positive terms  
(even
>>if most of them insist on writing "Next").  And when NS 486 hits the streets
>>(or even after large orders have been placed - NeXTSTEP programmers are  
already
>>at Chrysler Financial using NeXT hardware until NS 486 arrives), the demand  
for
>>programmers should increase dramatically.
>>
>>I say, "up to a point" because if good NeXTSTEP programmers just aren't
>>available, this might lead to rejection of a NeXTSTEP solution for many
>>companies.
>>
>>I was pretty conservative in my approach to becoming a NeXTSTEP programmer by
>>taking a conventional C/UNIX programming job until I felt the NeXTSTEP
>>programming market was sufficiently strong to break away from the drudgery.
>>This was in September, 1991, and I've been a fully-contracted NeXTSTEP
>>developer ever since.
>>
>>So now's the time for you to go for it!  Unfilled positions are begging for
>>your expertise, especially if you're a little flexible about your location  
and
>>especially if you have experience.  So if you're still in school, pick up
>>NeXTSTEP Programming by Mahoney and Garfinkle and work through all the
>>examples.  Spend all your free programming time in front of your university's
>>NeXTstations.  Getting that first job is never easy, but any level of  
NeXTSTEP
>>knowledge is in demand and the demand is growing.  Go to Timbuktu if you have
>>to in order to get that first NeXTSTEP job.  After a year, you'll be
>>experienced and will be able to move on if you prefer.
>>
>>If you're a C/UNIX programmer, buy a NeXTstation with developers docs  
(there's
>>some pretty cheap deals in comp.sys.next.marketplace) and learn NeXTSTEP at
>>home in the evenings and weekends.  Then make the switch and get a fun job  
for
>>a change :-)
>>
>>The momentum's building!  Get in near the ground floor.  Take a small risk.
>>You'll never look back.
>>-- 
>>
>>Art Isbell                                                      Cubic  
Solutions
>>NeXT Registered Developer #745         NeXT software development and  
consulting
>>NeXTmail: isbell@cats.UCSC.EDU                             Voice:  
(408)335-1154
>>USmail: 95018-9442                                           Fax:  
(408)335-2515

That's exactly what I'm doing ! (plus a little Smalltalk).  The book's
in the mail and the station's at home :)

Now,  anyone want to gimme' $1500.00 for DevCamp :-) :-)

--
Ronald Pomeroy		[Objective-Cruntime: [Smalltalk runtime]];
Advanced Micro Devices	[self dream-on];
CAM Applications Group
rpomeroy@aunext1.amd.com (NeXTmail preferred)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.programmer