Comment Re:Every managers dream (Score 1) 319
I don't think the writer took my words out of context or added too much spin - I think he basically got it. My only regret was that the term "Average Joe" was probably read by everyone well beyond the context we spoke in. I can't remember if I used it first or if the reporter did, but we weren't talking about the people who can't program a VCR. I would include in that category, though, Joes and Janes who in 1994 were using Mosiac's "view source" function to learn HTML and write their own pages. Or Joes and Janes who create animations in Flash. Or Joes and Janes who are creating more than mere wiki pages on WikiCalc or JotSpot.
Most of these people have never heard of compilers or CMM levels (bless 'em!). But they are programmers. I'll hesitate to call them engineers, only because that word should be saved for people with both formal training and certification; though I would wager that most people reading this comment with "engineer" in their employment title have neither of those.
The point I made to Phil, and that I think came out in the article, is that these Average Joe "programmers" are starting to work with each other, and with the "expert professionals", to create some very interesting things, both publicly and privately. If you're against that notion - that programming is a monastic science that requires years of experience before you're allowed to subject others to your work - then you're not only against the concept of Open Source, you're against what made the web successful ("view source", anyone can write HTML).
Brian
Most of these people have never heard of compilers or CMM levels (bless 'em!). But they are programmers. I'll hesitate to call them engineers, only because that word should be saved for people with both formal training and certification; though I would wager that most people reading this comment with "engineer" in their employment title have neither of those.
The point I made to Phil, and that I think came out in the article, is that these Average Joe "programmers" are starting to work with each other, and with the "expert professionals", to create some very interesting things, both publicly and privately. If you're against that notion - that programming is a monastic science that requires years of experience before you're allowed to subject others to your work - then you're not only against the concept of Open Source, you're against what made the web successful ("view source", anyone can write HTML).
Brian
