Comments on: Death of the Computer Guy http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/ Valuable Insights for Better Websites Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:12:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: ComputerGuy http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-886 ComputerGuy Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:51:04 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-886 The computer guys are not dead. They're limited to a specific age group. There are about a decade's worth of us. We grew up when computers started to turn into PC's and probably remember when 128kb was fking huge. We started early, and grew with it, learning and contributing as it developed. People older than this decade have had to change their existing views and adapt to new and foreign things. Usually they are a little resentful of this and will have "stupid computer" complaints. People younger than this have too much historical learning to do to catch up properly, so they focus on learning one area. The computer guy is blessed and cursed with the ability to learn at the rate of development because he always has. The computer guys are not dead. They’re limited to a specific age group. There are about a decade’s worth of us. We grew up when computers started to turn into PC’s and probably remember when 128kb was fking huge.

We started early, and grew with it, learning and contributing as it developed.

People older than this decade have had to change their existing views and adapt to new and foreign things. Usually they are a little resentful of this and will have “stupid computer” complaints.

People younger than this have too much historical learning to do to catch up properly, so they focus on learning one area.

The computer guy is blessed and cursed with the ability to learn at the rate of development because he always has.

]]> By: Stephen Ward http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Stephen Ward Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:51:52 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-86 Note to self: Posts about interviews tend to make your supervisor believe you're job-hunting. Try to avoid them or make it absolutely clear that you're not so you don't give him a heart attack when he reads them. ;) Note to self: Posts about interviews tend to make your supervisor believe you’re job-hunting. Try to avoid them or make it absolutely clear that you’re not so you don’t give him a heart attack when he reads them. ;)

]]> By: Stephen Ward http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Stephen Ward Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:15:16 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-80 Not to refute your expertise, Boris, but saying and being are two different things. Certainly there are plenty of capable IT workers out there who, like yourself, are willing and able to learn whatever needs to be done. I like to think I fit into that category, as well. The sort of "computer guy" I'm saying has died, here, is the one who knows it all without needing to learn, the sort that can do anything with a computer already. Of course, I'm sure it's plausible, in the right environment, to effectively fake it. I've known plenty of guys who knew so much that we could only speculate what they didn't know. Still, my assertion is that it's impractical for employers to expect any IT worker to know everything, especially if they plan to pay them an ordinary IT worker salary. Not to refute your expertise, Boris, but saying and being are two different things. Certainly there are plenty of capable IT workers out there who, like yourself, are willing and able to learn whatever needs to be done. I like to think I fit into that category, as well. The sort of “computer guy” I’m saying has died, here, is the one who knows it all without needing to learn, the sort that can do anything with a computer already.

Of course, I’m sure it’s plausible, in the right environment, to effectively fake it. I’ve known plenty of guys who knew so much that we could only speculate what they didn’t know. Still, my assertion is that it’s impractical for employers to expect any IT worker to know everything, especially if they plan to pay them an ordinary IT worker salary.

]]> By: Boris http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Boris Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:58:39 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-79 I am the computer guy. Ask me how to do anything, and if I don't know how to do it, I'll say I do and learn, as well as execute, before it needs to be done. Sorry, the "computer guy" still does exist, but the margins for success under this term are just becoming smaller. I am the computer guy. Ask me how to do anything, and if I don’t know how to do it, I’ll say I do and learn, as well as execute, before it needs to be done. Sorry, the “computer guy” still does exist, but the margins for success under this term are just becoming smaller.

]]> By: Winning Startups http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Winning Startups Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:27:36 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-78 Amen,brother! Amen,brother!

]]> By: Stephen Ward http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-77 Stephen Ward Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:10:19 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-77 Unfortunate and true, Justin. It makes me wonder whether the only people who are truly qualified to hire IT professionals are IT professionals themselves. Out of curiosity, do the people who hired you fit this description? Unfortunate and true, Justin. It makes me wonder whether the only people who are truly qualified to hire IT professionals are IT professionals themselves. Out of curiosity, do the people who hired you fit this description?

]]> By: Justin - Web Development Blog http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Justin - Web Development Blog Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:43:56 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-76 Excellent post Stephen. I run into this all the time. It is too bad since employers will dismiss the first few interviewees before they start to clue in that maybe nobody knows how to do everything. Thankfully I found a job with a company that recognizes the vast differences in many parts of IT. Excellent post Stephen. I run into this all the time. It is too bad since employers will dismiss the first few interviewees before they start to clue in that maybe nobody knows how to do everything.

Thankfully I found a job with a company that recognizes the vast differences in many parts of IT.

]]> By: Stephen Ward http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Stephen Ward Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:46:38 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-75 Glad to hear it's not limited to the IT industry, Simon. I wonder how pervasive the problem is. Do all employers really expect an ordinary employee to have the skills to cover ten different positions? Are they just trying to get more bang for their staffing buck, or are they really naive enough to think people like this exist, or will work for a normal salary no less? Glad to hear it’s not limited to the IT industry, Simon. I wonder how pervasive the problem is. Do all employers really expect an ordinary employee to have the skills to cover ten different positions? Are they just trying to get more bang for their staffing buck, or are they really naive enough to think people like this exist, or will work for a normal salary no less?

]]> By: Simon Owens http://www.wardontheweb.com/death-of-the-computer-guy/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Simon Owens Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:37:26 +0000 http://www.wardontheweb.com/?p=30#comment-74 I often have a very similar problem. When I look for online journalism jobs, the ads expect you to not only know how to write and publish online articles, you need to know how to edit and produce video. You need to know how to design a website and write code. You need to have all these technical skills that have very little to do with online journalism. Employers don't understand they're essentially advertising for two different jobs. You can have an online editor and you can have a site design guy, it's rare that you'll be able to find both in one. I often have a very similar problem. When I look for online journalism jobs, the ads expect you to not only know how to write and publish online articles, you need to know how to edit and produce video. You need to know how to design a website and write code. You need to have all these technical skills that have very little to do with online journalism.

Employers don’t understand they’re essentially advertising for two different jobs. You can have an online editor and you can have a site design guy, it’s rare that you’ll be able to find both in one.

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