filePro Programmer shortage

[Fairlight]

At Thu, Feb 24, 2005 at 03:29:50PM -0600 or thereabouts, 
suspect Ernie Barnard was observed uttering:
> And if "New" filePro developers are greeted with such kindness and support - 
> the topic has been answered as to why their is a shortage of filePro 
> Programmers.

Well, much as your pointed remark towards Jay is understood, I'll just
add my $0.02 to the larger (relavent) topic.

We basically have a bunch of old-timers in.  Most of the fP programmers I
know are older than 35--actually many are above 45.

Probably many people being brought into a situation at a company where they
"inherit" a filePro system were never exposed to anything like filePro.

And they're in all likelihood told to, "just make it work, we don't care
how."  Someone needs 'x' to happen, etc., and they'll do darned near
anything to achieve it.

It's probably better than even money that given a learning curve for
something that's not a standard, combined with a predilection towards
'everyday' type software that they're used to and the (sometimes disparate)
differences between fP's language and any other they've worked with
(totally neutral here...just saying there -are- differences), they're more
likely to pitch fP and migrate the solution to something else out of peace
of mind and theirown comfort level.  God forbid it be Access and VB (ugh!),
but it's not unheard-of, unfortunately.

And thus the userbase shrinks, meaning the number of places that -need- fP
programmers, thus shrinking the incentive to stay a filePro programmer as
the marketplace shrinks.  Then we see a situation in which more programmers
leave for other reasons, and it creates the illusion that there are plenty
of filePro jobs out there,  The truth is more likely that there aren't so
many jobs as there are so few programmers left.  This would also explain
the cross-polination I've seen in the community where you work with ten
different places, and one programmer has worked with six of them at one
point or another.  The community is a bit inbred (for lack of a better
term) in that regard.  There's next to no new blood.

Actually, I'm surprised there are -any- new fP programmers, for exactly
those reasons.

As for classes...I'm not seeing an absolute need for it.  I was programming
it within days of first exposure, and while I did attend one class in 1993
and learned a few neat things and clarified one concept, mostly it wasn't a
real help to me in my coding.  It's called RTM.  Any programmer that can't
do so...well...I think that speaks for itself.

But if fP-Tech is having troubles growing their product now, you can bet
that in another 10-15 years, when more people leave programming altogether,
retire, or take positions as full-time daisy-pushers, there won't be anyone
-left- to speak well of the product.  And right now (actually, for years),
that's been about their only saving grace as far as public exposure--word
of mouth.  When those mouths are gone, who will take over?

Of course, I've been predicting Apple's imminent (within a year!) demise
for 15 years running, and have been consistently proven wrong. :) But
fP-Tech isn't likely to come up with an iPod anytime soon.

(FWIW, I now say Apple will -not- fold anytime within the next five years.)

Anyway...that's my take on it.

mark->
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