Peter P. wrote:
> This is a real bomb imho, and it seems to be true. It also explains some 
> aspects
> of job ads that require 10 years of qualification in programming languages 
> which
> have been around for 5 years and worse. Read/watch and weep:
>
>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU

I'm not sure how much of what they're talking about is true, but regardless, 
I am fundamentally opposed to the idea of "protecting American jobs from 
foreigners" -- or from other Americans, for that matter.

DISCLAIMER: I do not have anything to gain from this perspective. Although I 
am an immigrant, I am also an American citizen. None of my family members 
overseas are involved in software development or engineering. My company 
does not employ, nor does we have any plans to, hire people from overseas 
(it seems to be more trouble than it's worth, at least for a small 
business).

If companies can get people from India or China, to do the same job for less 
money, what is wrong with that? Before you answer this question, think about 
these questions:

- Why should programmers get special protection? What about other people 
(say, textile workers)? Why don't we just close down the borders (or impose 
high tariffs on all products), and thus protect ALL industries?

- If the company's only goal is to pay unlivable wages to its programmers, 
how can the foreigners survive (they too have live in the US), and what is 
their incentive to come in the first place?

- Why not give the American educational system a kick in the pants, so it 
would start churning out smart, productive programmers who can successfully 
out-compete people from the outside?

This last question is a very touchy subject for me, as my daugher will start 
Kindergarten next fall. The American public school system is in a horrible 
state, mostly thanks to the unions that "protect" teachers, making it next 
to impossible to fire them (and replace them with people who truly care 
about the kids).

http://cgood.org/assets/attachments/firing_chart.pdf

Math teachers cannot divide a fraction by another fraction, and teachers 
accused of molesting children are put on paid leave (see the end of that 
chart, it's cheaper to pay the salary than litigate).

</rant>

Vitaliy 

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