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January 28, 2003

Us Old Guys in IT

I’m now firmly in my mid-30s (it doesn’t get more mid-30s than 35), and certainly older than your average young turk in computing. I’m married, own a home, and my first child is due in March. So I found the recent discussion on Slashdot - Lifetime Careers in IT? - to be pretty interesting. But what I enjoyed the most was this comment, and the followup. Note, btw, that I’m a university sysadmin - technically a state employee:

Original Comment: It’s not as if you have to be on top of the game in IT. At least, not the government sector.. Most managers and senior support staff are in their 30’s and 40’s and completely ignorant of whats been going on for the past 5 years.

Reply: Ironically, most of the people I know in their 30s and 40s chuckle at the young turks who don’t realize that their “hot new paradigm” (or language or whatever) is the same recycled cat shit that’s been around - and dismissed - for years. They’ll all very much aware of the new stuff that really matters, but are also aware of the true cost of changing legacy systems and don’t make changes casually.

Exactly. Youth can bring new energy and enthusiasm, and expose fresh eyes and attitudes to old problems - something I’m enjoying immensely from our two new student employees, both of whom are very talented freshmen. But age and experience can bring a long view that recognizes when something “new” is just the same shit in a different package, and an acknowledgement of the cyclical nature of most any organization. Also invaluable. To discount either is to court disaster.

Posted by jim at 09:14 PM