Comment by hackthemack

4 days ago

I have a theory that the churn in technology is by design. If a new paradigm, new language, new framework comes out every so many years, it allows the tech sector to always want to hire new graduates for lower salaries. It gives a thin veneer of we want to always hire the person who has X when really they just do not want to hire someone with 10 years of experience in tech but who may not have picked up X yet.

I do not think it is the only reason. The world is complex, but I do think it factors into why software is not treated like other engineering fields.

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hackthemack

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SoftTalker  3 days ago

Constantly rewriting the same stuff in endless cycles of new frameworks and languages gives an artificial sense of productivity and justifies its own existence.

If we took the same approach to other engineering, we'd be constantly tearing down houses and rebuilding them just because we have better nails now. It sure would keep a lot of builders employed though.

  • pietervdvn  3 days ago

    We do take down a lot of old buildings (or renovate them thoroughly) cause the old buildings contain asbestos, are not properly isolated, ...

  • Hemospectrum  3 days ago

    > If we took the same approach to other engineering, we'd be constantly tearing down houses and rebuilding them just because we have better nails now. It sure would keep a lot of builders employed though.

    This is almost exactly what happens in some countries.

  • hackthemack  3 days ago

    I agree. But, I think the execs just say, "How can we get the most bang for our buck? If we use X, Y, Z technologies, that are the new hotness, then we will get all the new hordes of hires out there, which will make them happy, and has the added benefit of paying them less"

jemmyw  3 days ago

The problem with that is that it would require a huge amount of coordination for it to be by design. I think it's better to look on it as systemic. Which isn't to say there aren't malign forces contributing.

  • hackthemack  3 days ago

    I agree. Perhaps, "by design" is not the correct phrasing. Many decisions and effects go through a multi weighted graph of complexity (sort of like machine learning).

  • tra3  3 days ago

    Indeed. How does that saying go? Don’t attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity?

    On the other hand Microsoft and taceboook did collude to keep salaries low. So who knows.