Your argument about the effect of the supply side of Java skills on developer remuneration is fundamentally correct. However, to my mind, skill in a particular language is only about 10% of a developer's worth. The way I see it, Java is likely to become pervasive in the business application domain, largely because this is where the skills pool will have its CofG (most business don't care one jot about the tools - they just need to know they can get people who can use the tools to keep their applications running). The ability to use java will become a requirement much as the ability to use a telephone is a requirement in any modern business and will not command any real premium. This is where the other 90% of a developer's worth becomes important. Businesses really value people who have a hybrid set of skills and are able to make projects happen - specifically NOT just from a technical point of view. Like you I don't much care for Java, mainly because it panders to the syntactic perversions of the C++ community, and I think that AOLServer + TCL is a far better medium for web site development. Nevertheless I do not intend to ignore Java because I have the 90% and will probably need the 10% to express myself at some point in the future! Alan Wright Dossy wrote: > People looked at me all strangely and said "but Java's all over > the place! It'll be great for your career, there's so much money > in Java!" These people either are foolish, naive, or both. > > Universities around the WORLD > are pumping out hundreds of thousands of graduates yearly who, > with all their Java fresh in their mind, can easily get the > Java 2 certification and probably some others. Lets not even > begin to talk about what this does to the value of Java > certified programmers ... >
