I agree that the pool of talent is being diminished by deaths, low recruitment because of poor perceived economic prospects, out migration for the same reason, and---among the young---a perception that the excitement is elsewhere.
This issue is, however, separable from that of competence to work in the bowels of the operating system. I do now a little regret the use of the adjective 'unwashed'. I meant it metaphorically not literally. As a practical matter I should be entirely willing to work with [and downwind of] a competent but malodorous sysprog. John Gilmore, Ashland, MA 01721 - USA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
