C/C++, legacy technologies

[Oscar]

How is C/C++ market developing over time?
Like with COBOL there are many legacy systems that must be maintained, and it is not s easy to get into.

Is it worth doing some to have something to fall back on when you get old?

How are legacy technologies like COBOL generally in the market, and how does C/C++ compare?

[BlasterBates]

Well you can do Java and C# legacy work later on.

The C/C++ market seems to me to be OK. Though systems are still slowly migrating away from it so expect less aas time goes on. Of course as C++ migrates so do the programmers, the permies at any rate, and so even though there´s slow disappearnce of projects the programmers are disappearing as well, so demand does hold up. One thing you can guarantee it won´t get more.

[VectraMan]

C++ won't go away (what do you think the browser you're looking at is written in?), but it's certainly not as much in the mainstream as it once was. If you look at ITJobswatch, C++ rates are slightly higher than C# now, which tells you it's becoming a bit more specialist, and that there's now an excess of people who jumped on the new trendy technologies like .NET and Java.

I suspect some things will come back to C++.

[riffpie]

(what do you think the browser you're looking at is written in?)

XUL.

[theroyale]

Don't know about C/C++ but the COBOL market's ramped down to almost non-existent. I spent months last year looking for something in COBOL because I have some years experience there; agent after agent told me I needed to "expand my skillset" because just COBOL wouldn't do anymore... I was hoping for Migration sort of projects but things just didn't turn up. Had to finally use my SQL experience and get into that area.

[AdrianH]

There's plenty of life left in C/C++ ... all 'peformance critical' code (games, telecoms, embedded ..) still uses these languages predominantly. QT is rapidly gaining in popularity, it is C++ based.