Miners, shipbuilders, IT contractors?

[amcdonald]

I do hope it gets better though, I'm sitting on a CV thats as powerful as its ever going to be and having the worst run on the bench in 8 years (out of work for 9 months now, 6 voluntary, 3 looking)

Find a way to look like you were working for those 9 months and then update your CV on jobserve regularly, even if it's just deleting and reinserting a space to full their bots into thinking it's a new CV

[eek]

A crap programmer can be reined in by a good process and a tight spec but letting an utter monkey loose to figure it out for himself will not be a suitable way to develop the next air craft landing system or DWP system.

I'm not even sure that's the case unless you instigate code reviews and actually do them. I encountered a piece of code today that failed a simple concurrency test. The reason - because the developer never stored the checksum value when he first accessed the record and the test team didn't include concurrency tests when they tested the system 3 years ago. 30 pages had the exact same issue so I spent a delightful afternoon fixing all of them.

[bobspud]

see previous comment about offshoring architecture, aware of at least one of the major banks is in the middle of swapping uk architecture contractors (and some permies) with bob and his chums. the uk contractors are being told move to bobco or leave.

Yes Barclays, RBS and a few others are up to their necks in bobs so move on to something else for a few years.
Or take bobs shilling and make a fortune being the one that speaks to the client. I have found that end Clients actually hate bobs more than us most of the time so anyone that has the skills to keep them out the meetings or whelp them for their tuliptyness quickly earns the protection of the client.
As for bob TA's that's entertaining. Have you read any of their documents? I tore one a new arshole the other month for submitting a cut and pasted blackberry document for review. Client pulled me to one side and said steady on, remember whose side you are on.. I replied I'm on the side of a well delivered project and stuff like this doesn't happen while I'm the TDA. Im still kicking their arses while they client made them renew me until the end of the year

I'm not even sure that's the case unless you instigate code reviews and actually do them. I encountered a piece of code today that failed a simple concurrency test. The reason - because the developer never stored the checksum value when he first accessed the record and the test team didn't include concurrency tests when they tested the system 3 years ago. 30 pages had the exact same issue so I spent a delightful afternoon fixing all of them.

Doesn't surprise me at all... What do you think the page would be like if there was not even a spec? Even a basic one That said receive this and pass this back...

[NotAllThere]

I've worked generally in manufacturing (occasionally service). There was a big push to offshore about 5-7 years ago. Now the trend is reversing. Offshoring still goes on, but with a bit more intelligence.

[MyUserName]

What people miss with Agile methodologies is that they are designed with the assumption you recruitment process for your staff provides you with a small number of top notch engineers. All of whom are committted to the project above their egos and self interest. Once you have this then Agile can work pretty well.

It is just like a sniper rifle. In the hands of a good sniper it can cause havoc and get a lot done, a two man sniper team is a chilling thing to face. Give a sniper rifles to a bunch of f*ckwit and send them off to do a mission and they will probably shoot each other by mistake before being over powered by the local nun.

[bobspud]

What people miss with Agile methodologies is that they are designed with the assumption you recruitment process for your staff provides you with a small number of top notch engineers. All of whom are committted to the project above their egos and self interest. Once you have this then Agile can work pretty well.

It is just like a sniper rifle. In the hands of a good sniper it can cause havoc and get a lot done, a two man sniper team is a chilling thing to face. Give a sniper rifles to a bunch of f*ckwit and send them off to do a mission and they will probably shoot each other by mistake before being over powered by the local nun.

Hi,
can someone please add some rep to this I just negged it by accident

Sorry! good post

[Wils]

I've worked generally in manufacturing (occasionally service). There was a big push to offshore about 5-7 years ago. Now the trend is reversing. Offshoring still goes on, but with a bit more intelligence.

That's my experience too. I am surprised to read people posting that is in full swing. That's why I wondered if it's just finance that is going through it; finance tech practices seem to lag other industries IMHO.

[doomage]

What people miss with Agile methodologies is that they are designed with the assumption you recruitment process for your staff provides you with a small number of top notch engineers. All of whom are committted to the project above their egos and self interest. Once you have this then Agile can work pretty well.

It is just like a sniper rifle. In the hands of a good sniper it can cause havoc and get a lot done, a two man sniper team is a chilling thing to face. Give a sniper rifles to a bunch of f*ckwit and send them off to do a mission and they will probably shoot each other by mistake before being over powered by the local nun.

Actually I reckon this is pretty much true for any software development methodology / technology / tool / industry buzzword. There are no silver bullets, except hiring the best. Which is why IT contracting will still provide plenty of work, if you are good. If you are not good, go perm & be grateful you were able to make hay while the sun shined (you did save some for a rainy day, right?). Plenty of others did not.

NB at least with Agile you should have greater transparency, poor members of the team are quickly exposed. What you do about it is another question.

[bobspud]

That's my experience too. I am surprised to read people posting that is in full swing. That's why I wondered if it's just finance that is going through it; finance tech practices seem to lag other industries IMHO.

When I worked in finance it was about getting the fastest, bestest most expensive stuff in to beat your competitors to the trades. I cant see how a bunch of bobs clanging round like the rabid rabbits is compatible.

[eek]

When I worked in finance it was about getting the fastest, bestest most expensive stuff in to beat your competitors to the trades. I cant see how a bunch of bobs clanging round like the rabid rabbits is compatible.

Finance is a big field. I think you're talking Merchant banking when others are talking retail banking.