Who's MCSD here?

[expat]

This is only when you have some real skills you can actually use in the real world. Unfortunately, this is a small minority in IT.

Actually it's not that, it's greed and laziness.

There are other things I could do but they don't pay so well.
Q: Would I be prepared to do something else with more interest and perhaps in a place I'd rather be, but on only half the money? - lead me to it!
Q: Could I live on half my current money? - sure!
Q: Why not start by verifying that, by only spending half my income? - er, not quite yet please....

Actually it's worse than that: If I could live on half the money, I could work half the year in IT and the other half would be free. Hmmmm

[DaveB]

Actually it's worse than that: If I could live on half the money, I could work half the year in IT and the other half would be free. Hmmmm

Except free time normally ( with me anyway ) = expenditure, unless you plan on sitting at home all day doing feck all for 6 months.

Having half the year off would be great, but you still need a years income to make the most of it

[hyperD]

I got an MCSD back in the late 90's - paid for it myself because I was moving from perm to contract, effectively changing professions and naively thought a certificate would provide some sort of assurance for the client.

Within 3 months I saw the types of chancers in the industry and never bothered again.

[expat]

Except free time normally ( with me anyway ) = expenditure, unless you plan on sitting at home all day doing feck all for 6 months.

Having half the year off would be great, but you still need a years income to make the most of it

I have lots of things I like doing that cost a lot, but also lots that don't. The trick would be to use that time for the right lot. Might be possible, I do think I behave now as cash-rich/time-poor. I'm interested in seeing what I might do as time-rich without actually being cash-broke. Sign of getting old.

Or spend half the year working in IT, living in town, spending money; and half not working (or not much), living in the country, not spending much. After all, it needn't be in the UK.


Of course the off-time could also be used to explore other avenues of ways of life (like running a tat shop). Nice if you've already got the budget for the year.

Actually Charles Handy proposed this attitude: you just go and make money when you need some more. I'd like that not to be all the time, and then some.

[bogeyman]

Quite agree.

Computing and IT in general bore me to tears now but it's all that I know and its afforded me a very comfortable lifestyle ofr the last 20 or so years. But if I could do something more interesting that paid the same I would.

Indeed.

I still tinker with IT and do some freelance stuff (mainly consulting/training) but my income is now mainly from property salvage and restoration work.

It doesn't quite pay the same (yet), but it's a lot less stressful and much more interesting and rewarding. All you need is a big van and an eye for a good fireplace/staircase/etc. A yard to keep it all in and a big shed to restore it in.

[expat]

This is only when you have some real skills you can actually use in the real world. Unfortunately, this is a small minority in IT.

Well, another way of looking at it is that I believe that I am actually quite good at what I do in IT. This is not necessarily true of everyone in IT. Conversely, I do not necessarily have such talents in other directions. So why not do what I'm good at?

[madhippy]

is an MCSD valued much in contracting?

I know it's value is somewhat limited anyhow ... given the raft of 8 year olds who seem to be able to pass it ... etc

but in my permie role it gets the company an MS Gold partner status .. with freebie licences etc and various MS suckup benefits etc

I've got the old VB6 based one and half way thru the new C#/.Net one ..

[bogeyman]

... given the raft of 8 year olds

The News Of The World would very much like to know what you have been doing with this 'raft of 8 year olds' that you were so kindly 'given'.

The truth will out!

-- Andy Coulson (aged 8)

[madhippy]

The News Of The World would very much like to know what you have been doing with this 'raft of 8 year olds' that you were so kindly 'given'.

The truth will out!

-- Andy Coulson (aged 8)

Hiring 'em out as ASP.Net / VB.Net 'coders'.

[Shimano105]

I have the old VB6 version of MCSD. On more than a few occassions managers have told me that the decision came down to 2 guys and I got the gig cos of the MCSD.

So I suppose it could be worth it, if you don't spend a fortune on getting it.

Gives you a motive for learning new stuff as well.