Written on 1:06 PM by Robert
This is a followup to my previous topic about Visual BASIC, since I wanted to clarify a few things and expand upon that discussion.
Visual BASIC is not the same a Visual BASIC .NET. For one, The .NET Framework allows the VB program (with major modifications) to interface with web capabilities that VB6 could never do. A VB6 programmer will have some minor learning curve migrating his applications over to VB .NET (Winforms), but will quickly adapt to the new syntax changes. I was one of those people who became used to VB .NET rather quickly without formal training. Sure, I had to Google for a few solutions, but this is expected when working with a relatively new language.
Most graduates of a Computer Science program are adept at using C++ in more than one of their courses, whether it be in a Windows or a Unix environment (or both, in my case). When working in the real world, these college graduates will gravitate towards languages that are similar in syntax - like C#, Java, and Javascript. Obviously, these languages are not the same, otherwise we wouldn't have different names for them! I believe there are two reasons these languages are so popular. Most people are familiar with C++ and find it easy to work with similar languages. The other reason is that Windows itself is written in C++, which is a subliminal reason to stick to what works.
I have found, in my experience, that there was nothing I couldn't accomplish using VB .NET that was asked of me to do. There may be advantages to using C#, but I personally wouldn't know. On that path of thinking, recruiters should realize that if someone is familiar with C++, then they can easily grasp C# and Java. Someone familiar with VB .NET can also easily grasp C# and Java if they have a college degree in Computer Science. It seems unfair that those who chose to start their career using VB and VB .NET have a harder time to achieve a C# position if they have never had any previous professional experience using it.
Any thoughts?
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career,computers,jobs,programming
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Written on 11:05 AM by Robert
I wanted to write a little something about a programming language that I used at my previous job - RPG. I used two different versions of this language (versions III and IV) on an IBM AS400 minicomputer (currently known as the IBM System I). Not many recent college graduates have heard of it, but 20 years ago it was a hot tool to use - especially for companies who wanted to come up with a quick way to create reports.
RPG, which used to stand for Report Program Generator, is a language still used on mainframe and minicomputers today. The language is a linear one, just like the "competitors" of its day: Forttran, Assembler, and COBOL. It was originally created in the 1960s and was known as FARGO, used primarily for IBM's 1401 computers using punch cards.
As computer systems evolved, so did RPG. Several versions emerged over the years, including RPG II, RPG III, and finally RPG IV in 1994 (also known as RPGLE). Today, RPG IV is a more robust language than in was in 1994. In 2001, IBM's OS/400 operating system for their AS400 systems developed a "free-form" or "free-format" style to the syntax. This made programming seem more like many of the other mainstream programming languages. RPG has the ability to link up with Java objects and can be used with toolkits to create web pages. Here is a little sample of what an RPG program (with "free-form" looks like).
When I first started to learn RPG on the corporate AS400 system, I thought I was learning a dead language on an antique system. The truth is that IBM continues to create newer servers that support the OS/400 operating system. Ten years ago, the AS400 system at my old job was updated with a server with a 64-bit processor - something that we didn't see in Windows servers for another 5 years or so.
Here's another fact that I didn't know. There are major
corporations that still use the AS400/System I as their main server solution. Some in New York are
HSBC Bank,
Duane Reade, and
Time Warner Cable!!
I always thought learning RPG was a crutch in my career, but now I see how important it really has become. It has also proved to be adaptable and constantly eveolving through the decades.
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AS400,computers,programming
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Written on 10:42 AM by Robert
BASIC was the first programming language I ever learned. I learned it in my senior year of high school and in the computer club I played games written in that language on the original TRS-80 computers they used. In case you've never heard of the Radio Shack TRS-80s, here is a picture. Reading about the
history of the BASIC programming language has also made me nostalgic lately.
In college, after taking all sorts of programming courses (Assembler, Pascal, C, C++), I took a course in Visual BASIC 3.0. It was the most interesting programming course I've ever taken because of its GUI capabilities. It seemed like anything was possible to create with this version of VB. Later that year, I was hired by my previous employer as a PC technician specifically because I had knowledge of Visual BASIC. Through the years, I self-taught myself to use the next versions of Visual BASIC - 4.0, 5.0. 6.0, then .NET.
I worked there for 14 years using similar technologies - VB Winforms, RPG/400, and ASP. Now that I have been laid off, I realize that I should have pushed for more modern languages. C# has seemed to take over as the .NET standard. Java, PHP, MySQL, and any web-based scripting tools have also become increasingly utilized.
Now, I've been reading several articles about the death of Visual BASIC. C# has proved to do more than VB .NET can. One
article claims that there is absolutely no future of Visual BASIC. According to another
article, developers who use .NET prefer to use C#, but Winform developers prefer using VB6 than .NET (since .NET can be used for web and Windows applications). This is based on data taken from a survey done several years ago.
The conclusion is that if you are a web developer trying to figure out which language to use, stay away from Visual BASIC. There are a half dozen programming languages that are more widely used. Winform development, in my job-hunting experience, seems to be a skill that is not as popular as it used to be. If you already have Winform programming experience (like myself), you would be useful doing Windows to Web application conversions.
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computers,programming
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Written on 1:02 PM by Robert
One of the things I've learned soon after I was laid off was how to cut back on expenditures. Some of the things I'm about to mention I've implemented years ago, and some I'm still working on. Hopefully you'll have better luck than I have had with respect to all of these tips.
1)
Get rid of that car! If you live in a large metropolitan area (like NYC), do you REALLY need a car? I live in Brooklyn and have not needed a vehicle on a day to day basis in over 6 years. This saves you on car payments, insurance payments, gas purchases, and maintenance. Can you calculate how much money YOU would save monthly just by cutting back on a vehicle? I can imagine owning a car can easily cost over $500 a month.
Use mass transit to get from place to place. It will become second nature. If you want to go away for the weekend or go on vacation, you can rent a car for that time. It will be much cheaper in the long run.
2)
Combine your bills. If you watch cable (or satellite, or FIOS), combine that bill with your phone and Internet services. You will definitely be saving money on a monthly basis. You will also have less bills to pay, making this a lot simpler for yourself. If you can combine your gas bill and your electricity bill, go for it! Combine your car insurance (if you decide to stick with one) with your home insurance (if you own a home). If you have multiple loans or credit cards to pay, try to consolidate them (assuming the interest rates wind up being better).
3)
Start shopping with coupons. Cut supermarket coupons before going shopping and stock up on the sale items to last a few weeks. Do you need to buy something online? Then search the Internet for online coupons. There are tons of merchants who accept online coupons - why not take advantage of them?
4)
Stop eating out as much. This is something I still need to work on. Cutting back on eating out for lunch and dinner will save you the most money per month. If you haven't done so already, estimate how much you spend a week eating out. Then multiply it by 4 weeks. This monthly expenditure is scary! Cut back, if you can.
If you can think of any other money saving tips, please post and share!
Posted in
money,saving,unemployment
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Written on 11:12 AM by Robert
Most employed people that I know work for a private company and are fairly familiar with that environment. However, many people have never held a government job. What are the advantages (and disadvantages) of holding a government position?
Here are some of the advantages:
1. A pension. This is arguably better than a traditional 401k plan.
2. The financial services of a credit union or similar institution. Mortgages and other loans with great interest rates are always a welcome perk.
3. Your position is a measure of company status. Raises come at regular intervals (based on the economy, of course).
4. The higher your position, the more administrative power you hold - not always true in the private sector.
5. It is much harder for a government employee to be let go than a similar job in the private sector.
6. Some government agencies encourage hiring your relatives.
7. A more relaxed working environment.
8. A great benefits package.
Here are some of the disadvantages:
1. Government jobs offer a lower starting salary.
2. Promotions are few and far between.
3. Pay increases are smaller than they would be in the private sector.
4. Regulations. Government jobs come with tons of rules to follow.
If you had a choice between pubic and private sector jobs, do your research. Find out what would be a deal-breaker for you.
Anyone working for the government who wants to add something to this list? Any comments?
Posted in
career,government jobs,jobs
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