The Internet/Technology Industry Sucks.

So I was talking to a friend who is looking for a tech job and running his own business at the same time. He said it becomes more difficult the longer you have your own consultancy business. I told him "Sometimes I've noticed companies are reluctant to hire someone who owns their own business because they are competition, or they think that it divides your loyalties..."
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His response strikes at the heart of every employment situation I've been in:

Competition? Not really. Loyalties? Ha. That's funny.

Name one company that has been loyal to you as a programmer. Just one that hasn't laid you off or screwed you over in some way.
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The problem with the above statement is... I can't. I cannot name one company that I've worked for that hasn't turned around and screwed us over... I've was laid off on January 31, 1999 for goddess sake... Who lays someone off on the biggest party day of the year.. or in this case of the not quite millennium... I mean really.. like it wouldn't have been ok to do the layoff thing after new years? We still had to show up to get our stuff.. might as well have done it then right?!

I went to a party, and almost everyone there was hunting for a new tech job.. they'd been laid off.... again... So.. we were sitting around a table at the party and someone said "Everyone who's currently looking for tech work raise your hand" or something like that.. and I'm sitting there... looking at everyone but me and the person who asked raise their hands... and then... the person that asks looks at me and says.. If you aren't getting paid, you aren't employed.. Why exactly is there such an issue with paying programmers?! Do companies today believe that programmers live in their parents basement and are working to earn an allowance to buy more toys??? Guess what folks.. we pay rent just like you. I don't care which stereotype you've picked for us this week. In fact, I don't care if we do live in basements and spend all our money on video games... PAY US damn it.. I mean is that too much to ask for? We provide the product, the means, and the controls for every aspect of your business.. exactly WHO are you thinking will replace your cup holder the next time your coffee cup snaps it off of your computer? WHO do you think will come magically fix your key board so it STOPS WRITING IN CAPS? HOW EXACTLY ARE YOU GOING TO GET YOUR PASSWORDS TO WORK WHEN THIS MYSTERIOUS ERROR OCCURS?? Hey people get a clue!! We make the products that make you money, we are the humans that make your infrastructure work... no wonder they are called users!

Fairy Tale Programming???

What exactly led the world to believe that being a computer geek is something like being Cinderella's fairy god mother? Where did they get the idea that we wander around waving a magic wand and programs exist, networks route themselves, pumpkins become Porsches and businesses go from rags to riches...

Well, I guess that doesn't really matter now.... I'm here to tell you folks, we aren't. We might work minor computer miracles and make things work when they shouldn't.. but even if we write the BEST software ever to grace a computer, if the sales people aren't selling, and the support people aren't supporting, the software is still just a great pumpkin Charlie Brown.