[Info-vax] BASIC compiler in the hobbyist distribution

[David Froble]

Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> In article <mkidkc$rkl$1 at dont-email.me>,
> 	David Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes:
>> Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>
>>> Hogwash.  In the "good ole dayz" this "FREE" software was written by
>>> and maintained by professionals.  Not by by pre-pubescent teenagers
>>> with no girlfriends, living in their mom's basement. 
>>>  
>>> bill
>>>
>> Had to think about this a bit.
>>
>> My perspective is that much of what made DECUS so helpful happened in 
>> the 1975-1985 time frame.  That was a time when there were few to none 
>> computers in mom's basement.  People developed software at work, and 
>> were professionals, well, most of them.  They understood responsibility 
>> and such.  Most would abhor any bugs in their work, and would fix such 
>> when the bugs surfaced.
>>
>> Now, with computer's in mom's basement, there is more opportunity for 
>> some "less than professional" things happening.
>>
>> I have computers in my basement.  Wonder what that means ....
>>
>> Also have aircraft projects in same basement, wonder what that means ...
> 
> It isn't the location.  I have had real computers in my house (at first
> in the attic cause the basement tended to flood when it rained) since
> the early 80's.  It is the people doing the programming who seem to have
> no problem claiming they are "professionals" because the ran a web server
> (which went under) prior to the dot.com bubble bursting.  Trust me, we
> have had students show up here insisting that they should be exempted from
> having to take some of the classes (like data structures, machine organization
> and operating systems) because, after all, they have been doing consulting
> since they were sophomores in high school.  One in particular actually
> finished his degree.  After 4 restarts and almost 10 years....
> 
> bill
> 

What's REALLY scary is the level of competence of those he was 
consulting for ....

Sophomore consultant:  "This is a mouse"

User:  "Eeeek!"