September 27

0 comments

RPG Programmers #winning

By NickLitten

September 27, 2017

programmers, RPG, winning

When I was a lad – you read the newspaper for news, you talked to neighbors to network and find the local gossip, you watched TV or went to the Cinema for movies. Nowadays, it’s all done on computers and it’s us programmers that create, nurse and stroke this things called computer programs.

How you can become a Computer Programmer

Vintage computer programmer

So… this morning I was following a forum discussion on linkedin. A convoluted discussion about what the modern man-about-town should call himself if he works in IT. This is something thats been bubbling around in my mind for a few years now… everyone knows what a dentist, optician, scaffolder or butcher does right? But what do I call myself working in IT?

When I started in this game (in the 1980’s *gasp* am I that old), we had a kind of natural progression of Junior Programmer to Programmer to Analyst Programmer for techies and Operators, Analysts and Project Managers for system guys who knew the technology but dont want to code.

Nowadays, our technology toolkits are much more diverse. Programmers no longer just write programs.

I code in a handful of languages on platforms ranging from IBMi to Web and PC operating systems… I write specs, manage projects, perform system operations, tune Databases, lock down system security, code websites, handle SEO/SEM for customer websites and still love to get my hands dirty and code RPG on good old green screens.

Everyone knows what a ‘Butcher’ does without having to refer to them as a ‘Culinary Meat Dissemination and Preperation Technician‘.

If anyone asks what I do, I call myself a Programmer which encompasses all the things, without having to resort to describing myself as an IBM-i Ninja Warlock… ahhh… wait… [click] Linkedin job title updated 😉

 

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Join the IBM i Community for FREE Presentations, Lessons, Hints and Tips

>