How to Become a Highly Paid Corporate Programmer

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The Book Is A Complete Waste of Time

How to become a corp. programmer - 20 years ago

The Inside Scoop on the Business World

Neophytes Keep Away! This book is dangerous, seriously.

A new job already

How to Become a Highly Paid Corporate Programmer
Paul H. Harkins
Manufacturer: Mc Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 158347045X

Book Description

Written for those gifted coders and programmers who get wrapped up in how complex their code is and forget the basics of how to be successful in a corporate culture, this guide will help put these programmers on the fast track to promotions and raises. Programmers fresh out of technical school are shown how to make the transition into a corporate setting by managing the interview process, learning from the programmers already in the workplace, and learning the business side of programming. Seasoned programmers are provided with tips on how to please supervisors, how to maximize their worth in corporations, and how to develop mentoring relationships. Advice on moving out of the corporate world and becoming an entrepreneur either in the consulting arena, in writing package software, or in founding a software development company is also provided.

Customer Reviews:

The Book Is A Complete Waste of Time.......2007-02-07

This is one of the worst books I have ever read. A majority of the book is made up of stories about the author and his friends that serve no purpose other than to brag about how wonderful they all are. Every story revolves around a difficult working situation or complex programming problem which was solved because the author is such a talented programmer. He never gets into much detail after telling the story that would really explain how the problems were dealt with.

It also seems that all of the authors experience is with mainframe programming. He clearly knows nothing about modern development practices. He encourages copying and pasting as much code as possible, using goto statements, never checking over your code before compiling, as well as many other sloppy outdated practices. There are also at least two chapters that talk about making sure you get enough time allocated on the mainframe to compile and test your applications. If I was reading this book in 1975 it might be somewhat applicable, but the technology described in this book makes me wonder if the author has even touched a computer in the past 20 years.

Additonally some of the practices in this book are likely to get you fired. The author basically states that you should make every effort to NOT help your coworkers and to only work on the interesting high profile projects.

The only good pieces of advice in this book are to try to make your boss look good and to learn the business you are in. Using common sense would be much more effective than listening to the majority of the points made in this book.

How to become a corp. programmer - 20 years ago.......2006-04-15

I'm almost angry at how bad this book is. Most of the advice is dated from mainframe days, and the rest is just wrong and following it will get you fired. Chapters tend to be short (3-4 pages) and consist mostly of stories from his friends, which aren't always developed past the telling of the story.

There are a few good takeaways. Mainly, if you're going to be a corporate programmer, it's important that you know the company's business processes, instead of just focusing on building technical skills. Make your boss look good. For everything else, using common sense is a better guide than following the advice in this book.

The Inside Scoop on the Business World.......2005-04-04

An awful lot of the best programmers I've ever met are true geniuses. Unfortunately the genius aspect only goes so far as to programming. Many of then have "discovered" that late in high school or early in college they know more than their professors and quite school to get a programming job that pays a lot more than flipping burgers.

What they don't understand is that programming something is just the tip of the iceberg. They now have to compete in the regular business world. The salesman calling on a prospect wants to take a teckie along with him to help explain the details. The long haired high school drop out wearing Army fatigues and a few earrings who doesn't know how to put a sentence together isn't going to be a help.

Here is an analysis of the business world written for programmers. The book has four sections:

1. Starting a Successful programming Career
2. Thriving in a Competitive Environment
3. Mastering the Corporate Culture
4. Beyond Programming.

In this last section, there are a few chapters on starting your own business. By no means is this a complete how to on starting the next Microsoft, but it is at least a few hard cold facts.

This book just may help you break out of the mold in which you find yourself.

Neophytes Keep Away! This book is dangerous, seriously........2004-09-22

Although the author of this book has over forty years of experience at all levels of corporate programming (from programmer to developer to consultant to company owner), I can not recommend this book to anyone. While the author provides excellent advice on many topics, the items on which he is blatantly wrong are VERY dangerous for anyone follow, especially those new to the field.

Seemingly all of the author's experience is with mainframe-based applications and coding techniques. It is sad and very scary to see the author promoting years worth of bad mainframe coding-style habits and bad techniques to his audience. His advice starts with copying and pasting as much code as you can to solve a problem, one the top causes of software bugs. Next, Mr. Harkins' advice is, "Reviewing your source code as you wrote it, without compiling it, is almost always a very big waste of time, because only the program compile is the final judge of whether your code is correct enough to create an object program." All of the top programmers I know strive to write code that works without depending on the compiler to find mistakes for them.

His advice to not bring in headphones because "that will not only make you less efficient" is quite simply dumb. The developers I know who listen to music while coding, including myself, do so in order to concentrate on their work. This often involves canceling out the noise from inconsiderate co-workers and mangers who insist on using their speakerphones all day.

The author's advice for those looking to found their own consulting firm is not any better. He quotes a friend who says, "If a customer is really unreasonable and difficult, I tell him, `Why don't you people go away?' Then they get scared that they won't have any support." The author then says, "That's what you can do when you own your own firm." Wow, and I thought you had to pay executive mentors for advice like that.

These are only a few random exmaples yet for all the scattered yet exceptionally poor advice in the book, the author does have some good, though non-surprising, points as well. In summary, his best point that spans the entire book is that to be highly successful as a corporate programmer you need an in-depth understanding of your company's business functions. Understanding the code should come secondary. Here's a quote that I actually agree with:

"Many corporate programmers never get beyond looking at the source code as their basis of understanding business functions and how programs work. These programmers are, I believe, doomed never to understand vast amounts of important business functions or program code, because it is difficult to learn that way. They can't see the business function because when they are looking at the details in the code, they are looking at details that are rarely, if ever, executed. These programmers typically spend their programming careers bored and unhappy because they are focused on support of a tiny part of the corporate business function."

A new job already.......2004-05-11

After purchasing this book I immediately changed my entire attitude and philosophy towards my programming job. In fact, I rearranged my resume, applied for new jobs and start my new programming job next week! (Must I mention my significant salary jump?) This book is full of useful and practical tips for every programmer (and beyond!).

Book Description

To address contemporary issues, industrial relations as a field of study will have to take an increasingly international and comparative dimension. Accordingly, Employment Relations in a Changing World Economy looks at the critical role employment relations play in firm performance and industry competitiveness worldwide. The essays employ a common framework to examine changes in the employment practices of eleven OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Austria, and Japan. They constitute the first phase in a large ongoing project at the Center for Industrial Performance at MIT to update our understanding of comparative industrial relations and human resource policies.

The authors, scholars in economics, political science, sociology, industrial relations and law, first identify a representative set of employment practices and then look at the outcomes of those practices and the changes they are undergoing across different national settings. By collaborating, the contributors seek to clarify the dynamics of employment relations across the world today, and to set the terms of reference for a new generation of international-comparative employment research.

Growth, Exports, and Jobs in a Changing World Economy

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Growth, Exports, and Jobs in a Changing World Economy
John W. Sewell , and et al.
Manufacturer: Transaction Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Employment Relations in a Changing World Economy

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Employment Relations in a Changing World Economy
Richard Locke
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQAOR4

Book Description

Taenia solium cysticercosis is a parasitic disease caused by the dissemination of the larval form of the pork tapeworm. It affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide. It is endemic in several developing countries including Central and South America, Africa and South Asia. It is of emerging significance in developing countries such as the US, due to increased immigration and international travel. Encystment of larvae can occur in almost any tissue, but involvement of the central nervous system, known as neurocysticerosis, is the most clinically important manifestation of the disease. The book contains 44 chapters, written by international leading experts in the field. It covers basic science, epidemiology, clinical aspects, pathology, investigational aspects of neurocysticercosis, and therapy and prevention.

Book Description

This sophisticated coloring book is a beautifully detailed illustration of the world's living diversity. It is written for science students, teachers, and anyone else who is curious about the extraordinary variety of living things that inhabit this planet. It opens with an introduction to the classification systems, distinctions between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, an introduction to life cycles, Earth history, and an explanation of how to best use this coloring book. The next section is organized by communities in which the organisms live. The final section details the variety of major groupings - phyla - within each kingdom and shows how the organisms in each are distinguished from one other.This coloring book gives a visual understanding of the enormous diversity of life on this planet and will be an enlightening and educational resource for students from a variety of backgrounds.

Customer Reviews:

It IS a coloring book.......2006-08-02

If you had read the book's description be fore buying, you migh have expected a coloring book. You were probably looking for Margulis' book: Five Kingdoms: An Illustrated Guide to the Phyla of Life on Earth.

Book description QUOTE:
It is written for science students, teachers, and anyone else who is curious about the extraordinary variety of living things that inhabit this planet. It opens with an introduction to the classification systems, distinctions between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, an introduction to life cycles, Earth history, and an explanation of how to best use this coloring book.

DIVERSITY OF LIFE. The Illustrated Guide to the Five Kingdom.......2000-10-25

DIVERSITY has surprising success in being all things (well almost all) to all people. It's about equally divided between fact-packed technical writing, full of Latin names, and line drawings of them. The intro is convincingly authoritative. And TEN pages of further resources are provided.

At first, I thought this is not a book for me, a novice, But Latin names are coupled with common ones. The fifty-page glossary is nicely written in everyday language. And the line drawings are tantalising. I am invited to color the drawings!

The cover shows the beauty of color and design that the authors contemplate. Spiral binding lies flat for coloring. I wonder what medium works best. Colored pencils? How would the paper take to water color or acryllic? The authors urge me to photocopy the drawings. I might enlarge one, use good art paper and create something worth framing!

There's no clue as to what colors are right. Shall I create my own color scheme, or go to the zoo or a swamp for real-life colors? I think fantasy will be more fun.

DIVERSITY does assume some knowledge of biology. I'd call it an expansion of knowledge for those who like knowledge for its own sake, and certainly a well-organized reference book. It could also work as a student-friendly text for a sophisticated high school or beginning college level classroom.

Just learning that there are five kingdoms staggered me because I studied biology before 1960, when there were just two. The animal Kigdom is now "animalia" and the vegetable kingdom is now "plantae." Modern biologists distinguish bacteria and fungi as numbers three and four. The fifth is really unnerving: something called Protoctista -- very close to the medical words that start out Procto --.

This adds up to more diversity of life than I've ever thought about.

On page 21 I find the first creative drawing/learning project: two cows in a field. One has its digestive tract outlined, with magnified drawings of six kinds of bacteria that populate its gut. Further along I find a pretty little drawing of the notorious E. coli. schematically resident in a fisherman's stomach. What wonderful colors shall I choose?

I think I shall use DIVERSITY as my Field Guide to the Minuscule as I color with my grandchildren. And somewhere I will find out what a Proctoct-- really is.

Who is this book for?.......2000-01-19

I purchased a copy of this book because I've been buying nearly all of Lynn Margulis's books in preparation for teaching a course. The description here was minimal, and I wanted to warn other potential buyers -- this is basically a coloring book. The weird thing is that the concepts and vocabulary are at a first-year college or advanced high school level. I can't imagine just who is supposed to use this book, sixth grade geniuses with crayons, or easily amused college freshmen? I suppose if you have a really bright grade school class you might want to give this book a try, but in my judgement it's not at the right level for anyone, anywhere.

Five Kingdoms: A multimedia guide to the phyla of life on earth (World Biodiversity Database CD-ROM Series)

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Five Kingdoms: A multimedia guide to the phyla of life on earth (World Biodiversity Database CD-ROM Series)
Lynn Margulis , and K. Schwartz
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

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ASIN: 3540408665

Book Description

This electronic reference guide provides an expert overview of our planet's biodiversity: the kingdoms of bacteria, protoctista, fungi, plants and animals. Browse or search through hyperlinked descriptions of all the 96 phyla living today. Literature references, example genera and habitat information are also available for each phylum. The text is illustrated by a wealth of multimedia information, with more than 500 photographs and drawings and 37 video clips in all. The CD-ROM also offers a full introduction; a glossary with explanations of nearly 1300 scientific terms; a quiz to test your knowledge; and a 'field trips' section with information about natural history museums and parks worldwide, plus links to relevant web sites.

Diversity of Life: The Five Kingdoms (Issues in Focus)

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Diversity of Life: The Five Kingdoms (Issues in Focus)
Lynn Margulis
Manufacturer: Enslow Pub Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Biology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0894902784

The Illustrated Five Kingdoms: A Guide to the Diversity of Life on Earth

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The Illustrated Five Kingdoms: A Guide to the Diversity of Life on Earth
Lynn Margulis , Karlene V. Schwartz , and Michael Dolan
Manufacturer: Harpercollins College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 006500843X

Diversity of Life: The Illustrated Guide to the Five Kingdoms

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Diversity of Life: The Illustrated Guide to the Five Kingdoms

Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 1417642483

Life Volume 2 & Five Kingdoms & Biology of Plants 6E Diversity Supplement

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Life Volume 2 & Five Kingdoms & Biology of Plants 6E Diversity Supplement
William K. Purves , David Sadava , Gordon H. Orians , and Craig Heller
Manufacturer: W. H. Freeman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

Against a background of extensive multi-disciplinary oceanographic investigations over a number of years, together with the long-term establishment of a Society and Institute, extensive information is available from studies undertaken in the estuarine and coastal waters of the Basque Country.

The present authors gained access to unpublished literature and reports which, together with a synthesis of internationally-refereed papers, provide a series of scientific overviews of particular subject areas. Teams of researchers (from Basque Institutes and Universities) combine to present the present 'state of knowledge', within a global context, of processes ranging from sub-seabed to air-sea interaction - incorporating data on the associated biology (including fisheries) and pollutant sources and levels. The latter are compared with regional, national and European legislation. The volume is divided into various sections: Introduction; Geography and Oceanography; Chemical Oceanography and Water Quality; Sediment Characteristics, Quality and Chemistry; Biomonitoring; Communities and Ecology; and Overall Assessment.

The topics covered include: an historical review of marine research; the impact of human activities, during past centuries; geology, geomorphology and sediments; climate and meteorology; marine dynamics; hydrography; water mass characteristics; contaminants in the waters; microbiological quality; sedimentological characteristics; contaminants in sediments; biomonitoring of heavy metals and organic components, at tissue organism level and using cellular and molecular biomarkers; bacterioplankton and phytoplankton communities; zooplankton communities; benthic communities; seabirds; biodiversity and conservation; recovery of benthic communities; the polluted systems; and assessment of human impacts. On the basis of these syntheses, future challenges for marine research in the Basque Country are identified, in terms of a 'Research Agenda'.

This comprehensive text, relating to estuarine, coastal and oceanographic processes at wide-ranging spatial and temporal scales in the southern Bay of Biscay, will be of interest to researchers, engineers and legislators - on a regional basis and within a world-wide perspective.

Average customer rating:
Oceanography and Marine Environment in the Basque Country, Volume 70 (Elsevier Oceanography Series)
A. Borja
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MUA6JI

Book Description

The book gives an introduction to the concepts and methods of many-body problems and quantum fields for graduate students and researchers. The formalism is developed in close conjunction with the description of a number of physical systems: cohesion and dielectric properties of the electron gas, superconductivity, superfluidity, nuclear matter and nucleon pairing, matter and radiation, interaction of fields by particle exchange and mass generation. Emphasis is put on analogies between the various systems rather than on advanced or specialized aspects, with the purpose of illustrating common ideas in different domains of physics. The exposition is self-contained and displays in a coherent way all details of derivations starting from a basic knowledge of quantum mechanics and classical electromagnetism.

Book Description

Best-selling author Lori Copeland brings her special brand of quirky humor to this endearing series about three generations of women trying to build a harmonious life together under one roof. In this second book in the Morning Shade Mystery series, Maude, Stella, and Cee Cee must solve the mystery of the troublesome chain letters. Who is sending them and why? Copeland's readers will relish this delightfully humorous cozy mystery.

Customer Reviews:

Really funny.......2007-08-31

This was a fun book to read. No beauty queen with a gorgeous figure here. Just regular folks with everyday problems. Yes the main character does go one quite a bit about her husband and son-in-law leaving them ill provided for. And perhaps she does obsess about her writer's block, but it is still a funny book. A nice change from the run of the mill mushy Christian romance novel.

Fun stuff.......2005-04-18

The Morning Shade Mysteries are a chick-lit version of the Mitford series. While billed as mysteries, they're really slice-of-life books with a light, no-harm-done mystery woven through it all. Maude, who's first person narrative marks every other chapter, is a wonderful, realistic woman stuggling with money, her mother in law, and faith. Despite being in a completely different period of life, I really identified with Maude like I haven't with the too-sweet heroines of Christian romance. If you prefer plot-driven books then pass this by, it's not what you're looking for. However if you're in the mood for a light character-driven book that will cause you to laugh, sympathize, and cause you to think about your own daily existance, then pick up this book. You'll like it!

Whiny Women!.......2004-06-02

In the guise of being "folksy", this book presents some of the whiniest women in literature. They spend an awful lot of time complaining about their not very interesting lives and how the men didn't take care of them. They act like they live in the 1950's and the poor women have to work to earn money. The writing style is actually rather good, the story is just boring and annoying.
Read the "Elm Creek Quilts" series if you want a good cozy read.

A Case of Crooked Letters (A Morning Shade Mystery #2) (Audiobook CD)

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A Case of Crooked Letters (A Morning Shade Mystery #2) (Audiobook CD)
Lori Copeland
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000LH2W5I

Product Description

Best-selling, award-winning author Lori Copeland has dozens of popular romances and many inspirational novels to her credit. Abounding with good-natured fun, A Case of Crooked Letters celebrates the pure, Christian values of small-town America.9 Hours 20 Minutes

Case Of Crooked Letters - Morning Shade Mystery

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Case Of Crooked Letters - Morning Shade Mystery
Lori Copeland
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000W61XHG

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