Hi Christophe. Long time, no chat. I hope you're well. :) Christophe Kalt wrote:
Sure, [sysadmins who aren't programmers] can be good, but in my opinion & experience, they'll never be as good as sysadmins who are also good programmers. That's why i don't even bother interviewing candidates who can't program at all.
Hmm. I have never had a position that required I be a programmer, so I've never done any since college, many years ago. If I'm installing programs that require compiling (virtually always OSS stuff, from the 'net) and it fails, I use the resources of Google, mailing lists, the program's website, and so on to figure out what the problem is and solve it, without needing to know how to actually manually debug, modify and compile the source code myself. If I'm working with a developer, he/she understands their code and I understand the system, so, between us, we have the skills to figure out whatever issue they are having - again, without my having to be a programmer.
Now, if by programming, you mean being able to write scripts in something like shell and awk, to automate repetitive tasks, I can do that. Perl? No, but only because I haven't ever needed to use it yet. The first time I do, I'll learn it. (In actuality, I had a personal project, recently, that required a minor bit of perl, so I *have* dipped a toe into it, but I wouldn't put it on my resume yet.) This doesn't sound like the kind of programming you all are talking about though.
I always thought being able to solve the problem was of paramount import. If I don't have the personal skill to solve it, but know how to find the solution, isn't that what counts most? And if I am presented with a job task that can't be done with the skills I have, and requires me to add a skill, and I am willing to develop it (like learning perl because I was handed or inherited some perl scripts that I'm now to be responsible for), isn't that what matters most? We can't all know everything and there isn't time to learn everything, but we can add to our skills as the need arises, no? Isn't that the kind of person you want to work for you?
As it happens, I'm unemployed. But I'm not a programmer, so I guess I shouldn't apply with you, eh? :-/
-ste