Kerry Crowd Drowns Out bu$h Backers at IT Show

[Triana]

By Paul McNamara
Network World, 10/11/04

SANTA BARBARA - If President Bush needs broad backing from technology thought-leaders to win re-election Nov. 2, he'll have to change a lot of minds that today are convinced his administration has been bad for the IT industry.

That's the somewhat surprising conclusion drawn from listening to a diverse assemblage of entrepreneurs, analysts, venture capitalists, academics and IT executives at last week's Vortex 2004, a Network World event that annually draws the industry's elite.

While corner-office Bush backers such as John Chambers and Michael Dell were not on hand, the president did have supporters to be sure - one called Kerry a socialist. But such voices were in a distinct minority and comparatively subdued. It's also true that few in attendance were gushing about Kerry. Rather, the predominant sentiment over this two-day technology event - expressed in public forums and privately - was simply, anybody but Bush.

http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/101104vortex.html?net

[w13rd0]

1. As a worker in the IT field...

...A farquin Men!

[Triana]

2. IT worker - SAME HERE!

Was glad to see this.

[venus]

3. Me too. I am an independent contractor looking for any kind

of IT security-related work and have not been able to find anything for four years, only small consulting jobs here and there. Some of it has to do with the competitiveness of the industry because so many college grads now have the academic training I learned hands-on. But still I think it's an employers market because so many IT workers have been laid off and the market is now getting saturated. I'm hoping my luck turns after Kerry is elected.

[Triana]

5. same here...they're hiring 20-something

college grads with little experience - hiring them cheap to work 70 hours/week. I learned hands-on for 12+ years. My experience counts for exactly nothing.

[venus]

10. Exactly. Even the government jobs are asking for PhD's now!

The requirements are sky high now. Another reason is because the managers in power now are the ones who have spent big bucks putting their kids through expensive Computer technology programs at some of the best Universities and shy away from hiring people who do not have that background. I think they figure they're helping others in their same income/social bracket. Another thing is in the past few years, businesses have become more involved in shaping the curriculum of colleges and Universities to include a lot of the coursework that relates to everyday job functions, so that the grads supposedly come out a little better prepared. Not sure how that's working though. I finally got an interview with a large DoD contractor. They said they loved my resume and experience but never called me back.

[enki23]

4. the wrath of the outsourced white collars

.

[venus]

6. Good article. Thanks for the post. n/t

[wysiwyg]

7. I Billed $500,000 in 2000 downhill ever since

I don't even to billable work anymore! I'm kind of an all-purpose IT guy so at least I still have a job even if I am the ONLY IT person at work now.

[mhr]

8. Refugee From Telecom - Unemployed 52 Months - Definitely ABB

eom

[liberal N proud]

9. One word: "InternetS"

He probably couldn't find the power switch on a PC let alone know where the internet thingy goes.

[Supersedeas]

11. Amazing how educated people can come to that conclusion

[Robert Oak]

12. Join an activist group

The ITAA has so much lobbying power and connections they just
pound and get whatever they want.

I hope Kerry stands up to them and says if you want R&D then you must
stop outsourcing.

What they are complaining about is other tax credit and education, etc.

but they are afraid on kerry with outsourcing. We need to get in there
to get Kerry to offer the IT industry their usual government assistance
if and only if they stop outsoucing engineering and computer science positions.

It's so ridiculous, they complain about US citizens being educated..
well their outsourcing crazy had enrollment figures down over 25% in these fields at the top Universities.

Few are going to study this because they treat engineers so badly.

It's a complex major, difficult program of study and the results
are being treated like cattle afterwards with no security of a long career.

[Triana]

13. IT used to be a decent, lucrative field that was worth...

...the work to get the degree. No more. People are being discouraged from entering. I don't blame them. They have no guarantee of getting a job when done. The good thing for degreed folx is that they have the piece of paper but employers want PhDs to do desktop support these days. I've seen it.

Those of us with 12-14 years experience in lieu of a degree have multiple times the knowledge and exp a degree would give. For us, employers thumb their noses...most of us would take less pay just to have a damn job so it's not that we are demanding high-dollar - but we can't compete with Indians and Chinese making $20/K per year or a desperate just-out-of-college kid that will work for that 70 hours/week.

Screwed 7 ways from Sunday and 14-year career down the shitter.

Thank you very little and f*ck you very much GWB...

[MsMagnificent]

14. Yep yep, let's send all our Engineering jobs overseas too!

Which is happening more and more and still some more.

What fucking MORON decided to spin Outsourcing as GOOD for our economy, when ANY IDIOT could see that sending tens of, if not hundreds of thousands or millions our jobs to cheap Eastern labor is a GOOD thing?

AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PAY THE COMPANIES BONUSES TO SHIP OUR JOBS OUT?!

I just can NOT get over that! Simply unbelievable!

[iamjoy]

15. My Husband is IT

or IS (whatever) and most of his co-workers are for Kerry (or more accurately, against Bush).

One girl is undecided because she doesn't like either so may just vote for Nader. My husband always did think she was an idiot.

[high density]

16. Thanks for the article

By the way, is anybody looking for an entry-level software engineer? :o

[Triana]

17. At least most IT folks aren't braindead enough to...

...support the Weaselly One. I'd think not, since he's screwed us royally.

:mad:

[wysiwyg]

18. We need a DU jobs board :-)

Anybody want to move to Utah? Here's your opportunity to be one of the 20% of voters who don't vote for Orrin Hatch.

Just kidding, my company's not hiring now either.

I was serious about the jobs board though.

[Insomnicole]

19. IT worker too.

I've been lucky, but the last four years have been a nightmare for a lot of my IT friends. I'm not even a little bit surprised to hear about this.