System/Network Admin/IT Infrastructure person is less respectable than a Programmer ?

Hello,

This question is jumping into my mind since a long time. Is it a fact that System Admin / Network Admin / IT Infrastructure people are looked down upon when compared to Programmers / Coders.

What are you views on it ?

What have you shifted to Programmer from a System Admin ?

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Comments

blargoe

The person that told you that is a moron.

phantasm

I look at it like this. Everyone has a speciality... some people enjoy writing code while others enjoy be a router jockey. Either way, your solving problems with a unique skill set that most people do not posses. I took 2.5 yrs of programming in college and realized it wasn't for me. Then I started with Cisco and realized it's kind of like coding but different, different enough to where I enjoy it. As for pay between the jobs types... varies by your employer.

OT: I see your list for 2009 is rather intensive... how do you plan to accomplish all that?

qwertyiop

Who told you that? The fact is that some people like to program and some dont. Everyone has there specialty.

I have met alot of programmers and coders that dont know anything about networking or infrastructure.

Jordus

Some people think you arent good with computers unless you "create" something, such as a program.

What they dont realize that programmers need sys admins, and sys admins need programmers.

Programmers write it, and sys admins tie it all together and keep it running.

I dont think either side should be looked down upon, but you will always have uneducated people making uneducated assumptions.

msteinhilber

Why would anybody look down upon anybody else regardless of the profession provided they put in an honest effort to do their job well?

You get respect based upon what you put into your work - not what your work is, even if your work is scrubbing dishes or flipping burgers.

wastedtime

msteinhilber wrote: »

Why would anybody look down upon anybody else regardless of the profession provided they put in an honest effort to do their job well?

You get respect based upon what you put into your work - not what your work is, even if your work is scrubbing dishes or flipping burgers.

I agree 100%

rsutton

msteinhilber wrote: »

Why would anybody look down upon anybody else regardless of the profession provided they put in an honest effort to do their job well?

You get respect based upon what you put into your work - not what your work is, even if your work is scrubbing dishes or flipping burgers.

Word... When I go to In-n-Out and see people giving 110% I respect that, seriously. Don't think that what you do defines what makes you respectable. That is what is wrong with much of society today.

liven

Just because some one is a "coder" doesn't mean that they are great at it.

I have done development, sys admin, network engineering and security admin. I have met folks in all of those disciplines that were so smart I was embarrassed to be in the same room with them. However I also met just as many (if not more) people in those disciplines that probably shouldn't have been doing that type of work.

To me the bottom line is you can control what others will think of you (to a degree). I have met telco circuit support folks (what some people would consider a tier 2 position, often looked at as lower level position) that I considered geniuses. I have met developers that I couldn't believe had jobs (one person in particular was fired by a company, and hired back by the same company and will probably be fired again for incompetence)....

On a final note, if you are happy who gives a !$@*!()*!$ what others think.

Ok this is really the final note, I believe all IT professions to be some what prestigious. For example I can't really stand windows administration. But a truly dedicated windows admin is worth their weight in gold. I used to work with an individual that knew the registry like the back of their hand... This person was the go to person for all windows issues that were almost impossible to solve. While I never aspire to be a windows admin, I aspire to know my discipline like they know windows (regardless if I am coding, networking, doing administration etc....)....

Hopefully that made some sense!

DjScientist

msteinhilber wrote: »

Why would anybody look down upon anybody else regardless of the profession provided they put in an honest effort to do their job well?

You get respect based upon what you put into your work - not what your work is, even if your work is scrubbing dishes or flipping burgers.

You are very right..It doesn't make sense for people to look down upon anybody for what you do as long as you do it and enjoy it.

mikedisd2

I have the developer consultants at my company feeling sorry for me for all the BS that I have to tolerate as sys admin. Just part of the job really.

Pash

rsutton wrote: »

Word... When I go to In-n-Out and see people giving 110% I respect that, seriously. Don't think that what you do defines what makes you respectable. That is what is wrong with much of society today.

Totally agree with this. At the end of the day everyone should be adult enough to respect the fact bills need to be paid and a job is a job. Its because of this whole celeb life magazine culture that people think its acceptable to be ashamed of flipping burgers or cleaning up the streets, its a job and it is fine.......if people wanted to do something different education is the answer.

PeacePromoter

Here is an example from another post

http://www.techexams.net/forums/microsoft-developers-certifications/43544-best-way-become-software-developer-2.html#post324390

http://www.techexams.net/forums/324390-post31.html

Quote:
Originally Posted by PeacePromoter

Just need to ask why you want to leave the Admin/Infrastructure side and shift to programming ?

Well, to be honest, when I started it was just supposed to get me a much better job than working as a migrant laborer. I never liked the idea of helping anyone with their personal computer issues. When I made it to the help desk, talking to them on the phone became even more grueling. Developers have a much higher quality of life, and IMHO, better salaries. When I saw that I only need 2 semesters of courses to get my associates in arts Computer Science degree (with maybe an extra course or two thrown in there in a third semester), I decided that I am going to pursue at least that because I am so utterly sick of certifications as a substitute for such a low level degree. Also, on the infrastructure side, I will be able to get hired at a much better rate for a much better position with that degree than any certifications I can get in the same time period

rsutton

If you don't like something, IE Help Desk, then don't do it. The problem with trying to move up and being really focused on having others respect you, is that it might make you inadvertantly think less of the guys in the position you came from. IMHO, try not to think of things like that...

skrpune

PeacePromoter wrote: »

Here is an example from another post

http://www.techexams.net/forums/microsoft-developers-certifications/43544-best-way-become-software-developer-2.html#post324390

http://www.techexams.net/forums/324390-post31.html

Quote:
Originally Posted by PeacePromoter
Just need to ask why you want to leave the Admin/Infrastructure side and shift to programming ?

Well, to be honest, when I started it was just supposed to get me a much better job than working as a migrant laborer. I never liked the idea of helping anyone with their personal computer issues. When I made it to the help desk, talking to them on the phone became even more grueling. Developers have a much higher quality of life, and IMHO, better salaries. When I saw that I only need 2 semesters of courses to get my associates in arts Computer Science degree (with maybe an extra course or two thrown in there in a third semester), I decided that I am going to pursue at least that because I am so utterly sick of certifications as a substitute for such a low level degree. Also, on the infrastructure side, I will be able to get hired at a much better rate for a much better position with that degree than any certifications I can get in the same time period

That's just one person's opinion...I don't think it's something that applies across the board. My recommendation would be for you to decide what you want to do and then go do it and not worry about what other people think. If you're happy and you're making enough to pay your bills, then there's no problem and anyone else who has something to say about it can take a long walk off a short bridge.