The Contract Programmer

The San Francisco Chronicle recently wrote about the lying software industry. Spearheaded by Bill Gates and Andy Grove, the software companies are claiming that they can’t get enough tech workers and need to expand the H1-B visa program.   Of course, what they really mean to say is that they can’t get enough cheap workers.  The same thing happened to skilled construction workers in the 80s.  Congress and the executive branch turned their heads while immigrants streamed into the US and drove down wages.  It’s hardly possible for a person to work as a carpenter and support a family at this point.  Non-union construction wages have dropped significantly in the last 20 years when accounting for inflation.  My guess is that within 10 years, programmers are going to be paid in a way that families will require 2 incomes and even at that, the total income will only allow for a very modest standard of living.  I mean, why bust your ass in college and program all night long to enter an unstable workforce where you can’t enjoy the fruits of your hard work?