PEP 526 - var annotations and the spirit of python

[Dan Stromberg]

On Mon, Jul 2, 2018 at 5:51 PM, Tim Daneliuk <info at tundraware.com> wrote:

> In particular, there is little interest in having programmers
> learn on the job, only that they be as productive as possible
> as fast they can.   Hiring specific languages skills - the theory
> goes - means that the individual will be fluent in the entire
> language ecosystem of libraries, tools, and so forth.  What gets
> lost in this factory model is that fewer and fewer people are able
> to stand back and ask, "Are we even using a good design, language,
> toolkit, ..."
>
One way of looking at it, is the employer doesn't want to hire someone and
see them fail to come up to speed.  It's not fun firing people - it may be
the worst part of being a manager.  Looked at this way, it's a kindness.

Another way of looking at it, is shortsightedness on the part of the
employer.   A good developer can (and should be allowed to) learn new
things.

I think the most pragmatic view might be that employers _hire_ for specific
skills, but when those skills are no longer needed as much, _then_ they
talk about training on something new instead of firing a good developer and
hiring another to fill a (somewhat?) similar role.  I've seen a this
happen.  I don't mean to claim that this is always what happens.