do you think programmer is a good job?
if you think it is good, then how long/many years you will be a programmer? hole life?

I guess programmar could be a part time job, as well as full-time. A typical programmer's yearly salary, according to http://www.salary.com, is $48,247 USD (Wow! you learn something new every day!). That is the median apparently.

programming is quickly becoming one of those mainstream jobs and apparently its quite safe to be a programmer. You can have robots do jobs such as auto manufacturing and stuff but when it comes to programming... you know when you become more experienced and join 3D game companies like iD you can get really good pay.

According to the statistics of New Zealand, Computer Science student which enrolled in Uni is the lowest year since fiften-years ago. That is because the storm of IT in recent years, but experience programmer is still in the short list in most industries. In my opinion, software security is the biggest enimy in the future. That's why I am prefer MAC OS that MS

From here in Silicon valley:

The only reason our jobless rate is falling is because people are moving out faster. We lost around 1,500 jobs the last 2 months but 5,000 adults left the area so our jobless numbers are lower.

Most all companies now view programming as a commodity and off-shore a great deal of it (mainly to India, but sights are already set on China). Even GE here does not accept bids from US contractors for programming.

I know many, many programmers who have had to take massive pay cuts, have spent a long time un-employed, or changed careers (as I did after 23 years).

Example, one programmer I know used to make $85/hr as a contractor is now working for $60,000 permanent. This in an area where a 2 BR apartment is $1,500/mo.

js

I couldn't imagine doing anything else. There's something so gratifying about typing a few lines and seeing things happen on the screen. All the problem solving makes me feel good inside when I figure a real tough problem out. And the money is great. You can definately make more elsewhere (I have a friend in marketing who makes ungodly amounts of money right out of college) but you can make more than enough to be comfortable.

And that $47k median amount for programmers has to be for entry level because intermediate and especially senior level programmers will pull in well over that level (like say $70k - 100k+). That would be a slap in the face to take under $50k if you have some good experience.

OnNe thing to keep in mind is that if you don't like programming, you're going to absolutely hate it as a career. So only go into it if it's something you really enjoy.

i studied IT at university and i'm actually choosing not to take up programming jobs because i don't want to sit at a desk and stare at the computer the whole day, and it takes a lot of effort to keep updated and upgraded due to the continuous advances in the IT world.

Yeah, if you don't like the idea of sitting at a computer all day, then programming is not for you.

sadly, i love programming and code for games for free. but i don't want a programming job heh. how contradictory is that.

It is a good job, i'm a freelance software programmer(but i'm not that good though). It is good(makes money, enough to eat and live) but... I think it's better if I become a businessman or something! Well, I still have to get a degree first(my 2nd course which is BS ComSci), I finished Computer System Design and Programming.