Published in February 17th, 2012
Yes, February is one of two job trends months. Last week I focused on the trends for traditional languages like C# and Java. Today, we return to a group of languages that people mentioned in comments frequently. I call this list “web and scripting languages” because I do not have a better name for these. This list currently includes Ruby, Python, PHP, JavaScript, Groovy and Erlang. I dropped Flex form this post because there is too much noise in the jobs data. I was looking to include Haskell, but there is limited jobs data available and a lot of noise as well. If you think I should be including another language, please let me know in the comments.
So, here are the trends from Indeed.com:
JavaScript demand still outpaces the other languages, but the growth in the past year has been much slower. There is a jump in the past month or two, but we need to see the trends in 6 months to see if this is sustained growth. PHP, Python and Ruby are all showing solid positive trends. Groovy does seem to be growing but still lags a good amount behind the others. Erlang is showing some demand, but trails all other languages in this profile.
Now, let’s look at the short-term trends from SimplyHired.com:
SimplyHired shows very little growth in JavaScript over the course of the past 18 months, with some highs and lows in between. PHP, Python and Ruby are pacing each other, but also have not show much growth in the same period. Groovy demand is low compared to the others, so it is hard to tell if it has grown much. Erlang demand barely registers on this graph.
Lastly, we have the relative trends for job growth from Indeed.com. This shows an interesting perspective of the job trends, comparing percentage growth as opposed to percentage of all postings.
By showing relative growth, this graphs shows what companies are starting to use or where trends could be headed. Groovy and Erlang did not show much demand, but they are growing significantly. Granted, when there is little demand for a language, large growth is difficult to put into perspective. So, if there is 4500% growth, that could mean there was 1 job and that grew to 45 jobs. That is huge relative growth, but it will take some time before this effects the demand when compared to JavaScript and PHP. Interesting, Ruby growth is still fairly high and it is starting to level off. Python, PHP and Javascript do not show huge relative growth, but JavaScript and PHP have been in high demand for a long time so 100% growth (or greater) is a large number of jobs.
Interestingly, the trends have flattened a bit in the past year, when I would have expected these languages should be growing. I would say that HTML5 growth is affecting the other languages, but even JavaScript is not showing the results of this. Obviously, we need to watch these trends to see if HTML5 starts to have an affect. The growth of Groovy and Erlang is interesting, but with such comparatively low demand it just means we need to keep an eye on the trends for those languages. The one thing that concerns me is the lack of recent growth overall. I am not sure if this is due to the economy, but most of my reading points to the idea that all of these languages should be growing. These are definitely trends that need to be watched closely.
Published in February 10th, 2012
Once again, it is time for the job trends for traditional programming languages. Just like the most recent trends updates, we are only looking at Java, C++, C#, Objective C, Perl and Visual Basic. This list has stayed fairly stable during the past few updates and I am always looking to see if something else should be added. Please let me know if you think some other language deserves to be in this group. Also, please review some of the other job trends posts to see if your favorite language is already in one of these posts.
First, here is a look at the job trends from Indeed.com:
Most of the job trends seem to have gone flat in the past year. Objective-C is showing solid growth and C# is actually showing a slight upward trend. You may wonder why this is happening and in the past I had guessed that this was economy related. Given the activity I have seen in the past year, I am starting to think that the growth in jobs is not happening in these traditional languages as much. There is huge growth in mobile development, especially with Objective-C leading the way in iOS development. You may think that Java should increase given its ties to Android, but Java is starting to slowly decline in the enterprise, so mobile growth is just offsetting this decline. Perl shows a slightly declining trend, but it is not sustained enough yet to really have comments about.
Now, let’s look at SimplyHired’s short term trends:
SimplyHired’s trends are fairly similar to Indeed, but there are some differences. First, Visual Basic looks like it is in decline, which would make sense. Objective-C does not show the same type of growth as the Indeed trends, only gaining slightly. All of the others look fairly steady in the past few months.
Finally, here is a review of the relative scaling from Indeed. This provides an interesting trend graph based on job growth:
Objective-C continues to grow like a weed, with some minor dips every few months. C# growth is solid, hovering around 100% for the past 3 years. Visual Basic and C++ continue to show no growth. Perl and Java are still showing signs of life, but growing at 25% is not very significant.
What does all this mean? First, it is clear the iOS development is hot as is all mobile development. It will be interesting to see if Java can get some sustained growth with the rise of Android developmnent. From the trend perspective, Perl should be watched to see if there is a significant decline over the next year. C# will likely continue its growth as a replacement for C++ and as a language for Windows Phone development. Lastly, Visual Basic really looks like it may finally disappear over the next few years.
UPDATE: For those of you looking for Ruby, Python, Groovy, JavaScript, PHP or Erlang, please look at the February 2012 Web and Scripting Job Trends.
Published in January 30th, 2012
This is a guest post from Samantha Peters.
When we talk about social networking, even from a corporate and business angle, we are almost always talking about public social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. These networks allow people and businesses to join freely and interact freely. For a company, the public nature of social networking exposure is a highly desirable one, as a business’ Facebook profile can act as a brochure, marketing source, communications outlet, and white pages guide all rolled into one.
But, increasingly, companies are turning to a different kind of social network, an internal one, with the aim of accomplishing a different set of goals. With an internal network, a business is trying to foster communication between employees, not between the company and its consumers. It is further trying to establish a secure forum for open and honest discourse, not simply to advertise and promote the business. The objectives are undoubtedly very different ones, but the basic concept is the same. An internal social networking site, after all, acts as a sort of Facebook application that is specifically programmed for company employees.
Many companies have already begun using internal social networks. With the arrival of several new and highly-heralded social software applications, IBM Connections perhaps being foremost among them, this trend can only be expected to continue and accelerate in coming years. So, what are the benefits of having an internal social network? And what are the drawbacks or challenges? Let’s take a quick look:
The Benefits of Having an Internal Social Network
- Boosts corporate ingenuity. Employees can propose changes or ideas, and others can vote on them, meaning that great conceptions can come from anywhere in the corporation.
- Improves company cohesiveness. Having an internal social network provides a relaxed and communicative environment for employees, even while at work. This has been shown to boost overall cohesiveness, which in turn strengthens worker motivation.
- Satisfies workers. Workers overwhelmingly support the implementation of an internal social network. While many choose not to use it, others feel more satisfied, engaged, and content with their position within the company after taking part.
- Creates a one-stop communication shop. Employees with complaints, managers planning a meeting, or departments coordinating with each other can achieve tremendous efficiencies by using an internal social networking application. This application, after all, can be used for business as well as more frivolous uses.
- Enter the cloud. Cloud computing has taken off in recent years, and many companies are working to get on board. Having a web-based social networking application can help employees facilitate that transition.
The Drawbacks of Having an Internal Social Network
- Identity management. When asked to list a challenge of internal networks, companies that have switched over routinely note that managing the profiles and identities of employees can be a very difficult task, especially in the early going. The challenge is even greater when a company has several subsidiaries or different entities spread out over multiple countries.
- Technical challenges. Along similar lines, establishing and maintaining a network involves considerable time and effort on a technical level. Many companies, however, choose to outsource these services. Doing so saves time, but can add up quickly in costs.
- Security and monitoring. On an internal social network, employees may discuss a wide range of matters that the company would not want publicly disseminated. This means that the utmost security precautions must be taken in order to insure that the network is consistently and reliably secure. Furthermore, along these lines, the company needs to establish a monitoring policy. What can and cannot be said over the internal network? Who will determine and deal with issues of inappropriate conduct? Even in a professional environment, such challenges arise with surprisingly regularity.
- Productivity losses. A very real concern of those against internal social networks is that these networks only reduce employee productivity without provide any offsetting corporate gains. If employees spend all their time chatting with a co-worker across the office, they are only less likely to accomplish their work.
These are the major pros and cons of internal social networks. It is probably safe to assume that such networks will only become increasingly common in the coming years. Even so, it is important that a company carefully weighs the benefits and the drawbacks before implementing a network. While there are a good number of possible arguments for and against getting an internal social network, all these factors should ultimately be considered in light of the individual company’s needs.
This is a guest post from Samantha Peters. Samantha is a blogger who enjoys writing for tech and career blogs covering a topics such as social media within the workplace. You can find Samantha at TheTechUpdate.com, and on Twitter and Facebook.
Published in January 23rd, 2012
This is a guest post from Jane Smith.
One of the biggest questions for the tech industry in 2012 is the fate of the Windows-powered smartphones produced by Nokia, one of the latest entries into the ever-diversifying smartphone field. I say the fate of the Nokia Windows Phones is uncertain because most American consumers have given their phones a big “meh” thus far. To put things in perspective, let me give you an idea of how little pull the Nokia Windows Phone currently has in the U.S. smartphone market. Right now you can get a Nokia Lumia 710 Windows Phone at a Wal-Mart for free. They’ve essentially become like any standard free smartphone provided by cellphone providers, and that’s not exactly a compliment.
But wait. There are two reasons why American consumers shouldn’t rule out the Nokia Windows Phone—namely, the Lumia 800 and 900 smartphones. The 800 model was released to rave reviews in the U.K. and in mainland Europe in late 2011, and now Nokia is planning to launch the phone in the U.S. along with the souped up 900 model. While Microsoft and Nokia hope for equal success in the U.S. smartphone market, it’s hard to say how their phones will fare here. Let’s take a closer look at what they have to offer.
Specs and the Windows Phone OS
Surprisingly, the currently available Nokia Lumia 710 Windows phone has decent specs. Powered by a 1.4GHz processor, the Lumia 710 can perform most of the basic smartphone tasks with relative ease. The phone makes it fairly simple for the user to surf the web, run simultaneous apps, draft emails, and so on. It has modest storage capacity with 8GB, nothing too special. The Lumia 800 and 900 series will boast more robust specs, but still nothing to write home about when compared to its smartphone competitors.
The 800 and 900 series, however, will also be equipped with something altogether new, the Windows Phone OS. Microsoft and Nokia executives and spokespersons have attested to the strength of the new smartphone operating system, claiming that it will bring new innovation to the way people interact with mobile devices. Microsoft has taken it’s time designing this OS, which will supposedly reflect a completely novel approach to the smartphone user interface.
The Windows Phone OS interface will basically look like a series of interactive tiles which represent the various functions of the smartphone. These smart tiles—supposedly more customizable and responsive than the apps we’re accustomed to seeing on smartphones—represent the foundation by which users will interact with their phone. Reportedly, these tiles will reflect up-to-date information on a variety of data, from up-to-date weather notifications to the latest news on your Facebook wall. The Windows Phone OS will be compatible with all Microsoft related platforms, including Xbox, Zune, and the Microsoft Office suite. Based upon the marked enthusiasm from tech enthusiasts and analysts, the Nokia Lumia 900 in particular may have a shot at taking the smartphone in a new direction.
An Apples and Androids market
While the prospect of a new revolutionary smartphone is exciting to ponder, one has to wonder how it will affect a market already dominated by iPhones and various Android phones. With speculation and curisosity about the eminent iPhone 5 at an all time high, and with a seemingly bigger and better Android phone coming off the conveyor belt every month, it’s hard to imagine where the Windows Phone will fit in. But perhaps people will respond well to the much-needed diversity (and quality) in the smartphone market. We have to wait and see what happens until the Lumia 900 is released within the next few months.
This is a guest post by Jane Smith from background check. She is a Houston based freelance writer and blogger. Questions and comments can be sent to: janesmth161 @ gmail.com
Published in January 8th, 2012
Lately, Dave Winer has been doing a lot of thinking. Dave has been around for a while, so when he starts thinking about interesting questions, we should all be listening. However, I am not saying that we should be agreeing with him, just reading and forming opinions. First, Dave complains about mobile apps and how they are not what the web is about:
And all this business about apps is a real spoiler for suspension of disbelief. I’m clicking a link, expecting to learn more about what I was reading (that was certainly the author’s intent) but instead I get an ad for an app. If I seriously consider it, I’ve lost my train of thought. If I actually take the detour and install it, I’ve lost bigtime. The best way to minimize the loss is hit the Back button and skip it. But that’s a loss too. I clicked the link for a reason. And that was thwarted.
The main concept here is that if you provide links in your mobile application, then you should be linking to some information about the topic you were reading, not an advertisement for a different app. By itself, this complaint seems to be a bit of a stretch. However, he follows with another post a few weeks later that really explains his issue:
Every time around the loop, since then, the Internet has served as the antidote to the controls that the tech industry would place on users. Every time, the tech industry has a rationale, with some validity, that wide-open access would be a nightmare. But eventually we overcome their barriers, and another layer comes on.
Basically, Dave is seeing these mobile apps as trying to kill the web. If the app is trying to control interactivity by only supplying a “walled garden”, similar to what Facebook is doing, then the user really loses the power of the web. The core idea of linking gets lost in this scenario. However, what if the web is more than just links?
Prior to the last few years, people were very document-centric and reading HTML pages from a PC. Now, we have mobile devices that allow you to use the web whenever you want no matter where you are. We also had web applications that did not allow you to take your information elsewhere or integrate with other applications. Now, many applications use your Twitter or Facebook login in order to authenticate, and then post statuses or even create events in Facebook.
In order to support all of this integration, the web is evolving. The web is no longer just HTML. Last summer, I wrote about the rise of the API:
As the web evolves, much of that evolution will be powered by application APIs. Some of the APIs will be application specific, like the Twitter API, and others will be more generic like the various semantic web standards. All of these available APIs allow programmers to create more interesting applications, and potentially a new API layer on top of what already exists. What this means in the long term is that we are finally getting to the point where the semantic web had hoped to be, linking data between various applications and hopefully doing something interesting.
A web of links can be limiting when looking at applications. When looking at reading a news story, links make sense, but reading articles is only part of the web. By looking at the data available, we are starting to create a more interactive and informative web. Sarah Perez at TechCrunch thinks this could be moving towards a web of apps, but that post is more focused on mobile apps. As I said previously, mobile apps tend to be limiting in their own ways.
Think about the possibilities of using the various APIs that are available. I am not just talking about the social network APIs, I am talking about things like Freebase, a huge collection of data, or even data aggregator/providers like Gnip and DataSift. Using these services, developers can build interesting applications using data from various sources without worrying about what the Twitter API looks like.
These types of services provide a level of abstraction that developers are used to. First, you get the core APIs, then you start abstracting those APIs into something easier to use. Once concerns about low-level APIs are removed, developers can focus on being more productive with the new abstraction layer and start solving real problems. Once developers focus on real problems, that is when the real fun begins.
So, is the web just a bunch of links or are we finally getting a layer of abstraction on top of all of the web applications. This layer of abstraction is a normal evolution for developers, and we just need to ensure this is translated into more interesting applications.
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