>> There is something deeply worrying about... OK, so let's try this. Come
>> on this journey with me.
>
> [snip]
>
> As I said, I am truly appalled about what you tell. It is unbelievable
> but I suppose I am naive... ;-)

I sincerely hope this is unique to the computing field.

I *think* it's because what we programmers produce is so intangible. 
Like, if you hire somebody to build an office block, and they bash a few 
bits of wood into the ground in the shape of a rectangle, you tell them 
they're fired, and then you sue them into oblivion. [Which I gather is 
some kind of MMO?] But if you commission somebody to build a payroll 
system, you can't really tell that it's just an MS Access skin - unless 
you're enough of a computer expert that you don't need to hire an expert 
in the first place!

That, I *think*, is maybe what the problem is. Although I do wonder how 
nobody gets electrocuted because the "electrician" they hired doesn't 
actually know how electricity works...

>> I wonder... Does anybody have this much trouble hiring a carpenter?
>
> No, but I am starting to worry.

It does make you wonder, doesn't it?

>> I guess that just leaves us with the problem of nobody wanting to learn
>> then. ;-)
>
> Sad, sad, sad. I believe learning is one of those rare incentives that
> make life worthwhile.

I find all this stuff fascinating - but then again, I'm weird, so...

But still, there *was* a time when the great mathematicians, physicists 
and engineers of the day were lionised as visionary idols... Now we have 
Pop Idol. *sigh*

>> I'm sure if I give a lecture while doing the Charleston to some
>> authentic music, everybody will remember me. No idea if they'll remember
>> a damned thing I said, but... ^_^
>
> Right. You can overdo it. Watching lecturers is a great school for do's
> and dont's. I have seen hilarious examples of dont's... ;-)

"The Charleston lectures" would make a hell of an Internet meme though...

...you know, I mean if I could actually *speak* while doing the 
Charleston, instead of gasping for air...

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