Embedded C Quiz Results

When we redesigned the Netrino.com website late last year, we thought it'd be fun to challenge our more than 20,000 monthly visitors (mostly embedded software engineers) to a skills test. So we developed a ten question multiple-choice quiz (http://www.netrino.com/Embedded-Systems/Embedded-C-Quiz). And it has been a popular feature of the new site, with a couple hundred participants just in the first two months.

And now the results are starting to come in. We analyzed the early results a couple of ways and discovered something worth talking about: Quiz takers from India did about the same as quiz takers in the U.S. But the rest of the world lagged behind these two groups quite a bit.

There are ten questions in our quiz, and we consider a passing score to be 8 out of 10. A handful of quiz takers have scored 100%, but most score in the 30-90% range, with an overall average at 60.4%. (A little scary, huh?)

Statisically speaking, there were three significant groups of quiz takers by geography. The average score of those taking the quiz from the United States was just shy of 64%. The average for India was not far behind at about 61.2%. However, the rest of the world scored an average of just 55.9%.

What does this say about the state of the profession of embedded software development? Offshoring? The quiz itself?

Japanese Brain Drain

I missed this when it was originally published in the New York Times, but apparently Japanese engineers are now exporting themselves to other parts of Asia with more favorable demand for their skills.

Here's the original story: NYTimes.com

MO/HO Market?

I was fascinated to receive the following message from a former colleague in e-mail yesterday:

Do you have any requirements for a Linux C++, Windows .NET, or embedded programmer who can work remotely? I have high speed (1.5 mbps) internet, a wireless router, and 3 laptops in my motorhome. I only need about $25/hr to support my new lifestyle.

Of course, it has become the norm that computer programmers and many other types of professionals can work from their countries of origin or even home offices. Some observers have gone so far as to call this the world is flat effect of the Internet.

But $25/hr for an experienced programmer living as a connected nomad somewhere in America? Could this be the end game for all of us in the computer services business?

To India and Beyond

Much has been said and written in recent years about the offshorting trend for embedded software development. One of the destinations for some work has apparently been India, which has the triple advantage of world class educational institutions (e.g., the IIT system), an ultra-low cost of living, and English-speaking engineers.

Later this month I'm headed to Bangalore and Mysore in Southern India. I may or may not blog from there, but I will certainly be taking note of the embedded software companies and opportunities there. So please know that though my blog is silent I am indeed still active.

Distributed Development

Though the trend toward overseas development has been brewing for more than a decade, I've just lately been noticing a number of IT-sector layoff announcements in the U.S. featuring near-simultaneous announcements of increases in overseas outsourcing by the same companies. It’s not entirely clear if there's an active migration of engineering jobs from the U.S. to overseas, but there’s certainly a decent case to be made that something like that is happening.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 120,000 electrical engineers and computer scientists were unemployed at the end of 2002. That represents almost a three-fold increase in just the past two years, and a near record unemployment level. Yet even as skilled engineers remained in good supply, companies such as Microsoft, Sun, and HP recently announced major expansions of their overseas development operations.

To be honest, I am not sure what to make of this. I favor free markets and believe in the equality of all people in all nations. I traveled to India in 2001 and was impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit the new engineering jobs have generated there. I'm also pleased that engineers there and in many other parts of the world have increasing job prospects and standards of living.

You may be thinking that outsourcing is obviously a negative trend and that “the American engineer” will suffer. If you’re unemployed right now and are personally affected, hang in there. You’ll almost certainly disagree with what I have to say next, but I’ll say it anyway.

The very technologies we’ve been developing and improving for the past few decades are key enablers of distributed development. As the world becomes more interconnected, it becomes increasingly reasonable to bring together a group of geographically-diverse individuals with the collective skill set needed to get the job done. If some of these minds are on the other side of the world, so be it. If they’ve got the same skills as someone here but will work for a lot less, we’ll lose that job.

But in the long run we’ll win too. Increasing standards of living for workers in other parts of the world do more than just take jobs from better developed countries. Those workers spend the money they make in a variety of ways and that expands markets. Things also get cheaper here as a result of their labors. The ensuing economic growth creates more opportunities and jobs here too. Unfortunately, the process doesn’t happen as quickly or seamlessly as anyone likes—and some individuals do get caught in the crossfire.

Fortunately, U.S. engineers continue to be among the best in the world. Those who continue to improve their skills will always be in high demand. They’ll also be well poised when the global economy eventually does turn up again, which I’m confident it will.