Monday, September 11, 2000		Article

Programmers decide what computer should do
by Sumesh Raizada

Most of those who are new to the world of computers might wonder how an electronic device, which can understand only two digital codes of 0 and 1, perform complex tasks like controlling space missions, designing machines, surgeries and data transfer. They might also be inquisitive about those who actually make this happen.

Well, all this is made possible by designing instructions and commands in a language that can be understood by the computer. These set of instructions through which the computer performs a pre-designated task is called a program or software. While some programs are simple and easy to write, others are complex and might require technical, logical and analytical abilities.

Computer programs depend upon the type of information and data to be accessed or generated. For example, a program for preparing accounting data would be entirely different from the one required for controlling aircraft or missiles. Such a person, who is involved in the task of writing, testing and maintaining the programs, is called a programmer or a software engineer.

As per a recent survey, there shall be a huge demand for trained computer professionals, including programmers in the coming years, both in India as well as abroad. As the IT-related services gain momentum, countries like Japan, Germany, and Sweden, besides the USA, shall be recruiting thousands of Indian software professionals from the field of engineering, marketing, finance, information technology, e-commerce and Web-related services.

Programmers will either be recruited as consultants on contractual basis or as employees on a permanent basis. Already, firms are scouting for well-qualified and trained programmers for several complex and specific projects. As a result, institutes and colleges are getting flooded with students aspiring to become programmers or software professionals.

A computer programmer has to be highly imaginative, and should possess logical and analytical skills. The job depends upon the organisation they work for and its area of operation. Hence, tasks and responsibilities of a programmer and the qualification required differ from one industry to another.

In most of the organisations, programmers work as a team on a certain project. They work under a senior programmer, called a project leader, who may have four to five years of experience in software design.

The programmers, depending upon the objective or problem, write programs in the series of logical instructions in a language that can be understood by the computer, like COBOL, Java, or C++. With the increased demand for Web-based services, a programmer has to be proficient in more then one language and must be exposed to ASP, DHTML, VB scripts and multimedia.

Mostly, the programmers are referred to on the basis of their expertise in the particular language or function or the organisation they work for. They are required to test the software they develop and correct it for any error. They prepare users' manual or guidelines on how to run and maintain the program for the benefit of computer operator who shall be ultimately using that software.

Programmers are also required to update or modify the existing programs to increase the accuracy and productivity of certain applications. For this, they must be able to understand software tools available for the job.

Thre are various categories of programmers like, software engineers, project leaders, project managers and Web programmers. However, two main classifications are application programmers and systems programmers.

Application programmers are those who work in commercial, engineering or scientific organisation. They are required to design software related to material management, manufacturing and testing, accounting or marketing functions. Systems programmers are those professionals who maintain the computer systems' software, such as operating system and database system. These programmers are well conversant with the entire computer system and related hardware. They also help the application programmers in finding solution, in case of an error in the program.

There are several software development and consultancy companies, which employ programmers from various fields to develop software for specific function as requested by the client or general-purpose software like games or accounting package. Computer programmer can either work in the offices or operate through remote place with the help of the Internet.

The usual working hours are long and as the project nears completion, the workload increases further making them vulnerable to health hazards as well. But the challenges and creativity, which the job offers, usually surpasses these demerits.

Computer programmers may be hired on a temporary or contractual basis by the firms, depending upon the area of specialisation. These persons work till the completion of the project, which might continue for a few weeks. The firms also hire the services of consultancy companies for providing software solutions or designing new software. These consultancies employ programmers on their payrolls, who then work on projects, in a team.

The firms directly on a permanent basis also employ programmers, where the task of upgradation or designing of program is a continuos process. However, a programmer has to regularly update himself with the latest languages and tools available and should also have good communication skill to understand the requirement of the client.

The qualification required for a computer programmer may vary, depending upon the requirement and application of the organisation. However, most of the organisations prefer MCA, BCA pass outs or engineers. Some companies also recruit science or mathematics graduates who do a certified course in programming. These persons are further trained in-house to suit specific needs, say finance and inventory control. Today, almost every university offers curriculum on computer programming. Several software-training institutes also offer a degree or diploma course in programming.

An aspiring programmer should have a fair command over programming languages, tools and data base systems, besides having knowledge of various operating systems. He has to be patient, imaginative and capable of working under stress. He should also be able to communicate with the other team members and clients, who may be non-technical or computer illiterate.

A beginner or a junior programmer might start working on a simple job initially or in a team with senior programmers for more complex projects. The salary drawn may range anywhere between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000 per month, which may get multiplied several folds, depending upon the performance.

Programmers, with couple of years of experience, get promoted as project leader who is required, to co-ordinate a team of 10 to 12 programmers and interacts with the other related departments, besides training and evaluating programmers. The next higher category is of project manager, who manages several projects at a time and handles a team of 40 to 50 persons. He interacts with the clients, project leaders, and is involved in the technical and personal development of the employees. He himself may not be involved in programming work, but should have strong technical and commercial knowledge. The salary drawn by a project leader and project manager may vary from Rs.25,000 to Rs.75,000 per month.

However, remunerations are higher in the Western countries as well as in the multinational companies. Some programmers, having specialised knowledge and experience in a language or operating system, may be dedicated towards research and development. They work more as academicians and provide strong technical support in a large project. Now, as the popularity and the usage of the Internet is increasing, demand for Web programmer has also grown. A person should have the knowledge of the Internet programming tools, like Java, Perl, and the CGI, which are usually taught in short courses of six months duration.

The importance of programmers in today's business environment is increasing, as most of the organisations in order to remain profitable and competitive require them to design cost effective and efficient software, thereby increasing the profitability. As the technological innovation is increasing, programmers shall also be faced with a challenge to cope with the increasing competition.

Demand for programmers with a strong programming capabilities and technical specialisation in areas such as multimedia technology and graphic user interface, shall also arise with the expansion of the Intranet, Extranet and Internet. Individuals, who want to become programmers, can enhance their career prospects by combining the appropriate formal training with practical work experience. Considering the expected growth in the IT and software industry, the future for programmers is bright, indeed.