Bill D -

The downfall of American technology (and maybe that of some others too) is coming, because the surge in "management" technology has replaced most of the old farts that actually could do something (with "cheaper" new grads mostly) faster than the old hands could mentor the youngsters.

It's not that the new guys think they know everything. It's that the "cut a corner/save a nickle/get to market" management mentality prevents any product from ever being "finished."

Once upon a time, believe it or not, when you designed a tool, you made it with the idea that it had to perform "an intended function." Now the only thing the techs are allowed to do is "make it cheaper." (And I learned this in the airplane design business - make you feel warm and fuzzy????)

The difficulty is in trying to make everything warm and fuzzy for people who really aren't prepared for the realities of what it takes to make something work. As a "seller" of software, you can't publish full documentation, because (your management is afraid) it might scare away some users and you'd lose a sale.

John