Re: [tlug] Looking for Summer Internship in Japan

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 1:43 PM, Lyle H Saxon <llletters@example.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 12:39 PM, Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com> wrote:
>> PS:  Not just Japan, but everywhere is sending IT jobs to other
>> countries.  Everything from manufacturing to programming has that
>> potential.  Ironically, one "good" thing about Japan is still the
>> language barrier.  Until other countries' IT staff read and write
>> Japanese natively, as least some parts like documentation writing and
>> GUI design can remain more or less within Japan...  All IMHO, of
>> course...
>
> Again, I'm basing this on discussions I've had with my Japanese
> national now-and-again drinking buddy who has been full-time
> programming for a couple of decades, but they're at ground zero and
> have been for the past two decades.  A couple of things they related
> to me:


Oh!  In no way do I doubt your discussions with your drinking buddy.

My point is not that I doubt what you say, but that Japan probably has
it better than other places.  Take for example where I am -- Hong
Kong.  With both Mandarin and English as being official (or
semi-official?) languages, it's very easy for IT jobs to be shifted to
other countries that use either as an official language.

Everywhere has it bad...you either live somewhere where IT jobs are
being sent elsewhere, or you live somewhere where IT jobs are coming
to you but there may not be standard working hours or minimum wage.
The long hours with no overtime pay in Japan appears to be a stop-gap
measure to play catch-up?

Ironically, before I first went to Japan, everyone told me about the
long working hours; though there are laws in place now, many employers
try to dodge these rules.  Yet here, they don't even have standard
working hours...they're still talking about it within the government.
It feels strange to be in Japan and thinking the working hours were
inhumane and then go somewhere else where it's even worse.  Looking
forward to some European influence in this matter...  ;-)

Anyway, back to IT.  The IT field isn't as pretty as it use to be...I
can't remember when it *was* pretty, actually.  :-)

Ray