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A comment on What is the best part about being a Software Engineer?. Parent comment

Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by ap22213 on Thursday April 28, 2016 @07:52AM (#11588077)
My job is definitely easier than a 1930s immigrant coal miner's. Is it easier than a 2016 coal miner's? Probably. Maybe. Is it easier than a furniture mover's? No, but it pays a lot more. Is it easier than a 1970s steelworker's? Certainly not, and it actually pays less.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by vitno on Thursday April 28, 2016 @08:40AM (#11588338)
Actually, you get payed far more. A steelworker in 1975 made on average $7.11.[1] This is about $31.47 in 2016 dollars. Not bad at all, but I'm still guessing you make more.

[1] http://articles.mcall.com/1985-07-19/news/2489404_1_steel-in...

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by ap22213 on Thursday April 28, 2016 @09:02AM (#11588460)
I mean total compensation. My father made approximately $30,000 a year in wages in 1976. You have to remember that there was overtime pay. He also got high quality free health care, lots of vacation, 100% pension, and lots of other fringe benefits.

I estimate he made probably close to $200k, in 2016 dollars. And, he wasn't even a 'lead'. In total compensation, he made more than I do. And, IIRC, CPI inflation calculations don't account for home inflation, and we all know that housing costs as a portion of total household spending was much, much less than it is today.

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by wdmeldon on Thursday April 28, 2016 @09:46AM (#11588761)
TIL I make less than a steelwork in 1975.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by lostcolony on Thursday April 28, 2016 @09:12AM (#11588511)
Really? 31.47 * 52 (weeks) * 5 (days a week) * 24 (hours a day) = $196,372. In some place other than San Francisco (so pretty much guaranteed lower cost of living). Plus benefits, overtime, much lower likelihood of losing one's job, a pension...
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by maxerickson on Thursday April 28, 2016 @09:15AM (#11588529)
24 hours a day 5 days a week is a pretty tough schedule.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by TheCoelacanth on Thursday April 28, 2016 @09:35AM (#11588666)
What the fuck kind of job do you work for 24 hours a day? A third of that or $65457 is a much more realistic estimate, which is peanuts for a software developer.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by lostcolony on Thursday April 28, 2016 @02:00PM (#11590726)
Whoops, yeah, I shouldn't post while zoning out on a teleconf.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by codygman on Thursday April 28, 2016 @09:27AM (#11588612)
Who works 24 hours a day? Also most work 40 weeks per year iirc.
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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by pc86 on Thursday April 28, 2016 @10:13AM (#11588970)
Here are the real numbers to show you why your comment was (rightfully) downvoted:

31.47 * 50 wks (2wks vaca) * 5 * 8 (a work day) = $62,940

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Re:What is the best part about being a Software Engineer? by GFK_of_xmaspast on Thursday April 28, 2016 @10:00AM (#11588883)
Every time I've dealt with furniture movers I've noticed that they work incredibly hard and I'm glad I don't have to do that for a living (my back would disintegrate).
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