1) I'm currently a self-employed independent software developer, but before March 1999 I worked for TV Guide, Inc., in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a Senior Software Engineer. If you want to email me, I'll send you what I was making there.

2) I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science. The important CS classes I remember are:
-Data Structures
-File Processing
-Database Concepts
-Operating System Concepts
-Systems Programming
-Programming Languages
-Compiler Construction
-Computer Logic & Organization

On the math side, there was:
Calculus I & II
Discrete Math
Linear Algebra
Differential Equations
Math Modelling

3) As an independent software developer, I design, develop, and market shareware products. Additionally, I am co-owner of Samu Games, a small independent online game development company. Finally, I a provide contract consulting and development services.

4) Managing sales and, to an extent, marketing, as well as customer service via email. Continuing development on several projects, which one I work on depends on the day of the week and, sometimes, the moon phase.

5) Being self-employed, my dress code is quite casual.

6) Long hours, the pay is merely adequate, and my boss is a real pain... ;-) However, my PC is pretty damn nice (if a year old) and I can play whatever music I want as loud as my wife in the other room will let me play it...

7) I chose computer programming because I wanted to create computer games. After college I discovered that I actually like designing and developing software that people use and enjoy using. Whether that software is a game or a management decision aid is not an issue any more.

8) Since I'm self-employed, I make sure I earn as little as possible, but I also try to give myself a lot of time off... At previous jobs, the raises were handed out once a year, usually on the anniversary of my hire date. I have received bonuses, but they were more compensation for a lousy raise than any kind of pat on the back.

9) Mostly a lot of geeks...but they're good people. =) I've never really worked in a place with excessively competing personalities. We were all good at what we did and there was a mutual respect.

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DavidRM
Samu Games

I'm doing a report in one of my career classes on Computer Programming. I have a lot of questions i need to ask about a career in computer programming. So anways, here are the question that i'm asking:

1) Where do you work and what is your salary?

2) What are some of the educational requirements of a career in computer programming? How many years of college did you have, and what classes did you major in?

3)What is a description of your specific job?

4)What are your everyday duties? (What do you work on everyday?)

5)What is the dress code for your workplace?

6)What are the working conditions of your job? (Work long hours with small pay, or have a cubicle or office, breaks, vacation time, etc.)

7)Why did you choose this career?

8)Do you ever get a raise or a bonus?

9)What types of people work in a computer programming company? (personalities)

Thanks for any help you can give.

1) Where do you work and what is your salary?

TWG, London, England £20,000

2) What are some of the educational requirements of a career in computer programming? How many years of college did you have, and what classes did you major in?

Normally a degree in CS but I know people with plenty of experience but no degree's who have jobs having programmed in their bedrooms. These people are becoming rarer though.
I have a degree in CS with AI and I did classes in Software Engineering, Maths and various forms of AI.

3)What is a description of your specific job?

Programmer, specifically AI, at the moment, long may it stay this way.

4)What are your everyday duties? (What do you work on everyday?)

AI with occasional making of tea and popping to the shop for food.

5)What is the dress code for your workplace?

Clothes, preferably. Beyond that..none...

6)What are the working conditions of your job? (Work long hours with small pay, or have a cubicle or office, breaks, vacation time, etc.)

Contract states 10am - 6pm
At the moment we're doing a minimum of 2 hours overtime per day, unpaid.
This regularly stretches to 5 - 8 hours overtime depending on the deadline.
We can take breaks when we want, we get an hour for lunch, which we normally don't take any of, as we eat at our desks instead.
The offices are spread over several rooms with 2 - 3 people per room, we get 20 days vacation a year.

7)Why did you choose this career?

Business programming or computer games.
The choice was really hard.

8)Do you ever get a raise or a bonus?

Occasionally I get a raise and in two years I've received one Christmas bonus total.

9)What types of people work in a computer programming company? (personalities)

Really nice laid back people.
Not only do I work 12+ hour days with these people, we also go to the pub together afterwards, occaionally meet up on weekends and I've lived with some of them.
I don't think you get that in other industries.

Thanks for any help you can give.

My pleasure.