Thank you blssu for enlightening me as to where the dichotomy between sysadmins and programmers comes from. Also thank you for boosting my confidence convincing me that people with my skills are in short supply.

Although I have a computer science degree, and other training as a programmer, I have always had a "let's peep under the hood" approach to what I am doing. I believe there is a huge overlap, including "Technical Support Consultant" and "Systems Programmer" - both roles I have done (technical support is what I am doing at present).

I see the solution, not in terms of external discipline (University or PM), but in terms of changing the attitude of colleagues in work environments. I believe it is really a question of leadership.

Being a self confessed jack of all trades, I see no reason why people with a particular job description should always stick together, forcing work into vertical silos. The much better structure is smaller - cross discipline - teams, where everyone is working towards the same goals. These are: solving the client's problems, delivering software solutions and making money for your employer's business.

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