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I picked this domain because I had hoped that when this book was complete, we could work on another. At the time I thought that it would be better if it was generic.
I started working on it but realized that I might put in hundreds of hours of work only to have nobody use it at all.
I started working on a Computer Science textbook about a year ago.
I found out that people were not interested in using it.
This is what I had made so far:
Interestingly enough, I posted this info on Slashdot and it was removed almost right away.
Is the package named "arch" in the ISO?
I'm downloading it right now... :)
Yes it has.
That's a major problem with the attitude in our country. Greed has overtaken our senses and everyone thinks they are entitled.
Even when you look at the number of students in each major, you will see a very disproportionate number of students majoring in subjects just for the money with a disregard for their talent in the field.
There is no demand for Humanities professors. Look at the job boards of the colleges and most of them are hiring either science, math or nursing professors.
Also this person seems to have studied a fringe subject that would have a far weaker demand.
That seems like a lot of money. But if you will, please consider this simple scenario:
Even after you obtain your degree you will start out as an Adjunct Professor. These jobs pay about 2-4K per course.
After you have done that for about 10 years or so you might land a job as a professor at a community college.
Now you're making about $40-55K. Teach there for another 5-10 years until you finally get a job at a University to make that $80K.
Compare this (if you will) to the same person who leaves college with Ph.D and starts at $75K.
The difference in earnings over a lifetime is huge.
I only make about $30.00/Hr as a professor of Computer Science.
The colleges don't pay very well and the degree required to get the job is very expensive and time consuming.
I'm a college professor myself. It is a thankless job. You spend more than 20 years in school, washing dishes, working at a dead end job waiting for that moment when you finally get to teach.
My teaching job pays about $30.00/Hr. However I only get to work about 25 hours a week or so. It's not much money to live on.
Also realize the pressures of college teaching:
Society needs you to teach skills to the students that they will need to excel. The students have been given a free ride all the way though High School.
How do you teach C programming to students that cannot do any algebra and have no understanding of logic?
If you make the class hard enough for them to excel in the global marketplace, all of the students drop out.
It you make it easy enough for everyone to pass, you have scarcely covered the first one or two chapters of the book.
Note to recent graduates about the value of your degree:
I graduated right after 9/11. Right after. I remember when I was in school that our local paper had 5 pages of jobs open in my field. Good paying jobs even for those with no experience. By the time I got my diploma in the mail, I had not had one single phone call. Those 5 pages of ads had been reduced to a single column on the back of the sports page.
I remember going over and over to the University career center week after week trying to polish my resume, going to mock interviews.
At one time, I had started calling companies up and offering to work as an entry-level engineer for minimum wage if they would just give me a place to use my skills.
No such luck.
In the end, I got a job working in a warehouse for very little money. Over just a few months, the economy go a little better and I ended up getting a job as an engineer for a tiny firm that went out of business.
After I did get some experience, I have found it easier and easier to obtain a job. Even to the point I am at right now where two groups at my current job are in a fight to win me over for a new assignment. Even in this terrible economy.
Here is my advice:
Your degree is worth something....
Don't take the economy personally. They don't want to hire you right now because they can get an expert cheap instead. This will change with time.
Right now is a great time to think about Graduate School. When you graduate you will be light years ahead of your peers. Promotions will come much easier for you later down the road with a graduate degree.
Please don't give up. Your loans can be deferred. Spend some quality time with your friends and family.