Tools vs tech (was Lying Applicants summary)

[Andrew Plato <aplato -at- EASYSTREET -dot- COM>]

> This is in response to Andrew Plato's summary of the "lying applicants"
> thread. In his list of questions he asked, "What's more important, knowing
> the tools or knowing the technology?" We've had this discussion before and
> I'm not sure we actually came to a consensus on the answer.

And there never will be any consensus on this question because it is a
question of personal preference.  Of course I have a completely small minded
opinion about this...

I ask the tools vs. tech question because at my company, a consulting
company, knowledge of technologies is vastly more important than knowledge
of tools.  In my opinion, ANYONE on the planet can learn how to use Word or
how to write a sentence.  Tech writing is a skill not an art.  With a little
practice and the right direction, anyone with a reasonable amount of effort
can learn to write. Sheesh, *I* learned how to write and I am a total moron.

Knowledge and experience with technologies like relational databases, C, and
IIS is much harder to learn.  This is because there is so much more to know
and it is much harder to gain experience with technologies.  Anyone can go
buy a copy of FrameMaker and teach themselves how to do master pages, but
could you setup a web-based transaction server with a SQL Server back-end at
home?

Moreover, knowledge of one technology almost always spills over into other
technologies.  For example, understanding how TCP/IP works can make
understanding the operation of switches, hubs, and routers much easier.
Conversely, understanding how FrameMaker works is almost a hindrance to
understanding how Word or other such tools function.  Skill with FrameMaker
does not spill over into skill with other tools.

Thus, in my opinion, the tool vs. technology debate boils down to one thing:
do you want to know how to hammer or how to build a house?  Anyone can
hammer, but not everyone who can hammer can build a house.

So, ultimately the question is one of what you value more: a limited set of
skills with some tools or a expansive set of skills with many technologies.
Some people prefer to be specialists in just a few things while some of us
prefer a wider set of experience.  Either way, it ultimately comes down to
your personal preference - not some law written in stone by God.

Okay, let the griping begin!

------------------------------------------------
Andrew Plato
President / Principal Consultant
Anitian Consulting, Inc.
www.anitian.com

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