A blogspot-templated blog; how cute. I always find it slightly humorous when people who profess to be "programming gurus" use something like a blogspot (or WordPress or MoveableType) template to dispense their expert programming guru knowledge. FTA:
"You listed HTML under programming languages, didn't you? Argh!"
IMHO, there's absolutely nothing wrong with listing HTML on one's resume, especially if one actually knows the context and how to use HTML to do something besides make text (for example, render) bold or italic.
Plain text resumes can indeed work to get information across, but if ever there were a way to demonstrate actual ability to code electronically, a resume coded in HTML would be that way. Resumes are about presentation. HTML, coupled with CSS, is a valuable way to demonstrate ability to present plain text.
Actually, thinking about it, most programming is essentially about presenting or rendering or parsing plain text, is it not? I would rather see somebody's hand-coded text/HTML resume than a plain-text text/text resume with (undemonstrative) HTML listed as a skill.
More on why job search is broken (and part of my startup philosophy):
There is a lot to be said for the meaning of irony when companies who claim to want creative and "out of the box" thinkers request that potential employees visit their website in order to submit the info on their resumes via little, pre-formatted text boxes.
Thank you for exposing this Steve Yegge fellow for what he really is. I have to confess he had me fooled into thinking he was some kind of "programming guru" just because he ported Rails to JavaScript/Rhino. I hadn't noticed the blogspot template. Thanks for setting me straight.
Actually, they're not. Resumes are communication, specifically a request with argument. Some of that argument is demonstrating good judgement, knowing that everything isn't a nail (even if you're a hammer swinger).
> HTML, coupled with CSS, is a valuable way to demonstrate ability to present plain text.
Valuable? It's not the least efficient way to present plain text, but the overhead didn't buy anything.
I don't disagree with Mr. Yegge's assertion that plain text can be a decent way to present info on a resume if that is the only other option vs. discriminatory Microsoft .doc formatting, bullets, etc. . . . but his statement:
"HTML formatting usually makes it through safely because it's plain text. However, even if your tags are left alone by the automated mangler, there's no guarantee that your resume will be viewed from a browser, and nobody wants to read through a bunch of ugly markup while they're trying to assess your skills. So you shouldn't use HTML either."
Hello: programs (usually written by "programmers") are usually the entities doing this "automated mangling".
Anyway. I realize now that by putting "programming guru" in quotes, it seemed like I was attempting to insult the author's (SY's) skills, which I wasn't. . . apologies for that. I simply have an aversion to the word "programmer"; phrases like "programming language" seem really immature and pedantic to me. To me, code is the magic word.
>>'If I have to open a browser to read your "plain text"....'
If you are able to open a browser to read both plain text (source code) and a rendered page with some text, you can be pretty sure that the person who wrote the code knows what he or she is doing with both.
Comments
A blogspot-templated blog; how cute. I always find it slightly humorous when people who profess to be "programming gurus" use something like a blogspot (or WordPress or MoveableType) template to dispense their expert programming guru knowledge. FTA:
"You listed HTML under programming languages, didn't you? Argh!"
IMHO, there's absolutely nothing wrong with listing HTML on one's resume, especially if one actually knows the context and how to use HTML to do something besides make text (for example, render) bold or italic.
Plain text resumes can indeed work to get information across, but if ever there were a way to demonstrate actual ability to code electronically, a resume coded in HTML would be that way. Resumes are about presentation. HTML, coupled with CSS, is a valuable way to demonstrate ability to present plain text.
Actually, thinking about it, most programming is essentially about presenting or rendering or parsing plain text, is it not? I would rather see somebody's hand-coded text/HTML resume than a plain-text text/text resume with (undemonstrative) HTML listed as a skill.
More on why job search is broken (and part of my startup philosophy):
There is a lot to be said for the meaning of irony when companies who claim to want creative and "out of the box" thinkers request that potential employees visit their website in order to submit the info on their resumes via little, pre-formatted text boxes.
Thank you for exposing this Steve Yegge fellow for what he really is. I have to confess he had me fooled into thinking he was some kind of "programming guru" just because he ported Rails to JavaScript/Rhino. I hadn't noticed the blogspot template. Thanks for setting me straight.
> A blogspot-templated blog; how cute.
What's wrong with using Blogspot? Surely the important point is the message, not the medium.
> IMHO, there's absolutely nothing wrong with listing HTML on one's resume
You managed to miss the point entirely: HTML is not a programming language.
> Resumes are about presentation.
I couldn't help thinking of this Calvin & Hobbes strip when I read that:
http://www.marcellosendos.ch/comics/ch/1989/11/19891102.gif
> Resumes are about presentation.
Actually, they're not. Resumes are communication, specifically a request with argument. Some of that argument is demonstrating good judgement, knowing that everything isn't a nail (even if you're a hammer swinger).
> HTML, coupled with CSS, is a valuable way to demonstrate ability to present plain text.
Valuable? It's not the least efficient way to present plain text, but the overhead didn't buy anything.
> Resumes are about presentation. HTML, coupled with CSS, is a valuable way to demonstrate ability to present plain text.
What happens when your resume is processed/displayed by something that knows nothing about html?
If I have to open a browser to read your "plain text"....
When did it become significantly more difficult to open a web browser vs a text editor? Command-line?
[indie@localhost~] $ firefox [indie@localhost~] $ gedit
I don't disagree with Mr. Yegge's assertion that plain text can be a decent way to present info on a resume if that is the only other option vs. discriminatory Microsoft .doc formatting, bullets, etc. . . . but his statement:
"HTML formatting usually makes it through safely because it's plain text. However, even if your tags are left alone by the automated mangler, there's no guarantee that your resume will be viewed from a browser, and nobody wants to read through a bunch of ugly markup while they're trying to assess your skills. So you shouldn't use HTML either."
Hello: programs (usually written by "programmers") are usually the entities doing this "automated mangling".
Anyway. I realize now that by putting "programming guru" in quotes, it seemed like I was attempting to insult the author's (SY's) skills, which I wasn't. . . apologies for that. I simply have an aversion to the word "programmer"; phrases like "programming language" seem really immature and pedantic to me. To me, code is the magic word.
Wow, even my apology is getting modded down! I must have hit a nerve or something. :) To all who modded me down: way to jump on the bandwagon.
Why is everybody so anti-HTML?
I think it was more about you cutting into this guy for using blogspot.
> Resumes are about presentation. HTML, coupled with CSS, is a valuable way to demonstrate ability to present plain text.
What happens when your resume is processed/displayed by something that knows nothing about html?
If I have to open a browser to read your "plain text"....
>>'If I have to open a browser to read your "plain text"....'
If you are able to open a browser to read both plain text (source code) and a rendered page with some text, you can be pretty sure that the person who wrote the code knows what he or she is doing with both.