Ali was pleased to see the establishment of a cloud. This means that Ali had to raise investment in Internet technology to a strategic height. In the past often heard engineers complain that Ali is not a technology company. Now and then there is no reason to complain about this. But to achieve this strategy, there is no technical reserves is not acceptable. Recruitment and training of engineers is obviously a headache problem currently facing the various subsidiaries of the Group at the same time.
Because once worked in Silicon Valley, I often think, why so many Silicon Valley engineers over the age of 40, while domestic over 30 years old had a few? Why Silicon Valley engineer technical life can be so long? Why they can not impetuous, not instant success it? Ali go 102 years, Ali engineers can go far with it?
In China, there are 2--3 years work experience engineers can calculate the experienced. Worked for more than five years, engineers tend to consider the transition to management positions, or transition to business. China is currently in a stage of highly developed. Many enterprises lack management personnel, 5 years of work was put into it cadres normal. But the legacy of the extreme lack of over 30 years of outstanding technical personnel.
In Silicon Valley, less than 5 years work experience are considered primary. General engineer needs more than five years of work experience, architects generally require more than 10 years of experience. This does not count most of the Silicon Valley computer engineers have a master's degree. Graduated in general he is already 24 and 25 years old. Then for 10 years, was promoted to the 35-year-old architect is very normal. However, the limited company of architects. In fact, most of the 40-year-old engineer still working in the front line, such as writing a program, do the test, project management and so on.
Silicon Valley is the place where a centralized computer professionals, but also start-up companies of the cluster. In Silicon Valley, to dozens of start-up companies abound from just a few people. Their common dream is that after years of struggle, through innovative technologies, such as re-create the myth of Intel, Apple, Cisco, Oracle, Yahoo, Google, Facebook and so on. Can not even create the myth can also create wealth by way of IPO or be acquired. In such an environment, companies demand for management talent is also very large, but why there are still a large number of engineers, "indifferent", still engaged in technical job of it?
I think there are two main reasons.
One is external. In the United States, treatment and post treatment technology management positions or less. Especially in Silicon Valley technology advocates, the status of the manager is not higher than the engineer, or even lower. For example, the importance of the architect in the company tend to be more than the manager. Therefore management positions "temptation" is not significant. In such an atmosphere technology, take the technical route is normal.
But even in such an environment, technology, management talent in Silicon Valley is still needed. When the outstanding performance engineers, there are also many opportunities to turn into management positions. However, a considerable number of engineers will give up this opportunity, and continue to do their technical job. This is the internal drive up. The essential difference between technical work and management is that the former face of the system ( software , hardware, etc.), which is the human face. System hard problem, as long as there is sufficient time and resources, can generally be resolved. The more difficult the problem, the more a sense of accomplishment after solving. The people's problems, and sometimes it seems very simple, but it can not solve. Are people, there must be Toutengnaore, sick time. Human, inevitably generates emotions, thus affecting work. Some places, there will be conflict, there will be friction. Simply put, the system will run according to the logic set in advance, is dead, so often controlled, can be planned. And people are living, enter a few commands you can not control, but the need to communicate emotional needs. Therefore, most of the engineers in Silicon Valley is very "smart." They take the initiative to choose "simple" work. During the day a good job, a good night life. Why go to "bother", switch to manage it.
In fact, not only is a Silicon Valley engineer other regions have a common character, the pursuit of simplicity, the pursuit of perfection, more rational and logical way of thinking, look at the issue tend to compare black and white. This character is very suitable for technical work, but we Chinese engineers sometimes this happens can not see their features.
Do not want to marshal the troops is not a good soldier. Engineers hope to develop management direction is very normal. But the question is why and how? I come across more than one engineer told me, I hope to work as the reason management is worried about the future of big-grade technical capacity can not keep up. I find it very funny. This is like a soldier said: not my enemy skills, not suitable for the battlefield, the officer let me do it. Marshal did not make a soldier's definitely not a good marshal. In fact, a soldier, after all, different technologies and do not rely on physical strength to eat. Grades tend to be large point advantage.
I think people take the technical route of engineers character is a shortcut. If you can stop and carefully study technology, we will be able to do better than others in some way. The key here is patience and curiosity. In this information age of today, the answer is not difficult to find. The challenge is there is no curiosity and patience to look for. For example, Java programmers use every day this type String. But ever wondered why the Java language, there are two string types String and StringBuffer, rather than a? Ever been to String and StringBuffer source code? As another example, the site every day and doing HTTP deal have not read the HTTP protocol? You have not tried it without the browser, wget and other tools, and the most primitive way of telnet to access the website? Look at the HTTP ahead in the end is what stuff? I interviewed engineers, the people who did these things less than 5%.
Once deep understanding than others, it is easy to see the nature of the problem, generate confidence and inspire fun. This time you solutions than others beautiful, and gradually built up influence, has become the "expert." Therefore, the company incurable diseases will take the initiative to seek them out. You get more opportunities to solve problems than others, and thus faster lift capacity. Once in a virtuous circle, you will progress faster than others, but not necessarily pay more than others. This time you have embarked on a shortcut.
In the extreme lack of technical talent in China, at the point of vanity that today everyone blind pursuit of management positions, if your character is an engineer type, take the technical route it is actually very appropriate. If you just graduated, you are the happiest. You can develop three or even four-year plan to yourself. For example, five years laying the foundation to become an expert 10 years, 15 years, well-known, world-famous for 20 years. If you have Pentium III or early thirties, you mature faster, but the results also took leave early. I do not believe you take a look at several of us are familiar with.
Larry Wall (Larry Wall) 33 years of age published "Perl programming language," a book. Before he was a systems administrator.
Father of the Internet Vint Cerf temperature (Vint Cerf) in the invention, TCP / IP, already 35 years old.
World Wide Web father Tim Berners - Lee (Tim Berners-Lee) at 37 years of age before the invention of the World Wide Web (WWW).
Dennis - When Ritchie (Dennis Ritchie) of "C Programming Language," a book published, he was 37 years old.
Java father James Gosling (James Gosling) 40 years of age only because Java invention fame.
Apple co-founder Steve Caroline Ike (Steven Wozniak) earlier this year to join a start-up companies in his capacity as chief scientist, research and development of technology-based high-speed flash memory . He has now 59 years old