I know things are changed after 2007, afterall we're talking about that article after 5 years. Why just leave it to "programmer" ? This applies to almost every engineering student in India (except students from IIT/IISC and some of the top colleges). Rest of the other engineering colleges produce what we call here "wall-mart coders". We're brainwashed to crack Google and Microsoft interviews and then end up being a clerk or some highly paid manager. MBA's are at even worst position, they rant about zen and six sigma stuff but never understand how that applies to market. All they do is fulfill the criteria of recruiter to get inside the company. They learn stuff only to get hired. They don't see why some things work, it's just for grades and to land up in highly paid job.
I questioned my professors about the flaws in the system during my engineering time, got beaten and gave up. I learned one lesson out of this - When there is money on the line, do stuff because people above you says so even if it is wrong. You know why people here are fans of Steve jobs and gates? Not because of their money and lifestyle. It's because of their ability to succeed after their drop-out years. Teens in India commit suicide if they get low grades or drop out in engineering or medical college. It's the only less painful option for them, I don't disagree with that either. Society is so tightly monitoring this success and failure of people, It's hard to beat this without taking risk of lifestyle and friends/family. I don't know if these types of extreme situations exist outside this country. Considering how Diaspora's founder committed suicide maybe it could apply to many other places too I guess. Read the plot of
this movie on wikipedia and you'll get the picture.
The reason you see "factory coders" here because If you wish to be a programmer here, you have to experiment- with startups and your knowledge. You're putting your life on the line. If you fail, you end up getting low paying job (<200$) or will simply thrown out of system with no way of getting back in, not to forget frustration and other things that come in life. It's all about getting money in bank account for factory coders. Blame social norms and culture for this. In India people have a tendency to look down on others based on how much they earn, their overall assets, what trendy they do. Hell, 99.995% Indian females choose partner based on how much he earns, that's how it works there. If you fight with this system then you're loser for them. I'm yet to do any non-programming job just for the sake of money. I took that risk. My parents think that by working with low paying financial start-up is a sign that I did something wrong in my life. Which is both funny and frustrating at the same time. By no means I'm rich like my friends who compromised on that front and are at position where Indian society thinks they're successful and living happily(whatever that means). I fought that system and lost (conclusion: money and society wins).
The reason many Indians feel comfortable around people who can experiment(referring to app's case) is because society is restricting people for not to take risks, or encourage to innovate. Students are scolded not to execute programs outside the syllabus of college. Anyway, this all is changing right now as per my observation. I see many Indian programmers flying out of this country to take that risk. Check picplum with indian co-founder and many such US based startups with Indian founders. I hope someday, this junk food social system will break.
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