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Subject:Re: Almost over 45 club From:Elna Tymes <Etymes -at- LTS -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 18 Oct 1996 12:34:27 -0700
Sullivan, John wrote:
> Arghhh! I'll be turning 45 this December -- I didn't realize I'd be
> facing death so soon!
<chuckle> Welcome to "middle age," my friend. I passed 45 a long time
ago!
> What the heck kind of comment is that? Most of the computer-savvy people
> I know are over 45 (heaven forbid!). Since when does age have anything to
> do with ability and knowledge?
If you look at Microsoft, where the average age of employees is not
quite 30, and you look at most of the Silicon Valley companies, where
the average age of people involved in software or hardware development
is under 35, you realize that the work force in these industries is
pretty young. When you get outside of the computer business, into
industries where the computer is just another tool, you have a more even
age range.
It's been my experience with these kinds of companies that the older
folks (45+) are not as comfortable with computers as the younger folks
are. It has also been my observation, both from anecdotal research
among my friends, and from LOTS of business studies, that people over 45
are more likely to be caught in downsizing and other forms of informal
layoffs.
My comments had nothing whatsoever to do with age being related to
ability and knowledge.