[Nottingham] Jobs in Open Source?

[Cam]

Andrew

> Just curious if anyone has had experience in finding Linux or Open Source
> Software related jobs in Nottingham/UK? So far it seems like my
> programming/admin experience is moot here. I've been asked no end of times for
> server 2k3 experience, backoffice, VB programming experience etc... but as soon
> as I mention Linux, PHP or even Java the recruiters stare at me with a blank
> look. Am I just looking in the wrong places or doesn't the UK run Linux/OSS in
> corporate environments?

For the last 5 years or so I've worked in Birmingham (commute in from 
Leicester). The job started off as C, C++ and CORBA on Solaris boxes but 
before long I was helping out the applications programmers using Perl. 
The desktop of choice was Linux on a PC although most people used them 
as X terminals. These days I write embedded linux software (using 
Montavista) and more people use their linux desktops for useful things. 
Openoffice has helped a bit, but to be honest it's engineering staff who 
use linux desktops not the admin types (they will use MS). Some hardware 
engineers use simulation tools that run on linux. So I think there are 
more chances of using linux in an engineering or telecoms type company 
rather than a commercial or financial one.

In the medium term I think MS won't go away in the corporate environment 
but more and more IT departments will see the sense in running linux 
servers. So to get in you will probably have to have the MS skills and 
the linux skills as an added extra.

I know a contractor that does mainly Java and he seems happy.

Good luck,

-Cam