Okay, for starters I have a VERY good idea as to what IT people do, I started out as an IT professional myself.
So basically, all jobs are EQUALLY challenging? Wish the world were so ideal.
One simple evidence that IT is easier than CS. People who don't have a lot of computer background, they get into IT and they do well. People who don't have a lot of Mathematics background simply cannot do CS. That's right. It's like trying to lift a truck. You can try all day, but you cannot solve one REAL CS problem without a good mathematical/logical background. It's not doable. End of story. I've seen people sit at work all day frantically researching, but terribly underperforming in Computer Science.
Whereas, in IT that never happened. Anyone who was taught the basics of the tool can handle IT.
What is this non-sense that you sprout? Do you even know what CS is? CS people are those guys who develop your eclipse. They are the one that developed your kernel. They are the ones that created SAP (which you use).
CS is process based? LOL? Are you kidding me? SDLC isn't even applicable to CS. It's the IT folks that brought all this shitty *** process into the field.
And its this SDLC process that has managed to bring down cost of enterprise systems when before your CS guys would sit and take their sweet little time. You guys are trying to argue about something that makes no sense in the first place. CS AND IT are not compatible and trying to say one is harder than the other is nothing but stupid. They require different tools and different personalities. Your telling me that anyone who can handle a computer can work in IT, then it means you have no idea what IT is. Let me tell you what a consultant does -
Information technology consulting (IT consulting, Computer consultancy, Computing consultancy, technology consulting or business and technology services) is a field that focuses on advising businesses on how best to use information technology to meet their business objectives. In addition to providing advice, IT consultancies often implement, deploy, and administer IT systems on businesses' behalf.
The IT consulting industry can be viewed as a three-tier system:
Professional services firms which maintain large professional workforces and command high bill rates.
Staffing firms, which place technologists with businesses on a temporary basis, typically in response to employee absences, temporary skill shortages and technical projects.
Independent consultants, who function as employees of staffing firms (for US tax purposes, employed on "W-2"), or as independent contractors in their own right (for US tax purposes, on "1099").
There is a relatively unclear line between management consulting and IT consulting. There are sometimes overlaps between the two fields, but IT consultants often have degrees in computer science, electronics, technology, or management information systems while management consultants often have degrees in accounting, economics, Industrial Engineering, finance, or a generalized MBA (Masters in Business Administration).
According to the Institute for Partner Education & Development, IT consultants' revenues come predominantly from design and planning based consulting with a mixture of IT and Business Consulting. This is different from a Systems Integrator in that you do not normally take title to product. Their value comes from their ability to integrate and support technologies as well as determining product and brands.
A consultant is usually an expert or a professional in a specific field and has a wide knowledge of the subject matter. A consultant usually works for a consultancy firm or is self-employed, and engages with multiple and changing clients. Thus, clients have access to deeper levels of expertise than would be feasible for them to retain in-house, and may purchase only as much service from the outside consultant as desired. It is generally accepted good corporate governance to hire consultants as a check to the Principal-Agent problem.
Most of your daily life communications are done via the Internet either by email or social networks, business information travels at the speed of light round the world to deliver new opportunities. We have all become dependant on information technology and that is why we can all lose out if it goes wrong.
Data Back Up
Data Recovery
Disaster Recovery Planning
Fault Resolution
Hardware Maintenance
Internet & E mail Monitoring
IT Strategy
Licence Management
Networking
Procurement
Relocation & Expansion
Secure Remote Access
Security & Virus Protection
Software Maintenance
IT is very very complex field and mastering any one of them takes a lifetime. There is no easier or tougher here, transforming a business is the toughest thing to do in this world. Where math can be learned and mastered with practice, pure analytical skills and problem solving methodology comes with years and years of ground work. Its simple fact that IT guys are more valued that CS guys just because of the fact that real IT professionals are very limited. Anyone can get an SAP certification but to have the business knowledge also is a rare aspect.
You talking about the SDLC process but i hope you know that the system development phase is the easiest of all steps. Its scope documents and requirements that are the toughest to define. If the IT guys do not work out what the company needs in the first place, the so called " Developers" might as well go home. I work with developers all day and i can tell you most of them just want to make the best program without any concern for the cost or the scope. Without IT professionals keeping a check on them, every system would jump its cost ratios and organizations like Oracle and SAP would cease to exist. I dont know why you guys dont understand that there are two different fields and they should not be compared. Its like comparing a doctor with a Pharmacist. With a doctor the pharmacist is useless and visa versa.
