Hello All,
How is the current economic recession effecting the ‘device driver writer’ community?
As an application programmer, soon to have much free time on my hands (not by choice…(grumble)), I was considering trying my hands at learning device driver writing (I have some kernel programming experience having written (and re-written) a file system filter for a commercial product and the subsequent support for that driver - but I’m still really just an apps guy (maybe this addresses your question regarding the quality of AV filters, Jamey 
).
Do you have any suggestions for an entry level project - good for a newbie to stretch his legs with and something that, when complete, could serve as a resume piece to convince a skeptical interviewer that his/her candidate is up for the task?
Also, who employs device driver writers? Are most Windows device drivers written by Microsoft and/or the large private guru repositories such as OSR? Do device manufacturers typically employ their own device driver writers? Is there room in this industry for new blood, or am I better off learning .Net or Java or something and waiting out this recession (or perhaps now is the time for that Regina style pizza kiosk in Manchester…).
Thanks,
Joel
Some good questions.
In the way of intro projects, try a simple kernel-mode driver, one that
accepts open, IOCTL and close requests. Then try a simple WDM filter
driver. The DDK has examples of both. If you want to really stretch,
include StartIo, IRP queuing and completion routines.
I’d start with some books, however. “Inside Microsoft Windows 2000,”
Solomon and Russinovich; “Windows NT Device Driver Development,”
Viscarola and Mason; and “Programming the Microsoft Windows Driver
Model,” Oney. In that order. The first 2 at the very least, so that
you’re familiar with the concepts and techniques of at least KM drivers;
for WDM drivers, of course, Oney is the man. As an appetizer, look at
Nate Bushman’s http://students.cs.byu.edu/~nbushman/drivers.htm; that’s
a compendium of driver FAQs.
As to jobs, there is OS development, which is pretty much Microsoft; OS
extenders, which comprises things like SAN management (which seems
pretty hot); and device drivers. For the last, there is Microsoft,
device (including motherboard) manufacturers and various software
houses. The last is a broad category, because it can include things like
enablers to manage devices, storage, TCP/IP and systems.
Looking around myself, I have the impression the present time is not a
good one to be seeking a job in kernel development, although SANs are
hot (as noted), and there seems always a need for TCP/IP and NDIS gurus.
–
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James Antognini
It isn’t that good for device driver writers yet. Maybe if you live in CA, but in Florida there is nothing. I have been looking for a while. Many new jobs list lower salaries, no relocation, or local candidates only. I suspect that many of the listings are just to offer someone already chosen a better position or they are window shopping for a top 1% or better candidate. They don’t need anyone, but are looking to build a stack of resumes in case things improve and they can begin empire building again.
----- Original Message -----
From: Joel Smith
To: NT Developers Interest List
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 11:05 AM
Subject: [ntdev] OT newbie/outsider question about the state of the industry
Hello All,
How is the current economic recession effecting the ‘device driver writer’ community?
As an application programmer, soon to have much free time on my hands (not by choice…(grumble)), I was considering trying my hands at learning device driver writing (I have some kernel programming experience having written (and re-written) a file system filter for a commercial product and the subsequent support for that driver - but I’m still really just an apps guy (maybe this addresses your question regarding the quality of AV filters, Jamey ).
Do you have any suggestions for an entry level project - good for a newbie to stretch his legs with and something that, when complete, could serve as a resume piece to convince a skeptical interviewer that his/her candidate is up for the task?
Also, who employs device driver writers? Are most Windows device drivers written by Microsoft and/or the large private guru repositories such as OSR? Do device manufacturers typically employ their own device driver writers? Is there room in this industry for new blood, or am I better off learning .Net or Java or something and waiting out this recession (or perhaps now is the time for that Regina style pizza kiosk in Manchester…).
Thanks,
Joel
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