Something bad about CI

[eluser]oddman[/eluser]
[quote author="Crimp" date="1240404460"]Lower-level knowledge can be necessary, but given the span one is increasingly asked to absorb, it becomes more and more impossible to maintain.[/quote]

Absolutely - but again, there is a difference between lower-level languages - and frameworks.

Take, for example, jQuery. One could spend one's entire life figuring out the new and old cross-browser quirks of JavaScript or use a framework that allows you to get the job done in one line and move on.

On this point, I agree - but this is using an extreme. Having to cater for a plethora of different browsers and having that all compiled into a framework is great. That said, I don't think it's worth using a framework like jQuery if all you're doing is form validation, that's overkill.

With knowledge in the IT-industry always being a moving target, it increasingly requires shortcuts to stay effective and not get bogged down in complex and frustrating details of little or no practical consequence.

Shortcuts!? I hope you mean in the good sense I agree that as programming industrializes, we need faster and quicker ways of doing things, but I also believe you do need an understanding of various aspects of development. If you want to stay as a codemonkey, and just pump out the same stuff over and over, then no, you don't need to know much more. If however, you're looking to lead software development and/or become an architect of sorts - then just knowing the highest level language isn't going to cut it.

I think, as a sidenote, this is partly why the iPhone has taken off in such a big way among all kinds of developers; the confines of what you need to know and test on are clearly defined. It can be a pure joy to work like that when there's a jungle of languages and devices out there.

Absolutely. But iPhone development doesn't work on other phones, so although iPhone is (i don't have stats here) possibly the market leader, by developing specifically for it - you're basically outlawing all other phones and platforms. If you did this in the web industry, you'd be labelled as a fool.

The luxury of taking on everything one perhaps "should" know is quite rare after leaving school.

I agree with this as well. I think it's more about what you should know in context. You can use an MVC framework to do all sorts of things, and it's mostly good for just pumping out websites. But think beyond that - MVC isn't the one-size-fits-all, so you simply have to understand fundamentals.

You can jump into jQuery and have a merry old time, but you'll make the most out of it if you actually understand what you're writing and how it affects users, browsers, and future development requirements.