"lisamwitt;c-17318951" wrote:
My husband is a computer programmer. His job doesn't run 9-5. He can't just say he's done and stop. It runs however long it takes to get the program done that is being worked on by a set deadline. If he gives a client a program with bugs, he loses a contract. He has to test every scenario and make sure everything is working as it should before the deadline. Anyone who is in software of any kind accepts this as the way it is or they don't do the job. You hope that your deadline makes it so you can work reasonable hours, but sometimes plum happens and you have to work extra.
If the developers really aren't playtesting the game to check for conflicts and bugs (which it often seems they aren't) then they aren't doing their job as they should. That said, if EA's deadlines are unreasonable, then that's why, and it's not really their fault. My husband does have the ability to say a deadline is unreasonable, the developers for Sims may not.
From what I have read online from previous employees EA is now a good employer to work for, having learnt their lesson from the early 2000's when they got a lot of very bad publicity. There seems to be a generous maternity leave, judging from the women who said they are coming back in the Fall, etc. and possibly paternity leave as one of the male Gurus mentioned being at home with his newborn son.
I don't think they force their employees into working all hours (Crunch) these days. Rockstar was the latest to get some flak from this last year.
Maybe Quality Assurance (QA) Technicians need better pay to stay longer. They don't seem to get as much as other techies. from what I saw on the web.
