Bullshit. I've known people that look scruffier than he does, and probably make more money than you do in the computer field, and high end trades(machinist...). He was paying the mortgage on a house in CA, so he was making some real money....
I think a lot of people here are missing the point. In my opinion if he cleaned up his appearance, his new look may open up more opportunities for employment. This is a not a judgment of whether he is a loser or a dumbass for having dreads... My brother chooses to live a hippyish lifestyle and he graduated from a nice university in Virginia.
The issue here is he is about to be on the street. He has a family to support. If it were me, I would do whatever it takes to get a decent paycheck whether a liked the work or not. I have not worn a business suit other than to interviews. never at work. I am wearing jeans and a t-shirt now. If my employer said there is a new dress code and we all need to be in suits, I would come to work in a suit. I would do that because I have a family and do not want to be begging for space in someone's garage.
Sure there are plenty of companies that do not care about appearance but rahter focus on how a person performs. But I would bet those places are outnumbered by companies where employees have a more conservative look.
Just sayin'