Slashdot Mirror
A Title To Replace "Systems Administrator"?
sjanich writes "A discussion has begun at SAGE on an updated title to replace "Systems Administrator". I figure more sysadmins are reading Slashdot than are reading SAGEwire. Rob Kolstad of SAGE wrote: 'What in the world do we call the collective group of those people who make computers work properly? I'm not talking about users, and I'm not talking about software developers. I am thinking of: system administrators, LAN administrators, network administrators (both kinds!), security administrators, e-mail administrators, desktop support groups, database administrators, and all the other kinds of support that keep the IT function of an institution running -- what is this huge group called?' My favorite options are "Computer Infrastructure Practitioner" or "Computer Infrastructure Specialist". The original discussion can be found here at SAGEwire."
Wanker?
What a friggen joke. Why not call them network engineers. Seems like every profession has stolen the engineering name to make themselves seem more important, why not IT people too?
Would a nerd by any other name smell as foul?
System Controller
The unemployment line.
Computer Techs?
Seriously though, what's wrong with all the current names for these people? It's not like "Computer Infrastructure Specialist" is less verbose, which is the only problem I see with the current designations. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
What's wrong with the current titles? I mean, if someone tells me they're a network administrator, I have a pretty good idea. If they say they're an e-mail administrator, likewise.
Why replace useful titles with some generic contrived name?
or sap for short
Information Services Manager.
computer monkey
I'd insist on a job title of "Lord Uber-Geek". Rolls right off the tongue!
I'm known as "bitch".
adventure-today.com
Keep it simple and descriptive:
technological janitors.
I never get called unless something's fucked up, and nobody gives a damn
what I do until it's broken. My job's just about as glamorous too.
boooya
"Your Company's Computer Guy"
"Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"
Network Engineering Responsive Dedicated Specialists
oh well, maybe next time.
joe_
Omnipotent Being
You shall call them Sir/Ma'am.
C8H10N4O2 | Developer > Code
I just call myself a whore :(
The ultimate network admin tool needs HELP!
Unemployed?
is IT guy. Nobody outside of IT, engineering and HR can even tell the difference between the job distinctions. Just like I cannot tell the difference between the different HR positions. They're all just HR people to me.
Speaking as a non sysadmin I always reserve a little bit of reverence for the "sysadmin." I think the term has enough legacy and meaning to warrant thinking twice before changing it. Plus, it's a bit of a standard in a field where standardized titles are hard to come by.
What about BOFH ?
Then again, maybe just BOFH for....
oh wait...
In Canada, we don't fancy things like socks
"Computer Infrastructure Practitioner" is retarded. you are an "IT Specialist". deal with it.
MARIJUANA, SHROOMS, X: ONLINE?! - E
sysadmin stands for something!?! i always said s-y-s-a-d-m-i-n. so estafoo.
BOFH :)
John Dobson, h4x0r hunter, at your service. Aull roight, time to geht to work on this server. Oh, a skript kiddie, the worst koind!
In the long run, we're all dead.
What do all these terms have in common? That's right, administrator. And what about System, LAN, network, security, email and database. Well, you'd have to go for something generic like computer.
Voila, new term: computer administrator. Though personally I don't see what is wrong with the specific terms they had before.
Highly desirable employees.
Former Systems Administrator?
Thats what they call me. And other people who work in Computer Department.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Not funny. I don't need porn poping up on my work computer.
There are so many names that are possible. I see two solutions. One is where people can make up whatever title they choose, this is basically what's happening now, except only the managers and other bigwigs get to decide. The more thoughtful practice though would be to set some (inter)national standards, much like the W3C web standards. That way if you carry a certain title, it means a certain something, not like now where anybody can (and do) say they are anything and that really doesn't help anyone either.
Not to be TOO anal, but at least if you're going to quote SNL, do it correctly.
Perhaps at this point in time "system administrator" does not fit a lot of people with the title perfectly, but it has worked for this long...I don't see the need to change it.
People are always trying to monkey with titles. When I was in high school the store I worked at had a janitor who insisted on being called a "custodial engineer" Just leave titles alone and stop trying to confuse people.
But, hey, if you'll settle for a spiffy new title...
Elgon
As soon as I saw this story, WinAmp started playing "Freak on a Leash"
How about change the title to to "one with all passwords reading everyone's email."
Open source development is my way of competing with the low-cost programmers in India...
cable monkey !
I am the sysadmin for my home computers. My sister is always on AIM so whenever there is a problem it's always me that has to fix it. Never a nice word is sent my way oh well somebodys got to do it.
Learn lisp today!
I get to hear them all - from "evangelist" (marketing manager) to "chief cheerleader" (comms manager) to vice president in charge of watching America's Cup yachting, please interview him so we can put his holiday to your sunny islands on our business expenses.
the old adage is true - the longer the title the less the person does. If you administer systems, then you're an system administrator. You're not an entrenching tool.
I am a leaf on the wind
Digital Plumber
Electron Wrangler
High Priests of the Binary Church
iDoctor
---- El diablo esta en mis pantalones! Mire, mire!
dorkus maximus
Never argue with a man carrying a water buffalo
> what is this huge group called?
Systems Administrators
Just sign me "Source Code Creating Fool" (aka Software Engineer).
System Administrator.
I'm sick of all this puffery like domestic engineer (housewife), sanitation technician (garbageman), administrative assistant (secretary).
According to dictionary.com a system is "A group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole." Sounds pretty accurate and all-encompasing to me.
If you can't be proud of the work you do without changing its name you have a lot bigger problems than your job title.
~~~~~~~
"You are not remembered for doing what is expected of you." - Atul Chitnis
Survivors Of The Implosion
...you guys actually get called by your title? I usually get called "the internet's down".
I've been sys admin'ing now, professionally, for over 5 years. I love my job.
I've had many titles over that period of time, and they include:
Computer Operator
LAN Administrator
Systems Administrator
Systems Analyst
Computer Technician
Network Analyst
Web Developer
and finally,
Network Administrator
The latter is my current title, though they're about to slap and additional one (Web Developer) on there as well. I have no problems with that, though regardless of my Network Admin/Web Dev status, I will still be called out to fix a printer, or switch out RAM, or go through old RS/6000 logs looking for some stray error message.
I've worked all of my sys admin jobs at financial institutions. I've worked for both banks and credit unions (credit unions have the edge, in my experience), in groups large and small. The largest group was about 8 guys, the smallest just me and my boss. They both have their problems. But that's not what this discussion is about.
This discussions is about how to label a guy who can't really have a label. Technician is so vague that it doesn't carry merit. Specialist too suffers from the same thing. Stick "Computer" in front of them, and you still have the vagarities that reek of any title that a job may provide you with.
Most places, unless they're Conglomerates (and all that that implies), want you to go above and beyond. This means that sometimes titles are left by the wayside as you throw a box in your car and hightail it to a destination, ready to provide that quick fix.
This discussion is moot and pointless in my opinion. Network Administrators and System Administrators will, in small shops, most likely be doing each others job at least part of the time.
No title is infallible, no title can encompass everything that you do or provide. Do not look for one to do so, because it does not, and can not, exist.
...I make the Internet go.
At least that's the way I explain it to my relatives.
Where would we be if Wheel had hid her round rock in a cave instead of showing everyone how it rolls?
"Unemployed"
I am sure I am not the only one who feels they are a combination of a "Network Admin", "System Admin", "Web Admin", etc. I guess the title of my last job depends on the title of the job that I am applying for.
ADMIN
;-P
Avid Doyen Maintainer of Integrated Networks
All of the computer illiterate folks just call us God, while between each other we just keep the old names we're used to like DBA, Sys Admin, Net Admin, etc.
After all:
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
--Arthur C. Clarke
How about "Computer Janitor"
D o-Other-Stuff-Besides-Computers)
And it works for specialisation as well.
See : "Network Janitor", "Software Janitor",
Etc
(Well it beats Nerdy-Smelly-Guy-Who-Acts-Superior-To-People-Who-
Don't forget most sysadmins are just support crew...
How about the all-in-one-wonder? Nowadays, with companies downsizing and only keeping the bare minimum amount of people, system/network admins have to be wearing multiple hats anyways.
geeks.
There are no trolls. There are no trees out here.
While my professional title changes per job(currently 'Sr. Systems Engineer"...oooo, impressive huh? ;)), my resume has said Systems Administrator for a while now. Personally I worked very hard to get that title.....and feel no need to change it. Sounds like the same as giving Unix a new name cause no one really knows what it means or is...what really matters is that the people who hire me(and they have yet to stop doing that) know exactly what it means and how important I am to them.
So? why do I need a new title?
Dimes
The difficulty with titles is the are often usurped by people who believe they do the same thing. Human Resource departments have become expert at this.
Programmer - codes programs
System Administrator - Reboots computers. Called when mail not working or I cannot open Outlook or the network is down.
etc.
Rather than look for a new name, they should be working on describing a lists of talents, duties, and capabilities that define a system administrator. This should be augmented with a level of competence to allow for Junior Systems Administrator, Systems Administrator, Senior Systems Administrator, and finally Master Systems Administrator.
It probably also needs two paths. One Unix/Linux and one Windows. You could probably even make an argument for splitting Unix/Linux if you wish.
I have taken this approach internally and it has smoothed things greatly. Now when I speak with HR, and tell them I am looking for a Systems Admin they know what criteria they need to look for. A global standard would only make it that much easier for everyone.
System Administrators has a nice ring to it.
More syllables than most of my customers can deal with, and it gets the point across.
No offence, but is this a slow news day or something?
THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!!!! eventually.
A name is a name and just that...Your not going to get more important all of a sudden because you have a new title.
"God."
The coolest voice ever.
Systems Alchemist
--
Society has traditionally always tried to find scapegoats for its problems. Well, here I am.
And my job description? I'm a
## W.Finlay McWalter ## http://www.mcwalter.org ##
Jimmy Fallon (JIF)- Nick Burns
Jennifer Aniston (HOST)- employee
Horatio Sans (HOS)- employee
Chris Kattan (CHK)- employee
HOST- Damnit! It crashed again. Hey, did somebody call Nick Burns, the computer guy?
HOS- I called him about a half hour ago; he told me to hold my horses.
CHK- I don't like that guy.
HOST- Well you know what, I don't like this new program. It's crap. I don't know why we switched. (JIF enters)
JIF- Because the new program is written for OS8 and can function twice as fast; is that enough reason, Nancy Drew?
(song- "Nick Burns, the company' s computer guy. He'll fix your computer, then he's gonna make fun of you, 'cause he's Nick Burns, your company's computer guy")
JIF- Okay, allright allright, what's wrong with the computers?
(Everyone talks at once)
JIF- Overload, overload! My processor can only hold one command at a time here.
CHK- I have a question Nick. I'm trying to do this cordially, I just, I can't get the stupid e-mail attachment to open at all.
JIF- It's the e-mail that's stupid, not you right? What does it say when you try to open it?
CHK- It just says that it can't find the appropriate program to open the file.
JIF- This is 6.0 version. You didn't upgrade yet, did you, genius? Just use your translation software.
CHK- Where's that?
JIF- Move! (sits and types) Done. Was that so hard? Boy, I'm so glad I came down here, it was totally worth my trip.
Who's next? (walks over to HOS) HOS- Hey Nick, how's it goin?
JIF- Oh great, really great. I love teaching people remedial computers here. Shouldn't you guys be wearing helmets or something?
HOS- I'm having trouble with my printer, all my stuff keeps printing on a printer in marketing.
JIF- Oh, is the walk killin you here buddy? Just get better shoes, that's all.
HOS- It would be easier if it were here. I have my print monitor up here.
JIF- Tried to use the print monitor huh? That didn't work did it? Print monitor, no.
HOS- No, it didn't.
JIF- That's cause the print monitor monitors the document you're printing. It doesn't tell the printer what direction it's going to go to. Just scroll your chooser.
HOS- That thing you pull down?
JIF- The thing you pull down? If you mean Apple file, yes. Do that.
HOS- I didn't know what it was called.
JIF- Obviously! Go to your chooser, go to the printer, pick your zone, and pick your printer.
HOS- Hold on, I'm in the chooser. Okay. Is this the zone here?
JIF- Move! (sits and types) See where it says "4" and "FL"? That's fourth floor, that's where we are. We're on the fourth floor. You pick that one. Was that so hard? Jeez Louise, I can't wait to get my MCSD and quit this job. (goes over to host) What's your problem?
HOST- Well, it just crashes every time my screen saver comes up.
JIF- Alright, let's run a test, just type in: XY.violator/467.f46
HOST- Type in...?
JIF- Move! (sits and types) Son of a... Okay, do you want me to save your game of minesweeper here?
HOST- No, you don't have to, you don't have to.
JIF- Okay thanks, yeah. Instead of playing a game, God forbid we read the manual? Have you people ever seen computers before? What I do here is press the letters and it manipulates the screen here and we have fun with it, okay?
HOST- Yeah, I know about computers, okay? I'm on the Internet at home.
JIF- Let me guess, you're on AOL?
HOST- Yeah, what's wrong with that?
JIF- Nothing, except it doesn't understand Javascript! (JIF starts laughing) God I wish someone were here who knew about computers, 'cause that would have gotten a laugh. (types again) Damn it crashed, what the heck is this? Move!
HOST- You're already sitting there. JIF- Yeah... shut up. Damn, what the hell is wrong with this thing? HOST- Uh- oh, hey look everybody, the great computer guy doesn't know what's wrong! JIF- I'll figure it out. Just trust me. I'll do it, right here. HOST- What's the matter there, wizard? Your new program not working?
JIF- It's not the program, it's not the program. Don't say that.
H
i've heard it a few times. otoh, i'm sure i probably get called the devil to balance it all out
vodka, straight up, thank you!
"I'm not talking about users, and I'm not talking about software developers. I am thinking of: system administrators, LAN administrators, network administrators (both kinds!), security administrators, e-mail administrators, desktop support groups, database administrators, and all the other kinds of support that keep the IT function of an institution running"
In my estimation all these are system administrators. My positions as a sys admin have included all of these under one title. I don't see them as seperate occupations.
People, at work or referred people from friends, just call me a "Computer Guy". They don't care if i do network or format hard disks and put XP on them.
I think the names we have right now are just fine, and they're only used when you want to sound flashy.
For everyone you're the Computer Guy, for your boss you're the Systems Administrator and Network Engineer.
Trolls dont like to be Flamebait, because they burn so well. Protect our Troll heritage!
What everyone not involved in some form or fashion with technology calls us: "The IT guy"
Master of none.
Parent link is not safe for work. Mod down.
Lots of companies have problems with title inflation.
Some places give the PC support specialists the Sys Admin title.
PC support folks part swap on PC's and reimage windows.
They do not make technical decisions about configuration issues, design disaster recovery plans, implement security changes, write quick little snippets of code....
Where I currently work I am Programer not a System Admin/Manager because the Admin title is misused.
or Iron Chef IT
"Lacky"
A manager I once had the displeasure of working for once used to term in reference to some customer service colleagues. He was scum.
Technicalis Omnium Imperator
or,
Master of Things Digitized and Otherwise
or,
Electronic Information Steward
or,
Informatics Guardsman
I did not just spend two years on helpdesk so I could be a "Computer Infrastructure Practitioner". Think that's gonna scare anyone?
Carousel is a lie!
BOFH is more satisfying, but this may better fit the feel of the job. At the bottom line, the current titles are well enough understood. The alternatives sound like euphemisms, like "human resources" or "avoirdupoidenally gifted."
This one it's easy:
BOFH.
And it's a winning word for this three reasons
1. It's an acronym (HR loves acronyms)
2. It describes exactly your job function
3. Nobody except BOFHers know what BOFH means
and call them all Nerds.
A Multiplayer Strategy Game for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
"Systems Administrator"
sig
what's wrong with the current label of "IT" or "MIS"?
More useless buzzwords to make you feel important. The bosses won't raise your pay so it's a waste of time.
Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
While "manager" denotes job security, it also implies cluelessness.
This sig no verb.
... Hoofah Kingcares
-_-_-
There are 0x40000000 types of people: those who understand 32-bit IEEE 754 floating point, and those who don't.
"CHK- I have a question Nick. I'm trying to do this cordially, I just, I can't get the stupid e-mail attachment to open at all."
I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure the line was "I'm trying to do this quarterly" Which is some business accounting report BS or something.
In a word... root
MCSE's need not apply.
$0.02 (CDN)
What the hell is wrong with the title 'Systems Administrator' that it needs to be changed?
-- NeTMoNGeR
Choose
God spoke to me
(Well it beats Nerdy-Smelly-Guy-Who-Acts-Superior-To-People-Who-D o-Other-Stuff-Besides-Computers)
- major-to-CIS.
l -tired- of-starving-so-took-MCSE-exam
Or
Guy-who-flunked-programming-classes-so-switched
Or:
Former-liberal-arts-major-with-failed-nove
Consider that many of us are out on our arses in this econonmy. I would think it's better then telling our real title, Dishwasher.
Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23
CD Jockeys?
Complainers?
Printer paper replacers?
Etherjockeys?
Time to revisit the Geek Code! Life imitating art, I tell you what!
The REAL jabber has the user id: 13196
What you do today will cost you a day of your life
I've always wanted my offical title to be "System Overlord" if i was a SysAdmin. But since I'm only an intern for now, the name "Minion" fits well.
Where I work is heading down the ITIL road. Seems to me that now Management have sufficiently obfuscated what their roles are, they're now trying to invade our realm and hide our competencies. Given the ITIL model, we may become known as Configuration Management Specialists ;-)
Have a better one...
Jack
The most appropriate title for IT folk? Janitors. IT folk should not only be able to fix general computer problems, they should also be required to mop up vomit and broken eggs.
...I like being called Big Daddy.
To be serious for a moment, I could live with Network Guru or Captain of the Infrastructure. My favorite "dot-com boom" job title was "Great and Powerful Network Magician". I think that was at Peapod.com.
I saw the ad and knew I should never ever work at a place with such an absurd name for its employees... They also had stuff like "Perl/C++ Code Wizard".
Who did what now?
Its a bunch of systems. They administrate them. Simple.
..There's a-dooin's a-transpirin'
"Dateless Loser"?
-----
Posted AC, because author fits above description.
As in "kneel before Zod!".
Accept no substitutes.
Have you read the moderator guidelines? Well, have you, PUNK? (and I want a Karma: Gnarly option)
On the other hand, being "administrative assistant" highlights that you're someone's assistant. (as in "my bitch")
And who are you fooling anyways? By now, most people equate "administrative assistant" == secretary, anyways.
It doesn't matter. If sysadmins change their title to be X people will still refer to them as sysadmins. Just like "software engineers", "developers", "systems architect", etc. are still called "programmers" by most people.
I'm sick and tired of being the corporate whipping boy for the executive staff.
Co-worker.
At our company we call all SysAdmins: System Engineers. In some places in the US and Canada is it against the law to use the term Engineer in your title if you did not graduate from an accredited engineering school. However, in British Columbia there is no such law on the books so we are free to use it. When applying for jobs in other places it looks really good to have the title Engineer on your resume.
Uh, miracle workers?
I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.
...to be called a nerd!
Who's with me? Nerds, unite!
I'm for computer bitch, but not at my company.
The IT manager is almost 7' tall
...toward replacement of so-frustrating-you-want-to-throw-the-machine-out-t he-window OS's, I'd recommend the title of Systems Defenestrator.
you call them geeks.
that try to act smarter than me by fucking things up and sitting on their asses.
I've come up with a new term... SysOp
but Lord and Master works just fine with me...
but if that is not flattering enough we could have
/etc files)
Cable Monkey.
Software Engineer Hater
BOFH?
HUI (human user interface... for editing
Call them "computer runners", of course.
My full title is "He who must remain nameless."
I am cherished, yet feared. For why else can no one think of my name? Pass them in the hall, its "Hey, er...". I am a part of every project, but always left out of the credits.
My role is so integral to the operation of the building that it is simply assumed.
And that's what I keep telling myself to keep from going crazy.
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
How about Data Processing Specialist?
An oldie but a goodie.
"Klaatu, verada, necktie!" -Ash
I think what they are talking about is the group that encompasses sysadmins and everybody else who keeps computers running and communicating, and deals with people who use computers.
Life sucks, but death doesn't put out at all....
--Thomas J. Kopp
How about keeping their titles as they are, mm?
--
ES
Assistant Woodborne Datamedium Physical Repositioning Technician,
Department Of Inventing Euphemistic Career Titles,
elvendesigns.com
Marxist evolution is just N generations away!
This is *NOT* funny! Not even as sarcasm.
The preceding comment has been reviewed and declared to be compliant with HIPPA Phase II regulations.
I'm part of a group that makes sure that the servers our products run on stay happy.
I would call us collectively "Operations Administration"
May not be the proper term, but that's the one I say.
...if you still do the same job and make the same amount of money. Last year my title was changed from Network Administrator to Information Systems Manager, but I'm still an IT Department of one (kinda like "The Army of One"), still have total responsibility but absolutely no authority, still have no budget, and still have no pay raise.
The title and 50 cents can get me a cup of coffee. And I still would have to go to the owner of the company to get permission to spend money on the cup of coffee.
After all everyone (except sys admins) know programmers are always right. :)
Security engineers, pfft, they couldn't manage their way out of a wet paper bag let alone security.
Washed up coder? or MIS major?
eJanitor.
"My name is 'root.' But you can call me 'God'."
Unfortunately, that's *NIX specific. But from a (l)user perspective, we can drop the 'root' part and just have them call us God.
There has to be SOME reward to the job after all!
Never attribute to malice what can as easily be the result of incompetence...
The name is fine as is, and as one person suggests, the pufferization of jobs recently is ridiculous.
But what I've always found interesting is that I do work that's equivalent in many ways to an automechanic, plumber or other such craftsman. But they seem to get more respect than I do, probably because people can't live without them. From what I can tell they probably make more than me to. But the odd thing is that no one seems to think of computers as being as important as their cars or plumbing. How many people get disrespectful toward their auto mechanics or plumbers? At least where I live you hang onto them for dear life, once you've found a competent one. But how often does a Sysadmin get treated that way? I'm not treated badly mind you, and I'd have to say that I get treated better year by year. But I'm still a little puzzled that people don't consider us more important.
Of course part of it may be that cars and plumbing are personally important to people. Critical use of computers is still mainly in the workplace and most people somehow manage to not get as completely attached to their jobs as they do to their personal lives.
Our last IT director changed my title from Systems Administrator to Senior Network Engineer when it became apparent I was focusing on, and highly skilled at, routing, switching and all the rest of it - and moving away from all the Windows stuff in favor of Unix and Linux. I found the title very beneficial when he was sacked during a merger and the new IT director met the 'old' crew.
My counterpart in another office, same company, has the title Network Engineer, and told me it's about worthless without the Senior tacked onto the front of it. Yes, he got his title during the same raise / promotion period as I, and hasn't been with the company as long, and didn't work in the same office as the IT director. I think the title would fit him, and be a benefit within his office situation. But I recognize that there are things I've done that qualify me as Senior to him on the network team and enjoy the recognition the title gives.
The IT director who was sacked hired a fucktard to be a Sys Admin - his nephew-in-law. He did not get Junior or Assistant or anything tacked onto his title, and knew absolute dick about the job. I've got digital pictures of him slumped over his gut at his desk, asleep in the middle of the day, and his uncle in law couldn't have cared less.
I'll stop venting and get back to my point --
How do people feel about the little extra perky things glued to the usual titles? If there isn't a relative point - if there aren't juniors and seniors and vanillas, do they matter?
And what is more common or the better term - Systems Admin, or System Admin? Techies tend to shorten it to SysAdmin or BofH, but when writing it or choosing a business card...
Director of Technology and Information Systems ...NDA
How about CRAP (Computer repair and administration practitioner)? ;)
Quit playing Monopoly with Bill.
Linux - of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians are the model I'm suggesting here. These are people who install, maintain, and repair systems in their various fields. They are not engineers, but neither are they assembly-line workers: they take existing products and fit them to the customer's needs according to a plan and best practices. They plan and carry out maintenance, and do repairs. The lineman who fixes your telephone service when the storm knocks it out is a technician, not an engineer: he (or she) didn't design the thing, but he's trained in how to put it back into working order when it b0rks itself.
Another word, with some history in computer practice, is operator. The role this word referred to several years ago seems now to be filled mostly by junior sysadmins. The operator, as I understand it, was the guy who changed the backup tapes, swapped the disk packs, knew how to add users and police disk quota, but didn't necessarily have the deeper knowledge necessary to do involved repairs.
One difficulty is that computer jobs tend to encompass a wider range of tasks, including a lot of improvisation with whatever tools are suited to the worker's skills. Many of today's sysadmins doubtless know more about programming than electricians know about electrical engineering or most plumbers know about fluid dynamics -- though this does not mean that a computer technician is interchangeable with a programmer. The sysadmin needs little CS; the programmer had better have enough to tell a big-O analysis from a giant robot anime.
Take my job, for instance. I do some of what I'm calling computer technician work -- installing software, doing maintenance, responding to problems, planning backups. I have specific knowledge in computer security and do a range of tasks related, from firewall administration to advising sysadmins and programmers around the site. But I also have some CS background and I do more than a bit of programming myself -- some related to system administration, some to other site-specific needs. And then there's the technical writing.
One job title? Ten? I have no idea.
TechnoMage,
Brought to from B5.
Enjoy,
It's just the normal noises in here.
... as long as you have a nice, fat paycheck headed your way on a regular basis?
I know this because Tyler knows this.
Sounds like the big push that Quality Assurance Engineers suddenly embarked on to call themselves Quality Engineers. Like that made any difference.
Let's face it, in the real world, title means very little.
"God, root, what is difference?"
-- Pitr, User Friendly
Most places I've worked, everyone does a little of everything. This makes you sounds like people care what you have to say :)
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I was going to a tech show and they make you fill out your bio before slapping on a name tag. I was one of two 'computer guys' at my company and tired of all the usual titles, so I thought I'd do something different just because I knew this would end up in a marketing db somewhere. I wrote down "Alien Brain". I liked it. The lady behind the counter liked it too and I actually wore the name tag. So to this day (that was 4+ years ago) I get junk mail addressed to Alien Brain. Hmmmm I still kinda like the sound of it. Jason Alien Brain
Computing Custodian....
And look forward to your salary matching other building custodians shortly...
That was freakin' AWEsome!
Their new term should be "What the fuck am I doing? All I did was take a 2 week course on Windows!"
-------
"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."
-- George Orwell
I don't know about everyone else, but I'd feel even worse about explaining my job to friends when fielding the question: "so, whaddya do?" if I had to refer to myself as some type of "practicioner" or "generalist". Yeah, I'd hand plenty of business cards out with either of those words on them.
I don't particularly see what's broken with "system administrator". It dumbs down nicely to "computer person" or PHBs up to "IT (IS) staff" if need be.
Of course if we all call ourselves "generalist practicioners" maybe people will think that we're doctors. No longer will women tune out 30 seconds after meeting us and learning that we work with computers!
Perhaps at large companies you need this kind of overly structured classification of people / job titles for the 20 layers of management to chew on, but maybe the term "system administrator" is just fine and the managers are the ones that need to actually pay attention and learn who we are, what we do, and how we knew what naughty websites they've been surfing.
SAGE would then have to become CIPGE or CIGGE, both of which suck ass.
-nrmrvrk
Keine eier
my official job title at work of SSA, Senior Systems Admin with that of server monkey :) :)
Took the boss 14 months to notice it, but I got a raise anyways and it was not even fruit
errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
Shaman
Sigs are bad for your health.
Thats what we have to call ourselves where I work. More ppl should read BOFH
or Chipheads?
or Electroneers?
or Weownyous?
"with their freedom lost all virtue lose" - Milton
System Administrators... isn't that just what the people who flunked CS/CompEng are called after graduation? ;-)
What about those of us that are Software Developers by day, and System Administrators by night? I propose Computer Swiss Army Knife and later Senior Computer Swiss Army Knife. :)
Is IT Co-Ordinator
Mostly because I'm incharge or all things that plug in.. and some that don't (IE PABX, Mobile Phones, Photocopiers, Servers, Desktops, Network, Wireless, Planning, Budgeting, and the HelpDesk Lad..).
Because the industry doesn't understand what that title means, I call myself IT Administrator or Manager, depending on the situation..
"Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn't been good to you so far
Specialites:
Levels of Ability
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
--Dr.W.Edwards Deming
I can actually put "Genius" in my resume. The only downside is that most (non-Mac) people think I'm kidding.
--
$tar -xvf
it would be nice if job titles were more descriptive of their duties. as a network engineer (read ip guy) it annoys the piss out of me to see gobloads of jobs listed for network engineers only to find out they need someone to admin an exchange box.
The real question is what they want to use this title for. For a business card? For a resume? To explain what you do to the rest of the company? To explain what you do to the rest of the world?
Few have clear cut titles. Do you think "Software Developer" is specific or clear to anyone unfamiliar with you personally? What about "Product Development"? "Business Development"? In a big enough company these can mean pretty much anything.
So what do you say for your business card and resume? x Administrator or if you are in telecommunications you'd probably be a Technician. You have all sorts of space under your title on a resume to put descriptions; use it.
What do you have to explain what you do to the rest of the company? IT -> Department (Corporate, Internet, Service, etc.) -> Specialization (Systems, Network, Email, Security, UNIX, etc.) -> Administrator. Org charts don't work particularly well once you get to certain size, so invest in real people management software for goodness sakes.
What do you do to explain what you do to the rest of the world? Computer Infrastructure Management or just describe it for goodness sakes. "I make sure the email systems work."
The world is neither black nor white nor good nor evil, only many shades of CowboyNeal.
Level 20 Paladin of the network order. The last Worm I fought gave me +20 XP. Only need +100 to level up to 21.
Then you have good solid industry support for your skills and a ranking system to back up the raise you want! Just like in RPG, spending all night working on patching systems would gain you more XP than just waiting for things to go wrong. You can post rankings on battle.net where everyone can see how LEET you are!
Script kiddies could be level 1 theifs! and get XP for their expolits!
Elitest A-Holes? HAHAH
I've always wanted to be known as the Bastard Operator from Hell. After performing tech support for four years (through most of your teens), the name just draws you somehow.
What's this Submit thingy do?
What in the world do we call the collective group of those people who make computers work properly? ... I am thinking of... administrators,
Beats me. I've never been able to decide between a pulchritude of administrators or a rhumba of administrators.
To-do List: Receive telemarketing call during a tornado warning. Check.
B.O.F.H.
;)
Both accurate, AND a threat
I reprogrammed my phone at work to show "BOFH" in the id window when I have to call lusers back.
Corporatism != Free Market
The collective job is a mixture of changing the sheets, emptying the bedpans, dealing with the dilapitated, the demented and the elderly, funerals, autopsies, coroner's reports, pace makers, life support, and tense meetings with the next of kin.
Nurses and Orderlies. But mostly orderlies. Get over it.
"+5 Funny"
That's 'funny' as in 'gay'.
are the LAN Lords :)
Hyperom.com
Beezachez
Unix Monkey. I've always liked that one.
HOW ABOUT...
// Old time BBS Sysop
um, SYSOP?
"Client Services Specialist"...LOL!
Virgin Boy.
Would "Arrogant, Self-Righteous, Condescending Twinkie-Chugging Slashbot Loser" fit on a business card?
"Sanitary Engineer".
"Trademarks are the heraldry of the new feudalism."
The creepy guy with the Galadryl poster down the hall that resets my password.
-we don't have a sysadmin.
---
Because they are doing something vital, buddy. They have the skills and knowledge to keep the flow of business information going within the organization, help out clueless staff, and generally trouble shoot as situations arise. A vital job, in my humble opinion.
And its so easy to post as an Anonymous Coward, isn't it ?
My Two bits
Clive DaSilva Email: clive.dasilva@gmail.com Ubuntu 18.10 Kernel 4.18
[100% ISO 646 Compliant]
SVM, ERGO MONSTRO.
Computational Custodian?
Systems Custodian?
Really, a lot of what is done is maintanence for many that work in this area. I know it sure was when I did it for my old high school.
...BOFH ?
...was Technology Architect. Woohoo! Sysadmin or Network Admin works fine for me. BTW, WTF does Computer Infrastructure Specialist mean?.
The meme police, They live inside of my head
Software Sanitation Engineering Person.
It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.
If you hadn't replied with this, I would have, especially considering the suggestion several threads down of root. Instead, I get to mod you up. Yeah mod points :~>
'The line for the men's room at "Laser Floyd"'
Best title I've yet seen! Thank you.
Life sucks, but death doesn't put out at all....
--Thomas J. Kopp
if "/." was already in use, that would work. or how about ... yeah, dumb idea.
It's not easy in the face of policies that insist that all *nix machines be replace by Wintel, that e-mail be replaced by Bloated Goats, that site-to-site communications be firewalled to prevent CVS and FTP transfers, the removal (or "revision") of tools in the middle of projects, etc.
Lacking <sarcasm> tags,
Associate System Strategist / HOListic Engineer.
Check the initials.
Sanjayn Josh
Vineesh
Apu
Ranjit
Vinod
Ajeeth
Roga
Vindaloo
H1B
Ok, how about "sysadmin"?
Look, messing with the name of a job doesn't really serve any logical point.
If you're a janitor or a custodian, you still have to clean shit up off the floor when some idiot plugs the toilet.
If you're a sysadmin or a "CIS" whatever, you still have to keep computers running and deal with the occasional lusers.
How does changing the name make any difference?
"To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit." -Stephen Hawking
The field is most generically "Technology Husbandry" for those people involved in managing technological artifacts through their life cycles (by analogy with Animal Husbandry). Among the branches of the field are Mechanical Husbandry, Electronic Husbandry, and more specifically Computer Husbandry.
The main problem I have with this latter term is that most "computers" are used more for their communication mediation capabilities rather than strictly for computation in the classical sense. But, "computer" is the term we have and use.
The management of combinations of such components into networks is Reticulture (from reticular = netlike and analogy with agriculture or horticulture). So a "network administrator" is a reticulturist.
perl -e 'srand(-2091643526); print chr rand 90 for (0..4)'
Hr are not people
monkey
--Drunk as in Beer
I prefer God or Sir personally. But as long as I'm paid well, A.H. will do. For my business card, "Infrastructure Facilitator"
admining 1 linux pc is nothing like taking care of hundreds of solaris servers. you wouldn't know this, cuz you've never been real sysadmin.
Why not just call us Computer Janitors. That's really what we are.
We clean up everyone elses mistakes/crap.
independent systems consultant
Technological sanitation engineers.
Remember to expand your macros.
Infuriate left and right
I'm a system administrator, plain and simple.
For...he is the Kwisatz Haderach!
You can call me, God, for short.
"To those who are overly cautious, everything is impossible. "
Or mechanic?
Face it Sysadmin's are the blue color workers of the future.
As each generation grows up more and more comfortable with network architecture and server software, and as that architecture and software gets more commonplace, the "elite" skills of today will become the grub work of tomorrow. Much as car mechanics were important and well respected in the 30s, because of the sparsity of them, computer "mechanics" become less and less rare.
The average programmer now, myself included, can do anything our "IT" department does for us, and regularily do on a daily basis.
As you old-schooler's die off, more of us, those who grew up with a mouse attached to our hands, will replace you, and finally eliminate the need for you. You are only useful because others of your generation fear the computer. Once that fear is eliminated from the collective humna conciousness, you become obsolete.
Forget coming up with a better name for yourselves. "IT Professional" or "Sysadmin" is a lofty enough title for the nearly useless work you do, and I expect you'll all retire within 20 years anyway. Then you can call yourself whatever you want.
What do we call people who work in the IT function? How about information technologist?! Isn't that the definition of the title?
I've always had problems with titles like "expert" and "specialist" (even though my title contains the word specialist in it). Mainly because I don't believe in experts or specialist. People who actively WANT to be addressed by these titles are typically not very qualified to carry them. And in general, the titles are quite misleading. I'm VERY GOOD at what I do, but I am no expert or specialist by any means. Anyone who has the pride to think that they can fill those titles is delusional.
I've always preferred "admin" myself since it carries the correct ring of authority, but still stops at classifying the holder as a complete expert. The problem is that a lot of suits don't like it because they feel it's their term. I remember once proposing to a former employer that they change my title from "Technology Specialist" to "Network Admin" since that's what I really was. they balked at that. But about a year later, the employer conceded that it was a legitimate title and more fitting of what I did. Their hesitance seemed to have to do with the fact that they felt that the word "Administration" applied to the suites on the top floor and not with the grunts on the ground floor. (Or in the basement as was my case at the time)
On the other hand, some other titles that might fit are:
-IT Manager (as in, the manager of the information technology used by others)
-Digital Information Stylist (tongue in cheek here folks)
-AEtherlord (OK... now I'm going way over the top)
One particular title I can't STAND is "Knowledge Manager". These guys are typically suits who wish they knew about technology but are really an obstruction standing between the computers and the people who know how to ue them. It's sad because Knowledge Management really DOES have a real purpose, but it's been co-opted by the middle managers who want to "orchestrate" things they don't understand. (And schmooze and play golf three days of every work week)
Just my $.02
Un-news
3:15am.
Then I re-read it. What do you call them?
Nevermind then. Wrong answer.
You are checking your backups, aren't you?
One of the 2^32 hats I'm required to wear at my job is lead sales engineer which gets me the title "Senior Engineer" just to scare the feeble prospects when I hand them my card... it was once suggested in a sales meeting that my title be changed to "Distributed Enterprise Applications Specialist" to which I just shook my head and left the room, though "DEA Specialist" would have been fun now that I think about it.
I was always fond of being called, "Captain Duct Tape".
"Oh my god, the fileserver is offline, we need Captain DuctTape!".
It does have a nice ring to it.....
Everybody Wang-Chung tonight!
The term that should replace System Administrator should be Idiot Manager. Seems like the majority of time your keeping one idiot or another of the system. or helping them get on. =]
Information Systems Technician.
...did i just say that?
For once the Navy is right about something.
Drop me a line at:
Key ID: 0x54D1D809
Some call me...Tim?
we're all just called "hey, aren't you on the helpdesk?"
That's my title ... self-granted after my manager chose to delineate the role I have from the role of "The Systems Administrator", who looks after the Unix/Linux/Oracle side of things. We both do Network Administration, and both cross over into each other's areas (much to his chagrin), but my title much more accurately describes my role in the organisation.
Of course, they're about to change all this and make both of us "System Administrator", and merge our responsibilites. They claim to be about to spend money on us for training and such, but we'll see!
/* Linus is The One
Advanced Systems Specialist, Human OnLine Engineer
What's my Karma Mr. Burns? "Excellent"
I'm referred to by my friends as the resident computer nerd. We call the labs at school the "nerdery". I refer to my major--cs--as nerd studies. I think this is the best description for a layman because it's simple and funny. And yes, it will get you laid :).
Rooting for the yankees is like rooting for herpes.
Why not
He who makes the computer work?
Digital Sorcerer?
Practitioner of Digital Voodoo?
Matt
Once upon a time my wife was a systems engineer. She engineered large defence systems for a gov't contracter and dealt with components and suppliers and integration and testing and documentation. Nothing to do with computers or networks.
Now that everyone who knows what a book looks like calls themself an engineer, it was only a matter of time before non-engineers began calling themselves systems engineers.
I suppose the arguement could be made that sysadmins are "computer system engineers", but there is no excuse to steal someone else's title. Go steal "computer engineer" as no real electrical engineer would call himself that.
Today, if my wife does a job search on her title, she gets a thousand hits for things she's never heard of.
technicians - perhaps a little too broad, but still accurate.
If someone called me a "computer infrastructure :-)
practitioner", I'd probably hit them.
Anytime that someone is asking for me as "the sysadmin",
or for that matter by any title, it is usually for bureaucratic bs.
When someone really wants to get something done,
they ask for me by name. It gets around.
This is not quite offtopic... kind of a lateral topic... a little step to the side.
Is it just me or has the computer industry/populace usurped the words system and technology?
I mean... shouldn't a System Administrator be called a Computer Administrator? That's what s/he does! Hell... the grass in my lawn is a system (biological)!
And what about technology? Since when have computers BEEN technology. I don't mean to say that their not technological... I mean, since when has TECHNOLOGY referred to computers and only computers? (ref. the TECH SECTOR)
I'm not a sys admin myself... but I have to say that you guys need to start from scratch if your looking for a new title!
Geek
... an inside joke for those who have seen the CDW commercial. See Fred's website.
I just started a new job recently. The title "Senior Engineer" seems to be generic enough. My boss, "Directory of Technology", works with all sorts of technology: systems, networking, database, phones, stereo, air conditioning, etc.
When applying for work experience I listed my job as a paperboy as a Newspaper Distributor
Just usually use the normal titles:
Nerd
Geek
Computer Guy
And after you fix something that the (l)user thought impossible (like changing the wallpaper or running ad-aware):
God
Genious
networks and computers are systems therefore an administer of those system is a system administrator. Don't be so dumb!
Bastard operator from hell!!
And his underlings, the PFY (pimply faced youth), and Management.
Try "root". Anyone who works with real computers will instantly figure that one out. It's also really easy to fill out on business cards.
Bastard Operator from hell! And his underlings, PFY (pimply faced youth) and of course, Management.
Easy:
Unemployed
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
I've loved the term "Technomage" ever since I first heard in on B5. It just seemed so - right somehow, since most customers/users/non-teks think what we do is akin to black magic anyway.
I've managed to keep Technomage on my business cards - even after two-dot bombs, mostly because I keep asking for the title. I still think it's more descriptive of my actual job function than most.
Do I need a title change? I've changed the names I use online more frequently than my title. :)
I use "Senior Systems Administrator". If anyone questions what that includes, the answer is "yes". As far as I'm concerned, the full description is "The person directly responsible for any event within any part of the company."
I'm the company psycharist, listening to people's personal problems.
I'm the company mechanic, fixing broken cars in the parking lot.
I'm the company plumber, fixing broken sinks usually.
I'm the general handyman, fixing little things here and there.
I'm the electrical repair guy, changing fuses in microwaves, and repairing broken speaker wires.
I'm a customer support rep on occasion, when stupid calls get handed off to me.
I'm the always-available tax consultant.
I'm the free and usually right legal advice department (go find a lawyer, dammit)
I'm the company librarian, who can always point you to the right book or reference.
I'm the senior transportation coordinator, when someone needs a ride somewhere, or equipment needs transported between locations. Usually that also makes me the company driver too.
I'm the company accountant, explaining bills from various vendors to the boss, or even the vendor. (ask UUNet why they billed us $30k for a line they never installed).
I'm the air conditioning repair guy, resetting thermostats, replacing broken thermostats, repairing electrical problems in the A/C unit, and diagnosing further problems. I also end up designing ways to cool overheated rooms, and counsel people who are always too hot or too cold, and very frequently both.
And now on to more reasonable tasks.
I'm the printer and copier tech, fixing paper jams and cleaning rollers.
I'm Microsoft Technical Support (tm), helping every poor user who's MSIE, Outlook, or Windows (tm) product that doesn't work right. Oddly enough, Unix and Mac users don't come to me whining like the Windows users do.
I'm the bastard that has to explain that Microsoft programs do crash, and you will have to accept this. It doesn't matter to me that you worked on an Excel Spreadsheet for 6 hours before your machine blue-screened. No, I can't save your data when your machine is locked up. Yes, you should have saved it.
I'm the LAN specialist, diagnosing every time someone kicks a cable out of the wall.
I'm the Nortel tech, configuring, reconfiguring, and yet reconfiguring again the phone systems.
I'm the tech that cleans up the mess after you try to subcontract out the work for the phone system, and he leaves all the lines down and says "I don't know, maybe you need an upgrade. That'll be $6,000".
I'm the PC tech, repairing every little hardware problem they may have. No, covering all the holes on your PC to make it quieter is *NOT* a good idea (had that last week)
I'm the monitor repair guy, resizing you screen because you played with the buttons too much.
I'm the mouse repair man, cleaning the guk out of your mouse.
I'm the bastard that has to explain that when your drive crashes, the files are gone. And I love listening to users complain that they had their life's work on there, and I absolutely *HAVE* to get it back. Bribes don't help drive crashes, they tell me you think I'm lying to you.
I'm the Cisco engineer, who selects your routing hardware, and then configures it.
I'm the hardware engineer who selects the parts, and builds the servers to handle the requested capacity.
I'm the guy that uses a hammer, torch, and dremel to make your old case accomodate your new hardware, just because you refuse to do the simple thing and buy the right case.
I'm the network engineer who makes a network that'll handle your load, and laughs when you want a GigE lan for your 2 workstations on a 384K DSL.
Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
On my business cards reads "Systems Engineer" but I like to call myself around the office "The guy that cleans keyboards" people leave me alone when they ask me what I do for living but it does not go well with chicks.
I think the name "Systems Administrator", though not completely descriptive, caught on very nicely and is pretty close to what all the people described above do.. You administer the system, the infrastructure upon which people work, that gives them the services they need to work.
:)
And I'll add something a senior manager told a friend of mine once: When there's nothing wrong with the systems, network, etc., everyone asks: "What do we need the operators and admins for??", and on the other hand, when there's a malfunction and everyone's staring at the screen and can't work until it's fixed, everyone asks: "What do we need the operators and admins for??"
And I think there's no tech support/admin guy here that won't nod his head reading this... To either direction.
I do have to confess I really detest that word. When I see "Administrator" I think button-pusher and tape-changer. In companies with larger IT shops I've found the more senior techies get titles that end in "Engineer". The "Engineer" moniker suggests that you are involved in designing infrastructure, not just care and feeding.
I used to be a "Senior Server Engineer", but since I'm at a start-up now I've been busted down to a mere "System Administrator"
As far as a more generic title for the group of IT folks, I'd suggest "Operations Engineers", or perhaps "Information Operations Engineers" if you need to be more specific. Of course, if you're absolutely allergic to "Engineer" you can always go with "Administrator". Bleh.
Sarah
being a sysadmin is paying back your debt to society.
helping other people out while you get shit on, steped on and overlooked/under paid. a good system admin is one who is never noticed. for some people that is very sad but I like it in a sick kind of way.
Why not call us geeks? Either that or Studs..
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= - The Celtic - =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Three and four letter ones.. FUCK - Frail Underqualified Computer Kids ASS - Absolutely Senseless Support GAY - General Administrator Yanker and so on..
<^>_<(ô ô)>_<^>
Ell Oh Ell, Semicolon Right Parenthesis!
N4st0r, trixx0r h0bb1tz0rz! Th3y st0l3 0ur pr3c10uzz!
Isn't it obvious...hacker. I mean it in the original MIT sence of the word.
"It is not how things are in the world that is mystical, but that it exists." -Ludwig Wittgenstein
Since when has anyone put SAGE in charge of terms to be used, this is insane. The term 'system administrator' could not just be replace. Not even M$ could pull that one off, the terms works because the administer over whatever you might also call them managers. Network Manager or something to that effect but just because your getting bord of the same old thing or need something to write about you don't need to start spouting out rubish about how you want to change the way everyone speaks. Oh why not change the work light to cake, so from now on when everyone says cake they mean light and visa versa ok.....
Knowledge Paladin
Bit Wizard
Binary Thaumaturge
Infotech Amalgamation Expert
Net Sherif
Information Highway Patrol
Uh, never mind... Those aren't funny.
I like System Administrator myself.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
technologist
or 'computer technologist'
Steve's Computer Service, Hobbs, NM
God
At the University of Chicago, we all had the general title of "Information Technologies Associate" if one was maintaining computing systems... As I understood it, ITAs were subdivided into categories from 5 through 10... 5 being a librarian or computer operator; 6 being a programmer or systems engineer of sorts; 7 being a systems administrator; 8 being a network administrator; 9 being a director; 10 being a VP or divisional head....
Don't you just love the 1984ness of it all? (We actually had a network monitoring computer called "Big Brother")
At my office, I am the only admin over about 200 workstations, 10 servers (5 remote co-loc) and a bunch of hp printers. I also get to do all networking, cat 5, rack setup and switch/hub/router config. On top of that I get to do access, foxpro (barf), sql 6.5 and 2k and more.
Lucky me.. I make less than the avg school teacher in my area, and I don't get paid vacations and 3 month summer breaks.
And think what the girls would think when they read your business card ;-) You'd have it made when you're just the 'Assistant Computer Infrastructure Practitioner" - some may even think you're some kind of 'computer' doctor!
No sig for you! Come back one year!
Those guys down the hall that don't seem to care about titles.
-=sig=-
W3C Standard For Job Titles? But what if I applied to Microsoft? No one would be able to read my resume!
Crikey, look at the soize ah this one!
Ron Paul 2012
The word is admin or sysadmin. You all have been using it yourselves. In fifty years it will be a real word, like 'locksmith' or 'email.' I think John Doe, Sysadmin, sounds alot better than John Doe, Network Systems Infrastructure Technology Engineer, or whatever.
Everyone just calls me SAFH ;)
Business \Busi"ness\, n.;
A scam in which all people involved perceive as beneficial...
Of course, it's unclear if this title implies that one is a clueless manager or someone with exceptional managment skills...
-tpg
code monkey?
> admins are nothing but plumbers of the internet.
Does that mean butt-crack is now part of business casual?
Seriously... so what? SAs might be the "plumbers of the internet", but guess what? When your pipe's leaking crap all over your bathroom, you call a plumber and give him lots of money to make it stop.
Kinda like those 3am pages to stop the spammer who's relay-raping your system or spank the skr1pt k1dd13 r00ting your webserver.
nt
babysitter.
I told my boss I _tried_ to take a class that was inline with my job duties, but they wouldn't let me hang out that long with a bunch of 14 year old girls.
just "admin" (where the term is no longer an abbreviation of "administrator" but a separate word denoting someone who maintains computers).
Granted it is normally CEO but a long title if used enough could be abbreviated as well. Example: RHCE
Help fight continental drift.
We really only need two titles: Hacker Lamer
BOFH
This is a tautology.
Electronic Janitor
That's what I call mine: "Hey, hit up the weenie, he broke something." Me? Since I'm the main developer and user of our systems, as well as in charge of Making Things Work, I'm Uber-Weenie. I think you could go with multiple levels:
Junior Weenie
Assistant Weenie
Weenie
Senior Weenie
Uber Weenie
Lord High Weenie
... And that title is reboot monkey.
--
Mad science! Robots! Underwear! Cute girls! Full comic online! http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/
Oh, a skript kiddie, the worst koind!
Shouldn't that be: Crikey! A script kiddie! ? :)
"Wow, you're like some kind of superhero able to ward off happiness and success at every turn."
-- Ryan Stiles
dont you mean Steve Irwin? that should be a title unto itself.
My main confusion is that the title of "network engineer" has somehow come to mean "Windows admin that might know what a packet is". I look through job listings trying to find a pure networking gig (where I have very little to do with the nature of the packets going over the network...I just make sure they get from point A to point B) and it seems the title of Network Engineer now involves Active Directory. I suppose I should learn that stuff, but I'd rather stick to networks....
"Where quality is like a dead stinking rat - you just can't miss it."
LAN BITCH - Lots of Aspirin Normally Basically I'm Totally and Completely Helpless
I work for a small non-profit school. I'm responsible for our networks, desktops, servers, security, application roll-out, systems planning, budgeting, and purchasing, IP telephony, standard PBX telephony, internet connectivity and more recently.....database application development. People call me when stuff breaks, and I do staff training, so I guess i'm help desk as well.
My job title is "IT coordinator".
-ted
Oh, give me a freakin' break!
Calling it an "uncontrolled descent into terrain" doesn't stop it being a flippin' plane crash!
I may want, in some of my darker delusions of grandeur, to be a "information systems architecture specialist," but what I am is a programmer.
"Systems administrator" is a perfectly clear, lucid, and honorable title. "Lord Emperor of the Packets" will just have to wait.
For the love of Pete, already! Get over yourself!
Name it...I end up doing it. Whether it's writing a shell script or fixing someone's mac running Windowx XP in Virtual PC just so they can access the system I administer. My Title has System Administrator in it, but I do so much more (including Mainframe Operations...). The weird thing is most of our network runs on Novell (ick) and our Novell admins have no ambition to move beyond it. We have Novell Admins and System Admins. All of the stuff that existed before the start of our move to UNIX for production was done on the mainframe with exception of DNS, File and Print Sharing, and infrastructure (Fiber, Cat 5 and switches....). The funny thing is we have to go to the Novell admins to get an IP. In any case, Titles ae trite things that try to describe the undescribeable. If you have a SA that all they do is SA, well, get rid of him! ;)
Gorkman
propellerheads!
Call us what we are: "Hackers" (as in people who troubleshoot and solve problems, find new ways to do things better, teach computers to do new things, etc.), and recognize the most challenging and rewarding part of the job.
"This is Joe, our senior Hacker."
No? Oh, all right, then, how about "Technomage"?
"This is not a sig." -- R.
Damn, that's sweet. I just want my stapler back.
Computer Laboratory Information Technology Operators Responsible for Information Systems?
(To re-work a classic Red Dwarf joke)
GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
You obviously haven't been doing this for very long.
'What in the world do we call the collective group of those people who make computers work properly?'
why god of course.
IMAGE VERIFICATION IS EVIL!
I have to say, at the last big company I worked for it was "mainframe guys", "network guys", "web guys", "techs"... and this was INSIDE the IT department everyone else in the company said "CTS" (Charter One Technology Services.)
Just we called them HR or Client Services, Business Banking...
Not sure if this will get read or not, but this interests me and I could use a few suggestions. Right now I call myself "Crazy IT Woman" or "Mac Girl" or "what the hell do you want, I'm still finishing my coffee", but I know I can't do that forever...
:)
My school has a slightly different system of majors and programs of emphasis--you're given considerable freedom to shape your own major as long as it's reasonable and approved of by the department heads. You can call it what you want, too. I started out as a Communication majors with a minor in IT, but that got boring for me. I wanted more computers. So I cut back a bit on the fluffy Communication/Social Psychology stuff and picked up about...oh...fifteen credits more of Comp Sci courses. Throw a REALLY hefty chunk of IT in there and a bit of business/management, and voila, you have my major.
Thing is, I don't know what to call it. I'm sure as hell not a Communication/IT major, because I cut back on the fluffy crap and grabbed some comp sci. But I'm not straight IT, either. Oh, and I've been employed for the last three years doing various computer lab assistant/helpdesk stuff, and most recently, PC technician work with my department. Over the next four months, till school begins again in fall, I will be a full-time technician (which basically means "bitch they give eleven bucks an hour to for anything from running cable to swapping out RAM to doing our OS X rollout to figuring out why the new science center's WLAN is down").
So what do I call it? Help me.
--Theresa
Read my stupid webcomic.
Angry IT woman in big clompy boots. And talking lint!.
a company I was with a few years back decided to "broadband" all our job categories, and give us all net titles. My title was "Professional" ... just that, nothing else. So, I just had to ask...
whats the title of the guy in the office down the hall, who is one "level" below me?? Amateur?
Didn't go over very well...
And, of course, what do I put on my business card?
According to the manager (in our staff meeting), you could put down whatever you wanted. So, I said "ok, I want my cards printed up with 'Senior VP of Information Technology'."
That didn't go over very well either.
A year or so later, all the titles changed again. Then I was "Sr. Client/Server Systems Support Technologist II". Gotta have that "II" after it. The "amateur's" title down the hall from me was so long it got truncated off the end of the line on the letter from HR informing us what the new titles were. He was a "Technolo".
Title only really matters when you are looking for your *next* job. Then someone is going to be trying to figure out what level you are by that silly title. Too bad, I think a good corporate-wide standard would be a wonderful thing.
For the last year, all of my contacts with IT have been damage control: I've been on the defensive, trying to keep some pitiful remnant of what was once a productive environment.
Err - sounds a lot like a PHB so far.
It's not easy in the face of policies that insist that all *nix machines be replace by Wintel,
We pray for your souls.
that e-mail be replaced by Bloated Goats,
maybe i've had too many pints (maybe??!) but wtf is BG?
that site-to-site communications be firewalled to prevent CVS and FTP transfers,
well, duh. haven't you heard of ssh, ipsec and vpn?
the removal (or "revision") of tools in the middle of projects, etc.
s/the removal (or "revision") of tools/changes to anything/
don't these fscking people go through change control?
You need to take my Grammar Quiz.
Why not to use the old and tried name for all those guys: BOFH, I say!!!
I prefer "root" -- no one questions my existence.
i'm a Systems Templar too, but all problems are caused by ONLY TWO THINGS:
1) Users downloading kinky porn
2) Microsoft Exchange viruses
Easy. Problem with network connectivity? Sounds like Exchange is infected again.. might also wanna check some users I don't like for nasty porn too, boss. Whatcha think?
At my office "Systems Enginear", (part of a global consulting house that will remain nameless to protect the guilty). we have just Programers and Systems Enginears as technical people.
I.e. If you work with the technology and are not actualy a programer. You are a Systems Enginear.
--= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?
till we find some.
I am a recovering sysadmin. :)
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
Digital Warrior or Chaos Warrior
Mutilate
I hunt
Destroy
Plunder
Create
Design
Conspire
Burn
Ill do anything to fix anything, to get things ship shape before the next shift.
DRACO-
Consider yourself blessed if you are sneezed on by a dragon and only get wet, it could have been a fireball.
system operator.
At my office, I and 1 other fellow manage everything electronic for our small business. We manage a Lucent Definity phone switch, 2 voice T's and 1 data T, all the database and mail servers, all the databases themselves, including custom stored procedures, run all backups, build/repair all computers, install/repair/troubleshoot/helpdesk all software, install phones and fax machines, run network/phone lines, and generate database reports.
Can somebody please tell me what my official title is/should be?
I actually like my current title, as far as those things go...Chief IT Architect. Of course, I'm still also known as "The Computer Guy."
At a previous job, I made the progression in titles of Systems Engineer, Sr. Systems Engineer, Director of IT, and then VP of IT. Pretty spiffy title to end up with, but the kicker is that my job pretty much stayed the same the entire time. I only got to add doing client-facing meetings and some occasional power points or excel sheets. Most of the time I was left to do the real engineering work.
Regardless, my favorite title of all time has to be "Pixel Pusher." That was just a great business card to have.
-buf
In the case of slashdot, "The anonymous coward."
BTW, in a way, "the ghost in the machine" that makes all these computers run successfully, is strangely reminiscent of the Automat, that old restaurant with automatic machines that produced your food. You found the machine with the food you liked; you put in your nickels, and turned the crank. All kinds of excellent food were there, and only one employee, a woman who exchanged nickels for dollars.
Of course, what you didn't realize was that the "machines" were just highly decorated doors. The employees were all *behind* the machines, stocking them, making sure that they worked, probably a few of them were paid to turn the selection when you pressed the "turn" button, for all I know.
As much effort as it takes to keep a computer running, the computer seems strangely like that fictitious automatic restaurant that was so popular in the early 70's.
If you are in NYC, there's one on 5th Avenue. There also was an excellent article in Smithsonian, about 2 years ago.
Correct Horse Battery Staple: 72 bits of entropy. Enter "Correct H" into google. When it generates the phrase, that's
I prefer "root" -- no one questions my existence.
Except that "root" is a crude euphemism for sex in Australia, which results in some strange looks from people when they look over my shoulder while I'm doing SysAdmin tasks.
Slashdot readers?
Q: What's the difference between a System Administrator and God?
A: God doesn't walk around thinking he's a System Administrator.
... or how do you say "I'll work my ass off for nothing" in Hindi?
Slashdot Eds Link Anonymous Posts With Logged Posts
They Are Vermin Feeding On Each Other's Feces.
I Hate \.
or PFY, wherever you are on the food chain...
How about:
Alternatively, I don't see what's wrong with "System Administrator"
How about "Macro Computer Scientist", who deals with the interactions between various pieces of software, and we call developers "Micro Computer Scientists", because they deal with what's inside the programs. (Much like the similar differences in economics, and in biology)
It's the old "What do you tell your barber" bit... There's just no way to properly convey the fact that you are a god in terms that they understand. "Computer Administrator" is about the best you can do, but if you're a *nix sysadmin, you're probably going to have to live with the fact that the closest approximation to your position in their experience is the CompUSA/BestBuy salesman and/or the helpdesk at their ISP.
Depressing, no?
you can call me whatever you want, just don't call me late for dinner.
But Templar is very very good.
Here, in the Netherlands, they are called System Managers or Network Managers
Yuioup
Seriously, fates of so many people rest in the hands of SysAdmins, so why not call them by what we really are Bastard Operators From Hell. (The younger ones can be called PFY's).
:)
If you think im flamin or dont know what im talking about, here is a little funny reading material down @ register
Live for the present, learn from the past, and dream of the future!
But I like "Digital Janitor" - maintains, cleans and ensures the workspace is in good condition - when something goes wrong, you call him first. If he can't fix it, you have to pay a specialist to come in. - cleans up after idiots who can't be bothered to learn basic etiquette (digital, that is) -but mostly, those coveralls would be WAY more comfortable than the suit and tie crap, and they have better pockets, too. Why try to look and sound like management when you actually work for a living?
I consider this an artificial null discussion. I consider myself a systems administrator, short sysadmin, doing most of the jobs that Rob outlined. Everybody identifies a sysadmin as a sysadmin, and we sure don't need to use a certain amount of brainpower for that while there are truly more important fish to fry. Duh. Does Rob have a PR problem?
open (SIG, "</dev/zero"); $sig = <SIG>; close SIG;
Seriously. Why? Because sysadmins want to be LEFT ALONE. 99% of the time, if there's a problem, a good sysadmin is already aware of it and figuring out what the problem is. And usually it's the asshole who's causing the problem who's phoning (emailing, contacting the boss) to complain.
Pretty obvious from this discussion who's a sysadmin and who's a fucking "programmer" who whines about his/her Perl (Java, PHP, C, whatever) program not being able to run when it's already maxed out a machine with 4 CPUs and 1GB of memory. And five minutes later, he or she wants the "program" uploaded from a development system to a production system as an "emergency fix." Riiiiight.
thats so true.. but I find with the endless explanations and bullshit to cover up a problem that stems from piss poor network planning in the first place.. there only ever response to 'how can we fix this' is a shed load of money.. sad.. really fucking sad.
Unix admin: "Hacker"
Windows admin: "Mouseclicker"
Simple as that.
-smurk
> Any pompous sysadmin who asks me for a title upgrade
No good sysadmin cares about the fucking title, asshole.
>With 10 days of moderate OJT, any Jack or Jill off the street can do what most sysadmins do
Ah, now it makes sense. You're running Windows "Professional", and you can hire people out of (still in?) high school to run your systems. You don't have sysadmins, you have "point-and-clickers".
> without the holier-than-thou attitude toward their customers (the users).
Sure, you want to pay me to help your secretary remember her password, which is probably the name of her fucking dog? Or to help you remember where you downloaded that document? Or do you want me instead to keep things running smoothly so the hundreds of other people in the company can get something done?
> leaving strategic decisions to managers who have an actual clue about the business world.
Nothing like narcissism, eh?
Komputer Infrastructure Systems Specialists...
:-)
Why? Sp people can ask HR to 'Give us a KISS'...
At my company we were filling out some forms at a meeting and it was asking for my job title. Everyone looked at me wondering what I would pick. I had quite a large choice: Microwave Repair Man, Vending Machine Technician, Security Camera Guy, Phone Monkey, WAN Admin, Sys Admin, DB Admin, Lead Programmer, Accounting system admin, Help Desk Manager, and Shoulder to Cry On. I ended up putting down whatever they made up for me when they printed by business cards: Technical Director.
-R
I am the IT Development Director (boring) but we hired my buddy for half a year and named him the Systems Integration and Evolution Director. Barely fit on the card but boy did it sound good.
Success without humility is an indulgence in arrogance
Or "Sammi" ?
Or "Salami" ?
I encourage my users and boss to call me God.
If they don't, I smite them with a false shell.
Listening for the sound of the coming rain...
To be honest
I think this is a classic example of the rampant egos that are beginning to once again dominate IT. Who CARES what we are called? And WHY should the title SysAdmin change? After all, be you someone who sets up a LAN, WAN, Linux computer, router, bridge, or whatever...you still ARE a System Administrator. Let's all get over the catchy titles and cool sounding job descriptions. If you're in it for the name you're in the wrong business.
Tux
Anthony Papillion
Advanced Data Concepts, Inc.
"Quality Custom Software and IT Services"
It's the Benevolent Operator From Heaven!
/Styx
I lose sleep when people such things. Terrible things. Dreadful things. Things I pretend are just superstition in a vain attempt to maintain hope.
I dont care what my job title it as long as the first words out of a (l)users mouth is
'hi' or 'Hello'
before they go off on one.....
Kingdom of Loathing (www.kingdomofloathing.com) Addicted is me
If you're talking about what the users call you, why not just give them your name? "Hi, I'm Joe. I work in IT." To your users, it doesn't really matter what your corporate title is.
though a touch grandeur
in place of a raise?
TechJanitor
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.
I worked on Minitel in France in the 80's.
Interestingly, French is a very rigid language and doesn't allow for new or invented words very easily. However, there was a term that was widely used to describe those very people:
SysOp = System Operator
Ironically, Microsoft seems aware of this fact as the web address sysop.com is registered to them.
This is my witty quote. There are thousands more, but this one is mine.
You may refer to me as 'root', my job title is 'systems administrator' (sysadmin). Failure to refer to me by my correct title my have a detrimental effect on the operation of your computers and confidential nature of any email correspondance passing through MY servers.
I hope that puts an end to redundant ideas about re-titling my job with some pretentious and overly verbose name.
thankyou,
root
"Guru"
Since these people are really super and work in heterogenous networks and technoolgies they should be called.
Super Heterogenous Information Technologists
"Hi I am Sam and I really like my SHIT job"
O this learning! What a thing it is - William Shakespeare
...anything beats the names I was called bartending... but hey Administrative Analyst sure beats what "clients" did call me... not to mention keeps my clients sharp with full mugs of coffee!
||| I still can't believe Parkay's not butter.
Short, catchy and means you deal with computers.
What is this title change all about anyways? It can only be because a "sysadmin" already sounds bad. Everybody needs them, nobody wants to be one. Hell, who wants to be needed? You can't finish any job in silence because you are constantly beeing bothered with "I can't print", "compiler doesn't compile", "compare this product with that one" or some other form of interruption. Nobody lets you develope software, since you are sooo good at _using_ software.
And the best: licenses. Oh, they are the greatest thing in the world. First you have to get people to order the right ones. No, not the cheapest, they are for schools. And please, order 1 x 10 and not ten times one license. And then you have to figure out how to get them to work. As if I want to do that.
Pioneer Weizenbaum once said computers will become part of our daily life just like light bulps and the electric motor.
Guess who replaces light bulps or an electric motor of the sun shades in our building?
Sven
They can call me DOGBERT ... nei bother..
In the old days it was called OS.
Operating Systems on mainframes used to do the job automatic
What do you call a sysad? Depends.
There are four major species of Unix sysad:
HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR:t ml
http://www.fsf.org/fun/jokes/know.your.sysadmin.h
...Server Farmer. We call this raised floor room with racks and racks of computers, the Server Farm, so what else would you call the people who take care of them? We fed and "water" and grow and cull them. And for gawdsakes, do NOT abbreviate it!
Computer/Network Maintenance Chief?
(spelling?)
Bithead.
used the email address god@heaven.com. But I prefer eMinions.
Well, being in graphics and prepress, I have always used "Pixel Jedi". It says what I do, and it also says that yes, I can be self-depricating about my general nerdiness... So how about...
"Silicon Jedi"
We are the Priests, of the Temples of Syrinx,
All the gifts of life are held within our walls.
Rush
Enjoy it - you've got 109 years until a guy with a guitar shows up and you're screwed...
Scapegoat.
Seems like the title should fit the job description. After all, servers and workstations rarely crash themselves. IT people always get the blame when someone can't work because they screwed something up on their own system. And lets not even talk about budget scapegoating!
With discussions like this it is very clear why more sysadmins read Slashdot than SAGEwire. At least Slashdot has some "stuff the matters".
Information Technology Engineer
-Mr. Pager
-The guy chain smoking
-Old Sleepless
-We-fear-him-but-we're-doomed-without-
-Coolie on Duty
-"Sir"
Cole's Law: Thinly sliced cabbage
Janitor....
Think about it. We clean up after people, re-arrange furniture and equipment, and are called when it's time to take the trash out....
If this title offends you, then try Facilities Engineer......
i typically go with "computer information specialist". I have a lot of information about the computers being used, and i tend to spend a large chunk of my day handling information. examples of which being: some less knowledgeable employees ask me to unzip archives; I give information on how to print (i don't necesarilly do the printing, but i give information ABOUT printing); installing hardware, such as a hard drive (which has to do with making information accessible).
the topic suggests "Computer Infrastructure Specialist" which has some great advantages, however. there are many things which don't necesarilly have anything to do with information, and are infrastructure specific. such as adding users, and repairing devices (like mouses and speakers), running cable, and other tasks which have more to do with DOING things, and less to do with KNOWING things.
maybe CIIS would work? computer information and infrastructure specialist? or just shrink boths words to one concept of INF: like CIS, Computer Inf Specialist.
ok, so, administrators are just plumbers. so are you suggesting plumbers aren't important? and you'd jolly better not call just some repairman to come fFix that leaky fFaucet. you're just as likely to get a roofer or a stonesmith. it's a profession. a specialized, well paying, fFundamentally important position.
if it's not so important, then why do i have ex employers calling me every week asking me about their networks?
It's what I put on my tax return.
How about "Nick Burns, Your companies computer guy!"
It's an SNL reference for those of you who don't stay up that late.
I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.
-Xenocrates
the one linux machine in the sea of windows machine, that's what it's called...
Kind of like me, one computer savry (nerd) guy in a sea of ehh... the other kind
Systems Secretary is more accurate. Cause face it you jump the minute your damn server pages you. And if the server messes up who gets blamed, you do.
...Geekenstein since I work at a relatively big company and do nearly everything computer related. What about that? ;-)
My good sig is in the laundry
I think root will work well.
Think about it, administrator's too close to something that sounds like a secretary and it sounds like you do paper work. Plus, what's the most powerful user in a windows system called: administrator.
Root, it's a nice step towards something more *nix-centric. Besides, only computer-literate people would be understand what it means; hopefully having to deal with only computer-literate personnel.
Besides, imagine that on a business card and having to explain it. "I'm root at xyz company".
In some fields, like medicine, job titles often give a decent discription of what you do. Job titles in I.T. are meaningless. Exactly what skills does a "systems analyst" have?
Give them the title they so richly deserve, BOFH.
It Whipping boy? That's on my business card :)
See, it's simple!
Visualize Whirled Peas
...this time a bit more positive, I propose:
Darling Operator From Heaven, or
DOFH for short.
Click here or here.
"Solutioneer" - sounds nice, shorter than most and says everything "...the one who provides solutions".
My 0.02
- Kenzai, Master of the Little Penguin. "Long Live BeOS...ehhh, where is everybody going!?"
Call us whatever........My boss calls me "Boy"
To all who asked "what's wrong with current designations" - this is my take on it:
As American culture/society gets ever more gay, literally by the day, the need for gay^M^M^M"politically correct" terms for everything in sight also increases in a linear fashion. This way one never really says anything, just bullshits (unfortunately, in gay parlance) from sun up till sun down.
---
BOFH - You say Computer Infrastructure Specialist, I say your mother's a whore.
Must-not-watch TV!
Grand High Lord Pontificate and Amazing Poohbah Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan?
Eat at Joe's.
While you may have a point, and I don't deny that ego does tend to play a role in these things, there are more practical reasons for having a title/naming scheme that more accurately depicts what you do. If you've ever taken a good look at how HR works you would know that they look up your TITLE in the Department of Labor's Occupational Handbook based closely to the description your manager fed them of what you do. Then, they look up pertinent salary surveys in your area for the Title picked from the handbook and determine based on your education, experience, and their budget how much to pay you. Finally, after a couple of years, your company might decide to do some organizational and financial restructuring which requires them taking a look at TCO for employee expenditures, which in english means they look at how much they pay you based on what some obscure government book says you do by title. Most of the time, the Department of Labor titles are way off, which contributes greatly to most of us getting underpaid and some of us being way overpaid because a job title was missapplied. IF we were to come up with titles that more accurately fit what we do, we could expect it to be easier for people to hire folks, for organizations to plan their employee loads (how many people they need to do what), and for negotiating salary. I grant you this is totally idealistic and that there are several arguments that could be made either way. However, the whole point of this post was to point out that it is NOT always a TOTALLY egotistical issue when considering titles. Who hasn't gone on a job interview for a specific job title only to be given a description of the work to be expected that had absolutely NOTHING to do with the title (and in most cases made you cringe). I've personally been burned by this. Better titles would give laymen who are in a position to make your life miserable a better understanding of what your skills are and where best to apply them in the scheme of a given organization. My 2 cents have long since been spent.
The english language is in beta. It's evolving but has not yet reached a level of usability.
SA
ha ha :D
But really, my title's been Database Administrator/Web Developer/Application Solution Developer/System Analyst/System Administrator/Guru
Some of my faves here at work.
1. Slut
2. Loser
3. Bitch
4. Break/Fix guy
5. Integration Specialist
6. Tech Support Specialist
7. RMA Guy
8. Director of Computer Archeology (self-appointed)
-Mike
up with a new title, I think of "sanitary engineer," so in the spirit of the century, I propose
sanitary administrator.
They could wear those cool bubble-boy suits, too.
Really, it seems a little silly. If you're not getting respect in your job, having a new title doesn't usually fix the problem. You need to crush them in your grip of steel! (Just ask yourself: "what would Stan Lee write?")
In the industry where I work (non-profit), they don't really hire too many true geeks, relying instead on a staff member they refer to as a "Computer Responsible Person" or "C.R.P.".
Guess the pronunciation, and you get pretty clear idea of how they feel about geeks in general.
Bastards...
I'm not tense. I'm just terribly, terribly, alert.
Oh come now, whats wrong with "sysadmin"? This is like saying "sanitation engineer" instead of garbage man. It's the same thing sugar-coated or not! Besides, "sysadmin" is shorter and sounds more powerful than that other bs.
In germany there already is an official title for all these guys which is "Fachinformatiker für Systemintegration" ("informatics guy specialized in system integration" is the closest translation I can think of).
.de-country: For almost every Job you normally do a 2 to 3 year training, combined of school lessons and work in a company).
You are already able to get this title with a 3-year training time (thats a special thing in
This results in 2 things:
1. Because of the long title everyone still calls us sysadmins
2. nobody works in the job he learned originally
Nils
When I worked for these folks about three years ago, they referred to me as a "Senior UNIX Solutions Architect", which I thought was pretty funny. They were quite serious about it, though -- in the warped world of Big 6 consulting, words define reality, not the other way around. So, SUSA I was -- I pronounced it "suh suh" (like "duh duh"), which they didn't find amusing. I am now, as I have been before, "the UNIX guy", and my job title is "Network Support" (well, it was supposed to be System Administrator, but the secretary messed up the forms, I got the business cards in the handy 10,000 pack, so I just left it alone).
Where I work, they gave up trying to keep up with the title scheme of the week and went with a static set of titles given out to everyone in the organization. That isn't to say all of those people do the same things, but it's easier to toss around unofficial roles that change weekly than it is to reprint your business cards.
Typical sysadmin/application admin = Systems Analyst
Typical planner, designer = Technical Architect
Typical developer or other technical position = Analyst
Prefixing that term, you can have "Associate" or "Senior" (one step below and one step above the position without a prefix, respectively).
Analyst is a nice, generic vague term that just tells others what area of the company you work in.
Technology Staff. Sure, I'm the only one, but my memos look more impressive.
Tape Ape
Data Janitor
Administrative Systems Specialist
Mouse Jockey
Toner Boy
and of course the needlessly sexist term...
Computer Guy
Democracy. Whiskey. Sexy. Pick any two.
One term won't do it. It can be argued that many computer support personnel are of a few categories:
"Provided by the management for your protection."
Even though my title is Unix System Administrator I'm still not allowed to park in the "Administration" parking lot.
Network System Administrator?
;-)
It adds a sort of ominous ring if you're able to say:"I'm the NSA"
--
We also write custom apps for accessing the database and submitting orders to providers. That's what makes it tough. Am I a programmer, or a net admin? What do you call someone that's both?
My login description simply says "Technomage".
Years ago, my mother always wanted to talk to people about what I do, in standard mother fashion. The problem was, she could never remember the term "sysadmin," as it wasn't particularly meaningful to her.
So several times she ended up telling people that I was a Sisyphus.
I told her this was pretty accurate, and far more descriptive.
What in the world do we call the collective group of those people who make computers work properly?
Imaginary.
Here at EDS my job code is Infrastructure Specialist, which is 1 step up from Infrastructure Analysist. My actual job title is incomprehensible gibberish (Platform Environment Manager). In any case, something with "Infrastructure " in it sounds okay to me.
...
I've always hated "administrator" as much as "personal assistants" hate it.
Rant: EDS is the place where decisions are made based on fear, no facts to be seen; accusations are true, no chance to defend against one; working accounts with custom services tailor to a particular client are "corporatised" i.e. asked to use corporate standard tools and processes, reducing service;
I consider myself an Information Technology Specialist becuase my knowledge and experience can be placed all across the board. I've written programs in several languages, created and webmastered many websites (static, dynamic, flash), created and still maintain several PHP/mySQL webs, build computers, fix computers, solve windows, red hat, and mac problems, networking (crimpin cables to settin em up), and consulting. I was wondering just how many people do everything an entire IT department is supposed to like I do?
--- Nothing is secure.
Refer to them as techies.
"unemployed". Also works for my own ex-title of Network Security Analyst / "Hey You" / "Hey! Who drank my coffee!" and all the other titles I've held. Meh.
Los Angeles, April 9
From now on South-Central will start disappearing from maps, and the area will be called South Los Angeles in city documents, correspondence, maps and community plans.
"my internet is broken"
:)
and I still hear that quite often...
which reminds me of a customer with a setopbox a coworker talked to who recorded all his favorite sites on his vcr just in case
- I choked on the red pill and now I'm stuck in limbo
Employed continously since 1989.
I would welcome a break.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
... was difficult to read?
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
If you are not an expert or a specialist in a given field after studying to become one and gathering years of professional experience (expert, experience, geddit?) then find a tall building, an imposing bridge or a fast train and help evolution avoid dead ends.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
I call myself a Server Babysiter. I think it helps people understand the basic concepts of my job. I keep the servers in line and doing what they should :)
MooCow
or Systems Analyst or the even more vague - project manager.
Comprehensive term for all-of-the-above: "Cleaner"
Console Cowboy
Systems Confabulator
Box Jock
If "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and "it was beauty that killed the beast" then "please stop staring at me".
Difference is Plumbers make better money!
Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
The designation 'System Templar' has a certain 'The saint' ring to it. Not many SysAdmins are reguarded as saints.
-- main(s){printf(s="main(s){printf(s=%c%s%c,34,s,34
Bistromathics is simply a revolutionary new way of understanding the
behavior of numbers. Just as Einstein observed that space was not an
absolute, but depended on the observer's movement in space, and that
time was not an absolute, but depended on the observer's movement in
time, so it is now realized that numbers are not absolute, but depend
on the observer's movement in restaurants.
-- Douglas Adams
- this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...