I managed 15 years before I hit the wall. Started out programming in C on large systems, then later smaller more specialized products, then embedded. I enjoy coding, but rarely enjoyed the work anymore if that makes sense. Eventually, there was rarely a challenge anymore, and all the coding is more or less a grind. I got tired of mismanagement above me, asking for things with impossible timelines, projects I knew would be shelved by the time they were completed, etc. I finally reached burn out and quit.
I looked around for more work, but most of it was contract work, paying far below the rate when I left. Plus, my heart wasn't really in it anymore. I might be able to go into an interview and sell myself, but I'd really be lying I think.
I'm currently going back to school, and going down a far more challenging path.
Facebook is basically a monopoly in this space. No matter what the satisfaction rating, people will continue to use it, sometimes all freaking day. I would love to have a business "failing" this badly.
I would kind of guess "Made In China", and the special edition to the software could easily have been added at this phase. It makes you start to wonder about a lot of products made there, and what they could also be doing. Even something like a motherboard could have all kinds of things going on at a very low level, and who would have a clue?
USAA already lets customers deposit checks by scanning them on their computers. Has for years. Very nice feature....if you have a scanner. Now that I'm only using a netbook, I don't have that luxury now.
USAA was also very quick to embrace the iPhone, and came out with a very nice dedicated app a while ago. In addition to letting you check balances, transfer funds and pay bills, it has a ATM locator (location based app), accident checklist with notepad, loan calculator, roadside assistance button (also location based), rental car locator, insurance card access, etc. Someone there is clearly thinking about things. It doesn't surprise me at all they are pushing the envelope a bit.
I know people think of these plants as incinerators, and in some cases they might be, but this one was some nice tech. Actually, there was no smell at all, no smoke, and very low particulate emissions.
The tech was from a German company, very high temp burn, not quite like this plasma, but very hot and controlled. It was self-sustaining once it got going, and managed to get rid of the garbage from a pretty large region. I think something like 2000 trash trucks dumped their loads there per day.
From working with a garbage to energy plant in Virginia, they had the ability to generate much more then the 80MW (from memory) they were generating. They had to impose the limit or they would qualify as a utility under the state guidelines, and be subject to regulation. Since the plant was privately owned, and wanted run themselves, they had to let a lot of the power go as heat.
They would regulate it some by the rate at which the garbage went in, but when it starts backing up, you have no choice but to burn it.
I would apply to the 2-5 year positions. If you REALLY can code, debug, etc, then go ahead and do it. You don't even want to know how bad some interviewees are. I've had people with 5 years on their resume that don't even know what a linked list is. You're going to get some programming questions in the interview, so only you know if you're up to it.
The problem is that most CS grads really don't know how to do anything when they graduate. Really good friend of mine graduated near the top of his class in CS, but would freely admit that he didn't know where to start when writing software. Not someone I would have hired.
In my case, I was self taught on an Apple II back in the day, and used to spend my time writing games. By the time someone asked me if I could code anything, I was proficient, and I had been working for years as a programmer without a degree. They didn't care about the paper, but more if I could do it. Truth is, I never even got a CS degree, but an engineering degree in another field. Didn't matter though, I code in my sleep.
Even when I'm not at work, I still keep sharp hacking on things I find fun. Doubt I'll ever stop.
Even if there are no AA batteries, I suspect a voltage source of 6V can probably be found. Maybe include a couple of solar cell panel along with it. Just hope there isn't a nuclear winter between now and then.
But I really would like to see something that I could use a day or two on a charge. If they can make it paper thin and still run a few hours, then surely, they could make something twice as thick that would go for a day?
to get CP, then I'm sure it will become reasonable to block all P2P sites. The more I hear about this, the more I think it has nothing to do with CP, but was dreamed up in RIAA/MPAA backrooms.
What great way to get bully everyone over to your side. Exploit a topic that caries such a stigma with it, that nobody will dare fight it, since they are obviously encouraging CP.
I know someone that did this very thing a couple of years ago. He had a place in NYC, and was auctioning the apartment, motorcycles, car, clothes, stereo, the whole thing. Even would introduce you to his girlfriend in case you might get along.
He didn't get the reserve price at the time, which was surprising, since he had a pretty nice life put together.
Sorry for your experiences, but they don't match mine very well. I've had a long list of WD drives for years, and only recently retired two 250GB drives that had basically continual use over the last four years or so. I gave them to a friend, that is still using them without issue. I have not had a single WD drive fail on me.
When I replaced those drives, I did so with WD's new lower power GP drives, and have had no problem with them at all. Super quiet and seem (without actual benchmarks to back this up) faster than the 250s I replaced.
FWIW, my main system drive for two years has been a Raptor 150. I've very interesting in this new drive.
As with all drives I've owned, I make sure I have a fan blowing directly on them, and my case temps are rarely more than ambient.
Watching some people running RC cars around a battle arena has zero interest for me. I watched the first episode back when it started, and then would occasionally hit it channel surfing, and it was lame IMHO. I understand what goes in to building the bots, and yes, that has some geek factor to it. Good job on the construction guys.
I would much rather see people putting some time into some programming, and letting the bots fight each other based on it. Anyone who grew up playing something like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotwar, knows that it doesn't have to be anything super sophisticated, you don't need neuralnets and/or computer vision to pull this off. Sometimes a simple search and destroy algorithm can work. I guess it might not have the instant gratification if immediate combat a energy-drink infused audience might require. I think it could start an entire new generation into thinking about machine interaction, and who knows what kind of solutions could come out of it.
I read exclusively on my PDA. I have for many years now, as I find it more convenient than carrying around books, and at least on my Clie, the screen is more than acceptable. In fact, since I mostly read at night, the fact that it provides it's own light is a big win, as I don't have to use external lamps, possibly keeping others awake. Battery life is decent.
I have no problem with the cost of this device if it lives up to it's claims, but if it only handles locked down formats, there is no way I would buy one. It sucks that nobody seems interested in producing something useful, one that actually makes sense. For the cost of the Kindle, it really shouldn't need to be subsidized by sales of DRM content.
I have no aversion to buying music. My entire life, I have spent many hours in record stores, and had over 1000 LPs at one time. Even once CDs became popular, I made the 90-minute trip each way to a Tower Records store, because they had the best selection around. Problem is, over time, my musical tastes changed, became more obscure, and the music became very difficult to find in retail stores. I had a small used shop near me with a knowledgeable employee on similar brainwaves as me, and through him I continued to fine tune my music. Later, I changed tracks again musically, but still wasn't going to find new stuff in stores. Online stores have all this. I don't need to re-purchase all my old ELP CDs, and there aren't any new ones coming out. The Sam GOody in the mall isn't going to carry a lot of Norwegian death metal either.
Back when I first got on usenet around 90-91, and discovered progressive rock discussion groups, full of people with similar tastes in music, I was amazed. Now I could find out about things that I couldn't even buy. Tape trading was still popular among that crowd, as few of us could spend the $30 for a imported CD that you didn't even know if you liked. I did buy some that I really got into though, but it wasn't in B&M stores. Once the mp3s got going it was more of the same. I can guarantee that Napster got me to ultimatly purchase far more music than I would have otherwise, because I could find what I liked. I go to at least 20 shows a year as well, and continue to support my favorite bands. Often traveling to other countries to see them since they don't have much of a fan base in this country. Which kind of comes around to my main point. As my knowledge of the world grew, so did my music, and that purchasing could no longer be constrained to my local record store.
I feel for the small B&M music stores, but just like hat makers, times are changing.
Politics aside, the main technological hurdle to mass adoption of electric cars has been a fuel station replacement when driving distances beyond a single charge worth of range.
Seems to me that the biggest hurdle to the adoption of electric cars in this country is the compelling need to haul around 6000-lbs of vehicle with you at all times.
Garmin already has 2-way radios that do this, over FRS or GMRS. It's a very neat feature, and has proved to be very useful a few times. You can also poll someone's position if they aren't responding, in case someone may be hurt and unable to respond. Very cool.
The thing I misss the most about buying an album these days is that you don't get the cool artwork you used to get with an LP. Nothing was cooler than coming home with a new record, putting on the headphones and checking out the cover (the double LPs with the inner artwork kicked ass) and the notes on the sleeve. So many of the classics I have memorized to this day.
CDs have never had this. The art is so small that it's hard to care about it. I've seen some neat work, but it's so small that it's hard to take in. Fold out posters inside the jewel case are a joke, and as I've got older, I can't read the 3-point type in the booklet.
Slashdot Mirror
I managed 15 years before I hit the wall. Started out programming in C on large systems, then later smaller more specialized products, then embedded. I enjoy coding, but rarely enjoyed the work anymore if that makes sense. Eventually, there was rarely a challenge anymore, and all the coding is more or less a grind. I got tired of mismanagement above me, asking for things with impossible timelines, projects I knew would be shelved by the time they were completed, etc. I finally reached burn out and quit.
I looked around for more work, but most of it was contract work, paying far below the rate when I left. Plus, my heart wasn't really in it anymore. I might be able to go into an interview and sell myself, but I'd really be lying I think.
I'm currently going back to school, and going down a far more challenging path.
Facebook is basically a monopoly in this space. No matter what the satisfaction rating, people will continue to use it, sometimes all freaking day. I would love to have a business "failing" this badly.
I would kind of guess "Made In China", and the special edition to the software could easily have been added at this phase. It makes you start to wonder about a lot of products made there, and what they could also be doing. Even something like a motherboard could have all kinds of things going on at a very low level, and who would have a clue?
USAA already lets customers deposit checks by scanning them on their computers. Has for years. Very nice feature....if you have a scanner. Now that I'm only using a netbook, I don't have that luxury now.
USAA was also very quick to embrace the iPhone, and came out with a very nice dedicated app a while ago. In addition to letting you check balances, transfer funds and pay bills, it has a ATM locator (location based app), accident checklist with notepad, loan calculator, roadside assistance button (also location based), rental car locator, insurance card access, etc. Someone there is clearly thinking about things. It doesn't surprise me at all they are pushing the envelope a bit.
I know people think of these plants as incinerators, and in some cases they might be, but this one was some nice tech. Actually, there was no smell at all, no smoke, and very low particulate emissions.
The tech was from a German company, very high temp burn, not quite like this plasma, but very hot and controlled. It was self-sustaining once it got going, and managed to get rid of the garbage from a pretty large region. I think something like 2000 trash trucks dumped their loads there per day.
From working with a garbage to energy plant in Virginia, they had the ability to generate much more then the 80MW (from memory) they were generating. They had to impose the limit or they would qualify as a utility under the state guidelines, and be subject to regulation. Since the plant was privately owned, and wanted run themselves, they had to let a lot of the power go as heat.
They would regulate it some by the rate at which the garbage went in, but when it starts backing up, you have no choice but to burn it.
I would apply to the 2-5 year positions. If you REALLY can code, debug, etc, then go ahead and do it. You don't even want to know how bad some interviewees are. I've had people with 5 years on their resume that don't even know what a linked list is. You're going to get some programming questions in the interview, so only you know if you're up to it.
The problem is that most CS grads really don't know how to do anything when they graduate. Really good friend of mine graduated near the top of his class in CS, but would freely admit that he didn't know where to start when writing software. Not someone I would have hired.
In my case, I was self taught on an Apple II back in the day, and used to spend my time writing games. By the time someone asked me if I could code anything, I was proficient, and I had been working for years as a programmer without a degree. They didn't care about the paper, but more if I could do it. Truth is, I never even got a CS degree, but an engineering degree in another field. Didn't matter though, I code in my sleep.
Even when I'm not at work, I still keep sharp hacking on things I find fun. Doubt I'll ever stop.
I like the idea of hiring stone carvers to render each imagine in 3D out of granite, and then store those.
Even if there are no AA batteries, I suspect a voltage source of 6V can probably be found. Maybe include a couple of solar cell panel along with it. Just hope there isn't a nuclear winter between now and then.
But I really would like to see something that I could use a day or two on a charge. If they can make it paper thin and still run a few hours, then surely, they could make something twice as thick that would go for a day?
to get CP, then I'm sure it will become reasonable to block all P2P sites. The more I hear about this, the more I think it has nothing to do with CP, but was dreamed up in RIAA/MPAA backrooms.
What great way to get bully everyone over to your side. Exploit a topic that caries such a stigma with it, that nobody will dare fight it, since they are obviously encouraging CP.
Don't then. Someone that is more into coding and _does_ have side projects in their off time might get the job you're applying for. Simple as that.
I work my ass off as well, but I find that doing my own thing, a specific type of game programming, tends to relax me.
How did this development fly under the radar for over two months without anybody noticing?
Because nobody I know with any common sense doesn't shop at Best Buy?
-spag
I know someone that did this very thing a couple of years ago. He had a place in NYC, and was auctioning the apartment, motorcycles, car, clothes, stereo, the whole thing. Even would introduce you to his girlfriend in case you might get along.
He didn't get the reserve price at the time, which was surprising, since he had a pretty nice life put together.
*golf clap*
Sorry for your experiences, but they don't match mine very well. I've had a long list of WD drives for years, and only recently retired two 250GB drives that had basically continual use over the last four years or so. I gave them to a friend, that is still using them without issue. I have not had a single WD drive fail on me.
When I replaced those drives, I did so with WD's new lower power GP drives, and have had no problem with them at all. Super quiet and seem (without actual benchmarks to back this up) faster than the 250s I replaced.
FWIW, my main system drive for two years has been a Raptor 150. I've very interesting in this new drive.
As with all drives I've owned, I make sure I have a fan blowing directly on them, and my case temps are rarely more than ambient.
Watching some people running RC cars around a battle arena has zero interest for me. I watched the first episode back when it started, and then would occasionally hit it channel surfing, and it was lame IMHO. I understand what goes in to building the bots, and yes, that has some geek factor to it. Good job on the construction guys.
I would much rather see people putting some time into some programming, and letting the bots fight each other based on it. Anyone who grew up playing something like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotwar, knows that it doesn't have to be anything super sophisticated, you don't need neuralnets and/or computer vision to pull this off. Sometimes a simple search and destroy algorithm can work. I guess it might not have the instant gratification if immediate combat a energy-drink infused audience might require. I think it could start an entire new generation into thinking about machine interaction, and who knows what kind of solutions could come out of it.
Call me when it gets interesting.
I read exclusively on my PDA. I have for many years now, as I find it more convenient than carrying around books, and at least on my Clie, the screen is more than acceptable. In fact, since I mostly read at night, the fact that it provides it's own light is a big win, as I don't have to use external lamps, possibly keeping others awake. Battery life is decent.
I have no problem with the cost of this device if it lives up to it's claims, but if it only handles locked down formats, there is no way I would buy one. It sucks that nobody seems interested in producing something useful, one that actually makes sense. For the cost of the Kindle, it really shouldn't need to be subsidized by sales of DRM content.
I have no aversion to buying music. My entire life, I have spent many hours in record stores, and had over 1000 LPs at one time. Even once CDs became popular, I made the 90-minute trip each way to a Tower Records store, because they had the best selection around. Problem is, over time, my musical tastes changed, became more obscure, and the music became very difficult to find in retail stores. I had a small used shop near me with a knowledgeable employee on similar brainwaves as me, and through him I continued to fine tune my music. Later, I changed tracks again musically, but still wasn't going to find new stuff in stores. Online stores have all this. I don't need to re-purchase all my old ELP CDs, and there aren't any new ones coming out. The Sam GOody in the mall isn't going to carry a lot of Norwegian death metal either.
Back when I first got on usenet around 90-91, and discovered progressive rock discussion groups, full of people with similar tastes in music, I was amazed. Now I could find out about things that I couldn't even buy. Tape trading was still popular among that crowd, as few of us could spend the $30 for a imported CD that you didn't even know if you liked. I did buy some that I really got into though, but it wasn't in B&M stores. Once the mp3s got going it was more of the same. I can guarantee that Napster got me to ultimatly purchase far more music than I would have otherwise, because I could find what I liked. I go to at least 20 shows a year as well, and continue to support my favorite bands. Often traveling to other countries to see them since they don't have much of a fan base in this country. Which kind of comes around to my main point. As my knowledge of the world grew, so did my music, and that purchasing could no longer be constrained to my local record store.
I feel for the small B&M music stores, but just like hat makers, times are changing.
"It's like, how much more black could this be? and the answer is none. None more black." -- Nigel Tufnel
Seems to me that the biggest hurdle to the adoption of electric cars in this country is the compelling need to haul around 6000-lbs of vehicle with you at all times.
Garmin already has 2-way radios that do this, over FRS or GMRS. It's a very neat feature, and has proved to be very useful a few times. You can also poll someone's position if they aren't responding, in case someone may be hurt and unable to respond. Very cool.
The thing I misss the most about buying an album these days is that you don't get the cool artwork you used to get with an LP. Nothing was cooler than coming home with a new record, putting on the headphones and checking out the cover (the double LPs with the inner artwork kicked ass) and the notes on the sleeve. So many of the classics I have memorized to this day.
CDs have never had this. The art is so small that it's hard to care about it. I've seen some neat work, but it's so small that it's hard to take in. Fold out posters inside the jewel case are a joke, and as I've got older, I can't read the 3-point type in the booklet.
If you play the first one long enough, complete the upper levels, it eventually tells you that you might want to think about taking up a real one.
Of being an ass...