I am going to retire early in a few years at age 55. I don't plan on continuing in the tech world where you are expected to work 70 hour weeks every week. I don't mind doing it occasionally, but every week? I get dirty looks every time I leave the office before 6pm, which is most days.
Worse, I'm the only coder in my department that maintains a particular huge code base I've developed over the past 15 years or so. I've told the PHBs that they need to hire someone new so I can train them for the next couple years because I'm quitting then, but those calls fall on deaf ears. Oh well. My retirement won't be tied to this company's stock.
The first orchestra concert I ever voluntarily attended was in 1978. It was a concert of Star Wars and Star Trek music, complete with laser show (lame by today's standards, but awesome to 14 y.o. me in the 70's) and WILLIAM FREAKIN' SHATNER hosting...and reading poetry about whales.
And 50% of building is in site prep, foundation and utilities, so someone attempting to build this will end up with nothing more than a shed if you don't have utilities.
Yes and no. GOOD managers obviate the need for a "holocracy", but good people managers are rare as hen's teeth. I have a "decent" manager, but he's too much of a pussy so I have to deal with the higher-ups myself on any important issue. And for any minor issue I don't need a manager anyway.
Any group will still have leaders. I am a de facto leader of my group, they all ask me for advice on projects and situations, because the real management will just roll over and do whatever the upper echelons say, even though they no nothing about the situation. I don't "manage" but I offer suggestions.
So the traditional people manager is not necessarily the best option. I don't know if holocracy is the best option, but at least SOMEONE is trying something new. If it works, that's awesome. But to flat out say it won't work is stupid.
No, the problem isn't that people above don't know how things work, it's that they don't know what it TAKES to make things work.
The more code you write, the more code you support. Even if support, updates, etc on the average program is only 0.5% of your time, what happens after 10 years when you have written 100 programs that are in regular use by the company? Some are more complex and require more support/updates. Some are less. But even at 0.5% average each, you are now spending 50% of your time supporting your old software. Or worse, supporting someone else's software who has long since left the company.
So now you only have 50% as much time to code and test, but management still loads you down with work as if you had 100% of your time to code. So you have to code faster, test less in order to keep up, which means even though you are a much better programmer now, you write shittier code. Which requires more support...
At least 60% of my job is supporting changes and updates to my old code. Someone decides to change a server, or a database, or a reporting format? Suddenly everyone is bitching at me that my program doesn't work. I look like a dumbass because someone else did something without notifying me. Now I have to find and change source files, recompile, test, etc. We're making a new product that doesn't follow our old specs? Now I have to kludge that into the old code. Eventually the old code has so many kludges I have to create new models for my code and rewrite it. Management doesn't understand why working code (barely working) needs to be rewritten. Why do you need so much storage? Where is that data from 8 years ago? I need it now!
I build and rent cabins on my property. Sure, vacation travel is different from business travel, but still my main concerns are: 1) comfort 2) soundproofing 3) basic amenities
Because THAT is what people want on a vacation. Not fancy gadgetry, people get enough of that in daily life anyway.
I remember a study from the 90's that showed eliminating lights around schools at night actually reduced the number of break-ins at those schools. The reasoning was that a) most people are afraid of the dark and b) a ne'er-do-well would need a flashlight, which would be easy to spot in the darkness.
Schlumberger has a bunch of divisions, they aren't just oilfield. A friend of mine works in their IT support division, he's contracted to do IT security for a hospital.
Try China. They have x-ray machines and wands at every subway station and, of course, airports. I sent my bags through dozens of times traveling around Beijing, I got 'wanded' dozens more times.
It was very obvious that almost all of the machines and wands were turned off. Camera in my pocket? Wand doesn't even beep. Dark screens on the x-ray machines, staff not even looking the few times when the screens were actually on, they never stopped or questioned anyone. They obviously didn't care, either.
I kind of liked their "we don't give a crap" attitude. It was very...China. Made me like the place even more.
It's actually pretty easy to look at rocks and tell what has been worked on by someone and what hasn't. It takes a little practice, but I've gotten pretty good at it and I'm not even an anthropologist. I just like to figure out what is an artifact and what isn't when I wander around my ranch.
My grandpa used to complain about the "college boy" engineers who had never worked in a machine shop. "You can't be a good engineer if you aren't a good mechnic first!" was one of his favorite phrases.
The man held a whole bunch of patents on aircraft engines and electronics, so I'm inclined to agree with him.
Well, if some stupid choads in Dallas would quit carrying long guns everywhere to push for "open carry" of handguns, people might not be as afraid. These idiots are hurting their cause more than anything.
I had a bad experience with it about 30 years back, but it may be better now.
Re:Solution looking for a problem?
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Amen, brother.
I have a side business renting a cabin on my ranch for weekend visitors. The cabin has no internet access, and it's in a valley so there is no cell signal. Many people complain about this when they first arrive, but after they leave they ALL tell me how it was REALLY nice to be unplugged for a few days. Even the 20-somethings.
People forget how awesome life can be without gadgetry.
Or, you know the anecdote could be not intended to "prove" anything but show that "this is nothing new". "Cyberchondria" is just a new label, crap like this has been around since even before snake oil salesmen.
Slashdot Mirror
Okay...I'll do it.
Don't be silly, there ain't no such thing as Sanity Clause!
I am going to retire early in a few years at age 55. I don't plan on continuing in the tech world where you are expected to work 70 hour weeks every week. I don't mind doing it occasionally, but every week? I get dirty looks every time I leave the office before 6pm, which is most days.
Worse, I'm the only coder in my department that maintains a particular huge code base I've developed over the past 15 years or so. I've told the PHBs that they need to hire someone new so I can train them for the next couple years because I'm quitting then, but those calls fall on deaf ears. Oh well. My retirement won't be tied to this company's stock.
The first orchestra concert I ever voluntarily attended was in 1978. It was a concert of Star Wars and Star Trek music, complete with laser show (lame by today's standards, but awesome to 14 y.o. me in the 70's) and WILLIAM FREAKIN' SHATNER hosting...and reading poetry about whales.
And 50% of building is in site prep, foundation and utilities, so someone attempting to build this will end up with nothing more than a shed if you don't have utilities.
Yes and no. GOOD managers obviate the need for a "holocracy", but good people managers are rare as hen's teeth. I have a "decent" manager, but he's too much of a pussy so I have to deal with the higher-ups myself on any important issue. And for any minor issue I don't need a manager anyway.
Any group will still have leaders. I am a de facto leader of my group, they all ask me for advice on projects and situations, because the real management will just roll over and do whatever the upper echelons say, even though they no nothing about the situation. I don't "manage" but I offer suggestions.
So the traditional people manager is not necessarily the best option. I don't know if holocracy is the best option, but at least SOMEONE is trying something new. If it works, that's awesome. But to flat out say it won't work is stupid.
No, the problem isn't that people above don't know how things work, it's that they don't know what it TAKES to make things work.
The more code you write, the more code you support. Even if support, updates, etc on the average program is only 0.5% of your time, what happens after 10 years when you have written 100 programs that are in regular use by the company? Some are more complex and require more support/updates. Some are less. But even at 0.5% average each, you are now spending 50% of your time supporting your old software. Or worse, supporting someone else's software who has long since left the company.
So now you only have 50% as much time to code and test, but management still loads you down with work as if you had 100% of your time to code. So you have to code faster, test less in order to keep up, which means even though you are a much better programmer now, you write shittier code. Which requires more support...
At least 60% of my job is supporting changes and updates to my old code. Someone decides to change a server, or a database, or a reporting format? Suddenly everyone is bitching at me that my program doesn't work. I look like a dumbass because someone else did something without notifying me. Now I have to find and change source files, recompile, test, etc. We're making a new product that doesn't follow our old specs? Now I have to kludge that into the old code. Eventually the old code has so many kludges I have to create new models for my code and rewrite it. Management doesn't understand why working code (barely working) needs to be rewritten. Why do you need so much storage? Where is that data from 8 years ago? I need it now!
Hell, 14% of all people know that.
Well, I drive through a lot of massive wind farms in Texas a lot and that land usually IS being used.
Usually for agriculture. Lots of cotton, corn, soybeans, cattle, etc. are raised around turbines.
Does anyone else now have a Don Ho earworm?
"Tiiiny Pebbles...In my planet..."
THIS.
I build and rent cabins on my property. Sure, vacation travel is different from business travel, but still my main concerns are:
1) comfort
2) soundproofing
3) basic amenities
Because THAT is what people want on a vacation. Not fancy gadgetry, people get enough of that in daily life anyway.
And cars tend to have headlights.
I remember a study from the 90's that showed eliminating lights around schools at night actually reduced the number of break-ins at those schools. The reasoning was that a) most people are afraid of the dark and b) a ne'er-do-well would need a flashlight, which would be easy to spot in the darkness.
And only when they have shown proper penance.
And nudes from 18+ years on never get deleted.
Also, it's fun to yell at the umpire, especially after a few beers.
I've heard some really creative insults directed at umpires.
I am often in awe of how badly most technical people communicate.
My whole tech career is based off the fact that I can communicate with people.
Yes, thank you. That was bugging the crap out of me. 3x feature shrink = 9x more devices per area.
Schlumberger has a bunch of divisions, they aren't just oilfield. A friend of mine works in their IT support division, he's contracted to do IT security for a hospital.
Try China. They have x-ray machines and wands at every subway station and, of course, airports. I sent my bags through dozens of times traveling around Beijing, I got 'wanded' dozens more times.
It was very obvious that almost all of the machines and wands were turned off. Camera in my pocket? Wand doesn't even beep. Dark screens on the x-ray machines, staff not even looking the few times when the screens were actually on, they never stopped or questioned anyone. They obviously didn't care, either.
I kind of liked their "we don't give a crap" attitude. It was very...China. Made me like the place even more.
Only an idiot would buy a fridge. I build my own.
It's actually pretty easy to look at rocks and tell what has been worked on by someone and what hasn't. It takes a little practice, but I've gotten pretty good at it and I'm not even an anthropologist. I just like to figure out what is an artifact and what isn't when I wander around my ranch.
My grandpa used to complain about the "college boy" engineers who had never worked in a machine shop. "You can't be a good engineer if you aren't a good mechnic first!" was one of his favorite phrases.
The man held a whole bunch of patents on aircraft engines and electronics, so I'm inclined to agree with him.
Well, if some stupid choads in Dallas would quit carrying long guns everywhere to push for "open carry" of handguns, people might not be as afraid. These idiots are hurting their cause more than anything.
It was named in honor of Brent Spinel, who played a popular ST:TNG character.
One of the researchers was from China.
Propane A/C has been around for a long time.
I had a bad experience with it about 30 years back, but it may be better now.
Amen, brother.
I have a side business renting a cabin on my ranch for weekend visitors. The cabin has no internet access, and it's in a valley so there is no cell signal. Many people complain about this when they first arrive, but after they leave they ALL tell me how it was REALLY nice to be unplugged for a few days. Even the 20-somethings.
People forget how awesome life can be without gadgetry.
Or, you know the anecdote could be not intended to "prove" anything but show that "this is nothing new". "Cyberchondria" is just a new label, crap like this has been around since even before snake oil salesmen.
Read before replying.