I want to second this. I have no degree. I don't even have two years of college. In 2000-2001, I made over $140,000. I was 24 years old. Great, huh? Who needs a degree, right?
I do.
In fact, I'm starting down the path to mine on the 28th of this month. I have a wife, kids, and a full time job, and I'm still going after it, hard as it will be. What should that tell you? That after several years in the industry (about six), I've learned that a degree is a valuable enough thing to make me go through this to get mine.
You see, there are things other than SysAdminning that I want to do. Particularly, I have found I really enjoy developing software. But it's far more difficult to pursue that sort of career without a degree. And even though I'm gainfully employed now (I'm one of the lucky ones), what happens if I get laid off tomorrow? I don't like to think about that. I have kids to feed.
You have to ask yourself, are you sure being an SA is really what you want to do for the rest of your life? Wait, I take that back. Don't bother asking yourself that, because I can guarantee you you don't know the answer right now. I wish I were back in your shoes knowing what I know now. You've heard this from many people here today...just go get your degree. Trust those of us who have been in your place and blew it.
And, I'm sure there will be lots of posts from people saying "I don't have a degree, and I'm a successful SA/Developer/Engineer/whatever...". Yeah, it's true, it can be done. I've done it. But even I, who has had success without one, is now about to go down a very tough road of acquiring one. Trust me when I tell you there are damn good reasons for that. Learn from my (our) mistakes so you don't end up doing it the hard way, too.
I quit a company because they wanted to fire american workers and run the software on Citrix clients in Mexico. Rather then help them I left. Left them with out any developer support for the 450+ user system
Hats off to ya, man. I only wish more people (including myself) had the nuts to do things like that.
We tend to believe that our actions have had long lasting effect on this troubled region, but my take on it is quite different. US tends to wage its war and then pack its bags and go home leaving a war ravaged country and its warlords to fight the rest of the war between themselves and their common enemies.
I won't disagree that this has been done before.
We might benefit overall from these effects, but the moment the US Soldiers leave, every warlord in Afghanistan is gonna be on everyone else's throats.
Maybe not. The moment the US soldiers leave won't be for quite a while. The current plan is to leave US military trainers in place long enough to build and train an Afghan national army, which is expected to take at least a year. This army will be under the control of the Afghan interim government, and then later, the interim government's replacement. The idea is to ensure that the gov't of Afghanistan is stable enough to rebuild the country without it falling back into disarray the moment we're gone, and that it has sufficient resources to exert it's authority while doing so.
We cant wage a two month war and then leave all of a sudden telling ourselves that our work here is done...
Well, we've been there for nearly six months already, and we're not leaving soon, as I've said above. Whether or not they'll carry through on their plan completely remains to be seen, but I think their pledge to do so demonstrates that they understand that abrupt withdrawal would be a Bad Thing(tm) for Afghanistan, the US, and many other countries who have interest in a stable Afghanistan.
...you may not use the Product to permit any Device to use, access, display, or run other executable software residing on the Workstation Computer...
Does this mean that companies that offer downloads of binaries can't use WinXP for their web servers? After all, that would allow unlicensed users to both "access" and "run" (via the "open the file from this location" option in download dialogs) "executable software residing on the Workstation Computer".
i read a quote from Donald Rumsfeld in the paper today: "The terrorists who struck us on September 11 were clearly not deterred from doing so by the massive US nuclear arsenal."
honestly, i sometimes think that Donald Rumsfeld is overshadowed in stupidity only by George W. Bush himself. of course the terrorists weren't deterred by a Nuclear Arsenal...
Ummm...isn't that exactly what Rumsfeld said? So why does it make him stupid to say it, but not you? If I say the sky is blue, would you immediately retort with "Well of course the sky is blue, you must be an idiot"?
I don't understand you. I also don't understand how you managed to get moderated up by reiterating someone elses's statement, and calling them stupid for saying it in the process, but I guess that's the beauty of Slashdot. Or something.
The browser isn't sending information to Alexa so much as it's retrieving it. It simply sends the URL you're currently at (actually, not even the full URL...just the part up to the first "/"), and gets back an XML document that it uses to populate the "What's Related?" tab. Want a demo?
If the music industry agrees to label all copy-protected CDs as such, he'll still be happy.
We don't know that yet. To re-quote part of what you quoted:
Boucher wouldn't give details on what approach he's considering -- obvious possibilities include...
He hasn't said one way or another what sort of legislation it will be, whether it will be a ban or something else. The "obvious possibilities include..." line was the article author speculating on what he (Boucher) might have in mind. It doesn't claim to represent what will or will not satisfy Boucher, just guesses as to what it could be. As the article says, Boucher wouldn't give details.
Of course, "don't get too excited" is right, because although we don't yet know whether a simple label will be all he asks for, we also don't know that it won't be all he asks for. =)
I'm gonna catch hell for this, but just for fun, allow me to paraphrase a bit:
Unlike Windows, there are many independent distributions of Linux that may or may not be [compatible with an application]. Also unlike Windows, each distribution has shorter release cycles. Futhermore, many Linux distributions come with lots of bundled software that not all sys admins install.
This means that [applications developed for] Windows could be far more [prolific] because of the uniformity of the installed systems. [Office/Photoshop], etc. would've been much harder to pull off against all variants/distributions of Linux. There's much more paydirt in developing good Windows [applications], since they're likely to work [with] ALL Windows systems, which means the [applications] are likely to be very refined and well tested. Compare to Linux [applications] which are usually very hard to get working the first time.
I'm not trying to make a point, I'm just playing with words. =)
If you're looking for the "How to Think Like a Computer Scientist" books, I found them here via a google search. They're available in a few formats, including PDF. What's notably missing, though, is the C++ version of the book that's mentioned in the review. Just the Python and Java versions are there.
You also have to remember that that contract ended only recently, and the latest version of our client just came out. Talks to continue the deal with MSFT were still going until very shortly before the release of our 7.0 client. There was no time to switch browsers in the software on such short notice. I don't know what will happen in the future, but I'm sure that's why our latest client still uses IE.
AOL should ditch IE in their AOL product and replace it with Mozilla/NS, but they can't because MS won't give them the special consideration (desktop placement and all) if they do.
As of XP, we're not on the desktop anymore. Stay tuned...
I think that television addiction is this nations (US) greatest mental health issue.
Ya know what? I fully agree with you on this point. I have children myself, and it sickens me to see even the children's shows being imbibed with "here's what you should think and here's what you should buy and here's what you should look like and here's what you should eat; don't think, just consume...". It's horrible. TV is raising a generation that thinks that N'Sync, Britney, Backstreet Boys, and Aaron Carter are musicians. They have no idea that these groups are not artists...they're products. Designed, manufactured, and shrinkwrapped by record companies, and set out on the store shelves.
I don't forbid my kids from watching TV, but I do strictly limit the time they spend doing so, and mostly just let them watch a few select shows on the local public channels. Commercial network television is just too dangerous, and it's not because of the "violence". People who complain about how violence on TV is corrupting our children are completely missing the real threat to our kids.
AOL has used IE as long as they've had a browser, but you can be sure it's not because they liked the idea. There just wasn't a viable non-MS browser out there.
Actually it's been because the deal with MS mandated it. We get our userbase on their browser, they put our icon on their desktop. At least, until that deal expired and talks to renew it broke down.
Build AOL services right into the desktop, stick it in a set-top (To fight WebTV).
Too many people never study how to program, how to document, how to design code. They learn one or more languages. Their code shows it.
As someone who is currently learning to code, may I ask how one would avoid the situation you've described above? I don't want to become one who has only learned languages, but not how to design software (documenting is actually a strength of mine, though). Do you have any specific suggestions toward the goal, or resources I should be looking into? A formal CS education would probably be a good suggestion, but that's not (currently) an option for me (maybe a bit later).
Electric current goes through the chip, and if the car doesn't receive the correct change in current, the car doesn't start. Requiring a key with VATS doesn't do much for the professional car theif or the theif with access to a dealership with a corrupt car parts guy (imagine that).
(Former locksmith)
Except that there are something like 16 possible resistance values (that was a few years ago, there may be more now) used in, for example, the Corvette. If you try to start the car with the wrong value, the fuel pump is disabled for a period of time (I think it started at three minutes). Second wrong one, the pump is disable for six minutes. Then 12, then 24, etc.
We had a tool called a Sidewinder that slipped over a cut key and slipped copper prongs alongside it in place of the normal contacts. You cut the key to satisfy the tumblers, then slip on the Sidewinder and start trying resistance values (it has a dial on it to change values). It didn't get us around the pauses, however, and sometimes generating a key for a VATS enabled vehicle was an multiple-day event (unless you got the key code from GM, which is not always available...hence the need for the Sidewinder).
All of this is more time than the average car thief has. Now, flatbed trucks with winches, those are another story.
Slashdot Mirror
I do.
In fact, I'm starting down the path to mine on the 28th of this month. I have a wife, kids, and a full time job, and I'm still going after it, hard as it will be. What should that tell you? That after several years in the industry (about six), I've learned that a degree is a valuable enough thing to make me go through this to get mine.
You see, there are things other than SysAdminning that I want to do. Particularly, I have found I really enjoy developing software. But it's far more difficult to pursue that sort of career without a degree. And even though I'm gainfully employed now (I'm one of the lucky ones), what happens if I get laid off tomorrow? I don't like to think about that. I have kids to feed.
You have to ask yourself, are you sure being an SA is really what you want to do for the rest of your life? Wait, I take that back. Don't bother asking yourself that, because I can guarantee you you don't know the answer right now. I wish I were back in your shoes knowing what I know now. You've heard this from many people here today...just go get your degree. Trust those of us who have been in your place and blew it.
And, I'm sure there will be lots of posts from people saying "I don't have a degree, and I'm a successful SA/Developer/Engineer/whatever...". Yeah, it's true, it can be done. I've done it. But even I, who has had success without one, is now about to go down a very tough road of acquiring one. Trust me when I tell you there are damn good reasons for that. Learn from my (our) mistakes so you don't end up doing it the hard way, too.
And good luck to you. =)
Hats off to ya, man. I only wish more people (including myself) had the nuts to do things like that.
That number should be roughly equal to zero. I don't know of any Mac that can use Windows software. MS software, sure, but Windows software? =)
I won't disagree that this has been done before.
We might benefit overall from these effects, but the moment the US Soldiers leave, every warlord in Afghanistan is gonna be on everyone else's throats.
Maybe not. The moment the US soldiers leave won't be for quite a while. The current plan is to leave US military trainers in place long enough to build and train an Afghan national army, which is expected to take at least a year. This army will be under the control of the Afghan interim government, and then later, the interim government's replacement. The idea is to ensure that the gov't of Afghanistan is stable enough to rebuild the country without it falling back into disarray the moment we're gone, and that it has sufficient resources to exert it's authority while doing so.
We cant wage a two month war and then leave all of a sudden telling ourselves that our work here is done...
Well, we've been there for nearly six months already, and we're not leaving soon, as I've said above. Whether or not they'll carry through on their plan completely remains to be seen, but I think their pledge to do so demonstrates that they understand that abrupt withdrawal would be a Bad Thing(tm) for Afghanistan, the US, and many other countries who have interest in a stable Afghanistan.
Does this mean that companies that offer downloads of binaries can't use WinXP for their web servers? After all, that would allow unlicensed users to both "access" and "run" (via the "open the file from this location" option in download dialogs) "executable software residing on the Workstation Computer".
Sounds like MS doesn't want the web anymore.
honestly, i sometimes think that Donald Rumsfeld is overshadowed in stupidity only by George W. Bush himself. of course the terrorists weren't deterred by a Nuclear Arsenal...
Ummm...isn't that exactly what Rumsfeld said? So why does it make him stupid to say it, but not you? If I say the sky is blue, would you immediately retort with "Well of course the sky is blue, you must be an idiot"?
I don't understand you. I also don't understand how you managed to get moderated up by reiterating someone elses's statement, and calling them stupid for saying it in the process, but I guess that's the beauty of Slashdot. Or something.
http://rl.netscape.com/wtgn?www.yahoo.com
(Note that the XML won't display in all browsers.)
How do I know? Easy...I run rl.netscape.com.
If you're running AOL, you're not using Netscape.
We don't know that yet. To re-quote part of what you quoted:
Boucher wouldn't give details on what approach he's considering -- obvious possibilities include...
He hasn't said one way or another what sort of legislation it will be, whether it will be a ban or something else. The "obvious possibilities include..." line was the article author speculating on what he (Boucher) might have in mind. It doesn't claim to represent what will or will not satisfy Boucher, just guesses as to what it could be. As the article says, Boucher wouldn't give details.
Of course, "don't get too excited" is right, because although we don't yet know whether a simple label will be all he asks for, we also don't know that it won't be all he asks for. =)
[snip]
"As Huygens surmised, the platform motion is the culprit"
Summary:
Huygens, 1657: "I think the frame is wiggling."
GATech, 1995: "Yes, the frame is wiggling."
What an amazing scientific mystery that was...
=)
I'm not trying to make a point, I'm just playing with words. =)
Strange...all this time I thought Molson did rather well up there.
As of XP, we're not on the desktop anymore. Stay tuned...
Ya know what? I fully agree with you on this point. I have children myself, and it sickens me to see even the children's shows being imbibed with "here's what you should think and here's what you should buy and here's what you should look like and here's what you should eat; don't think, just consume...". It's horrible. TV is raising a generation that thinks that N'Sync, Britney, Backstreet Boys, and Aaron Carter are musicians. They have no idea that these groups are not artists...they're products. Designed, manufactured, and shrinkwrapped by record companies, and set out on the store shelves.
I don't forbid my kids from watching TV, but I do strictly limit the time they spend doing so, and mostly just let them watch a few select shows on the local public channels. Commercial network television is just too dangerous, and it's not because of the "violence". People who complain about how violence on TV is corrupting our children are completely missing the real threat to our kids.
So, we can agree on that. =)
(The "elitest" comment was a joke, really)
You can bet that this is the right direction to take to get linux to the masses, just as long as they don't thave to think about it.
Well, at least you're not one of those "elitists" the parent post mentioned.
General Motors opposes Open Source? =)
Actually it's been because the deal with MS mandated it. We get our userbase on their browser, they put our icon on their desktop. At least, until that deal expired and talks to renew it broke down.
Build AOL services right into the desktop, stick it in a set-top (To fight WebTV).
http://www.aoltv.com
As someone who is currently learning to code, may I ask how one would avoid the situation you've described above? I don't want to become one who has only learned languages, but not how to design software (documenting is actually a strength of mine, though). Do you have any specific suggestions toward the goal, or resources I should be looking into? A formal CS education would probably be a good suggestion, but that's not (currently) an option for me (maybe a bit later).
(Former locksmith)
Except that there are something like 16 possible resistance values (that was a few years ago, there may be more now) used in, for example, the Corvette. If you try to start the car with the wrong value, the fuel pump is disabled for a period of time (I think it started at three minutes). Second wrong one, the pump is disable for six minutes. Then 12, then 24, etc.
We had a tool called a Sidewinder that slipped over a cut key and slipped copper prongs alongside it in place of the normal contacts. You cut the key to satisfy the tumblers, then slip on the Sidewinder and start trying resistance values (it has a dial on it to change values). It didn't get us around the pauses, however, and sometimes generating a key for a VATS enabled vehicle was an multiple-day event (unless you got the key code from GM, which is not always available...hence the need for the Sidewinder).
All of this is more time than the average car thief has. Now, flatbed trucks with winches, those are another story.
You would imagine incorrectly. And it's "too quickly" and it's "you're". As in, I imagine you're not a writer.
Anyways, I was being flippant. Don't let it worry you.