Actually, they're getting more and more common in the industry. And you know what? I actually think I kind of like them, if they are referring to them in the same way that others have.
Basically, a conference call (for the audio) and then the speaker can go through slides or whatever which are placed in a web page application (with a few side things like a virtual conference room with seating, 'private messages' between participants, feedback indicators (go faster, go slower, have a question, need help).
Webinars are a bit better than conference calls and emailing out a PowerPoint presentation. The probably cost hella more, tho'.
Well, don't ask EDS about it. And IBM seems to be a little sheepish on it, too. Outsourcing IT doesn't appear to be very strong lately, either. I don't know why that'd be focused on as a strength. (Although comparitavely, it isn't THAT bad as other things.)
Yes. That would be the appropriate response. Nonetheless, I'll send my boss a note and see if we can't lay off one of my coworkers to pay for the modification on a few of our servers.;)
You may have studied what you liked...
on
A Name for My Major?
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
...and congratulations, but I really don't think you did yourself any favor in the marketplace, unless you're looking for a job that combines botany, physics, and computer programming. In fact, I'd have to wonder if the administrative department was on crack for letting you pursue such a trio as a single degree.
That said, maybe you could twist it around a bit. Would they allow you to use one (or two combined) into a single major, and make the other a minor? You've probably got enough hours for a minor and a major, I'd think. Mine was pretty relevant, for example. A major in management information systems with a minor in Computer Science.
Think about it. It sounds a lot better than what really happened, "I was going for a computer science degree, but I got messed up with 8 credit hours of a foreign language, and the higher math classes were taught by non-native English speaking interns who I couldn't understand, so I switched to Management Information Systems so I could get the hell out of there and work in the real world."
Give that to Mr. Recruiter. He says, "Wow. He has a major in MIS, and on top of that, a minor in CS! This guy is a cut about those other candidates." Your degree is an advertisement of what you "are", so put the best face on it because it is what you are going to be using to sell yourself. What kind of job are you looking for (immedate, and long term), and how can you turn your studies into a "wow" instead of a... "what the hell"?
If you can't do a major/minor split, I'd go with what the other guy said... Liberal Sciences sounds good. Or, you could combine two to make a Liberal Sciences major with another item as a minor.
As much as I respect people who grow services like these to protect the innocent (for god's sake, there are countries in this world where free speech is a crime!), my trust in them would be very limited. You simply cannot expect anybody to suffer all his life due to a frivolous lawsuit simply to protect *you*.
There are cases in THIS COUNTRY where free speech is a crime! (Don't worry. They've redefined "free speech" to only include legal things, thus decriminalizing free speech.);)
Assuming that the 'anonymous site' keeps logs or otherwise tracks userids and relates them to an identity somewhere else. In the case of anon.penet.fi, they had to store which anonymous ID remails to which email address.
However, something like FuckedCompany is completely different. If you post anonymously there, they don't keep server logs, and as Pud would tell you, "Sue me all you want. There aren't any logs to get your hands on."
I asked them a few times over the past few months what was going on with the dolphin naming contest. Never once got a reply. Never once an update on their web site, which HAD said it would be done "in a month or two"... that was back in January.
Finally, I ended up forgetting about it. All the better. The name that they chose was equally forgettable. A "global" name probably means one that isn't trademarked that you're likely to forget in 5 minutes unless you're bombarded with heavy advertising and brand building.
So what did the dolphin namer win, anyhow?;)
Ebb and flow of tech workers
on
Careers After Tech?
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
I kind of think along the lines of BitGeek (above). Over a decade ago, my area of the country was flooded with unemployeed workers from the oil industry. They were doing the same things... getting jobs at Sears, etc. But for the most part, it wasn't your more skilled petroleum engineers who delivered results that were placed on the sidelines.
There WERE a lot of marginal hacks that were hired over the past few years and tried to pass themselves off as computer professionals. For the most part, you're seeing them as the ones losing their jobs, and having trouble finding new ones. "You can't do that to me! I am an Internet Professional!!!" (For some reason, I'm reminded of a scene from the Internet personality Ben Brown here.)Your better employees aren't having as much problem.
And people who are hiring right now know that the market is flooded with B-list players. They're common, and generally unwanted. It is only a matter of time before they give up and look for jobs elsewhere. Really, this isn't a bad thing.
Plus the fact that most consumers buy almost exclusively on price rather than quality. This is how we end up with the service we get in the airline industry, and Walmart...
Wal-Mart doesn't have bad quality. I think, rather, that they have "acceptable" quality. But if you want bad quality, you go to the dollar store. Just about any kitchen trinket you buy there is destined to cause you misery and/or fall apart.
Wait a second! Maybe dollar stores should sell PC equipment!;)
Absolutely true. The Systems Administrator is the jack of all trades. You are expected to know a little about everything, and what you don't know, you better be willing to look up. As an SA, you get hit from every direction with every problem that is somewhat related to what you do.
The two big areas that probably help to be knowledgeable in? Programming, and networking.
What you say about legacy is true, but often it isn't a major issue. I've got FDDI (100mbit fiber running a token-ring protocol) attached to a number of my servers. In the next year or two, it'll be replaced by 100mbit ethernet or gigabit ether.
Agreed that "knowledge is power". But to go along with that, troubleshooting and the ability to 'figure things out' seems to go a long ways.
We hired on a guy who wasn't advanced... he learned Linux for himself while he was on a boat that was doing some sort of oil exploration. But it was the willingness to learn and discover new things that caught our eye. Sure enough, he ramped up very quickly and became extremely skilled at systems administration.
There doesn't seem to be any must-haves, except a lot of positions call for previous experience. That catch-22 thing. I don't think college does a great deal to prepare anyone to be a systems administrator (well, except for the paperwork), but a degree can limit how high you can go in certain companies.
Re:Actually, this ties in w/some stuff for me...
on
Itanium Problems
·
· Score: 1
You're right. We should forget the entire midrange UNIX market. Their strong position there has no bearing on anything at all.
Any data along the following lines will be appreciated: amount of time it takes an admin to update 50 machine; frequency of distribution or configuration error requiring a roll-back to a previous configuration; average time to perform a rollback; and so forth.
I think all and all, the answer is "it depends". The question is not very much unlike, "I am looking for statistical information on how long it takes to repair a car." Of course, repairing a car could mean anything. Putting in a new engine. Changing the spark plugs. It is hopelessly open-ended.
Much in the same way, "updating 50 machines" is also convoluted. We have a seasoned script at work which we use to update a very large number of boxes all at once. It can load software or change parameters, or whatever. The time it takes is usually far less than 1 minute per box.
On the other hand, upgrading the OS can be far trickier. There is the planning stage (working with the application groups to make sure their applications all support the new version of the OS and what patches they need), the implementation stage (which is slow and drawn out, and you have your choices of upgrading the existing machine or installing a new OS on top of it, both with advantages and disadvantages). The implementation usually takes 4 or 5 hours per machine, and is not done in an assembly-line fashion.
Of course, the second instance (os upgrade/replacement) is a case study for Sun's N1. If their software can magically track dependancies in OS upgrades and do it automatically, that'd be swell.
Actually, this ties in w/some stuff for me...
on
Itanium Problems
·
· Score: 2
I always wondered why Sun was putting a great deal of emphasis on power consumption on their new line of processors. In retrospect, I see why. Smaller blade servers, which allows you to pack a lot of servers into a small space. And power consumption, which if it is very high, eats into the TCO. Oddly enough, it looks like the SPARCs may be playing the game better than you'd think.
So, if you're a talented AIX admin with at least 6 years experience and will work for $40,000 in NYC, let me know, and I'll send them your resume:).
Oh my gosh! There is a shortage of experienced AIX administrators in NYC (who will work for $40k). Quick! Call legal! Get the H1B started! We have a shortage!!!;)
Frankly, it is about time that some of the deadwood that passes itself off as technical talent had to worry about the same issues that face most workers in the U.S. and most of the developed world.
You touched on SOOOO MANY issues, but this one got me. This past year has been the shake-out time for the dead wood in IT. Lots of your marginal sysadmins (and other IT types) are still working for work, or have taken lesser jobs.
Frankly, I see that to be much like the forest service does controlled burns. This could have been avoided by more careful maintenance (employee screening / smaller tree removal), but since that hasn't happened, it is better than a forest fire.
Oh, wait a second, that'd make N1 the forest fire?;)
Who will fix the hardware problems? Who will run the wires or set up the WAP?
The datacenter monkies that you hire at a fraction of the cost. Oh, I agree with you, though. N1 doesn't replace the systems administrator. Its goal is to reduce the number of systems administrators needed to handle a datacenter.
I think the aim of N1 isn't to replace the systems administrator, but rather, reduce the numbers of systems administrators needed for a large datacenter. Like automate the process of setting up new servers. Patch management. Compliance with FCO (field change orders). That kind of thing. (And probably more.) Come with things like Sun's CST (configuration service tracker) and what not. Make things much simpler to run with less people.
They find the address of the port used to share files on the file sharing service, by using it... and then, using custom software, find out what you have to share.
And I find that if I send a nice little binary to your mail reader that causes a buffer overflow, which executes the code I created, well, I was just accessing a publicly available feature of your mail reader.
Really, I see both sides of this issue, so don't mark me as a zealot. I can argue your side, too. It is surprising how unclear this all actually can be.
By using Napster, Gnutella or a slew of other P2P apps which open ports on your computer for sharing files, you are explicitely inviting guests, wheher wanted (other P2P file sharers) or unwanted (BayTSP spiders, FBI). You have knowingly opened ports on your system and allowed files to be shared.
Let me give that a slight twist... By using Microsoft, Solaris, or a Linux operationg system, which open ports on your computer (for whatever reason the deemed necessary), you are explicitly inviting guests, whether wanted or unwanted. You have knowingly opened ports on your system and allowed (God knows what) to be shared.
>...we only probe the ports on your computer that you have made public...
A number of people have pointed this out. However, if this was a valid legal/ethical statement, then that would be the perfect justification for any electronic crime. A hacker says, "I wasn't doing anything illegal! I was only probing the ports that they made public!"
I like the argument in a way. It says, "Hey, I didn't go beyond my authorization to do this. Their site already had the authorization wide open for me to do this!" On the other hand, it can be used to justify anything.
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, they're getting more and more common in the industry. And you know what? I actually think I kind of like them, if they are referring to them in the same way that others have.
Basically, a conference call (for the audio) and then the speaker can go through slides or whatever which are placed in a web page application (with a few side things like a virtual conference room with seating, 'private messages' between participants, feedback indicators (go faster, go slower, have a question, need help).
Webinars are a bit better than conference calls and emailing out a PowerPoint presentation. The probably cost hella more, tho'.
I will be replacing my current corless phone soon...
;)
Coreless? Kind of like the string-and-tin-cans? Those have poor amplication, but you never have to worry about the battery life.
KWAY-OR?
At least the BBC version didn't have a pronounciation guide.
Well, don't ask EDS about it. And IBM seems to be a little sheepish on it, too. Outsourcing IT doesn't appear to be very strong lately, either. I don't know why that'd be focused on as a strength. (Although comparitavely, it isn't THAT bad as other things.)
Yes. That would be the appropriate response. Nonetheless, I'll send my boss a note and see if we can't lay off one of my coworkers to pay for the modification on a few of our servers. ;)
...and congratulations, but I really don't think you did yourself any favor in the marketplace, unless you're looking for a job that combines botany, physics, and computer programming. In fact, I'd have to wonder if the administrative department was on crack for letting you pursue such a trio as a single degree.
That said, maybe you could twist it around a bit. Would they allow you to use one (or two combined) into a single major, and make the other a minor? You've probably got enough hours for a minor and a major, I'd think. Mine was pretty relevant, for example. A major in management information systems with a minor in Computer Science.
Think about it. It sounds a lot better than what really happened, "I was going for a computer science degree, but I got messed up with 8 credit hours of a foreign language, and the higher math classes were taught by non-native English speaking interns who I couldn't understand, so I switched to Management Information Systems so I could get the hell out of there and work in the real world."
Give that to Mr. Recruiter. He says, "Wow. He has a major in MIS, and on top of that, a minor in CS! This guy is a cut about those other candidates." Your degree is an advertisement of what you "are", so put the best face on it because it is what you are going to be using to sell yourself. What kind of job are you looking for (immedate, and long term), and how can you turn your studies into a "wow" instead of a... "what the hell"?
If you can't do a major/minor split, I'd go with what the other guy said... Liberal Sciences sounds good. Or, you could combine two to make a Liberal Sciences major with another item as a minor.
Point taken.
;)
As much as I respect people who grow services like these to protect the innocent (for god's sake, there are countries in this world where free speech is a crime!), my trust in them would be very limited. You simply cannot expect anybody to suffer all his life due to a frivolous lawsuit simply to protect *you*.
There are cases in THIS COUNTRY where free speech is a crime! (Don't worry. They've redefined "free speech" to only include legal things, thus decriminalizing free speech.)
Assuming that the 'anonymous site' keeps logs or otherwise tracks userids and relates them to an identity somewhere else. In the case of anon.penet.fi, they had to store which anonymous ID remails to which email address.
However, something like FuckedCompany is completely different. If you post anonymously there, they don't keep server logs, and as Pud would tell you, "Sue me all you want. There aren't any logs to get your hands on."
I asked them a few times over the past few months what was going on with the dolphin naming contest. Never once got a reply. Never once an update on their web site, which HAD said it would be done "in a month or two"... that was back in January.
;)
Finally, I ended up forgetting about it. All the better. The name that they chose was equally forgettable. A "global" name probably means one that isn't trademarked that you're likely to forget in 5 minutes unless you're bombarded with heavy advertising and brand building.
So what did the dolphin namer win, anyhow?
I kind of think along the lines of BitGeek (above). Over a decade ago, my area of the country was flooded with unemployeed workers from the oil industry. They were doing the same things... getting jobs at Sears, etc. But for the most part, it wasn't your more skilled petroleum engineers who delivered results that were placed on the sidelines.
There WERE a lot of marginal hacks that were hired over the past few years and tried to pass themselves off as computer professionals. For the most part, you're seeing them as the ones losing their jobs, and having trouble finding new ones. "You can't do that to me! I am an Internet Professional!!!" (For some reason, I'm reminded of a scene from the Internet personality Ben Brown here.)Your better employees aren't having as much problem.
And people who are hiring right now know that the market is flooded with B-list players. They're common, and generally unwanted. It is only a matter of time before they give up and look for jobs elsewhere. Really, this isn't a bad thing.
Plus the fact that most consumers buy almost exclusively on price rather than quality. This is how we end up with the service we get in the airline industry, and Walmart...
;)
Wal-Mart doesn't have bad quality. I think, rather, that they have "acceptable" quality. But if you want bad quality, you go to the dollar store. Just about any kitchen trinket you buy there is destined to cause you misery and/or fall apart.
Wait a second! Maybe dollar stores should sell PC equipment!
Absolutely true. The Systems Administrator is the jack of all trades. You are expected to know a little about everything, and what you don't know, you better be willing to look up. As an SA, you get hit from every direction with every problem that is somewhat related to what you do.
The two big areas that probably help to be knowledgeable in? Programming, and networking.
What you say about legacy is true, but often it isn't a major issue. I've got FDDI (100mbit fiber running a token-ring protocol) attached to a number of my servers. In the next year or two, it'll be replaced by 100mbit ethernet or gigabit ether.
Agreed that "knowledge is power". But to go along with that, troubleshooting and the ability to 'figure things out' seems to go a long ways.
We hired on a guy who wasn't advanced... he learned Linux for himself while he was on a boat that was doing some sort of oil exploration. But it was the willingness to learn and discover new things that caught our eye. Sure enough, he ramped up very quickly and became extremely skilled at systems administration.
There doesn't seem to be any must-haves, except a lot of positions call for previous experience. That catch-22 thing. I don't think college does a great deal to prepare anyone to be a systems administrator (well, except for the paperwork), but a degree can limit how high you can go in certain companies.
You're right. We should forget the entire midrange UNIX market. Their strong position there has no bearing on anything at all.
Any data along the following lines will be appreciated: amount of time it takes an admin to update 50 machine; frequency of distribution or configuration error requiring a roll-back to a previous configuration; average time to perform a rollback; and so forth.
I think all and all, the answer is "it depends". The question is not very much unlike, "I am looking for statistical information on how long it takes to repair a car." Of course, repairing a car could mean anything. Putting in a new engine. Changing the spark plugs. It is hopelessly open-ended.
Much in the same way, "updating 50 machines" is also convoluted. We have a seasoned script at work which we use to update a very large number of boxes all at once. It can load software or change parameters, or whatever. The time it takes is usually far less than 1 minute per box.
On the other hand, upgrading the OS can be far trickier. There is the planning stage (working with the application groups to make sure their applications all support the new version of the OS and what patches they need), the implementation stage (which is slow and drawn out, and you have your choices of upgrading the existing machine or installing a new OS on top of it, both with advantages and disadvantages). The implementation usually takes 4 or 5 hours per machine, and is not done in an assembly-line fashion.
Of course, the second instance (os upgrade/replacement) is a case study for Sun's N1. If their software can magically track dependancies in OS upgrades and do it automatically, that'd be swell.
I always wondered why Sun was putting a great deal of emphasis on power consumption on their new line of processors. In retrospect, I see why. Smaller blade servers, which allows you to pack a lot of servers into a small space. And power consumption, which if it is very high, eats into the TCO. Oddly enough, it looks like the SPARCs may be playing the game better than you'd think.
ESR releases a brief white paper outlining why FSF should be called FSF/Stallman. ;)
So sysadmins are now the Knights who say N1?
I'm sorry. I usually don't give replies like this. But you had me rolling on the floor with that one!
So, if you're a talented AIX admin with at least 6 years experience and will work for $40,000 in NYC, let me know, and I'll send them your resume :).
;)
Oh my gosh! There is a shortage of experienced AIX administrators in NYC (who will work for $40k). Quick! Call legal! Get the H1B started! We have a shortage!!!
Frankly, it is about time that some of the deadwood that passes itself off as technical talent had to worry about the same issues that face most workers in the U.S. and most of the developed world.
;)
You touched on SOOOO MANY issues, but this one got me. This past year has been the shake-out time for the dead wood in IT. Lots of your marginal sysadmins (and other IT types) are still working for work, or have taken lesser jobs.
Frankly, I see that to be much like the forest service does controlled burns. This could have been avoided by more careful maintenance (employee screening / smaller tree removal), but since that hasn't happened, it is better than a forest fire.
Oh, wait a second, that'd make N1 the forest fire?
Who will fix the hardware problems? Who will run the wires or set up the WAP?
The datacenter monkies that you hire at a fraction of the cost. Oh, I agree with you, though. N1 doesn't replace the systems administrator. Its goal is to reduce the number of systems administrators needed to handle a datacenter.
I think the aim of N1 isn't to replace the systems administrator, but rather, reduce the numbers of systems administrators needed for a large datacenter. Like automate the process of setting up new servers. Patch management. Compliance with FCO (field change orders). That kind of thing. (And probably more.) Come with things like Sun's CST (configuration service tracker) and what not. Make things much simpler to run with less people.
I like the way you think. ;)
I've added you to my friends list.
Back to what I said on some other reply somewhere... it is very strange how something like this can become so gray and murky.
They find the address of the port used to share files on the file sharing service, by using it... and then, using custom software, find out what you have to share.
And I find that if I send a nice little binary to your mail reader that causes a buffer overflow, which executes the code I created, well, I was just accessing a publicly available feature of your mail reader.
Really, I see both sides of this issue, so don't mark me as a zealot. I can argue your side, too. It is surprising how unclear this all actually can be.
By using Napster, Gnutella or a slew of other P2P apps which open ports on your computer for sharing files, you are explicitely inviting guests, wheher wanted (other P2P file sharers) or unwanted (BayTSP spiders, FBI). You have knowingly opened ports on your system and allowed files to be shared.
Let me give that a slight twist...
By using Microsoft, Solaris, or a Linux operationg system, which open ports on your computer (for whatever reason the deemed necessary), you are explicitly inviting guests, whether wanted or unwanted. You have knowingly opened ports on your system and allowed (God knows what) to be shared.
> ...we only probe the ports on your computer that you have made public...
A number of people have pointed this out. However, if this was a valid legal/ethical statement, then that would be the perfect justification for any electronic crime. A hacker says, "I wasn't doing anything illegal! I was only probing the ports that they made public!"
I like the argument in a way. It says, "Hey, I didn't go beyond my authorization to do this. Their site already had the authorization wide open for me to do this!" On the other hand, it can be used to justify anything.