You're describing a school where I work!!! (well, a nyc look-alike).
You mentioned stuff about teachers, and since I'm sorta teaching courses there, here's my take on it:
Try working for 4 years without a raise. EVERYONE on the staff is underpaid and depressed (the high tuition is in NO WAY related to the $$ teacher is getting). Nobody is motivated (students see you as part of the school - the cheats who take their money for a diploma that's worth less than the paper its printed on). Also, program directors DO change final grades (you can't seem to fail people when they pay $35k - you also can't tell them to seek a diff major - or switch schools).
Nearly everyone is there `just until I get a decent job'. I was in education part-time for a while, and in this dead tech market, for a time, it provided the _only_ bit of money. Believe me, if I had found a job right in the middle of the course, I'd leave. And so would anyone at such a school (they have 0 competitive advantage when it comes to salaries - and the workplace is depressing and makes you feel bad for sorta being part of the scam). Teachers hate these schools as much as students.
Now, I'd also like to mention that I teach grad courses at a real university, and that I love that job. The salary isn't higher. It's the atmosphere. It's the feel that the students are really getting their money's worth. That their degree will actually matter - and that their credits will be transferable, etc.
I used to think the same way. Now I make a big distinction. Easy test: If someone knows (understands, can write out, etc.) a Fourier transform, then they're an Engineer, otherwise they're not:-)
Basically there is a lot of skill overlap (everyone learns to code, etc.,) Software folks care for things like design, algorithms, UML, etc., while engineering folks care for things like signal processing, statistics, math, (along with other non-computer things).
Ahh... it's funny when you see it from the outside. Try teaching these courses; where the class is titled something like "Java Programming", and none of the students in the class can form a coherent if statement, or do basic things with their `free' laptops (like set path, or use a command prompt). And no, this is not a joke.
I had the director change final grades on me. When each student brings in $35k (at the school where I teach), you can't really `fail' them (or `suggest/imply' to the student that they should seek a different major - or possibly switch schools). Basically `nobody' drops (no matter how bad they do - and if they happen to leave, they're still stuck with the bills.
Yes. It's _that_ bad, and I for one am glad that these schools are dying. Too bad my school will probably just end up buying up all the failing ones (education is BIG business - try looking up CEC on NASDAQ).
Honestly There needs to be Tech schools out there that have 90%+ Failure rates of students that Just don't have the aptitude to work with computers.. But the only problem then would be to get students into the school and fill up the classes so they can make money....
I've been teaching at one of them schools for almost 4 years; and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to fail anyone (or to suggest they should seek another major, or [as I usually like to tell students] to switch schools - I also teach in a real college).
On one occation, the `director' actually changed my final grades! (yep, plainly edited the final roster).
I've heard stories of instructors being fired for what amounts to IMHO `telling the truth' to the students.
These schools are evil money sucking machines that pray on the mistery of others and screw up the lives of just about every student they come across (recruit already messed up folks [many not even high school grads], promise lots of stuff, leave them with TONS of loans). I really hate that school (on moral grounds), but hey, work is work, and I'd rather be employed than not.
Oh, yeah, and I wish they'd go under! I've been wishing for that since the first few weeks of me working there.
Client positions would be listed and relisted as if they were new, but in fact they were positions that had been vacant for a year.
HotJobs listed tech jobs for a YEAR after a company (Concept Five) I worked for went under.
I think it's also in job site's best interest to keep their `jobs' as `real looking' as possible; they have no insentive to remove old/worthless jobs just because they haven't heard from a company in a while.
So you're saying it's ok for everyone on the planet to send everyone on the planet an hourly advertisement as long as it contains Adv: in the subject:-)
If drugs are legal, they'll be cheaply and easily available in stores (like cigarettes). Those who'd normally use'em would use'em, and those who wouldn't wouldn't.
No crime. No point to illegally import drugs, etc., the Gov can turn a profit on tarrifs, and taxes, etc.
Also setup the same sort of job policy as for alcohol. If you come to work drunk, you risk getting fired. If you come grugged, you get fired, etc. This will motivate most "sane" folks not to use drugs (as it does to "not abuse alcohol" - you can't work for a bank and get drunk every day).
I think one of the things that screws up folks is the fact that it's illegal.
btw, I don't use drugs (don't even smoke/drink), but I think it's a great idea to make them legal.
I mean seriously, is there some problem this if really fixing, do we need to track paper documents? How many paper documents are just prints of digital documents?
A lawyer friend of mine was VERY interested in this a while back (but RFIDs were `expensive' then). And it's not just for security, but for finding where particular documents are within the lawfirm.
they can enfore their patents and - whooops, Mono/dotGnu have vanished.
I doubt they'll find it easy to kill an open source project. They can force servers to not host it, but they can't make everyone to stop developing code.
(ie: What if SCO goes to court and is actually successful (paying off everyone involved) in making linux illegal - will everyone still use it or will everyone switch to Windows?)
ie: I doubt these things are enforceble against open source projects.
Actually, I just installed the latest update from windowsupdate, and one of them included something called "Error Reporting Service" update or something, and in the comments it said you could send them a problem, cause, and fix if you wanted. (ie: a FIX!).
I remember those (toys I mean - got one for new years).
Those damn things used to run on weirdo square batteries that you couldn't find anywhere. Later models ran on the D cells I think.
The next telescope to be put in space won't happen until 2012...
That's assuming it will even happen. I can imagine how a few funding cuts and some unfortunate accidents can delay that until 2030, or at worst, cancel the whole program. (ie: there is a huge debt now - won't surprise me if the space program is the first to be cut).
I think he meant that if the hubble is `useless' and we're pulling funding, then we might as well also pull funding from the space station, since it is also `useless'.
Well, I say if amazon can pull it off charging millions of folks securely over this magic internet, there should be no `technical' reason not to have voting online.
The system just has to be designed `right'. With possibly 10 different open source implementations (implemented by different teams/companies) working as one... (have the client machine talk to 10 different gov servers at the same time - each running it's own implementation), and their results compared. If any one of them is not `correct', then the whole system is taken offline and fixed.
The major issue is correctly determining who is actually at the terminal, but that's not technology (more like faith in that the system works - anyone hear that dead folks can't vote?)
Slashdot Mirror
You're describing a school where I work!!! (well, a nyc look-alike).
You mentioned stuff about teachers, and since I'm sorta teaching courses there, here's my take on it:
Try working for 4 years without a raise. EVERYONE on the staff is underpaid and depressed (the high tuition is in NO WAY related to the $$ teacher is getting). Nobody is motivated (students see you as part of the school - the cheats who take their money for a diploma that's worth less than the paper its printed on). Also, program directors DO change final grades (you can't seem to fail people when they pay $35k - you also can't tell them to seek a diff major - or switch schools).
Nearly everyone is there `just until I get a decent job'. I was in education part-time for a while, and in this dead tech market, for a time, it provided the _only_ bit of money. Believe me, if I had found a job right in the middle of the course, I'd leave. And so would anyone at such a school (they have 0 competitive advantage when it comes to salaries - and the workplace is depressing and makes you feel bad for sorta being part of the scam). Teachers hate these schools as much as students.
Now, I'd also like to mention that I teach grad courses at a real university, and that I love that job. The salary isn't higher. It's the atmosphere. It's the feel that the students are really getting their money's worth. That their degree will actually matter - and that their credits will be transferable, etc.
The only purpose that these institutions had was to dilute the talent within the IT and computer engineering fields.
No. Their only purpose was to make money. And it seems they've made a ton.
I used to think the same way. Now I make a big distinction. Easy test: If someone knows (understands, can write out, etc.) a Fourier transform, then they're an Engineer, otherwise they're not :-)
Basically there is a lot of skill overlap (everyone learns to code, etc.,) Software folks care for things like design, algorithms, UML, etc., while engineering folks care for things like signal processing, statistics, math, (along with other non-computer things).
Ahh... it's funny when you see it from the outside. Try teaching these courses; where the class is titled something like "Java Programming", and none of the students in the class can form a coherent if statement, or do basic things with their `free' laptops (like set path, or use a command prompt). And no, this is not a joke.
I had the director change final grades on me. When each student brings in $35k (at the school where I teach), you can't really `fail' them (or `suggest/imply' to the student that they should seek a different major - or possibly switch schools). Basically `nobody' drops (no matter how bad they do - and if they happen to leave, they're still stuck with the bills.
Yes. It's _that_ bad, and I for one am glad that these schools are dying. Too bad my school will probably just end up buying up all the failing ones (education is BIG business - try looking up CEC on NASDAQ).
Honestly There needs to be Tech schools out there that have 90%+ Failure rates of students that Just don't have the aptitude to work with computers.. But the only problem then would be to get students into the school and fill up the classes so they can make money....
I've been teaching at one of them schools for almost 4 years; and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to fail anyone (or to suggest they should seek another major, or [as I usually like to tell students] to switch schools - I also teach in a real college).
On one occation, the `director' actually changed my final grades! (yep, plainly edited the final roster).
I've heard stories of instructors being fired for what amounts to IMHO `telling the truth' to the students.
These schools are evil money sucking machines that pray on the mistery of others and screw up the lives of just about every student they come across (recruit already messed up folks [many not even high school grads], promise lots of stuff, leave them with TONS of loans). I really hate that school (on moral grounds), but hey, work is work, and I'd rather be employed than not.
Oh, yeah, and I wish they'd go under! I've been wishing for that since the first few weeks of me working there.
But you could stick it to the magnet in the electric motor of your razor.
So much for the HD based iPod attached to folks all day long.
Not only do you go deaf from music, but...
Client positions would be listed and relisted as if they were new, but in fact they were positions that had been vacant for a year.
HotJobs listed tech jobs for a YEAR after a company (Concept Five) I worked for went under.
I think it's also in job site's best interest to keep their `jobs' as `real looking' as possible; they have no insentive to remove old/worthless jobs just because they haven't heard from a company in a while.
I wouldn't be surprised if they also embeded the logo as a watermark; just so it's there even if you copy it.
...or everybody said that Perl was mandatory?
:-)
Yes, I would love to live in such a world
especially given the poor quality of the advertisements sent out via email by the spammers....
:-)
On the plus side, if you use proper spelling and grammar in your e-mails, it won't be blocked by filters anymore
So you're saying it's ok for everyone on the planet to send everyone on the planet an hourly advertisement as long as it contains Adv: in the subject :-)
I agree with you.
If drugs are legal, they'll be cheaply and easily available in stores (like cigarettes). Those who'd normally use'em would use'em, and those who wouldn't wouldn't.
No crime. No point to illegally import drugs, etc., the Gov can turn a profit on tarrifs, and taxes, etc.
Also setup the same sort of job policy as for alcohol. If you come to work drunk, you risk getting fired. If you come grugged, you get fired, etc. This will motivate most "sane" folks not to use drugs (as it does to "not abuse alcohol" - you can't work for a bank and get drunk every day).
I think one of the things that screws up folks is the fact that it's illegal.
btw, I don't use drugs (don't even smoke/drink), but I think it's a great idea to make them legal.
Gives a new meaning to "There are viruses in image files!" :-)
But but but... GNU's Not UNIX :-)
:-)
Solaris, on the other hand, doesn't deny being UNIX
j/k
I mean seriously, is there some problem this if really fixing, do we need to track paper documents? How many paper documents are just prints of digital documents?
A lawyer friend of mine was VERY interested in this a while back (but RFIDs were `expensive' then). And it's not just for security, but for finding where particular documents are within the lawfirm.
they can enfore their patents and - whooops, Mono/dotGnu have vanished.
I doubt they'll find it easy to kill an open source project. They can force servers to not host it, but they can't make everyone to stop developing code.
(ie: What if SCO goes to court and is actually successful (paying off everyone involved) in making linux illegal - will everyone still use it or will everyone switch to Windows?)
ie: I doubt these things are enforceble against open source projects.
Actually, I just installed the latest update from windowsupdate, and one of them included something called "Error Reporting Service" update or something, and in the comments it said you could send them a problem, cause, and fix if you wanted. (ie: a FIX!).
Nah, doesn't look like the J-Cell. (those used to be 1.5 volts, and were bound in cardboard (paper) like thing).
I remember those (toys I mean - got one for new years). Those damn things used to run on weirdo square batteries that you couldn't find anywhere. Later models ran on the D cells I think.
Just wanna mention another great community at http://www.houseofsmack.net
:-)
in quake3, type:
\connect punk.houseofsmack.net
Been playing there for many years; it's really the best friendliest place as far as game servers go
I think they'll just rename "ME" to "XP", and sell that old piece of crap OS and hope nobody notices it.
It's possible to wring even less functionality out of Windows XP?
:-)
I guess they can make a special "win95 core" version of XP... sorta like a renamed WinME
The next telescope to be put in space won't happen until 2012...
That's assuming it will even happen. I can imagine how a few funding cuts and some unfortunate accidents can delay that until 2030, or at worst, cancel the whole program. (ie: there is a huge debt now - won't surprise me if the space program is the first to be cut).
I think he meant that if the hubble is `useless' and we're pulling funding, then we might as well also pull funding from the space station, since it is also `useless'.
Well, I say if amazon can pull it off charging millions of folks securely over this magic internet, there should be no `technical' reason not to have voting online.
The system just has to be designed `right'. With possibly 10 different open source implementations (implemented by different teams/companies) working as one... (have the client machine talk to 10 different gov servers at the same time - each running it's own implementation), and their results compared. If any one of them is not `correct', then the whole system is taken offline and fixed.
The major issue is correctly determining who is actually at the terminal, but that's not technology (more like faith in that the system works - anyone hear that dead folks can't vote?)