I am willing to contemplate that I am an unusual case...
Not that unusual from what I have seen. Most of the top IT guys I know have no degree at all, or one in a different field. I think I only know one top level guy with a degree in what he is actually doing. (I say "I think" because "What is your degree" rarely comes up in conversation.)
Once you have experience, you're on your way, because IT is still an area where experience and excellence speak louder than degrees or certifications. (although that is starting to change)
I have been doing this for 25 years, and people have been saying that for at least 15 of them. And yet, I am still getting "degreed" people without a clue. Experience rules. The degree is gravy.
Otherwise you will just be exploited and never make it up the career ladder. Sad but true.
I have made it up the ladder, and had a wide variety of jobs with no IT degree. Mine is social science... Perhaps it is attitude. No one ever told me I could not do it. (Or if they did, I didn't listen.)
Another thing to add on to that is an internship. You can get experience that no one would hire an entry level person to do. These kind of internships are hard to find, and it is really who you know. And it is hard work for now pay... But when you are done, you have some sold skills on the resume from a good company. I have followed some of my former interns, and they do quite well for the "first job."
With this experience you can get good hands on tech jobs, but with no degree, you will hit a ceiling. If you want to go into management, it does not matter what the degree is as long as you have one. And that was serious, not a Dilbertism... Unfortunately.
I see a reason why not... It does not matter that much. When I am hiring, I am looking for experience and skills more than degree. Get some entry level support jobs to train up, or a summer IT internship. And once you have some experience, that Psychology degree will help a lot. I have 25 years in the IT industry, and a Social Science degree. I have no formal cirts either, but I helped develop a few...
Yep. Content producers. I mean if you bought the DVD, why are they entitled to make you watch the adds EVERY TIME? And so on... If there was a way to legally buy the pirate rip MKVs I would actually pay more for them. They are just better product.
While I'm a 'legalize it' kind of guy, I have to call you on the inflammatory rhetoric. I checked the map and none of the checkpoints are anywhere near the middle of Texas. The checkpoints all look to be in reasonable proximity to the border.
Also, to me a border checkpoint is at the border. Not an hour away. I need ID to go from one central town to another... (McAllen to San Antonio) Really.
Admittedly, most people are quite surprised to find "Border" checkpoints in the fucking middle of Texas! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Border_Patrol_Interior_Checkpoints And why? If the "checkpoints" at the actual border don't work, why would these? (I mean to stop illegal immigration, not bust famous people...)
Funny... I did it. It was appreciated. Postfix and Dovecot for imap, and google for calendars... Worked really well, was much more stable, and a hell of a lot cheaper. If things like that get you fired, you are in the wrong place.
I like to drive fast. I need to haul stuff. I could make a sports truck that is a crappy version of both, or I can get a sports car and a truck. Better yet, I can use the truck as a car if the car is in the shop.
Postfix. Yes, it is ONLY e-mail, but if you need other stuff, you can add it when e-mail is stable. It is also lightweight enough to handle the load on really old hardware.
I think you miss the point. I (and three others so far in this thread) will not do this. There is only so much I will pay for a game. Part of that is cash, and part of that is bullshit. Installing a VM or a dual boot of Windows just to play a game that will probably only hold my interest for a month, if that, is way to high on the bullshit scale. Admittedly, fighting PulseAudio problems is on the bullshit scale as well, but much lower than dealing with Windows. I will just stick to Linux games... Believe it or not, there are companies that recognise the market here.
Why do people keep going with this 1% crap. Every Humble Indie Bundle released has had 20 times 1% in actual cash money. And that is what counts in business, right?
And you are right, that they would not notice if he was the only one. But I feel exactly the same way, and honestly we are not that special.
Still, I can't see running it as a primary desktop for anyone but a fan of Linux or in an extremely locked down environment.
My fiancée runs it, and she is finished her teaching degree, with a minor of social science. And she is no fan, or even techie... It just doesn't crash as much as windows did.
Also, all of the percentage numbers are going to be off. For example, I have 3 systems here that are counted as Windows sales, but only run Linux. I also have a few systems that report as Windows in the browser refer tags for badly written websites. The only real information is the Humble Indie Bundle where Linux is 20% - 25% of revenue...
We can go on all night. And the OS companies feel that the phone/tablet/desktop market is converging. Just look at Gnome 3 Unity, Win 8, and the direction OSX is going.
Slashdot Mirror
I am willing to contemplate that I am an unusual case...
Not that unusual from what I have seen. Most of the top IT guys I know have no degree at all, or one in a different field. I think I only know one top level guy with a degree in what he is actually doing. (I say "I think" because "What is your degree" rarely comes up in conversation.)
Once you have experience, you're on your way, because IT is still an area where experience and excellence speak louder than degrees or certifications. (although that is starting to change)
I have been doing this for 25 years, and people have been saying that for at least 15 of them. And yet, I am still getting "degreed" people without a clue. Experience rules. The degree is gravy.
Otherwise you will just be exploited and never make it up the career ladder. Sad but true.
I have made it up the ladder, and had a wide variety of jobs with no IT degree. Mine is social science... Perhaps it is attitude. No one ever told me I could not do it. (Or if they did, I didn't listen.)
Another thing to add on to that is an internship. You can get experience that no one would hire an entry level person to do. These kind of internships are hard to find, and it is really who you know. And it is hard work for now pay... But when you are done, you have some sold skills on the resume from a good company. I have followed some of my former interns, and they do quite well for the "first job."
But who wants to work for those places, even if you have a degree?
With this experience you can get good hands on tech jobs, but with no degree, you will hit a ceiling. If you want to go into management, it does not matter what the degree is as long as you have one. And that was serious, not a Dilbertism... Unfortunately.
I see a reason why not... It does not matter that much. When I am hiring, I am looking for experience and skills more than degree. Get some entry level support jobs to train up, or a summer IT internship. And once you have some experience, that Psychology degree will help a lot. I have 25 years in the IT industry, and a Social Science degree. I have no formal cirts either, but I helped develop a few...
Yep. Content producers. I mean if you bought the DVD, why are they entitled to make you watch the adds EVERY TIME? And so on... If there was a way to legally buy the pirate rip MKVs I would actually pay more for them. They are just better product.
Well, it will drive more to piracy. And they will think it is just cost...
While I'm a 'legalize it' kind of guy, I have to call you on the inflammatory rhetoric. I checked the map and none of the checkpoints are anywhere near the middle of Texas. The checkpoints all look to be in reasonable proximity to the border.
None of the permanent checkpoint on the maps you can get on the web, you mean... As far as the roving checkpoints, look at this map. http://www.aclu.org/national-security_technology-and-liberty/are-you-living-constitution-free-zone
Also, to me a border checkpoint is at the border. Not an hour away. I need ID to go from one central town to another... (McAllen to San Antonio) Really.
Dear BSA,
Everything here run's Linux and you are not allowed on the property.
Also please take note of the sign: Trespassers will be shot, survivors will be shot again.
Even shorter...
Dear BSA,
Everything here run's Linux and you are not allowed on the property.
Proud supporter of the castle doctrine.
No response to a letter is not dangerous. No response to a certified letter or subpoena is dangerous...
It does, however, prevent you from funding them. I know it is only a drop in the bucket, but it is my drop damn it!
Admittedly, most people are quite surprised to find "Border" checkpoints in the fucking middle of Texas! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Border_Patrol_Interior_Checkpoints And why? If the "checkpoints" at the actual border don't work, why would these? (I mean to stop illegal immigration, not bust famous people...)
LoJack is vetted, and they will not tell YOU where your car is. Only the police. Big difference... Also, why I will not use LoJack.
I did not know hooking it up to your USB port and looking at the file system was considered "hacking." That would sure has come down a bit...
And the first few hundred million did not need a Google+ account. But now...
Funny... I did it. It was appreciated. Postfix and Dovecot for imap, and google for calendars... Worked really well, was much more stable, and a hell of a lot cheaper. If things like that get you fired, you are in the wrong place.
I like to drive fast. I need to haul stuff. I could make a sports truck that is a crappy version of both, or I can get a sports car and a truck. Better yet, I can use the truck as a car if the car is in the shop.
Or, if all you wanted was to actually use your Droid, and didn't want any damn account.
Postfix. Yes, it is ONLY e-mail, but if you need other stuff, you can add it when e-mail is stable. It is also lightweight enough to handle the load on really old hardware.
I think you miss the point. I (and three others so far in this thread) will not do this. There is only so much I will pay for a game. Part of that is cash, and part of that is bullshit. Installing a VM or a dual boot of Windows just to play a game that will probably only hold my interest for a month, if that, is way to high on the bullshit scale. Admittedly, fighting PulseAudio problems is on the bullshit scale as well, but much lower than dealing with Windows. I will just stick to Linux games... Believe it or not, there are companies that recognise the market here.
Why do people keep going with this 1% crap. Every Humble Indie Bundle released has had 20 times 1% in actual cash money. And that is what counts in business, right?
And you are right, that they would not notice if he was the only one. But I feel exactly the same way, and honestly we are not that special.
Still, I can't see running it as a primary desktop for anyone but a fan of Linux or in an extremely locked down environment.
My fiancée runs it, and she is finished her teaching degree, with a minor of social science. And she is no fan, or even techie... It just doesn't crash as much as windows did.
Also, all of the percentage numbers are going to be off. For example, I have 3 systems here that are counted as Windows sales, but only run Linux. I also have a few systems that report as Windows in the browser refer tags for badly written websites. The only real information is the Humble Indie Bundle where Linux is 20% - 25% of revenue...
*cough*UbuntuForAndroid*cough*
We can go on all night. And the OS companies feel that the phone/tablet/desktop market is converging. Just look at Gnome 3 Unity, Win 8, and the direction OSX is going.