tiredlemma's recent activity
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~news
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~news
tiredlemma Link ParentAmen, a thousand times amen. Enterprise stigma is monstrously difficult to overcome. Completely agree with sentiment/comment here.Amen, a thousand times amen. Enterprise stigma is monstrously difficult to overcome. Completely agree with sentiment/comment here.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~news
tiredlemma Link ParentIt has nothing to do with qualification and everything to do with a willingness to “play ball” with the culture.It has nothing to do with qualification and everything to do with a willingness to “play ball” with the culture.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~news
tiredlemma (edited )Link ParentAdmittedly this is anecdata, but there are almost 2,000 unfilled jobs across the technology division of my employer that have been sitting open for a long, long time. We're in the Boston-NYC...Admittedly this is anecdata, but there are almost 2,000 unfilled jobs across the technology division of my employer that have been sitting open for a long, long time. We're in the Boston-NYC (Edit: Actually, just about everywhere with satellites and regional offices. Most of these jobs are in the HQ area) corridor of the US, pay above market rates, have excellent benefits, etc. so I don't think it's that. We're not the sexiest company in the world, but any one of these roles could support a family in the area. I have to use foreign contractors to keep the engines running--qualified resumes just aren't coming through in the necessary numbers. I know I lose a double digit percentage of candidates because of business casual dress code... Hiring sucks.
Not saying there aren't significant underlying issues in the economy, far from it, I see them every day. Just pointing out that there is a lot of life sustaining work available that folks either don't want or aren't ready to do.
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Comment on Elizabeth Warren proposes breaking up Amazon, Google, and Facebook in ~tech
tiredlemma Link ParentAt my company (bigger than many countries) we have a PAC that employees above a certain pay grade are eligible to join. It isn’t aimed at Republican or Democrat, its sole purpose is to pour money...At my company (bigger than many countries) we have a PAC that employees above a certain pay grade are eligible to join. It isn’t aimed at Republican or Democrat, its sole purpose is to pour money on candidates a db lobbying efforts that are beneficial to the continued march of the Vampire Squid. Our PAC (of which I am a member by convention) has a budget that makes the numbers thrown around during election season seem silly. Senator Warren will definitely run afoul of extremely nasty, well funded, and determined enemies making statements like the OP posted.
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Comment on Reddit testing a new "tip" feature. Giving real money to other users. in ~tech
tiredlemma Link ParentI'm guessing they're being monitored like it's nineteen ninety eight when the undertaker threw mankind off hеll in a cell, and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcer's table.I'm guessing they're being monitored like it's nineteen ninety eight when the undertaker threw mankind off hеll in a cell, and plummeted sixteen feet through an announcer's table.
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Comment on Workism is making Americans miserable in ~life
tiredlemma LinkSo this article hits home for me on a variety of levels, and also has led me to reflect a little bit on these issues. When I was an engineer I was almost always miserable at work. I measured the...So this article hits home for me on a variety of levels, and also has led me to reflect a little bit on these issues. When I was an engineer I was almost always miserable at work. I measured the success or failure of my day based on technical progress--was I writing code that was useful pursuant to the stated goals? I nearly never thought so. My days were filled with little bursts of coding punctuated by frustrating meetings driven by messaging I did not understand and little pow-wows with my team about the latest in doom and gloom. The expectation to work long hours without feeling like productivity was possible left me in a dark place for years.
Now as a senior engineering leader I recognize that work is 80%+ theater, with the technical projects serving as the much abused script of the play in which colleagues, stakeholders, and folks from related outside companies are both the players and the audience. It feels like being in a Colleen McCullough novel about Roman intrigue, and I am happier at work than I have ever been. That said, it is extremely difficult to try and create a sense of meaning and satisfaction for my ICs and even first/second line leaders. I certainly haven't figured this problem out, though I do my best to shield folks from the vagaries of the enterprise. I am not fool enough to believe than any executive action is going to create a Shangri-La for engineers, analysts, and others--especially given the severe dissonance between the nature of their duties and the reality of corporate tech.
Admittedly I derive a great deal of my personal identity from work, which has been problematic for me throughout my life on several levels. For example, I really don't know what to do with myself when I take my family on vacation and end up feeling pretty dark and brooding, unable to resist logging in to track the email threads or do impromptu calls with folks to keep the theater on its rails. My wife has been amazing in encouraging me to maintain hobbies and other activities outside of work, and that has contributed a great deal to my health, but I come from a long line of workaholics and am afraid that there is no true escape from that for me.
As some have pointed out, working with people who obsess over work (looking in the mirror) can be harmful to others who don't do so. I know this, and do what I can to limit that harm, but at the end of the day, if you want a place in the biggest game in the world, there's no avoiding paying your dues. I've found that transnational corporate life is designed only for those a few layers down from the C-Suite and up, for those below it can be very ugly. I caution friends and friends' children to avoid life at massive enterprises unless they are committed to taking a hard-stance on the treacherous road up the ladder and willing to admit defeat if it comes.
There are many career paths that aren't so demanding, at least not to the level of high finance or monstrous companies or politics, and I highly encourage folks to consider if those few extra 10k$ per year are worth the stress and sacrifice. Now, I recognize that the article covers more than just life in the Fortune 500, so I'll say a few things about startups:
It is almost never worth the cost to your health, wealth, and happiness to pour your soul into a startup. I often see advice saying that one's twenties are the time to do it if you are going to, and having done so myself I strongly disagree. To the degree that you can enjoy your youth! Party, travel, meet people. These things are not restricted to the wealthy, contrary to popular opinion--just don't expect to be invited to the Met Gala or have your life look like these absurd nanoinfluencers on social media. Work at a startup once you've reached a point in life that can sustain the potential financial hit, when you really understand the industry that this group is trying to "disrupt" and can make an intelligent guess w.r.t. their success chance, and don't accept a compensation package without having it reviewed by your lawyer. Corporate can and will destroy your life also, if you let it, but at least you're in the arena shedding blood for a piece of XXX billion $ pie, not some vision predicated on smart blenders or something.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~music
tiredlemma LinkThis is amazing! So much fun seeing a song dedicated to one of my favorite mathematicians (and general weirdo). Thank you!This is amazing! So much fun seeing a song dedicated to one of my favorite mathematicians (and general weirdo). Thank you!
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Comment on Would you pay higher taxes for better government services? in ~talk
tiredlemma Link ParentOf course a small proportion of the risk pool utilizes an outsized amount of healthcare spend. That shouldn't surprise anybody. My burning question is what proportion of the quoted healthcare...Of course a small proportion of the risk pool utilizes an outsized amount of healthcare spend. That shouldn't surprise anybody. My burning question is what proportion of the quoted healthcare spend figures are billing inflation/out of control pricing? If we say that healthcare ought to be accessible for everyone, I find it intellectually dishonest to claim that healthcare is an sector capable of setting its own prices. Eliminate fee-for-service, centrally and aggressively set prices by region like a utility, and eliminate the vast archipelago of rent seeking bullshit in the healthcare space.
Re education, salaries aren't the problem, and if anything ought to have upward pressure applied to them to attract more talent to the profession. I believe that all government pensions (and pensions generally..), explicitly including military pensions, ought to be eliminated as they are mathematically untenable. [0] suggests that these monies are enough to make a difference and could be redirected toward proper wages for teachers. [ 56k/year average for such a critical function is pretty abysmal in my view. ] If I think about it later I will try to find hard numbers, but a perfunctory search isn't turning up the data I'm looking for. The nation ought to go the way of private industry and eliminate unrealistic benefits--and yes, I realize this isn't a politically viable solution at this time.
[0] https://www.teacherpensions.org/blog/10-states-spend-more-employee-retirement-costs-higher-education
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Comment on Would you pay higher taxes for better government services? in ~talk
tiredlemma LinkNo, I would not. USG needs to appropriately use the revenue it is already obtaining from taxes. I firmly believe that proper management of current healthcare budgets could result in high quality...No, I would not. USG needs to appropriately use the revenue it is already obtaining from taxes. I firmly believe that proper management of current healthcare budgets could result in high quality universal healthcare, for instance. In order to do this, however, there must be political will to railroad the BS from lobbyists and make rational executive decisions. Similar idea for schools--the quality of American education vs. spend per student is INSANE, and ought to result in firing & blacklisting everyone responsible.
I have no problem paying more in taxes, but I want to see adult management of what I'm already paying before I'd be okay with a tax hike.
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Comment on I want to get into IT as a career, but I have no previous experience. What essential skills should I know? in ~comp
tiredlemma Link ParentI came up through the software engineering side of tech work, so a real sysadmin or network engineer is a better person to talk to. That said, I suspect that there is still some use for you in...- Exemplary
I came up through the software engineering side of tech work, so a real sysadmin or network engineer is a better person to talk to. That said, I suspect that there is still some use for you in learning how to write decent programs in general. I would perhaps be more interested in gaining the ability to read, understand, and modify C, C++, Perl, the various shell scripts (primarily Bash, though YMMV), and to a growing extent Rust if I were you. Don't get too hung up on this, though, it will come with time. I think you're best served by some networking/Linux admin training and the entry level certifications (such as the Comptia A+ Networking referenced in this thread). The certs will lose value over time, with few exceptions (IIRC there's a master-level Cisco cert [Certified Internetworking Expert or something] that my counterpart on the infrastructure side of the enterprise salivates over in potential hires), but are a good way to get your foot in the door.
You might consider a path something like this:
Associate of Science degree in networking/systems administration (something like [0]). If you already have a degree in something, the certs alone will probably be enough to convey basic competence and interest to a potential employer. If you don't, I know that a lot of the entry level techs at different companies I've worked at have started with a CC degree and enthusiasm.
Take/pass two or three basic certifications depending on the sorts of employers that you're targeting. Cisco is still a huge fish in the enterprise space, so CCNA could definitely be a good box to check for you. If you Google "entry level {sysadmin, networking} certifications" you can find a plethora of good information.
Spend a lot of time on Indeed or something equivalent and get a sense of the companies hiring in the functions that you are interested in either locally or somewhere you'd be excited to move to (and could move to, realistically). Study the job postings carefully, see what themes you see in terms of desired skills, experience, and education. See if there is a meetup for sysadmins or network engineers in your area and go, as soon as possible, and make friends/get your name on the radar. If you are able to go to events like this, treat them like informal interviews--look presentable, be personable, remember people's names, etc. You just may find that Sally from the Meetup decides whether her company takes a chance on you or not.
Highly recommend that you try to get a job with the biggest company in your area that you can. Startups/small firms have a sort of romantic culture around them, especially on the coding side, but they're shit for building meaningful infrastructure experience. You want to get exposure to the biggest set of the most expensive toys you can. If a large enterprise has a data center near you, that should be high on your list to consider--serious $$ and a very bright future for folks who understand infrastructure, have experience with complicated setups on a Fortune 500 scale, and understand how to integrate databases into their enterprise users' workflows.
ASIDE: Without making any moral or political claims, the military (assuming you are US based, though I suspect this is true in other 1st world countries) is an excellent place to get a start in IT. Education, scale, experience, professional development, and a bit of prestige wrapped into 4 years or so of guaranteed employment. If you happened to get clearances and were willing to move to Virginia or Maryland, you'd be set for (a very, very comfortable) life. Please don't take this as me pushing you at the military, it could be impossible for you on many levels, including (justifiably) politically or morally. Just pointing it out as an option.
Once you've got some employment that is in the field interesting to you, whether its at a dream company or not, then grab a bachelor's degree in something relevant (I work at Fortune 5 company, zero stigma for online education provided it comes from an accredited brick & mortar school) somehow in your off time (again, assuming you don't already have one). At this stage you won't be needing random Internet advice on the way forward.
Resumes/interviews/etc. are a whole other topic deserving of their own thread. Happy to give resume feedback when you're ready (though do scrub it of personal information, and replace school/company names/dates with generic placeholders).
[0] https://www.gccaz.edu/academics/degrees-certificates/computer-networking-technology-aas
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~transport
tiredlemma Link ParentI hear you that most drivers neither know nor respect "share the road" type laws. That said I find the degree of risk that cyclists expose themselves and others to by meandering through a crowd of...I hear you that most drivers neither know nor respect "share the road" type laws. That said I find the degree of risk that cyclists expose themselves and others to by meandering through a crowd of multiton automotives to be very irritating. If I rear end another car at low to moderate speed, chances are folks are going to be fine, and a little back and forth with insurance companies is going to make the situation go away. Rear ending a cyclist (or motorcyclist) has a far higher chance of serious bodily harm occurring.
To be clear, I 100% think that drivers must be held responsible for what they do while driving, including menacing behavior exhibited toward those with less safe means of transportation. That said, I think that those not in cars ought to bear a higher share of responsibility in a shared fault accident, as their decision to bring a knife to a gunfight creates moral and legal hazard for everyone.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~transport
tiredlemma LinkFleeing the scene is the key feature of this event that suggests to me that 1.5 years is too lenient. Add on top of that that this death occurred immediately following running a red light, another...Fleeing the scene is the key feature of this event that suggests to me that 1.5 years is too lenient. Add on top of that that this death occurred immediately following running a red light, another illegal act. That it was a cyclist is completely uninteresting to me.
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Comment on I want to get into IT as a career, but I have no previous experience. What essential skills should I know? in ~comp
tiredlemma LinkHi @PancakeSquire, I want to give you a meaningful answer, but glancing through the thread it isn't clear to me what your goal is---I see that you're in a networking class and are curious about...Hi @PancakeSquire,
I want to give you a meaningful answer, but glancing through the thread it isn't clear to me what your goal is---I see that you're in a networking class and are curious about programming languages. Can you clarify what [EDIT: diction] sort of work you're looking to get into? "IT" to me typically means something like a systems administrator, help desk, or network technician.
I'm tired as hell, but if you can add a little more direction to you inquiry I will follow up as best I can sometime tomorrow.
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Comment on What are the arguments against antinatalism? What are the arguments for natalism? [Ramble warning] in ~talk
tiredlemma Link ParentThe sample space for your anecdata suffers from selection bias. Also note that you're saying that even in this group the benefit of staying alive, preventing harm/shame to family, outweighs the...The sample space for your anecdata suffers from selection bias. Also note that you're saying that even in this group the benefit of staying alive, preventing harm/shame to family, outweighs the benefit of ceasing to live. Regardless of the vocabulary used in the description or the expressed volition, the calculation results in net positive for life in the situation you've described.
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Comment on What are the arguments against antinatalism? What are the arguments for natalism? [Ramble warning] in ~talk
tiredlemma LinkIs it immoral to get in your car and drive to the minimart, knowing that it is possible that your tire will blow, leading to an accident that causes another person pain? I think that the...Is it immoral to get in your car and drive to the minimart, knowing that it is possible that your tire will blow, leading to an accident that causes another person pain? I think that the fundamental conceit of the antinatalist position is that pain is immoral. Certain classes of actions that result in pain to another party are immoral, but not necessarily or strictly because pain is caused. Let's look at this another way:
Suppose you are considering having a child, and aren't sure due to the reasons you postulate above. Suppose further that other people already exist in the world, and are active participants in it to one degree to another. Consider that the child you are deciding to have or not will not only experience and cause pain, but experience and cause joy as well! It is overwhelmingly likely that persons who already exist will experience some degree of joy, benefit, etc. from the life and actions of the hypothetical child. Using similar reasoning to the antinatalist position--who are you to deny persons who are already in pain the joy that could be caused by your child? How are persons who exist not more important than one that doesn't? (EDIT: grammar)
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All sophistry aside, I firmly believe that folks seeking lives with zero pain (not somehow balanced by joy of some kind) [Further EDIT: clarification] aren't truly living to begin with, and should go have a drink, get laid, and get over themselves before making moral claims about the fundamental human impulse.
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Comment on What programming language do you use for work and what's your favorite language? in ~comp
tiredlemma Link ParentNot sure this applies to side projects, but an example of the garbage collection decision that I ran into early in my career was in implementing aerospace controls. GC can stop the execution of...Not sure this applies to side projects, but an example of the garbage collection decision that I ran into early in my career was in implementing aerospace controls. GC can stop the execution of your program while it does its business, and that is a major no-no in safety critical systems! For fun projects with no risk of harm to persons or property it is probably less important, though a more competent CS person than I can surely point out additional considerations.
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Comment on What’s something that you wish more people would inform themselves about? in ~talk
tiredlemma LinkBasic mathematics, and I don't mean computational arithmetic. Statistical inference and experimental design are all well and good, but without a solid foundation in mathematical reasoning I think...Basic mathematics, and I don't mean computational arithmetic. Statistical inference and experimental design are all well and good, but without a solid foundation in mathematical reasoning I think there's a cart/horse issue. Easy ideas, like the pigeonhole principle, induction, and even equality (there is a LOT of meaning packed into "=") provide a framework from which critically evaluating a situation or claim becomes much easier. A lot goes into cries that we need to teach our children "critical thinking"--and I agree. No special effort is required to affect this change, though. Simply unchain competent teachers of mathematics from standardized testing and "educator" defined curriculum and I believe we'll make quite a bit of progress forthwith.
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Comment on What programming language do you use for work and what's your favorite language? in ~comp
tiredlemma LinkPowerPoint, unfortunately :( I used to do a lot in Python, Rust, & Java/Scala with a healthy dose of shell scripting. I still write business artifacts in LaTEX just for fuck's sake, but those...PowerPoint, unfortunately :(
I used to do a lot in Python, Rust, & Java/Scala with a healthy dose of shell scripting. I still write business artifacts in LaTEX just for fuck's sake, but those control sequences are about as close to code as I get anymore.
Forgot favorite language: I used to express my masochism in C, but have found enlightenment in Rust.
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Comment on Unvaccinated teens are fact-checking their parents — and trying to get shots on their own in ~health
tiredlemma LinkI’ve been to places that don’t have vaccines, such as rural Afghanistan. For all of the horror that was my life at that time, the sight of horribly ill children and malformed adults who somehow...I’ve been to places that don’t have vaccines, such as rural Afghanistan. For all of the horror that was my life at that time, the sight of horribly ill children and malformed adults who somehow made it through such a childhood was on another level. The ignorance and hubris of parents who refuse to vaccinate is infuriating to me, especially as a father. Schools are already cesspools of disease, to intentionally make that worse for some pseudoscientific or religious bullshit is not only an abdication of duty to one’s own child but imposes potential for material harm on the children of others. There is nothing to debate, get your damned children vaccinated. Herd immunity is a real and valuable thing.
</rant>More on topic—I wish these kids the best trying to get appropriate medical care denied to them by insane parents.
Indeed! It's been a battle just to get engineering titles for the roles instead of generic advisor titles. Trying to modernize a tech org. inside of a huge enterprise is definitely between a rock and a hard place, no matter how much money is thrown at it because the "business" is inflexible on so many fronts. It's very frustrating and makes me sad--some of the work being done is genuinely pretty cool and not your typical legacy monster and it's next to impossible to get the word out about this.