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"Within a month of his arrival, Randy solved some trivial computer problems for one of the other grad students. A week later, the chairman of the astronomy depa
by osteele 9y ago
"Within a month of his arrival, Randy solved some trivial computer problems for one of the other grad students. A week later, the chairman of the astronomy department called him over and said, “So, you’re the UNIX guru.”
"At the time, Randy was still stupid enough to be flattered by this attention, when he should have recognized them as bone-chilling words. Three years later, he left the Astronomy Department without a degree, and with nothing to show for his labors except six hundred dollars in his bank account and a staggeringly comprehensive knowledge of UNIX."
– Neal Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_ (p. 78). HarperCollins.
- LeifCarrotson 9y agoI am unfamiliar with the passage. But it describes two options: 1. "A staggeringly comprehensive knowledge of UNIX", three years of domain-specific education, and a network of people who trust you to--no, who depend on you to be able to get things done with that knowledge 2. A piece of paper just like everyone else in the department. And while the former might be more difficult to make use of, I think it could be much more valuable in the long run.
- robotresearcher 9y agoNo, he left without a degree.
- blacksmythe 9y agoA good point, but the text suggests there are ways to get this knowledge. >> except six hundred dollars in his bank account
- blacksmythe 9y ago>> are ways to get this knowledge. Edit: are ways 'better' to get this knowledge.
- newen 9y agoMore like two options: 1. "A staggeringly comprehensive knowledge of UNIX", three years of domain-specific education, and a network of people who trust you to--no, who depend on you to be able to get things done with that knowledge 2. A piece of paper just like everyone else in the department, three years of domain-specific education, and a network of people who trust you to--no, who depend on you to be able to get things done with that knowledge (and probably a girlfriend)
- freshhawk 9y agoIn context, he was underpaid tech support who was taken advantage of and got no grad school education while he paid for grad school. A bunch of scientists who know you as "that guy who fixes my email and doesn't publish or know anything" is not a great network.
- wisty 9y ago> three years of domain-specific education, and a network of people who trust you to--no, who depend on you to be able to get things done with that knowledge This might be the case, but he's now like the janitor who unplugs the toilet. His work may be appreciated, and it might be necessary, but it's not respected or well remunerated. I guess he gets a little bit of respect for unplugging more theoretical pipes, but a little respect isn't a PhD.
- PoachedSausage 9y agoDon't forget his girlfriend. To paraphrase: "Usually a comprehensive knowledge of UNIX and a girlfriend are mutually exclusive."
- jacobolus 9y agoNot useful if he wanted to be an astronomer, but a much more marketable set of skills if his goal was to find a job in industry. Probably also made a more positive (albeit uncredited/unrewarded) contribution to astronomy than most of the grad students.