3 ms·

The advice boils down to: Contribute to open source and hope to get noticed. I was expecting something more actionable tbh, but it does make sense. It is a bit

The advice boils down to: Contribute to open source and hope to get noticed. I was expecting something more actionable tbh, but it does make sense. It is a bit disappointing to read that systems programming jobs are basically out of reach unless you're willing to put in a bunch of free work.

wccrawford 3y ago
That may be the advice, but what I actually saw was: "Be really, really good at what you do and someone will notice." That isn't possible for most people. They simply don't have the innate skills and drives that that person does. That person was always going to get a job because their passion shows through, and they do things. It doesn't matter if it's open source or not. Having a code portfolio when you apply, even if it's a private portfolio, would always have shown their skills.
- marginalia_nu 3y ago
  I don't think that's necessarily a problem. There are many lines of creative work where you basically need a knack for it to get anywhere. This is true in programming as it is true everywhere else.
- intelVISA 3y ago
  It's a field where a single, good dev can be a 10-100x force multiplier and carry entire orgs. Suffice to say the bare minimum is to be good at what you do. :P
- reedjosh 3y ago
  > "Be really, really good at what you do and someone will notice." Isn't that just life though? Like do what you're passionate about because there's no point failing to succeed at something you're not that into.
- meiraleal 3y ago
  > That isn't possible for most people. They simply don't have the innate skills and drives that that person does. That person was always going to get a job because their passion shows through, and they do things. That is why the ones that have it get rewarded. Lots of good people don't know the next step, he is giving advice to those people.
_benj 3y ago
It might not be necessarily free. From the story I got the V was looking to “switch jobs”. From personal experience, I once had to work with an open source library at work. I got very familiar with the inner workings to the point that it wouldn’t have been to hard for me to contribute, and I did have a few improvements in mind. I never did that though.
uxp100 3y ago
They aren’t. The advice in the article isn’t bad, but it’s not the only way. An alternate path I would suggest is get hired by a large corporation who employs systems programmers, straight out of college. Straight into a systems role or not.
epcoa 3y ago
> unless you're willing to put in a bunch of free work. People pay ungodly sums to go to school. And even in countries with "free" education there is an opportunity cost. Let's not even get started on those that want/need to contribute to academia either as a stepping stone or a career. TANSTAAFL.
- nunez 3y ago
  TANSTAAFL = There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
- meiraleal 3y ago
  So it is worst than free - it is work paid by yourself. Better dedicate 5 years to open source then.
avinassh 3y ago
> unless you're willing to put in a bunch of free work. isn't most of open source eco system standing on free (often thankless) work? I am in no way insinuating they shouldn't be paid, just highlighting the current state
glommer 3y ago
If you go to university for 5 years (which you should), and work your ass off to improve, isn't that "free work" ?
- cinntaile 3y ago
  Why go to uni for 5 years to get a job in systems programming if you are talented? That seems like an awful waste of time. Learn C/C++, do 2 courses on operating systems and 1 on algorithms and data structures. Work on open source systems programming projects to get spotted. That's 4,5 years saved.
ablyveiled 3y ago
It makes sense given that systems programming is more in the realm of cathedrals like Universities, whose whole M.O. to begin with is having you do free work, underpaid work, or even pay to do work

wccrawford 3y ago

That may be the advice, but what I actually saw was: "Be really, really good at what you do and someone will notice." That isn't possible for most people. They simply don't have the innate skills and drives that that person does. That person was always going to get a job because their passion shows through, and they do things. It doesn't matter if it's open source or not. Having a code portfolio when you apply, even if it's a private portfolio, would always have shown their skills.

marginalia_nu 3y ago
I don't think that's necessarily a problem. There are many lines of creative work where you basically need a knack for it to get anywhere. This is true in programming as it is true everywhere else.
intelVISA 3y ago
It's a field where a single, good dev can be a 10-100x force multiplier and carry entire orgs. Suffice to say the bare minimum is to be good at what you do. :P
reedjosh 3y ago
> "Be really, really good at what you do and someone will notice." Isn't that just life though? Like do what you're passionate about because there's no point failing to succeed at something you're not that into.
meiraleal 3y ago
> That isn't possible for most people. They simply don't have the innate skills and drives that that person does. That person was always going to get a job because their passion shows through, and they do things. That is why the ones that have it get rewarded. Lots of good people don't know the next step, he is giving advice to those people.

_benj 3y ago

It might not be necessarily free. From the story I got the V was looking to “switch jobs”. From personal experience, I once had to work with an open source library at work. I got very familiar with the inner workings to the point that it wouldn’t have been to hard for me to contribute, and I did have a few improvements in mind. I never did that though.

uxp100 3y ago

They aren’t. The advice in the article isn’t bad, but it’s not the only way. An alternate path I would suggest is get hired by a large corporation who employs systems programmers, straight out of college. Straight into a systems role or not.

epcoa 3y ago

> unless you're willing to put in a bunch of free work. People pay ungodly sums to go to school. And even in countries with "free" education there is an opportunity cost. Let's not even get started on those that want/need to contribute to academia either as a stepping stone or a career. TANSTAAFL.

nunez 3y ago
TANSTAAFL = There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
meiraleal 3y ago
So it is worst than free - it is work paid by yourself. Better dedicate 5 years to open source then.

avinassh 3y ago

> unless you're willing to put in a bunch of free work. isn't most of open source eco system standing on free (often thankless) work? I am in no way insinuating they shouldn't be paid, just highlighting the current state

glommer 3y ago

If you go to university for 5 years (which you should), and work your ass off to improve, isn't that "free work" ?

cinntaile 3y ago
Why go to uni for 5 years to get a job in systems programming if you are talented? That seems like an awful waste of time. Learn C/C++, do 2 courses on operating systems and 1 on algorithms and data structures. Work on open source systems programming projects to get spotted. That's 4,5 years saved.

ablyveiled 3y ago

It makes sense given that systems programming is more in the realm of cathedrals like Universities, whose whole M.O. to begin with is having you do free work, underpaid work, or even pay to do work