5 ms·
Agreed. I was looking for something particular about why they hired a mechanic, since that's what it suggests in the title.
by dpcx 14y ago
Agreed. I was looking for something particular about why they hired a mechanic, since that's what it suggests in the title.
- walshemj 14y agoProbably because designing and running a big DC crosses discipline boundrys that a pure CS guy would not have the skills. As Seymore Cray said he was more a plumber that a computer guy - well strictly speaking cooling HPC's is more fluid dynamics rather than a domestic plumber.
- orangethirty 14y agoI used to be a mechanic, so maybe I can shed some insight. My work experience was very varied, but I mostly focused on luxury(Porsche, BMW) cars towards the last years or so. Being a mechanic gives you a different perspective on software. You don't see code ad code, but as an engine. If the engine is not tuned properly, the engine will not be as efficient as possible. If there is too much cruft in the code, the engine will perform poorly. Troubleshooting is also easier, I think. Due to the fact that all that mechanics due is troubleshoot. I once spent a week chasing an electrical bug on a Porsche. For those curious, it was the car's computer going bad (a circuit connection somehow broke under stress and it shorted). It also makes design a bit easier, because I have seen many different design patterns IRL. When you can touch and feel a design, working with them is much easier. For example, the camshaft is a function that makes valves open and close. The camshaft lobes are the parameters being passed as data to the camshaft function. The parameters tell the camshaft function how far should valves open, and for how much time. It also removes any fear from working with any system. I've seen and fixed it all. There is no way any codebase will turn out to be harder to fix than changing the spark plugs on a 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo. No way.
- pdeuchler 14y ago> "There is no way any codebase will turn out to be harder to fix than changing the spark plugs on a 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo. No way." Famous last words
- OldSchool 14y agoI have to agree, the spark plug task is pretty deterministic in that a shop manual will specify the number of hours to charge, which a well-practiced mechanic can easily beat and often pocket his share of the difference.
- orangethirty 14y agoQuestion, and I'm not being pedantic: Have you ever changed the spark plugs on a 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo?
- OldSchool 14y agoI have not done so myself, but I always imagined that it would require dropping out the engine. As such I'd call it a tedious but well-defined task for someone with a lift and plenty of time. If the job can actually be done without removing the engine, yes that sounds incredibly frustrating. The 993 series in general is still a fantastic car today but the turbo model in particular looked absolutely stunning when it was introduced. They gave up a lot of character when they re-tooled in 1999.
- orangethirty 14y agoI agree. The 996 was just too bland, but still sold much more units than the 993. Go figure. OT: I once tried to talk a client into dropping a 3.6 993 engine into a 996 Carrera. Everything lines up, but he was afraid of the resale value of the car. Would have been a fun experiment. :)
- jeffbarr 14y agoDoes it involve dropping the engine? I can barely see the plugs on my non-turbo 911SC. I imagine that the plugs for a turbo are buried under some gnarly manifolds.
- orangethirty 14y ago
- msg 14y agoI'll see your luxury carpart and raise you one AbstractAbstractWidgetFactoryBuilderFactory.
- orangethirty 14y agoGood point. Though I then raise you one 2002 Nissan Pathfinder V6 with a broken thermostat housing. You basically disassemble the uppder part of the engine (minus the heads) to change a stupid little part.
- HeyLaughingBoy 14y agoSo you're saying that as long as I'm taking the heads off my 2001 Xterra, I may as well replace the thermostat while I'm at it ;-) ISTR it's the same engine.
- orangethirty 14y agoDefinitely do so. Along with all the cooling system hoses. Problem is those hoses are expensive, and will add about $200 to your parts tab. Worth it, though. Wait, I would actually replace the actual thermostat housing due to corrosion. Old coolant is a bad mother on your cooling system. Make sure to also flush out the radiator with running water. Oh, and since these are aluminum parts, go to a Honda auto parts dealer and ask for a tube of Hondabond. Its a silicone dressing that is 100 times better than anything available from Pep Boys. You want to make sure your parts seal properly.
- Zimahl 14y agoI think you are slightly confused as to what the other commenters are saying. You are assuming that they are saying that working with cars is irrelevant and that's not the case. I think we can all understand that outside experiences can aid in building software. I personally feel that all high schoolers should take industrial arts classes before graduating, whether it's auto shop, metal shop, or wood shop. That said, the original posters were complaining that the headline is misleading. Jeff Bezos wasn't sitting at the BMW dealership waiting to pick up his car and found some diamond in the rough that could handle his AWS business. He found a candidate who was highly experienced with the right knowledge base to do the job and that candidate just happened to be a mechanic decades ago.