3 ms·

Don't get be wrong, I don't think for a second that it wouldn't be a ridiculously exciting job -- I mean even the thought about having a government security cle

Don't get be wrong, I don't think for a second that it wouldn't be a ridiculously exciting job -- I mean even the thought about having a government security clearance is a thrilling thought (even though I'm sure it's less cinematic than I might hope) -- I also completely buy the competition angle -- especially considering I'm not going to pretend that Google is the "good guy" here, fighting perilously for our freedom against the evil government. And third, I also see the point that, ya know, at the end of the day, these guys are probably building some useful systems. I suppose my curiosity is mostly granular; I'd love to read some interviews with people who are directly working on this stuff to get their side. It seems like they have some REALLY good engineers working there, and I'm curious how.

pitt1980 13y ago
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/08/nsa_domestic_spying_mathematicians_should_speak_out.html http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/201... there is an account of an NSA employee thinking through the morality of his work
AlisdairSH 13y ago
"...the thought about having a government security clearance is a thrilling thought" Meh. Nothing cinematic about it at all. You fill out reams of paperwork (address and neighbors back 10 years), get interviewed by a tired bureaucrat, and all your friends, family, and neighbors get grilled by some other tired bureaucrats. Then, if you're lucky, they grant you an interim clearance so you can start work while they do whatever other research they need to do (polygraph, etc). And if you're unlucky, they don't grant the interim and you're left in limbo for months on end. And you don't have any say in the matter - if the interim is denied, there is no recourse. And if they take too long, your employer may just decide waiting around isn't worth the time and send you packing before the process completes. And you never find out what red flag they thought they saw. All in, it's a total pain in the ass.
- malyk 13y ago
  And the chances of you actually seeing anything particularly interesting is pretty low.
- jgalt212 13y ago
  yes, that's pretty much the case, but one definitely should be able to get some mileage with one's peers and the ladies.

pitt1980 13y ago

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/08/nsa_domestic_spying_mathematicians_should_speak_out.html http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/201... there is an account of an NSA employee thinking through the morality of his work

AlisdairSH 13y ago

"...the thought about having a government security clearance is a thrilling thought" Meh. Nothing cinematic about it at all. You fill out reams of paperwork (address and neighbors back 10 years), get interviewed by a tired bureaucrat, and all your friends, family, and neighbors get grilled by some other tired bureaucrats. Then, if you're lucky, they grant you an interim clearance so you can start work while they do whatever other research they need to do (polygraph, etc). And if you're unlucky, they don't grant the interim and you're left in limbo for months on end. And you don't have any say in the matter - if the interim is denied, there is no recourse. And if they take too long, your employer may just decide waiting around isn't worth the time and send you packing before the process completes. And you never find out what red flag they thought they saw. All in, it's a total pain in the ass.

malyk 13y ago
And the chances of you actually seeing anything particularly interesting is pretty low.
jgalt212 13y ago
yes, that's pretty much the case, but one definitely should be able to get some mileage with one's peers and the ladies.