4 ms·

I wouldn't say that is an entirely accurate characterization. I don't know anyone in my department doing research that doesn't interest them. Students general

by brent 17y ago

I wouldn't say that is an entirely accurate characterization. I don't know anyone in my department doing research that doesn't interest them. Students generally love the research they are doing and are probably a bit more autonomous than your comment seems to imply. I've taken both directions (industry then academia) and in industry I was a code-churning-out slave working on something that barely interested me. Now I work on my own on a topic that really interests me!

amichail 17y ago
Wouldn't you say that pursuing a startup is better than both industry and academia?
- tome 17y ago
  Not if you enjoy really theoretical work which is far away from the money.
  - amichail 17y ago
    True, but the number of such people is very small.
- bbgm 17y ago
  Not at all. Not a CS guy, but research was some of the most fun (and trying) times of my life. Figuring how things work, or how to make them work better is a ton of fun. It's not for everyone, sure, but all scenarios have their pros and cons
- brent 17y ago
  I am certainly not ruling out a startup at some point. I was an early yc interviewee (and rejectee :-)) and afterwards just figured I'd enjoy my work for a while instead of worrying about the dollars and other minutiae. In reality, I'm just waiting for the right opportunity. "Life'a a marathon, not a sprint." An extremely successful local entrepreneur once told me that and it has stuck with me since.
jlees 17y ago
At the university I studied at, I wasn't the only student facing years of working on my supervisor's pet project in the name of funding. Some people stuck it out, some of us looked elsewhere for academic gratification, some switched supervisor; generally we all ended up doing something we loved, but the general situation at the university wasn't exactly set up to maximise student happiness from the get-go; instead, it maximised publication numbers and grants.

by brent 17y ago

amichail 17y ago

Wouldn't you say that pursuing a startup is better than both industry and academia?

tome 17y ago
Not if you enjoy really theoretical work which is far away from the money.
- amichail 17y ago
  True, but the number of such people is very small.
bbgm 17y ago
Not at all. Not a CS guy, but research was some of the most fun (and trying) times of my life. Figuring how things work, or how to make them work better is a ton of fun. It's not for everyone, sure, but all scenarios have their pros and cons
brent 17y ago
I am certainly not ruling out a startup at some point. I was an early yc interviewee (and rejectee :-)) and afterwards just figured I'd enjoy my work for a while instead of worrying about the dollars and other minutiae. In reality, I'm just waiting for the right opportunity. "Life'a a marathon, not a sprint." An extremely successful local entrepreneur once told me that and it has stuck with me since.

jlees 17y ago

At the university I studied at, I wasn't the only student facing years of working on my supervisor's pet project in the name of funding. Some people stuck it out, some of us looked elsewhere for academic gratification, some switched supervisor; generally we all ended up doing something we loved, but the general situation at the university wasn't exactly set up to maximise student happiness from the get-go; instead, it maximised publication numbers and grants.