geekbird

13 ms·

91.
by geekbird 7y ago
When in comes to the hiring threads, I seldom see Linux sysadmin jobs. Everyone wants a Pyton/GoLang/Java developer. I do most of my coding in Bash and Ruby (Puppet), and write json or yaml config files. It seems that a lot of th
92.
by geekbird 7y ago
I think the biggest risk is not the ride, but the vehicles on the roadway. Way back when I used to ride 6.6 miles from home to the university, but stopped after the second time I got run off the road. The bus was slower, but safer.
93.
by geekbird 7y ago
I've worked in profitable companies that had that, but then Wall Street started demanding more profit, so the work environment (and headcount) was easiest to cut, but has the worst long term impact on the company.
94.
by geekbird 7y ago
There is a hierarchy, IMO, best to worst: 1) Private office - I've had this, it was great 2) Shared office - had this too, it's ok if you have a good officemate 3) Team room - had this, larger office/conference room for one t
95.
by geekbird 7y ago
Yeah, I see all these companies with open plan hell pits claiming to be a "Great place to work!", and I have to say "Compared to what, a sweatshop in the third world?" The commutes are awful, the parking is expensive or
96.
by geekbird 7y ago
Plus, the company saves by not having to pay for more office space, parking, cafeteria, yadda, yadda. Instead of cramming people into an open office like battery hens to save money on high SF office rents, people can work remotely, commute
97.
by geekbird 7y ago
No, open offices resemble sweatshops, 50+ people per floor with no doors, privacy, or noise barriers.
98.
by geekbird 7y ago
That's the "team room" concept - each team has an "open office", but it's not open to all the noise from everyone else. There's a door for when the team is heads down on stuff.
99.
by geekbird 7y ago
This. Failure of remote working is usually a problem with managers who don't/won't/can't manage remote employees effectively. If they can't manage based on results, only on "butts-in-seats" whipcracki
100.
by geekbird 7y ago
IMO, that's because managers favor butts-in-seats and the idea that they can "see you working". IME the only people who actually like open plan offices are managers, extroverts, and flakes, most of whom irritate non-managers,
101.
by geekbird 7y ago
I sell filk CDs and craft items at SF&F conventions. It feeds my need to create and share enjoyment with others. My spouse does all the computer stuff for it.
102.
by geekbird 8y ago
I had the same thing happen: They co7uldn't take me from contract to permanent at the pay rate I was getting contract, but they could hire TWO younger men to replace me (both of whom left after six months of 10 hour days, 6 days a week
103.
by geekbird 8y ago
"I took over a Perl project where every SQL call was an exec to a java program which would make the query." and "Oh, and at the same time, none of this was in source control." Owwww, that's painful! 12 people spagh
104.
by geekbird 8y ago
The ugliest, most incomprehensible code I've ever see was when I had to mess with RedHat's version of Anaconda (for building distros) back in the early 2000s. It was worse than the multi-thousand line TCL screen-scraper that I had
105.
by geekbird 8y ago
Please name and shame the brand, so we can avoid it. A BIOS that prevents you from installing Linux should be illegal IMO. When my Windows laptops get too old and slow for the latest Windows plus patches, I get another 3 to 5 years of life
106.
by geekbird 8y ago
No esc key? They just crippled vi/vim users. For a piece of hardware that was the preferred laptop for Linux admins, that's stupid.
107.
by geekbird 8y ago
Yeah, I regularly turn away recruiters from big name companies that brag about their "young" culture and "hip open office" or are a more than 30 mile commute in the SF Bay Area. BTDT, still have the t-shirts and the bur
108.
by geekbird 8y ago
A good technical manager needs to be able to switch modes - from maker to manager - and back. A person can be a good technical manager even if they don't know the exact technology if they know how to ask good questions of multiple sou
109.
by geekbird 8y ago
Most people leave managers, not companies. I've gone to work for good managers, then had them leave or get replaced by complete micromanaging incompetent jerks who kiss up and kick down. There are a lot of things that influence me taki
110.
by geekbird 8y ago
Experience is underrated. Most companies look for people with the exact toolset that they want, rather than look for related skills and a history of learning. I work in sysadmin operations. I have often come in and cleaned up a cowboy imple
111.
by geekbird 8y ago
No, even the university where I work is dumping its IT people in an open office cesspit next year. I'm over 50, and I don't mind meetings or mentoring juniors, but I absolutely hate open offices. I will probably start looking for
112.
by geekbird 8y ago
I worked for an Amazon subsidiary for about 4.5 years. By the time that last review & reorg came around, I was mentally already out the door, being burned out. Having my job change to doing mostly Windows help desk (I'm a linux sys
113.
by geekbird 8y ago
Yes, they get their kicks by feeling superior to applicants.
114.
by geekbird 8y ago
If I got that response I'd tell the recruiter that "I'm not an RCG programmer, I'm a systems engineer, and that stuff has no relation to the actual work I do." Than I'd ask them not to call me again.
115.
by geekbird 8y ago
No. It's actually a fading usage. The current pronouns when not assuming gender are they/them.
116.
by geekbird 8y ago
"Correctly or near correctly answered trivia questions tell you almost nothing about a candidate other than that they're probably a software engineer of some kind." This. I hate trivia, and trivia questions. You can get a b
117.
by geekbird 8y ago
"As a technical interviewer, if you start condescending to me during the interview, I'm much less likely to give you the benefit of the doubt and help you along with Socratic hints." As a technical interviewee, if a screener
118.
by geekbird 8y ago
Only people who took specific classes in a university write FizzBuzz.
119.
by geekbird 8y ago
I never assume the recruiter understands the objectives of a job. All they have to go on is a list of job requirements written as a wish list by the hiring manager, they are seldom technical, and are usually less competent than you average
120.
by geekbird 8y ago
I don't think there was any problem with the applicants attitude, but plenty wrong with the screener's attitude. As in, I wouldn't want to work for an arrogant prat like that.

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