So you want to be a computer programmer when you grow up?

**goodguy8** · 27th March 2008, 13:28

Originally Posted by davo

Im a sysadmin.. users make my head hurt

im just abt to start at ames for Sysadmin.. apart from the users.. nethin i should kno abt?

**Sanx** · 27th March 2008, 14:08

Originally Posted by goodguy8

im just abt to start at ames for Sysadmin.. apart from the users.. nethin i should kno abt?

First skill to master; using the fucking spell checker in order to write proper English so as not to appear like dribbling knuckle-dragging retard.

**yod** · 27th March 2008, 14:11

Haskell's the shizzle

**forkoil** · 27th March 2008, 14:20

Originally Posted by Sanx

First skill to master; using the fucking spell checker in order to write proper English so as not to appear like dribbling knuckle-dragging retard.

Almost as bad as a bad tempered, self righteous, prat (or is it pratt?)

**jrandom** · 27th March 2008, 14:22

Originally Posted by forkoil

Almost as bad as a bad tempered, self righteous, prat (or is it pratt?)

I'd rather have the latter than the former as my sysadmin.

**forkoil** · 27th March 2008, 14:25

Originally Posted by jrandom

I'd rather have the latter than the former as my sysadmin.

Short term maybe, long term have to work with the guy, and with that attitude ...

**Sanx** · 27th March 2008, 14:26

Originally Posted by forkoil

Almost as bad as a bad tempered, self righteous, prat (or is it pratt?)

No, a fairly even-tempered (hyphenation, please), self-righteous (no need for a comma here) prat (just one 't') with a very low idiot tolerance level.

**xwhatsit** · 27th March 2008, 14:26

Originally Posted by Ixion

Arrghh. LISP (Lotsa Irritating Silly Parentheses). Fetch garlic crosses and cold iron. And yes, I have programmed in LISP. I still wake up sometimes screaming at the memory.

Now there we have to disagree. I may still be a student stuck with a whole bunch of biased academics, but Lisp is a delightful programmer's paradise. Sure, it's horribly abstracted and waaaaay to far away from the hardware compared to the Queen's C, but bar the silly syntax it's a wonderfully clean and powerful language.

Haskell is definitively not the shizzle.

I thought being bad-tempered and not suffering fools (i.e. all users) was a precursor to becoming a sysadmin?

**jrandom** · 27th March 2008, 14:27

Originally Posted by forkoil

Short term maybe, long term have to work with the guy, and with that attitude ...

I've never worked with a good sysadmin who wasn't a grumpy, dismissive, arrogant bastard.

For some reason, in that business, being overly nice correlates with being ineffectual.

**goodguy8** · 27th March 2008, 14:33

Originally Posted by Sanx

First skill to master; using the fucking spell checker in order to write proper English so as not to appear like dribbling knuckle-dragging retard.

Its called quick text my grumpy friend.. this is the new generation lingo that some people find it hard to understand.. not referring to anybody..

**forkoil** · 27th March 2008, 14:37

Originally Posted by Sanx

No, a fairly even-tempered (hyphenation, please), self-righteous (no need for a comma here) prat (just one 't') with a very low idiot tolerance level.

And a very course filter as to what constitutes an idiot.
I personally know alot of very very good developers and sysadmins who couldnt spell their way out of a paper bag.

**Sanx** · 27th March 2008, 14:43

Originally Posted by forkoil

And a very course filter as to what constitutes an idiot.
I personally know alot of very very good developers and sysadmins who couldnt spell their way out of a paper bag.

Hence the reason I specified the first ability to learn should be how to use the spell-checker, not to learn how to spell. TXT-speak might be widely understood - even by me - but it is no substitute for using proper English.

A job as a sysadmin involves has many aspects other than administration of the systems themselves including communicating to users, writing documentation, preparing RFPs (or SOWs if you're on the consulting side), preparing reports. If you can't use coherent English, then you simply won't be effective.

**jrandom** · 27th March 2008, 14:49

Originally Posted by goodguy8

Its called quick text my grumpy friend...

Learn to type.

I can input proper English on a keyboard about twice as fast as I can your 'quick text'.

A computer professional who can't touch-type is a bit like a radio DJ with a stutter.

**goodguy8** · 27th March 2008, 14:59

Originally Posted by jrandom

Learn to type.

I can input proper English on a keyboard about twice as fast as I can your 'quick text'.

A computer professional who can't touch-type is a bit like a radio DJ with a stutter.

Doubt it..