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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: afton on Wed, 29 July 2009, 19:07:47

Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: afton on Wed, 29 July 2009, 19:07:47: I'm guessing that there're a lot of programmers among us :)

Let me start first, I work in IT support and hence use keyboard
about, uh, 160 hours a month? Not to mention after-work computing,
hey we're geeks!

Recently I'm planning to build a new Linux system from the ground up
and I want the best & most value components, including the input
devices as well hence my search for the ultimate keyboard.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Mercen_505 on Wed, 29 July 2009, 19:46:58: Programmer. Been doing it for a living for around twelve years.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: bigpook on Wed, 29 July 2009, 19:47:52: I program telephone switches and spend most of the day on a laptop. At the office I use the ibm m4-1 , in the field its the laptop keyboard. At home I currently use the filco tenless with black alps. At least until I change my mind.

What version of linux are you running?
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: afton on Wed, 29 July 2009, 19:52:53: Quote from: bigpook;105405

What version of linux are you running?

I've tried various flavors before, but for the next system I'm going
to install Ubuntu 9.04
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: bigpook on Wed, 29 July 2009, 20:07:32: same here. I ended up settling on ubuntu and its worked out very well.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: timw4mail on Wed, 29 July 2009, 20:23:45: I'm a web developer at the moment...so for all those still using IE...I hate you...

Anyway, I just had to buy a keyboard for work, because those stupid Dell membranes are absolutely horrid.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: o2dazone on Wed, 29 July 2009, 21:02:07: I'm a front end web developer and graphic designer, with a bit of focus in interactivity (in the non-flash fashion). I spend so much time in my computer, I find myself making excuses to eat at the computer desk, even when I'm not using my computer.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: BucklingSpring on Wed, 29 July 2009, 21:52:20: Quote from: ripster;105472
I married rich.

Waow... What a waste of talent :-)

I'm in Information Security Management.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: sixty on Wed, 29 July 2009, 22:59:10: Quote from: Mercen_505;105403
Programmer. Been doing it for a living for around twelve years.

For Psygnosis? (http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt296/A18E/emotes/7.gif)

Personally I am with a web development agency for some years now. I do translations from English to German but also do some basic web development. Some of the stuff I work on is pretty shady.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: xsphat on Thu, 30 July 2009, 01:40:56: We all know I'm a nontraditional college student, professional writer and I have a part time job at a newspaper doing pagination and I send content to the website. I also have a 20 month old boy to contend with, so I do more than most people and make less than anyone.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: afton on Thu, 30 July 2009, 01:58:06: Quote from: ripster;105495
I do advise everyone to marry rich though. Can't hurt.

As long as your spouse doesn't denigrate you because your socio-economic
background. That's what my mom says.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: xsphat on Thu, 30 July 2009, 02:10:27: Ripster, you are now my internet idol. You beat out ZeFrank, just so you know.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: iMav on Thu, 30 July 2009, 02:29:08: I'm a sales engineer (pre-sales) with McAfee, focusing on network security (firewall, email and web gateways, DLP, IPS, etc)...

(I used to actually work for a living...long time UNIX admin, network and firewall admin positions, and security compliance work) ;)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: keyb_gr on Thu, 30 July 2009, 02:47:24: Electrical engineering student close to completion here. What'll come afterwards, no idea.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: DarthShrine on Thu, 30 July 2009, 04:32:08: Young student, woo. (Doesn't earn much, it must be said)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Yakbutter on Thu, 30 July 2009, 04:39:25: Tch all these tech types and students!

I'm a lawyer - we type too you know!
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: FunkTrooper on Thu, 30 July 2009, 08:09:44: Another student here. Though it's the summer at the moment. So I'm not doing a lot of studenting right now. I'm working in a cinema as a summer job at the moment. And before that, I worked in a bookmakers. And no, not the kind that makes reading material, I mean a betting office. That was... interesting, to say the least.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 30 July 2009, 08:22:40: I am the Sr. Retail Analyst for the largest grocery retailer in Texas (H-E-B Grocery Co.). I mainly do data analysis work and systems analysis, but I am also a DBA (SQL Server), (jr.) web developer, programmer, and occasional reporting b*tch.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Mercen_505 on Thu, 30 July 2009, 08:56:03: Quote

For Psygnosis?

Unfortunately, no. That's not entirely unrelated to what I do, however.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 30 July 2009, 09:43:35: Quote from: itlnstln;105552
I am the Sr. Retail Analyst for the largest grocery retailer in Texas (H-E-B Grocery Co.). I mainly do data analysis work and systems analysis, but I am also a DBA (SQL Server), (jr.) web developer, programmer, and occasional reporting b*tch.

Oh, I forgot. That is my part-time job. My full-time job is posting on Geekhack.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: DreymaR on Thu, 30 July 2009, 09:48:13: I try to understand the magnetic thingamajiks that take funny pics of people's insides:

(http://folk.uio.no/obech/Images/Stuff/Gadmar_MRI3D_DreymaR.JPG)
[DreymaR images desperately trying to understand other DreymaR images]
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: o2dazone on Thu, 30 July 2009, 11:48:37: Quote from: Yakbutter;105517
Tch all these tech types and students!

I'm a lawyer - we type too you know!

Who else is going to come up with those long 'Terms of Use' and 'Privacy Policy' content blocks for us web designers lmao
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 30 July 2009, 11:51:56: Quote from: DreymaR;105581
I try to understand the magnetic thingamajiks that take funny pics of people's insides: [DreymaR images desperately trying to understand other DreymaR images]

The DreymaR in the upper left is daydreaming. You need to get that one back on task.

Either that, or that DreymaR is trying to understand the others on a more esoteric, abstract level.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cb951303 on Thu, 30 July 2009, 13:54:51: I'm a full time hobbyist. I search and try new hobbies every day. Yayyy!
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Shawn Stanford on Thu, 30 July 2009, 14:14:05: I'm a computer programmer (30 years) and Marine/Soldier (17 years). Mostly IBM mainframe, but minis (Series/1 anyone?) and micros plenty often.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 30 July 2009, 14:22:48: Quote from: cb951303;105639
I'm a full time hobbyist. I search and try new hobbies every day. Yayyy!

This sounds a lot like: "I am an international man of leisure."
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: timw4mail on Thu, 30 July 2009, 15:14:14: Okay, okay, I'm a student too... But a am I web developer too...
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cb951303 on Thu, 30 July 2009, 15:24:35: Quote from: itlnstln;105648
This sounds a lot like: "I am an international man of leisure."

oh yeah, that too :) I actually don't have much free time. You know the whole hobby thing is very hard and exhausting. But when I get free time, I work as a mechanical engineer, drawing stuff, preparing excel sheets and googling (there you go, the most accurate definition of modern engineering :P )
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Thu, 30 July 2009, 16:15:27: Quote from: webwit;105662
I'm a full-time muskox herdsman in the pleistocene tundra grasslands of Sakha. The nearest Internet connection is a couple of thousand miles away.

Man, hook up some 3G. Put those keyboards to good use. I think I read a few of your blog posts on muskoxmania.net. Great stuff.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: megarat on Thu, 30 July 2009, 16:48:39: By day, I'm a science nerd for a semi-academic non-profit public health research organization. (Specifically, I'm involved with computational biology in HIV vaccine research.) Programming; data analysis and data mining; writing reports and papers and politically sensitive emails. A large shiny computer with eight execution cores is currently screaming for help because of me.

By night, I sniff paint and stare at the carpet.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Mr.6502 on Thu, 30 July 2009, 18:45:52: I work for a non-profit organization that assists students in schools. Budgets are low and staffing is limited so I end up doing some programming, data analysis, web development, graphic design, general IT and office support, trainings, mural design, service project planning, and maintenance (painting walls, building cabinets, fixing the company van, etc). I end up doing pretty much whatever I can to help out.

On the side I build websites and furniture for friends and do some hobbyist programming, right now mainly a fighting game engine and character builder, something to test responsiveness of game controllers, and a little program that enhances clipboard functionality in windows.

I consider my job a perfect fit since my hobbies are as random and disconnected as my responsibilities at work :-D
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: watduzhkstand4 on Fri, 31 July 2009, 13:54:00: I'm a student studying mechanical engineering technology... I don't make much money but I really want a HHKB! xD
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: megarat on Fri, 31 July 2009, 14:30:14: Quote from: DreymaR;105581
I try to understand the magnetic thingamajiks that take funny pics of people's insides:

Show Image
(http://folk.uio.no/obech/Images/Stuff/Gadmar_MRI3D_DreymaR.JPG)

[DreymaR images desperately trying to understand other DreymaR images]

This is causing flashbacks of "Buckaroo Banzai". "Don't you see them? Evil, pure and simple, from the 8th dimension! Get 'em!"
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: BucklingSpring on Sat, 01 August 2009, 00:20:34: Quote from: ripster;105499
All spouses denigrate you. I think it's in the vows.

ROFL! Amen to this.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 01 August 2009, 14:46:07: An unemployed Comp Sci student.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: afton on Sat, 01 August 2009, 20:29:13: Quote from: megarat;105681
By day, I'm a science nerd for a semi-academic non-profit public health research organization. (Specifically, I'm involved with computational biology in HIV vaccine research.) Programming; data analysis and data mining; writing reports and papers and politically sensitive emails. A large shiny computer with eight execution cores is currently screaming for help because of me.

By night, I sniff paint and stare at the carpet.

That is awesome stuff. I actually wanted to be a molecular biologist
at one point in time.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: megarat on Mon, 03 August 2009, 16:53:33: Quote from: afton;106131
That is awesome stuff. I actually wanted to be a molecular biologist
at one point in time.

Indeed, my work itself is terrific. My work environment, however, could use some help.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: VCheeZ on Mon, 03 August 2009, 17:13:57: I build/repair computers. Bit of a hardware nut ;) Had a retail store for a while, but have found the real money is made at home... Most recently I have started doing hardware reviews around the web. No pay to speak of, but all the free hardware I care to write about!
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: InSanCen on Sat, 08 August 2009, 18:37:48: I work in retail, and sell people electronics they don't really need, but really want.

At home I fix PC's, and have done for more years than I care to remember.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Xuan on Sun, 09 August 2009, 01:10:18: Quote from: InSanCen;108327
I work in retail, and sell people electronics they don't really need, but relly want.

Ah, keyboards? :p

ps: Programmer and student here.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: InSanCen on Sun, 09 August 2009, 16:22:41: Quote from: Xuan;108361
Ah, keyboards? :p

Work won't let me serve people in the Keyboard section... I hate all of the ones we sell.

Spoilsports.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: keyb_gr on Sun, 09 August 2009, 16:34:35: Quote from: InSanCen;108477
Work won't let me serve people in the Keyboard section... I hate all of the ones we sell.

That's too bad. Any chances of giving the right people some hints? ;)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: InSanCen on Sun, 09 August 2009, 17:51:16: Quote from: keyb_gr;108482
That's too bad. Any chances of giving the right people some hints? ;)

I do give them hints... when they comment on the "Old keyboard" that sits on my counter (a Wang 724, also typing this on one at home while I service my Model M's). Once they type on it, they usually end up coming back in to say they have a Model M now...

Although one of my regulars picked up some sort of Terminal keyboard (No details I'm afraid), and is happily modding it. (He's an EE by trade).

I must have had about 15 converts this year.

And yes, my clleagues think I'm mad. Bringing my own keyboard into work, the noise it makes... and then they actually use it. They all like it, but can't bring themselves to actually *buy* something even halfway decent (I keep suggesting the Dell 101's as a cheap halfway house).

As for works buyers? Not a chance... it far too "old" fo them even to look at.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 09 August 2009, 17:57:03: Yeah, I have yet to meet anyone who isn't impressed by my trusty Model F, even my most tech-clueless friends (and girls, oddly enough) think it's cool. That said, I don't think any would actually bother getting one for themselves. They'd probably miss their volume keys or some crap like that...
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: timw4mail on Sun, 09 August 2009, 18:15:21: Quote from: ch_123;108498
Yeah, I have yet to meet anyone who isn't impressed by my trusty Model F, even my most tech-clueless friends (and girls, oddly enough) think it's cool. That said, I don't think any would actually bother getting one for themselves. They'd probably miss their volume keys or some crap like that...

Or they just don't like the layout.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 09 August 2009, 18:19:49: Only time anyone commented on the layout was a guy in my class in college who said "That's one of those American keyboards, isn't it?" =)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: timw4mail on Mon, 10 August 2009, 07:21:13: Quote from: ch_123;108503
Only time anyone commented on the layout was a guy in my class in college who said "That's one of those American keyboards, isn't it?" =)

That's what you guys get for having your weird enter keys ;)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: timw4mail on Mon, 10 August 2009, 11:43:07: Wait, why in the world would you separate the parenthesis?
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: erricrice on Mon, 10 August 2009, 12:35:58: I work at a recording studio in clearwater FL as a protools operator(I do the editing, lol making people sound better than they are :)) jk) But I'm absolutely a hardware junkie, I worked at a computer store before this and still can't stay off of hardocp and xbitlabs
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 10 August 2009, 12:38:01: Quote from: erricrice;108643
I work at a recording studio in clearwater FL as a protools operator(I do the editing, lol making people sound better than they are :)) jk) But I'm absolutely a hardware junkie, I worked at a computer store before this and still can't stay off of hardocp.com and xbitlabs.com

How do you like ProTools? I have never used it myself, but I have heard it makes recording a lot easier than the old days.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: erricrice on Mon, 10 August 2009, 13:07:04: Quote from: itlnstln;108644
How do you like ProTools? I have never used it myself, but I have heard it makes recording a lot easier than the old days.

It's definitely designed well, everything's where it should be! it does make things miles easier than when you had to edit everything in tape, god I'm glad I wasn't around for those days. With Protools you can just cut off all the ambient noise by select-drag and delete. Makes for much clearer sound. One of many advantages, but we always go back to tape in the end(for the masters) and really only use protools for the storage, all the effects and such are on an analogue console(SSL 8000 G+ woot) and offboard gear. Using the computer just makes everything sound so sterile....not a good thing for music cause it's all about creation not computerized perfection and accuracy!!
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: afton on Mon, 10 August 2009, 13:58:28: Quote from: InSanCen;108477
Work won't let me serve people in the Keyboard section... I hate all of the ones we sell.

Why don't you suggest to management to start selling mechanicals?
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: keyb_gr on Mon, 10 August 2009, 14:01:59: Quote from: erricrice;108649
Using the computer just makes everything sound so sterile....not a good thing for music cause it's all about creation not computerized perfection and accuracy!!

Which would precisely be one of my complaints with current pop music. Excessive (rather than creative) use of Auto-Tune merely makes voices sound mechanical, and compressing the dynamic range to within 3 dB may be an interesting exercise but usually doesn't make for something one would want to listen to in the long term.

I'd say these days people like to throw compression and effects at things without thinking about it. 25 years ago you had to have some good folks in the studio to achieve a good, "punchy" sound, and any technical help was welcome. Today you can do anything but the art is picking the right amount of the right things. In the end it's the humans that count, not the technology.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: erricrice on Mon, 10 August 2009, 14:20:22: Quote from: keyb_gr;108669
Which would precisely be one of my complaints with current pop music. Excessive (rather than creative) use of Auto-Tune merely makes voices sound mechanical, and compressing the dynamic range to within 3 dB may be an interesting exercise but usually doesn't make for something one would want to listen to in the long term.

I'd say these days people like to throw compression and effects at things without thinking about it. 25 years ago you had to have some good folks in the studio to achieve a good, "punchy" sound, and any technical help was welcome. Today you can do anything but the art is picking the right amount of the right things. In the end it's the humans that count, not the technology.

exactly!
We use plenty of effects to make it sound professional, but still leave the original sound intact
error isn't always a bad thing, it's what makes us human, which is what people want to hear when listening to musc(or I think so anyway). Not necessarily just error(no one wants to hear someone singing off tune and pay money for it), but making it perfect when it originally is not just removes the human element which makes it interesting. Now the artist being perfect in the first place is not the same thing, this is just someone who is really good at what they do which is awesome, but even then it never sounds mechanical.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: justin on Wed, 26 August 2009, 14:00:19: I'm a front-end web designer who also does graphic design & photography. I do some coding, some writing, blogging, etc. as well. :)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Wed, 26 August 2009, 15:18:02: Mechanic in the Industry -> Lathing, milling, drilling, grinding, sawing, welding, brazing, CNC programming, repairing, much more...
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: InSanCen on Thu, 27 August 2009, 19:51:01: Quote from: afton;108666
Why don't you suggest to management to start selling mechanicals?

£50+ for a Keyboard?

Management would need pacemakers all round if I suggested that...

Besides, I'm a small fish in a big pool (160+ shops and counting). Maybe after a few promotions.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cmr on Thu, 27 August 2009, 23:03:58: I administer Linux and Unix boxes for an academic library. Unfortunately this means a lot of house calls to folks with Dell Crapmasters. But thankfully my coworkers will tolerate all manner of keyboard clatter from my cubicle -- the only comment I've gotten was that my M10 was quieter than the AT-101W I was using during one of the periods during which the Scorpius had a desoldered keyswitch.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: shortround on Tue, 01 September 2009, 00:04:04: Wow, I'm a real minority here. I'm a pathology lab assistant. I pick up body parts from one doctor and bring them to another... But I do get to log them into the computer.

--I also kill super mutants.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: nvarsj on Tue, 01 September 2009, 08:22:50: I'm a programmer. I work at a small company in downtown Chicago, in a certain infamous industry.

Best of all, I get to use Linux at work. Although I can't say the same about my blue cherries.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Clicky Kat on Fri, 04 September 2009, 15:46:28: I'm a Japanese to English translator, mostly technical stuff. I'm also the resident technogeek at the company. I diddle and dabble in photography, web design and gaming.

I lived in Japan for seven years, but in an unenlightened state. I didn't know about the joys of a truly good board until I returned to the US. Oh well, I was pretty poor in Japan and wouldn't have been able to afford those sexy boards anyway.

PS
Hey shortround, nice avatar. I practically lived in Fallout 3 for a month. Amazing game. Have you played the DLC?
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cherrybomb on Fri, 04 September 2009, 21:04:33: Patent attorney specializing in software technology.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 04 September 2009, 21:29:17: Quote from: cherrybomb;114916
Patent attorney specializing in software technology.

this'll sound crazy but i always wanted to be a patent lawyer, lol.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cherrybomb on Fri, 04 September 2009, 22:00:39: IMO, it is one of the better jobs out there. I'm in Silicon Valley, and get to work with some of the smartest engineers in the world, and learn about the best technology a few years before everyone else. If you love to write, learn about new technology and argue with the people who work at the Patent and Trademark Office, then this is the job for you.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 04 September 2009, 22:01:55: Quote from: cherrybomb;114939
IMO, it is one of the better jobs out there. I'm in Silicon Valley, and get to work with some of the smartest engineers in the world, and learn about the best technology a few years before everyone else. If you love to write, learn about new technology and argue with the people who work at the Patent and Trademark Office, then this is the job for you.

did you have a tech background yourself?
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cherrybomb on Fri, 04 September 2009, 22:08:33: Sure. I have two different engineering degrees, and I worked as a programmer for a few years. I got bored with that and decided to go to law school. Best decision I've made.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 04 September 2009, 22:16:38: Quote from: cherrybomb;114942
Sure. I have two different engineering degrees, and I worked as a programmer for a few years. I got bored with that and decided to go to law school. Best decision I've made.

I got bored with engineering and went back to the humanities in grad school :) Mixed results :) Best personal decision I ever made. As for career, that is to be determined.
I always liked law though. Took a business law class in college and loved it. For a long time patent law was my backup plan in my escape from engineering, as it is for most engineers looking for a change, I think. Its either that or an MBA usually. I made the leap back into the humanities, which was interesting and different.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cherrybomb on Fri, 04 September 2009, 22:27:20: Quote from: wellington1869;114943
I got bored with engineering and went back to the humanities in grad school :) Mixed results :) Best personal decision I ever made. As for career, that is to be determined.
I always liked law though. Took a business law class in college and loved it. For a long time patent law was my backup plan in my escape from engineering, as it is for most engineers looking for a change, I think. Its either that or an MBA usually. I made the leap back into the humanities, which was interesting and different.

"Interesting and different" indeed! From engineering to humanities is big 180. I bet that was fun. If you ever decide to consider law school again, I'd be happy to share my thoughts with you about this via private email. Its a fulfilling experience, and, if you have a background in CS, EE or something like that, you'll basically have job security for life. And if you happen to also be fluent in Mandarin, then you'll probably wind up being the defacto ruler of the universe. ;-)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 04 September 2009, 23:33:17: Quote from: cherrybomb;114946
"Interesting and different" indeed! From engineering to humanities is big 180. I bet that was fun. If you ever decide to consider law school again, I'd be happy to share my thoughts with you about this via private email. Its a fulfilling experience, and, if you have a background in CS, EE or something like that, you'll basically have job security for life. And if you happen to also be fluent in Mandarin, then you'll probably wind up being the defacto ruler of the universe. ;-)

lol, thanks. Probably a phd is enough grad school for now though ;) Though I guess law school is always an option that is out there, only 2 years or so of school. Lets see if I can keep a roof over my head as a teacher first, lol.
Ya, I did EE. Dont know mandarin, unfortunately. :) Would have been nice to rule the universe ;) "A fukka on every desk". :) I"d make the scan-rates run on time. :)

it was definitely a fun 180. loved every minute of it.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Hofy on Sat, 05 September 2009, 14:20:46: I am an engineer. Not the kind most of you are around here. I rattle iMav's windows when I go through Columbus. (That probably just got me banned.) :eek:

(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/hofy/th_493-06.jpg) (http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/hofy/?action=view¤t=493-06.jpg)

I am also a former system and network designer/installer.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sat, 05 September 2009, 14:23:18: Quote from: Hofy;115096
I am an engineer. Not the kind most of you are around here. I rattle iMav's windows when I go through Columbus. (That probably just got me banned.) :eek:

Show Image
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/hofy/th_493-06.jpg) (http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/hofy/?action=view¤t=493-06.jpg)

I am also a former system and network designer/installer.

wow, the cool kind of engineer :)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: joniho on Sat, 05 September 2009, 17:49:30: Quote from: Clicky Kat;114858
I'm a Japanese to English translator, mostly technical stuff. I'm also the resident technogeek at the company. I diddle and dabble in photography, web design and gaming.

I lived in Japan for seven years, but in an unenlightened state. I didn't know about the joys of a truly good board until I returned to the US. Oh well, I was pretty poor in Japan and wouldn't have been able to afford those sexy boards anyway.

Oh! I'm a Japanese student in college and will be applying to the JET Program to teach English in Japan in 2011 (I would in 2010 but I technically graduate after their graduation deadline). どうぞよろしく！
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: clickclack on Sun, 06 September 2009, 02:46:45: I am an artist, and these are the common things I do for a living-

SFX model maker, Sculptor, Instructor, Photographer, Illustrator, and mold maker.

From concept to creation to production.

I have no life outside of this...

where am I...? :S

...and fine art sculpture, but who makes a living doing that? haahaa =P
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: ironcoder on Sun, 06 September 2009, 13:05:44: I write systems software in assembler on z/OS. Hard to believe, but there are still a few of us doing it. It's actually the best and most appropriate language for the job since z/OS is an assembler machine.

I used to actually get paid to write object code and I preferred that in some ways but not many jobs are left doing that.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: iMav on Sun, 06 September 2009, 22:54:09: Quote from: Hofy;115096
I am an engineer. Not the kind most of you are around here. I rattle iMav's windows when I go through Columbus. (That probably just got me banned.) :eek:

That won't get you banned. We actually love hearing the trains roll through town (probably because we are far enough away from the tracks not too have our house shake). :)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Hak Foo on Fri, 11 September 2009, 01:16:01: Quote from: iMav;115424
That won't get you banned. We actually love hearing the trains roll through town (probably because we are far enough away from the tracks not too have our house shake). :)

Is it odd that all the high-tech workers are saying "Wow cool" to the locomotive driver? (Incl. web-developer here)

We never outgrew our picture books of big trucks and locomotives.

That an AC4400CW or an AC6000CW? I'm leaning towards the latter, but my Diesel Spotter's Guide is in pieces.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: hyperlinked on Fri, 11 September 2009, 01:40:19: Quote from: Hak Foo;116895
Is it odd that all the high-tech workers are saying "Wow cool" to the locomotive driver? (Incl. web-developer here)

My dad just reminded me tonight that I wanted to be a garbage truck driver when I grew up.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Hofy on Fri, 11 September 2009, 07:36:53: Quote from: Hak Foo;116895
Is it odd that all the high-tech workers are saying "Wow cool" to the locomotive driver? (Incl. web-developer here)

We never outgrew our picture books of big trucks and locomotives.

That an AC4400CW or an AC6000CW? I'm leaning towards the latter, but my Diesel Spotter's Guide is in pieces.

AC4400 , CP has no AC6000.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: roaduck on Sat, 26 September 2009, 01:41:57: I am / was a travelling salesman doing 35,000 miles a year doing essential oil brokerage and some long-term contracts because I'm a phytopharmacologist but the market has contracted immeasurably here in the UK thanks to competition from abroad and trading conditions are both sporadic and uncertain.

My back up jobs are as a travelling aromatherapist selling volatile oils but online and pharmacy sales have virtually priced me out of the market because I am basically in a luxury service niche.

My other 'vocation' is hot water extraction carpet-cleaning and that is dying a death now as well because there's so much less through put.

I hate carpet-cleaning because It's a very physically demanding job, but as one can earn upto £700 to £1000+ a day, I only have to work a handful of days a month to keep my head above water ( pun intended .)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: d2v on Sat, 26 September 2009, 02:17:06: I am a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) engineer. Work for a big american MNC here in India.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: cmr on Tue, 06 October 2009, 03:20:37: i got laid off a couple of weeks ago! so i am not going to be buying any new keyboards in the near future.

and i cancelled the cable service! so i can't post much until i get that sorted out.

and i'm moving! tomorrow. but none of my keyboards are for sale. it's not that dire. yet. i threw away the capacitive keytronic because it is trash and is not worth bringing along to my new place.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 06 October 2009, 07:56:33: Sorry to hear that, cmr. I hope things turn around for you quickly.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: rdh on Tue, 06 October 2009, 10:27:27: Quote from: cmr;123361
i threw away the capacitive keytronic because it is trash and is not worth bringing along to my new place.

"Trash" is pretty subjective, especially in a group of collectors.

On the one hand, I would like better rubber sleeves for my ancient Key Tronic board, but on the other, I can't see that yours'd be significantly newer, so I wouldn't be willing to pay a whole lot. I probably would have paid shipping to get your board... which still may not have made it worth your time. :-)

Hope you find a new job soon!
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: texteur on Tue, 06 October 2009, 11:29:48: I'm new on this forum and I thank the founders for such a great idea!

First of all, I'd like to apologize for the way I write English: as you can guess, it's not my native language. My mother tongue is French (but I'm not French, I'm Swiss).

Originally, I'm an orientalist, specialized in Sanskrit (ancient Indian) language. After my master, I worked in an advertising agency as copywriter. I left the job and, as I coded for fun since I was 10 years old (I started with Basic, Cobol and dBase on an IBM model 5150), and as I used to code in PHP and JavaScript for my own websites, I've decided to become freelance web developer. But I'm still earning money with copywriting and proof-reading (in French, naturally).
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: timw4mail on Tue, 06 October 2009, 11:52:34: For those that don't know, I'm also a web developer.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: hacfed on Thu, 29 October 2009, 20:28:42: Sound engineer. Video editor. AV Technician. Now Comp Sci student.

I have no idea what I want to do, but it's not mixing bands and abusing my ears, carrying gear, crawling through roofspaces pulling cable, trying to cover up poor camera work or running AV at stuffy conferences. I'm not entirely sure that I don't want to be a programmer, but I strongly suspect that I don't. Network security appeals because criminals are getting smart, companies are getting scared...and I want to make a lot of money ;)

Oh, and I should say that I have been self-employed for the past 10 years, which is all of my working life. Hooray!

When I was younger I wanted to be a JCB digger driver and I think I still do, to some extent.

(http://www.elliottandsons.co.uk/admin/Images/JCB-Digger.jpg)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 03 November 2009, 13:14:17: And if you're like the city workers we have around here, you won't even have to work.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: microsoft windows on Tue, 03 November 2009, 17:40:26: I work in the IT department at a school. I'll tell you guys right now--A place with a bunch of kids who use computers is Computer Hell. You should see what kids do to those poor things...
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 04 November 2009, 07:29:46: Quote from: ripster;130274
Hey Microsoft Windows - I'm gonna stop hassling you about the vintage thing. Teachers get my respect for the job they do.

Tell me about it. I wanted to be a teacher after college (I have a B.A. in History with a minor in Classical Civilizations), but they didn't want liberal arts majors at the time (they fill those roles with coaches around here), so I chose the career path I'm on now. My GF is a 6th grade math teacher, and she comes home and tells me some of the horror stories she has to deal with daily, and while I would still find the job much more rewarding than my current job and I would still want the time off, occasionally, I think I would rather deal with the childrent at my current employment.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: ironcoder on Wed, 04 November 2009, 07:47:17: Yeah but if you took the teaching job you could use those baseball bats you like so much.

So many juvenile delinquents, so little time...
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 04 November 2009, 08:01:17: Quote from: ironcoder;130314
So many juvenile delinquents, so little time...

In San Antonio, you're not kidding. I used to play baseball, so maybe I could be a coach. Then, I would have a good reason to carry around a bat. I used to have a principal when I lived in Illinois (his name was Mr. Votrain, we used to call him Mr. Voltron) that carried around a 9 iron. We used to think he would hit kids with it. I remember one time he was practicing his golf swing in a hallway, and he took out an Exit sign. It was pretty funny.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: MFGorilla on Wed, 04 November 2009, 21:12:33: Train Dispatcher. My job is to keep commuter trains from hitting things.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: timw4mail on Thu, 05 November 2009, 06:14:59: Quote from: MFGorilla;130443
Train Dispatcher. My job is to keep commuter trains from hitting things.

Remind me never to distract you.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Gingerbread on Sat, 14 November 2009, 11:36:57: It's my first post, so be gentle.

I'm a 'Performance Engineer' at Symantec here in the UK. You know, the people who make Norton Anti-virus.

No, I don't make Norton Anti-virus.

Came across this site when researching a new keyboard to buy...and ending up buying 3 of them, with my eye on a fourth. My wallet hates you all.

On the other hand (both?), I'm sure my fingers will be eternally grateful (none of the mechanical keyboards have arrived yet :\ .)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Gingerbread on Sat, 14 November 2009, 12:01:12: Will do :)

The first of the keyboards that I bought was a (non-mechanical) Enermax Aurora. It's a scissor-switch keyboard (laptop style) that I can use for work if the others turn out to be too loud (it's an open style office).

I then splashed out on getting a Unicomp SpaceSaver shipped over from the USA ($55 for shipping, ouch) which should be arriving sometime this week. Finally, there's a Cherry G80-3000(insert letters I can't remember here). I'll write up my experiences with both when I get them.

I'm also looking at a Filco. There's a few problems with this, though. First off, they just started selling in the UK at The Keyboard Company (strangely enough). However, they still only have a US layout. They also sell them at a price which converts to $185.5, which is a bit steep - I could have the same one shipped over from the states for less than that! I also would think I'd want a tenkeyless brown / blue switch one, which they don't have stock of yet :\.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 14 November 2009, 19:52:21: I work in the IT department at a school and spend large portions of the day on the Geekhack Forum.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: InSanCen on Sun, 15 November 2009, 15:40:48: Quote from: Gingerbread;132422
I'm a 'Performance Engineer' at Symantec here in the UK. You know, the people who make Norton Anti-virus.

Ugh... Burn it!

Quote from: Gingerbread;132422

No, I don't make Norton Anti-virus.

Let you off this time ;-) Ghost by any chance? If so, good job. The sole "consumer" product from Symantec to be worthwhile.

Quote from: Gingerbread;132422

My wallet hates you all.

All of our Collective Wallets hate this site, as I suspect do our Significant others (Mine certainly does, after breaking the news that I am buying another board, this time from Germany).
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Gingerbread on Sun, 15 November 2009, 15:50:57: Quote from: InSanCen;132717

Let you off this time ;-) Ghost by any chance? If so, good job. The sole "consumer" product from Symantec to be worthwhile.

Actually, Enterprise Vault. Unless you've had a need or worked with a company who has had a need to archive files / e-mails you probably haven't heard of it. It's not a "consumer" product :P
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: InSanCen on Sun, 15 November 2009, 15:55:46: Quote from: Gingerbread;132718
Actually, Enterprise Vault. Unless you've had a need or worked with a company who has had a need to archive files / e-mails you probably haven't heard of it. It's not a "consumer" product :P

Heard of it, but never used it. Most of Symantec's Commercial orientated products are OK. The AV is actually quite good. But I still reserve the right to paste Norton AV every now and again ;-)
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 15 November 2009, 16:12:59: I'd rather sweep streets than teach in a high school. That's no exaggeration...

Quote
However, they still only have a US layout.

Just about every European Geekhacker ends up switching over to the US layout sooner or later. I kind of want to break my Thinkpad's keyboard so that I can get a US layout one for it.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Sun, 15 November 2009, 18:06:03: I am hoping to get a job in the IT Department at my school, the job interview should be this week, (about time!).
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: lmnop on Mon, 16 November 2009, 01:48:15: thinking of going back to school to finish my masters in computer science. I majored in reverse engineering.

a programmer and cryptologist.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 16 November 2009, 08:03:47: Quote
Italians do it better

Lmnop, I like your title.

My GF concurs.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: JaccoW on Tue, 17 November 2009, 13:03:57: I am a student (philosophy) and work part-time in an outdoor store over here.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: microsoft windows on Tue, 17 November 2009, 18:17:13: Quote from: ripster;132833
There are a couple of posts from "Microsoft Windows" that I would like you to decipher for me.

That's easy. "Old Computer" sums it all up.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: HaaTa on Thu, 19 November 2009, 22:00:34: Regular reader, just to busy/lazy to post...

I'm a Software Engineer at Seiko Epson in Japan. On the other side of the planet (Canada) I'm a Computer Engineer student (doing a 7 year undergrad degree...).

I work on mostly internal development stuff. Things like drivers for firmware that doesn't work (the specifications aren't much better). As well as image processing/testing algorithms and all the flowery GUI stuff that's required. I also work on MICR and MSRW stuff.
I usually work with Windows but I did write a Linux driver a few months ago for OpenSUSE.

I also worked for Xandros Corp. in Ottawa for a year (mostly KDE stuff). I'm more of a Linux guy (Arch).

I'll probably start a tech company after I finish up university (whenever that'll be).
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: HaaTa on Thu, 19 November 2009, 23:50:56: Sure, if I manage to get some free time in the future.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: wordfool on Fri, 20 November 2009, 01:38:59: I write stuff, from boring business news to fun travel guides, with a bit of vacuous copywriting every now and then to mix it up. And despite having been a writer for many years I still type pathetically slow.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 20 November 2009, 07:47:05: Quote from: wordfool;134418
despite having been a writer for many years I still type pathetically slow.

Join the club.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: mp29k on Fri, 20 November 2009, 12:45:35: I think I am the first to report being a banker.

I actually do data mining/ Risk analysis work. Lots of keyboarding in SAS.

-K
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 20 November 2009, 13:00:57: Quote from: ripster;134468
There's something screwy with my new set of keys. Just can't place my finger on it....

No more Youtube for you.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: PRISONER 24601 on Fri, 20 November 2009, 15:28:51: I sell keyboards and keyboard accessories.

edit: I don't really, I made this post after watching an episode of koth
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: ricercar on Fri, 20 November 2009, 23:09:45: Quote from: wordfool;134418
despite having been a writer for many years I still type pathetically slow.

I've been typing since 1972, professionally since 1990, and still haven't learned to touch type. I didn't even notice home row bumps on computer keyboards until 99 or so.

Maybe I should say, I type apathetically slow.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: arfink on Fri, 20 November 2009, 23:59:41: Quote from: JaccoW;133278
I am a student (philosophy) and work part-time in an outdoor store over here.

I am also a philosophy student. In my senior year. Studying for priesthood, actually.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: JaccoW on Sat, 21 November 2009, 02:26:57: Isn't that technically Theology? Or is it something different?

The philosophy I get is more or less western philosophy.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: arfink on Sat, 21 November 2009, 13:47:10: Both, actually. 4 years of philosophy, 4 of theology.
Title: What do you do for a living?
Post by: brendentaylor on Mon, 23 November 2009, 22:43:28: Being a computer professional doing programming
and enjoy every moment