> -----Original Message----- > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org > [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org]On Behalf Of Adam Morris > Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 10:22 PM > > Honestly, stop thinking about it so much. The very best programmers in the industry never distance themselves from > so-called "mediocre" people because often those "mediocre" people turn out to have a really slick idea once in a while. > Instead they take it upon themselves to rise to the top and lead those very same people you would call "mediocre" to do > great things. More importantly, those people often, with a little guidance, tend to turn out to be very excellent > programmers, even if some of them may not fit in with the hacker culture. > > In my experience the best programmers have often also been the best leaders. Of the two traits, the ability to lead > others to great successes is what has made people like Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds to being considered the best. > > An arrogant attitude will not take you very far in the hacker culture or a professional career in programming. Do > yourself a favor and accept the fact that there are people out there who don't share the same passion for programming > that you do, and you'll take yourself a lot further than you would with a poor attitude towards them. > > -Adam The high tech areas that require real innovation and teamwork cannot tolerate hackers and tinkerers. For example, programming to detect and thwart missiles aimed at a fighter aircraft for "your side" requires the greatest cleverness and verification teamwork in a secure team. Cleared players must be both very good and interchangeable. Nobody would trust a lone wolf hacker. Similar things are true for most things on the leading edge of technology. IT maintenance and support is more likely to be "fix it now" for well-established stuff. Bandaids and hacker stuff may be tolerated, but better groups will always insist on maintainability and verification. Something sounds off-base about your ideas of "hacker-centric" cultures. Doesn't sound like something to aspire to at any stage of your career. Chuck > > On May 16, 2011, at 10:10 PM, Jason Hsu wrote: > > > I am seeking a position as a Linux IT consultant, software engineer, or programmer. > > > > According to Paul Graham and Joel Spolsky, a "hacker-centric" culture tends to be an all-or-nothing proposition. They > say that the very best programmers and software engineers are part of an inner circle, and they all follow each other > around. If a company develops a "hacker-unfriendly" culture, these top people move elsewhere en masse to another company > that is "hacker-friendly". > > > > The corollary to all this is that companies without this "hacker-centric" culture tend to be mediocre at best and often > populated by pointy-haired idiots. None of the top people want to work there, so none of them do, and the negative > culture perpetuates itself. > > > > Given this, which companies have this "hacker-centric" culture? Who are the best people? Are there any any > professional organizations? In addition to making Swift Linux the biggest success story since Ubuntu, is there anything > else I can do to make sure I am one of these top people? > > > > More importantly, what can I do to distance myself from the mediocre people and the pointy-haired idiots? I want to > avoid being like them, and it would help to stay far, far away from them. Those losers obviously don't see themselves as > losers and are probably full of covers and rationalizations, so I know better than to think I can avoid being one by > reciting a few mantras every day. > > > > Given such a sharp divide, I need to make sure I'm on the correct side. If I'm part of the "hacker-centric" culture, > I'll be automatically more productive, enjoy my job, and have superior career prospects. If I'm on the wrong side of the > divide, it will be like trying to go up a floor on the wrong escalator. > > > > -- > > Jason Hsu <jhsu802701 at jasonhsu.com> > > _______________________________________________ > > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1500/3642 - Release Date: 05/16/11