Programming under the stars...
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G'day Nick, > I have to agree - this Queensland "winter" is great Yeah, Brissy winters are *real* hard to take, aren't they? Whereabouts in Brisvegas are you? - We're at The Gap. Steve
Hey Steve, You know the big, ugly, pink building in Toowong, now the big, UGLY teal building? (inverted colours..??!!) Well, that's home to Shortcuts Software (touchscreen point of sale stuff for hairdressers) where I will be sitting for the next minute until I shut this thing down and go home :-D Cheers Nick
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Hey Steve, You know the big, ugly, pink building in Toowong, now the big, UGLY teal building? (inverted colours..??!!) Well, that's home to Shortcuts Software (touchscreen point of sale stuff for hairdressers) where I will be sitting for the next minute until I shut this thing down and go home :-D Cheers Nick
Heh... I love Brisbane I was there during the "winter" a few years ago. Pretty hard to take alright. I was in ChristChurch in NZ on the same trip and took in a local rugby game with my then girlfriend. It was July--dead of winter--and there was chilly rain falling, and a few intermittent flurries... but when I read the newspaper next day the headline for the rugby game in about 50 point type talked about the hardship of playing during an an "icy blast" and "frigid" conditions. My girlfriend and I were cracking up. Frigid? It was like a bad Canadian summer day. We were giggling. Having your nostrils glued togther after spending 2 minutes outside in Winnipeg in January... **thats** frigid. But it was like that during the whole trip. Guys were wearing gloves, scarves, and hats when it was about 10 degrees in Sydney. We kept doing double takes. Hell... Canadians are out lying on the beach in Fort Lauderdale in February when the temperature isnt much warmer than that. But had a really nice river cruise on the kookabura on I guess it was the Brisbane River(?). Been to Brisbane twice... it aint exciting but it was probably my favorite city in Oz. I love the place! John
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Hi I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. I'm a relatively inexperienced (but fiercly independent) software developer with a background that covers aviation, science, electronics (but never specialises). Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? So far I've come up with: -> Mining (not sure what exactly.. but there must be jobs where samples are taken using computers) -> Geology (once again samples. Only problem is I'm not a geologist) -> Cartography (But all I've been able to find includes jobs that require strong digital mapping qualifications) It seems 'pure' programming jobs (that require computing skills and nothing else) exist only in offices. Any ideas of where to look to get started or what to search for? Regards Brendan
Oil exploration. I'd guess that if you want to travel a lot try and get a gig helping GSM network installers in China. Stephen Kellett -- C++/Java/Win NT/Unix variants Memory leaks/corruptions/performance/system problems. UK based. Problems with RSI/WRULD? Contact me for advice.
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Hi I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. I'm a relatively inexperienced (but fiercly independent) software developer with a background that covers aviation, science, electronics (but never specialises). Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? So far I've come up with: -> Mining (not sure what exactly.. but there must be jobs where samples are taken using computers) -> Geology (once again samples. Only problem is I'm not a geologist) -> Cartography (But all I've been able to find includes jobs that require strong digital mapping qualifications) It seems 'pure' programming jobs (that require computing skills and nothing else) exist only in offices. Any ideas of where to look to get started or what to search for? Regards Brendan
...would be far more interesting, don't ya agree? :rolleyes: maXallion
"I code, therefore I am!" - The Code Devil
www.maxallion.de - coded evil & more -
Hi I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. I'm a relatively inexperienced (but fiercly independent) software developer with a background that covers aviation, science, electronics (but never specialises). Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? So far I've come up with: -> Mining (not sure what exactly.. but there must be jobs where samples are taken using computers) -> Geology (once again samples. Only problem is I'm not a geologist) -> Cartography (But all I've been able to find includes jobs that require strong digital mapping qualifications) It seems 'pure' programming jobs (that require computing skills and nothing else) exist only in offices. Any ideas of where to look to get started or what to search for? Regards Brendan
I can only echo what others have suggested - get a 'real' life and work for yourself (or with a partner). Downside: the risk, the fear that no-one will ever buy any software ever again. Upside: you are the boss, every minute counts, no time wasted reading web sites or BBS (except this one ;P ) Potential: much higher quality of life, and, of course, the potential to make a lot more money and retire early :suss: ! Old Simon
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Hi I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. I'm a relatively inexperienced (but fiercly independent) software developer with a background that covers aviation, science, electronics (but never specialises). Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? So far I've come up with: -> Mining (not sure what exactly.. but there must be jobs where samples are taken using computers) -> Geology (once again samples. Only problem is I'm not a geologist) -> Cartography (But all I've been able to find includes jobs that require strong digital mapping qualifications) It seems 'pure' programming jobs (that require computing skills and nothing else) exist only in offices. Any ideas of where to look to get started or what to search for? Regards Brendan
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Hi I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. I'm a relatively inexperienced (but fiercly independent) software developer with a background that covers aviation, science, electronics (but never specialises). Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? So far I've come up with: -> Mining (not sure what exactly.. but there must be jobs where samples are taken using computers) -> Geology (once again samples. Only problem is I'm not a geologist) -> Cartography (But all I've been able to find includes jobs that require strong digital mapping qualifications) It seems 'pure' programming jobs (that require computing skills and nothing else) exist only in offices. Any ideas of where to look to get started or what to search for? Regards Brendan
Maybe you could just get some little phosphorescent plastic stars and stick them on your ceiling. Turn the lights out and bingo, there the are ... code away.
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Heh... I love Brisbane I was there during the "winter" a few years ago. Pretty hard to take alright. I was in ChristChurch in NZ on the same trip and took in a local rugby game with my then girlfriend. It was July--dead of winter--and there was chilly rain falling, and a few intermittent flurries... but when I read the newspaper next day the headline for the rugby game in about 50 point type talked about the hardship of playing during an an "icy blast" and "frigid" conditions. My girlfriend and I were cracking up. Frigid? It was like a bad Canadian summer day. We were giggling. Having your nostrils glued togther after spending 2 minutes outside in Winnipeg in January... **thats** frigid. But it was like that during the whole trip. Guys were wearing gloves, scarves, and hats when it was about 10 degrees in Sydney. We kept doing double takes. Hell... Canadians are out lying on the beach in Fort Lauderdale in February when the temperature isnt much warmer than that. But had a really nice river cruise on the kookabura on I guess it was the Brisbane River(?). Been to Brisbane twice... it aint exciting but it was probably my favorite city in Oz. I love the place! John
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Hi I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. I'm a relatively inexperienced (but fiercly independent) software developer with a background that covers aviation, science, electronics (but never specialises). Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? So far I've come up with: -> Mining (not sure what exactly.. but there must be jobs where samples are taken using computers) -> Geology (once again samples. Only problem is I'm not a geologist) -> Cartography (But all I've been able to find includes jobs that require strong digital mapping qualifications) It seems 'pure' programming jobs (that require computing skills and nothing else) exist only in offices. Any ideas of where to look to get started or what to search for? Regards Brendan
I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. ... Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? You're unlikely to find what you want in pure programming. It's very expensive to send someone into the field, so your field person has to be doing something in the field that can't be done back at the home office. That's rarely plain computing. But if you're technically expert at something that does need to get done in the field, there are many jobs that will take you there. Two people I know with similar interests to yours found exciting, rewarding jobs outdoors:
- One joined the winter crew at South Pole station. He was trained as an electrical engineer and did a lot of electronic design and computer work. At the pole, he maintained atmospheric monitoring instruments.
- One works for the U.S. government on an emergency response team to track missing nuclear weapons. He is not permitted to tell me much about the job, but the requirements in the advertisement he responded to included many technical skills along with ability to survive in back country for weeks at a time carrying heavy packs with equipment and supplies. The problem for you with this kind of job is that generally a Ph.D. in nuclear physics is a prerequisite.
For mining and oil exploration, there are many jobs that don't require geology degrees. They need people to instrument well heads and drilling platforms. Several people I know went from Physics to work for oil equipment manufacturers (e.g., Schlumberger) working on instrumentation for drilling heads (e.g., neutron-activation spectrometry to determine mineral content of the layer they're drilling at). Environmental science employs many computer and EE types to build and service automated monitoring stations all over the globe. Many research groups also do field work with airplanes, balloons, and ships. My old group at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (which has field stations ranging from Alaska, to Hawaii and Samoa, to the South Pole) is not currently hiring, but you can check periodically at http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/hats/whatsnew/positions.html. Most people there are scientists, but there are also a number of engineers and programmers associated with the field experiments. One thing that I've seen pure computing people do is to get themselves hired into the "stay at the office" side of an outfit that does field opera
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Hi I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. I'm a relatively inexperienced (but fiercly independent) software developer with a background that covers aviation, science, electronics (but never specialises). Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? So far I've come up with: -> Mining (not sure what exactly.. but there must be jobs where samples are taken using computers) -> Geology (once again samples. Only problem is I'm not a geologist) -> Cartography (But all I've been able to find includes jobs that require strong digital mapping qualifications) It seems 'pure' programming jobs (that require computing skills and nothing else) exist only in offices. Any ideas of where to look to get started or what to search for? Regards Brendan
:)
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I'm looking to find a new job that isn't so, well, indoors. ... Can anyone suggest industries I should look into that combine computing and field work? You're unlikely to find what you want in pure programming. It's very expensive to send someone into the field, so your field person has to be doing something in the field that can't be done back at the home office. That's rarely plain computing. But if you're technically expert at something that does need to get done in the field, there are many jobs that will take you there. Two people I know with similar interests to yours found exciting, rewarding jobs outdoors:
- One joined the winter crew at South Pole station. He was trained as an electrical engineer and did a lot of electronic design and computer work. At the pole, he maintained atmospheric monitoring instruments.
- One works for the U.S. government on an emergency response team to track missing nuclear weapons. He is not permitted to tell me much about the job, but the requirements in the advertisement he responded to included many technical skills along with ability to survive in back country for weeks at a time carrying heavy packs with equipment and supplies. The problem for you with this kind of job is that generally a Ph.D. in nuclear physics is a prerequisite.
For mining and oil exploration, there are many jobs that don't require geology degrees. They need people to instrument well heads and drilling platforms. Several people I know went from Physics to work for oil equipment manufacturers (e.g., Schlumberger) working on instrumentation for drilling heads (e.g., neutron-activation spectrometry to determine mineral content of the layer they're drilling at). Environmental science employs many computer and EE types to build and service automated monitoring stations all over the globe. Many research groups also do field work with airplanes, balloons, and ships. My old group at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (which has field stations ranging from Alaska, to Hawaii and Samoa, to the South Pole) is not currently hiring, but you can check periodically at http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/hats/whatsnew/positions.html. Most people there are scientists, but there are also a number of engineers and programmers associated with the field experiments. One thing that I've seen pure computing people do is to get themselves hired into the "stay at the office" side of an outfit that does field opera
One joined the winter crew at South Pole station. He was trained as an electrical engineer and did a lot of electronic design and computer work. At the pole, he maintained atmospheric monitoring instruments. Weird. I remember an advert for a job on the South Pole that met that description. It was in the Manchester (now London) Gaurdian, in 1988. I nearly applied for the job but I don't get on well with cold weather, so chickened out at the last minute. In hindsight I'm glad I didn't take it, I was running away from stuff at the time. The South Pole is a long way away... Stephen Kellett -- C++/Java/Win NT/Unix variants Memory leaks/corruptions/performance/system problems. UK based. Problems with RSI/WRULD? Contact me for advice.