Are you doing anything worthwhile?
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
A management buy-out from IBM in 1994, specialising in 'storage solutions' made a profit of over 1 Billion last year. Was well positioned to be one of the leading players in the 'cloud' until a hedge fund got their claws into us and managed to get two members on our board (one of which is the CEO of the hedge fund and he is only 29). Things don't look good, even El Reg is telling me to get my CV ready[^].(last line).
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vonb wrote:
Anyway, without real time data this institute can go bankroupt really fast..
Only because everyone has it. Hasn't the banking industry basically just spent billions on a massive pissing competition, developing faster and faster software purely to outdo their competitors on the speed of the software? How is it better now than it was before? How is the bank able to be more productive, how is it able to provide a better service to its customers, how does it make more of a contribution to the world because it has lots and lots of computers and computer persons?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
Well, yes. Nobody pays the whole factory in cash anymore: computers allow electronic transfer. This means that huge amount of money aren't being moved around the country and from the bank to the wages office and making a nice target for an armed robbery. Bills can be paid in seconds via the internet (or via direct debit), rather than wasting time and money on envelopes, stamps, walking to the post box, people at the other end to open them, read the cheque, process it against the right account, etc. You can access your money from anywhere in the world, and be paid from anywhere in the world. I remember 20 years ago, getting paid by a US client by cheque and my bank taking eight weeks to process it! That the banks haven't used this to help the customers rather than the shareholders is an different discussion!
The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)
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vonb wrote:
Anyway, without real time data this institute can go bankroupt really fast..
Only because everyone has it. Hasn't the banking industry basically just spent billions on a massive pissing competition, developing faster and faster software purely to outdo their competitors on the speed of the software? How is it better now than it was before? How is the bank able to be more productive, how is it able to provide a better service to its customers, how does it make more of a contribution to the world because it has lots and lots of computers and computer persons?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
ChrisElston wrote:
How is it better now than it was before?
I wouldn't say better. It's just more relyable (less errors can be done). When I started the stock exchange was still in a circle with crying people everywhere (buy, buy, sell, 50, 100...) Some did easely errors. Now the stock exchange without computers? No way.. It's the compromise of globalization. NYSE learned that twice (1929 and 1987 if I remember well). Now it's still economical crisis but they are not so immense stock exchange falls anymore because the computers balance it in a way. Then, on the other hand, if you have bad politicians like in Italy / Greece / Cyprus / Portugal / Spain, the list goes on, it's another story. There the computers don't enter..
The signature is in building process.. Please wait...
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
My company invents and manufactures medical monitoring devices. The stuff we make helps people stay alive, and live better lives. I work in research and I am allowed a lot of latitude in regards to how I approach problems and solutions to health conditions that were impossible or painful to monitor even a few years ago. (I don't have to color between the lines :D), I have been involved in the inception of some pretty awesome products. Yes, I think my job and my company are worthwhile. :)
It was broke, so I fixed it.
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
A lot of the things I have done over the years have helped people: mostly they make someones job easier, so the drudgery is removed. Occasionally I have worked on projects that have de-skilled jobs, to the point where (I suspect) the highly paid skilled workers have been replaced my morons who can press three buttons in a row without making too many mistakes. I do try to avoid those these days.
The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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My company invents and manufactures medical monitoring devices. The stuff we make helps people stay alive, and live better lives. I work in research and I am allowed a lot of latitude in regards to how I approach problems and solutions to health conditions that were impossible or painful to monitor even a few years ago. (I don't have to color between the lines :D), I have been involved in the inception of some pretty awesome products. Yes, I think my job and my company are worthwhile. :)
It was broke, so I fixed it.
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Well, yes. Nobody pays the whole factory in cash anymore: computers allow electronic transfer. This means that huge amount of money aren't being moved around the country and from the bank to the wages office and making a nice target for an armed robbery. Bills can be paid in seconds via the internet (or via direct debit), rather than wasting time and money on envelopes, stamps, walking to the post box, people at the other end to open them, read the cheque, process it against the right account, etc. You can access your money from anywhere in the world, and be paid from anywhere in the world. I remember 20 years ago, getting paid by a US client by cheque and my bank taking eight weeks to process it! That the banks haven't used this to help the customers rather than the shareholders is an different discussion!
The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)
OriginalGriff wrote:
walking to the post box
You know how full Post Office is here right now? End of month to pay bills. Even with all of our banks here Swiss people like queuing in Post office every month. It's only to "touch" the money and to be sure that the payments are made correctly..
The signature is in building process.. Please wait...
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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A lot of the things I have done over the years have helped people: mostly they make someones job easier, so the drudgery is removed. Occasionally I have worked on projects that have de-skilled jobs, to the point where (I suspect) the highly paid skilled workers have been replaced my morons who can press three buttons in a row without making too many mistakes. I do try to avoid those these days.
The universe is composed of electrons, neutrons, protons and......morons. (ThePhantomUpvoter)
I think a lot of software in companies is there to give management more control over what their employees are doing and don't make the employees' lives any easier at all. We recently introduced a new system, and it was admitted from the start that it would make the jobs of the users less easy as they had all this extra stuff to now do in real time. But it would give real time data to the managers, as well as rolling all the costs up for them so they could have nice charts in their meetings. I don't think what I do improves productivity or profitability of this company, not does it provide any greater service to the customers, although we do have some systems that do.
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
My company designs software for use in various weapons systems (mainly targetting) So we keep you and your loved ones safe.
MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
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In every case? And what does increased productivity mean, and is it useful? Computers certainly increase the amount of reports and the colours they get presented in, but all that allows is for managers to get paid just reading rather than actually managing.
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
Increased productivity means an increase in relative wealth due to our ability to consume more goods. And yes, in every case they have increased productivity, from Farming to Medcine computers have had a massive effect. (Of course I include things like mobile phones as computers since they are part of the tech revoloution.)
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My company designs software for use in various weapons systems (mainly targetting) So we keep you and your loved ones safe.
MVVM # - I did it My Way ___________________________________________ Man, you're a god. - walterhevedeich 26/05/2011 .\\axxx (That's an 'M')
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Increased productivity means an increase in relative wealth due to our ability to consume more goods. And yes, in every case they have increased productivity, from Farming to Medcine computers have had a massive effect. (Of course I include things like mobile phones as computers since they are part of the tech revoloution.)
And in the ability of companies to peddle insurance policies that no-one wants or needs. In the ability of companies to pump out as many different TV channels as no-one is able to or wants to consume. I wager fewer people work on systems that improve farming, or medicine, or such than work on systems pumping crap into the world.
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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And in the ability of companies to peddle insurance policies that no-one wants or needs. In the ability of companies to pump out as many different TV channels as no-one is able to or wants to consume. I wager fewer people work on systems that improve farming, or medicine, or such than work on systems pumping crap into the world.
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
Indeed, all life has accelerated with the tech revoloution. And yes, much of my work has been in the world of the trivial. But it pays the bills. Cant complain.
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
Yes and no. We offer/sell metrology inspection software to sub-contractor of the "Defense" sector (among other sectors and domain) ( for the joint strike fighter ) but also civilian sector to help increase quality (decrease cost) and eventually safety of airplanes (Airbus)
I'd rather be phishing!
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
In my career, I've worked in three industries: food production, paper production and now utilities. Food production: yes, the computers improved the process and product by allowing automated production and removing the need for any human hands to actually touch the food from the point of delivery through end user use. Computers also allowed for expedited checking in the event of a potential contanimation - a mother called concerned her son who is very alergic to peanuts may have been accidentally exposed; we had 3 hours to reply; there was no contamination and the mother was very pleased. Paper production: computers allow for improved quality control and reduced costs; while we may not use paper as much as we used to, there are still valid uses for same. Utilities: automated data collection that can pinpoint power outages thereby reduces outage time and improving customers quality of life. So, yes, life is better both because of computers and the applications I have worked on. Tim
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Indeed, all life has accelerated with the tech revoloution. And yes, much of my work has been in the world of the trivial. But it pays the bills. Cant complain.
I think I'd moan less if I worked somewhere more attractive. You get pissed off at work, go for a walk around Walsall at lunchtime, you're even more depressed when you get back.
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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In my career, I've worked in three industries: food production, paper production and now utilities. Food production: yes, the computers improved the process and product by allowing automated production and removing the need for any human hands to actually touch the food from the point of delivery through end user use. Computers also allowed for expedited checking in the event of a potential contanimation - a mother called concerned her son who is very alergic to peanuts may have been accidentally exposed; we had 3 hours to reply; there was no contamination and the mother was very pleased. Paper production: computers allow for improved quality control and reduced costs; while we may not use paper as much as we used to, there are still valid uses for same. Utilities: automated data collection that can pinpoint power outages thereby reduces outage time and improving customers quality of life. So, yes, life is better both because of computers and the applications I have worked on. Tim
Tim Carmichael wrote:
Food production: yes, the computers improved the process and product by allowing automated production and removing the need for any human hands to actually touch the food from the point of delivery through end user use.
I think the benefits of processed food to the human race are a different argument.
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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Do the computers and systems you work on actually make your company, your country, the world in general better? Or do they just keep you employed and allow other hardware and software to be bought thus keeping others employed? The company I work for is 160 years old this year, they still do the same thing. Computers and computer systems are a fairly recent thing in comparison. Do they aid the company in fulfilling its aims in anyway? Or do they just keep loads of people employed whilst actually achieving no real benefit. What is the point of you?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
ChrisElston wrote:
What is the point of you?
Well, given my work history, I'd have to say yes, though with regards to a certain industry I've worked in, in the past, certainly some people would say it has made the world a better place, while others not. However, I've also done some very unique work with a company that makes communication satellites, having solved some gnarly testing problems for them, which of course is technology that we all rely on nowadays. And currently I'm working on several websites for non-profit companies, one of which gather national statistics on midwives and demonstrates that having a midwife involved in the pregnancy / birth / post partum enhances the health of the mother and baby. Particularly true for single moms. So yes, what I'm doing in IT is making the world better. Marc
