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What did you do before SQL?

  • September 11, 2003 at 3:06 am

    #473636

    David,

    quote:

    Still doing the impossible for the ungrateful.

    Hey you doing my job Nice quote (and true)

    quote:

    Have reached the stage where IT is more political than technical.

    And getting worse.

    quote:

    Having watched the way that IT has changed over the past 10 years (although there will always be room for some techies) I wouldn't recommend it as a long term career.

    A bit cynical, I've been a techie for 26 years.

    Frank,

    quote:

    What I take from this whole thread is that almost everybody had some ups and downs in his resume. And somehow came into computer business.

    Maybe I haven't seen it, but is there also almost anyone with a straight plain vanilla career?

    University (Computer engineering, computer science or informatics) -> DBA job?

    Lots of ups and downs. Never 'somehow came into computer business' been doing computing since Seconday school. It is what I wanted to do and pursued my career vigorously, even selfishly sometimes and with sacrifices to get what I wanted. I'm one of the lucky ones who has a job they enjoy. I wonder if you would consider this 'vanilla'?

    Computer Studies at secondary school

    Computing at high school

    Computing at college

    First job Project Office Clerk (IT)

    Trainee Programmer

    Programmer I

    Programmer II

    Programmer III

    Analyst Programmer

    Project Leader (still a programmer though)

    Software Engineer (fancy title but still a programmer)

    I've always been a techie (Jack of all trades master of none) and will always be.

    Far away is close at hand in the images of elsewhere.
    Anon.

  • September 11, 2003 at 3:15 am

    #473637

    quote:

    Maybe I haven't seen it, but is there also almost anyone with a straight plain vanilla career?

    University (Computer engineering, computer science or informatics) -> DBA job?

    Depends. I think I've got a vanilla-ish career:

    • University (Computer Science)
    • just under 2 years at RMCS, in Software Engineering group
    • eighteen months at an insurance company as AM / VB / SQL programmer / junior DBA
    • over three years as a document management conslutant (mainly doing VB/SQL programming)
    • over three years in current job (Systems Architect, mainly VB / SQL and plenty more document management stuff)

    Thomas Rushton
    blog: https://thelonedba.wordpress.com

  • September 11, 2003 at 3:33 am

    #473639

    quote:

    I wonder if you would consider this 'vanilla'?

    Computer Studies at secondary school

    Computing at high school

    Computing at college

    First job Project Office Clerk (IT)

    Trainee Programmer

    Programmer I

    Programmer II

    Programmer III

    Analyst Programmer

    Project Leader (still a programmer though)

    Software Engineer (fancy title but still a programmer)

    I've always been a techie (Jack of all trades master of none) and will always be.

    oops, sorry, fallen back into 'broker slang'

    Straight forward with no anomalies.

    Aargh, you know a bond with no embedded derivatives ...

    Some would also consider this boring

    And yes, this is plain vanilla enough for me.

    Btw, I also insisted on this slight difference between a programmer and a software engineer

    As for Thomas:

    Are your english insurance companies that progressive that they use something apart from mainframe ???

    Wooh, lucky one!

    Frank

    Wenn Englisch zu schwierig ist?

    http://www.insidesql.de

    --
    Frank Kalis
    Microsoft SQL Server MVP
    Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
    My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url]

  • September 11, 2003 at 3:56 am

    #473645

    quote:

    As for Thomas:

    Are your english insurance companies that progressive that they use something apart from mainframe ???

    Wooh, lucky one!

    We (the insurance company) were developing a system for a catalogue shopping company (Great Universal Stores) that, as well as the usual clothes and white goods, was selling motor insurance.

    So it wasn't a real insurance company system in that we weren't writing it for use within our company, but we were writing it for one of our clients. And, as the company's previous effort there was PC-based client/server, the new system was similar (but using SQL Server rather than BTrieve, and a windows-based AM (Application Manager from Intelligent Environments), C and VB rather than a DOS-based C program).

    Thomas Rushton
    blog: https://thelonedba.wordpress.com

  • September 11, 2003 at 4:32 am

    #473659

    HI Frank,

    quote:

    Btw, I also insisted on this slight difference between a programmer and a software engineer

    What difference do you mean. I suggested the title Software Engineer to my boss, because I engineer software (albeit with 3rd party tools) and I liked the title and I did not like the word programmer but I am still technically a programmer. I also read that engineers in the States/Canada are anti people using engineer unless you have an engineering degree (bah! humbug I say, it's only a title) it's the JD that decribes what you do, or should be doing.

    Far away is close at hand in the images of elsewhere.
    Anon.

  • September 11, 2003 at 4:36 am

    #473661

    I tend to think that software engineers are to programmers what mechanical engineers are to car mechanics.

    LinkedIn Profile

  • September 11, 2003 at 4:38 am

    #473662

    quote:

    What difference do you mean. I suggested the title Software Engineer to my boss, because I engineer software (albeit with 3rd party tools) and I liked the title and I did not like the word programmer but I am still technically a programmer. I also read that engineers in the States/Canada are anti people using engineer unless you have an engineering degree (bah! humbug I say, it's only a title) it's the JD that decribes what you do, or should be doing.

    just a quick before lunch break

    Of course, it's only a title. But I bet you know those guys who get really mad about having those titles. My guess is they like those flipping business cards and are otherwise 'dumb as hay' ?!? well, in german we have something like this.

    However, 'software engineer' sounds better than 'programmer' when applying for financing of housebuilding. That's what I meant!

    Enjoy your meal!

    Frank

    Wenn Englisch zu schwierig ist?

    http://www.insidesql.de

    --
    Frank Kalis
    Microsoft SQL Server MVP
    Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
    My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url]

  • September 11, 2003 at 4:41 am

    #473663

    quote:

    I tend to think that software engineers are to programmers what mechanical engineers are to car mechanics.

    Last one!

    I'll surely get crucified for posting this, but here it goes.

    I know a friend who knows a friend who has heard that someone he knew was saying:

    A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer is to computing what a McDonalds Certified Food Specialist is to fine cuisine.

    Frank

    Wenn Englisch zu schwierig ist?

    http://www.insidesql.de

    --
    Frank Kalis
    Microsoft SQL Server MVP
    Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
    My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url]

  • September 11, 2003 at 5:38 am

    #473677

    I prefer to write about history in the order it was happening, not backwards as usual in CV, so:

    studies - Hydrobiology and Ecology at university

    jobs -

    - TEMPUS/PHARE project coordinating assistant at Technical University

    - assistant for commercial contacts at Latvian Embassy in Czech Republic

    - series of jobs at the company I work for currently : Licensing Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Book Program Dept. IT specialist, IT Project Manager and IS Administrator. The company is a book publishing house (member of Bertelsmann Group), which also runs a bookclub (i.e. mail-order business) and currently is building up a wholesale distribution network.

  • September 11, 2003 at 5:44 am

    #473679

    OK, Frank, you HAVE earned two slash marks on this one:

    quote:

    What I take from this whole thread is that almost everybody had some ups and downs in his resume.

    Reminder: There are such things as "her" resume.

    quote:

    A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer is to computing what a McDonalds Certified Food Specialist is to fine cuisine.

    I do take offense to that as I am a MCSE and worked 8 long months to achieve that. I can guarantee that my MCSE experience makes me a helluva lot more "at ease" resolving networking issues than the majority of the average DBA.

    All the best,

    Dale


    All the best,

    Dale

    Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

  • September 11, 2003 at 6:08 am

    #473684

    quote:

    OK, Frank, you HAVE earned two slash marks on this one:

    quote:

    What I take from this whole thread is that almost everybody had some ups and downs in his resume.

    Reminder: There are such things as "her" resume.

    quote:

    A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer is to computing what a McDonalds Certified Food Specialist is to fine cuisine.

    I do take offense to that as I am a MCSE and worked 8 long months to achieve that. I can guarantee that my MCSE experience makes me a helluva lot more "at ease" resolving networking issues than the majority of the average DBA.

    All the best,

    Dale

    ....after all,.....don't you like me anymore?

    Frank

    Wenn Englisch zu schwierig ist?

    http://www.insidesql.de

    --
    Frank Kalis
    Microsoft SQL Server MVP
    Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
    My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url]

  • September 11, 2003 at 6:11 am

    #473685

    quote:

    Reminder: There are such things as "her" resume.

    You are absolutely right, Dale. But please, bear with us foreigners when we sometimes forget to mention both alternatives I'm aware that I can make this slip, too, at any time - even after several years of posting in English. It is something that is based on different structure of various languages... we don't regard the word "he" or "his" as determining the sex in such way that it couldn't be applied generally to members of a group, both men and women (btw, in Czech even such objects as castle, cross, boat, computer etc. are masculines 🙂 ... German is similar in that).

    Anyway, I will try to avoid this mistake if I can.

  • September 11, 2003 at 6:36 am

    #473691

    I always wondered what it was that made something other than an animal masculine or feminine.

    Someone told me that in French if a bloke liked it then it would be feminine and if blokes hate it then it would be masculine.

    I know this isn't true but what if......

    LinkedIn Profile

  • September 11, 2003 at 6:38 am

    #473692

    Are you kidding? After 40 years, I don't get really offended. I understand the language/gender issue. Instead of getting offended, I usually drink a beer, forget about it, and fall asleep.

    P.S. Frank, how can anyone not like you?

    P.P.S.S. Sorry for all the edits. Just got to work and sat down with my coffee two minutes ago.

    All the best,

    Dale

    Edited by - DALEC on 09/11/2003 06:38:04 AM

    Edited by - DALEC on 09/11/2003 06:38:36 AM

    Edited by - DALEC on 09/11/2003 06:39:46 AM


    All the best,

    Dale

    Author: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio

  • September 11, 2003 at 6:45 am

    #473693

    Frank,

    Like the quote, must remember that one.

    Steven

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