Okay VL user, what do you do for work?

[Vanger]

Godwin's Law validated

http://xkcd.com/261/

And about flame: http://xkcd.com/263/

[apock627]

I'm a surgeon, no IT background at all except my dabblings here (and a whirl with linux from scratch a few years ago). Would eventually love to have all my home and portable stuff running on linux (VL of course) but I can't do it yet. I'll never be a useful member of the open source "community" but I really admire those who are. If only most things worked the same way...

[exeterdad]

I'm a surgeon

That's awesome!  I couldn't do it, not with all the coffee I drink. 

[apock627]

  I couldn't do it without all the coffee I drink...
Still recovering after 2:30 am start yesterday

[MikeCindi]

I couldn't do it without all the coffee I drink...
Still recovering after 2:30 am start yesterday

That's why I stopped doing OB work, well actually deliveries (Family Practice doc)...now I have an outpatient only practice and am able to participate in my kids' growing up.
Mike

[tomh38]

apock627,

You're a surgeon.  I think you're contributing enough to society as it is.  Surgeons saved my life, my dad's life, and my brother's life.  My hat's off to you, sir.

mikecindi,

The same thing goes for you.  I have a great deal of respect for pretty much all physicians (I've only known of a few bad ones).  Without you the rest of us would be much worse off than we are.  And a family practice doctor ... well, that's a heroic life in itself, and you spend time with your kids.  Kudos.

Tom

[tanelle]

i've got my own interiorshop for 13 years now, selling and installing carpet and other floorcoverings, curtains made by my wife and also beds.
When I started this, I said I didn't need a computer. My father in law dumped an old XT and said: do something with it.
So I made my bills with PlanPerfect (Spreadsheet brother of Word Perfect) Later I bought my own computer and MS office. After a lot of pain I made a reasonable working order database. It was about 1999 that a German friend showed me Linux and explained the way linux was developed. From that time I was determined to make the switch one day. I'm still looking for a way to make a good multiuser database application. I'm using Linux at home for some years now and infected my daughter with it too.

[cintyram]

So ... software process coordinator.  Are you managing developers working on software projects, or is that something different.

Well i don't actually "manage" folks yet[ as in schedule work on the critical path, give personal development  advice etc..]  but I help with the processes, define policy , schedule work on non critical path etc. Define and get people to work on their quality plans and other stuff.  The projects are software . and I'm Looking for opportunities to move to full time management of Development teams.

Also, what kind of research and development, or are you allowed to talk about it?

The other role i play is to work on different projects with in my team. We are basically a RFIC simulation company, so there are lots of interesting problems to work on.

[tomh38]

Thanks cintyram, that was helpful.  I don't know much about software development, so I was interested in where your job fits into the process.  Do you contribute to Free/Open Source projects as well?  Just curious.

Tom

[cintyram]

  Do you contribute to Free/Open Source projects as well?  Just curious.

Well Not much to brag about here  .
i used to try to help in a lot of places, basically any project i liked, i wanted to contribute.  But ended up not helping in any effort.  But i soon wised up and spend most of my free time with VL.

I test betas and RCs, give  design guidance and advice . But i have not committed code to any project
at one point i used to help UKBIll with doc review etc.  so i do what i can, in the time i have.
I don't know if it counts, but at one point, there was some friction and uncertainty on some key Developers' part about VL's future because of GPL law suites etc..  I jumped in and tried to convince that it wont be an issue for us.

The bigger problem for me is that i suffered a serious bout of RSI [Ulnar neuritis] some time back and try to restrict myself to using a mouse and kbd only for critical work. im slowly coming out of that:)
so if you see a period of absence, it could be anything from lots of work to bad case of RSI.

Hey incidentally , when you install VL my name also shows up on the list of contributors that scrolls.
Feels like an achievement to be in the same list as Kocil, Tiger, Vec, johnvan, JohnB etc

cheers
ram

[MikeCindi]

I have a great deal of respect for pretty much all physicians (I've only known of a few bad ones).

That is very kind of you Tom, thanks.

For a picture of me at work...http://www.ihcrc.org/.

tanelle, I believe there are several multiuser database applications available for you to choose from. Several are available in the VL repos. I suppose the simplest one, if you have SOHO, is included with OOo. If you have something specific (usage) in mind there are several in the VL community that have extensive experience.

Mike

[apock627]

Likewise for me, Tom. BTW my hat's off to your surgeon(s) too!

I love my work and I'd still do it for no thanks, but we rarely have to.

There are a few truly altruistic people in my profession (sounds like mikecindi is one of them) but in many ways I see more desire to make a better world without personal gain among folks here than I do in some of my colleagues.

(This is not an invitation for a debate about altruism and whether it really exists!)

That's why this group has a special vibe (despite some differences!) and is one of the reasons I like to hang around like a lost puppy. Long may it last.

[exeterdad]

For a picture of me at work...http://www.ihcrc.org/.

I had to kind of chuckle.  You've been a bit modest about your accomplishments.  Yet a few paragraphs in the web page prove you to be a very noble and accomplished person.  You've made your mark in this world.  Good for you! It's an honor to be in your company.

[MikeCindi]

You're making me feel self-conscious that I ever brought it up. As apock627 said VL has a very special "vibe" and I am very please to be in that company. Also similar to what cintyram mentioned I saw my name in the credits for 5.8 too and was shocked and gratified (not that I did much). I have said this many times and don't see it changing anytime soon this is the best linux community that I've seen.

[GrannyGeek]

GrannyGeek many things you about the US and its founding are correct but some are not (e.g. most of the founding fathers were not Deists). And I'm not sure what God you are referring to but if you are reading a "Christian" Bible then your interpretation of it is what is screwiness.

I wrote a detailed reply including Bible chapter and verse to illustrate some of my points. However, some people are obviously uncomfortable with this subject and it's really off topic, so I decided not to post it.

I hope all of us with differing opinions can remain on friendly terms with each other.
--GrannyGeek