Details
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AboutI like making things, adding features, fixing things. I've got too many things on the go at once for repetitive, so I'll automate instead.
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SkillsC++, Python, ML
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LocationLondon, UK
Joined devRant on 10/9/2016
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People saying they have imposter syndrome to describe the accurate feeling that they don't know what they're doing at their job.4
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IPython is the epitome of the new and shiny. IPython, jupyter, lab, hub, server, galaxy. I think they're all different iterations of "UI around python repl".
And I love new and shiny.3 -
Test things you don't think you can get right on first try or are easily screwed up by someone that doesn't have the understanding. Most other tests aren't needed.8
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My colleagues are morons. They're "evaluating" AI research tools and it's going about as well as you'd expect.15
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I've just found that python includes a logo implementation. That turtle thing where you give it instructions to draw. Awesome nerds.4
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I'm having the dawning realization, reading the utf specification and thinking "parsing the data files isn't too hard..." that the little side project on a side project on a side project isn't going to be finished until like, Christmas.
Fuck.7 -
Something I wrote in my "how not to run a company" notebook:
Getting told you've now replaced the CTO as the person people ask for support (literally, he was recieving no questions), but you're not experienced enough to be promoted to senior.
I replied by telling them I was interviewing elsewhere.
Made me laugh. Is it really that hard for management to get that they should invest in talent?6 -
On the upside, my tests caught that my implementation isn't consistent with the spec. On the downside, holy fuck that is full of gremlins...
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What you'll be working on if they hire you vs what they say you'll be working on if they hire you.9
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I've worked hard today*. I think I deserve to slack off for the rest of the week**.
* Napped for 4 hours
** Month1 -
Just in a meeting with data science team. They're testing a different random forest implementation and getting better results and I asked why and the HEAD OF THE FUCKING DATA SCIENCE DEPARTMENT says "I'm not sure, I think maybe different default parameters" and I'm like WHAT THE FUCK the old implementation we just set the defaults and went with that1
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I tried github copilot. Spent the first hour trying to work out how to turn off the inline copilot popup star thing. Asked copilot. It gave me the wrong answer. So, a coding AI doesn't even understand its own documentation.
Our jobs are safe.11 -
"Make a good version of something that already exists but has a dogshit implementation" is my current idea. And it's an idea that would be worthwhile but just plain annoying to do.1
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There's a moment when you're looking at a reStructuredText parser, you have a basic idea of the spec, and you know with absolute certainty it's not parsing it correctly. It gets the basics right, sure. But now you know why the tools that use it have disclaimers like "Any para lists or other directives must be at the end of the string". And you're thinking "how hard would it *really* be to write one?". After all, I'm now extracting all the docstrings from the code... Is it really that much more? Shit...
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I think a lot of pissed off devs are working at companies that see them as cost centres. Happy devs are at companies that see them as profit centres.
Like, a cereal company may have a tech team for their website and ordering and whatever, but having the best website isn't going to make them more money. Selling more cereal is.
If a company sells video processing software, having the best software is going to make them money. Tech is a profit centre.
So, anyway, I'm looking for a new job. Any rec for profit centre tech teams?2 -
Bit of an essay. TLDR: come Monday I'm either getting fired or promoted. And the CTO is a dickhead. If you think you work with me or know who I am, no you don't, shut the hell up.
Was having a discussion with my team, went on for a bit, at one point my manager mentioned that the CTO wanted me to go into the office occasionally, same thing I've had since I joined when they literally wanted me to move hundreds of miles to be close to the office mid covid when the office was closed. I give a nondescript answer. He's a bit more persistent, I snap a little but the conversation moves on. Discussion of company and team dynamics, at one point he makes a comment about people at another company being told if they don't go into the office they won't be eligible for promotion.
I ask everyone else on the call to leave.
I point out that 2 years ago me and him were interviewing candidates. He on a few occasions introduces me to candidates as a _senior_ engineer. My job title does not contain the word senior. I let it slide the first time, not worth it for a slip of the toung. Happens a couple more times, I take him aside and privately point out my job title does not contain the word senior. He says he didn't realise and thought I was.
My take away then: I'm expected to do the work of a senior without being paid for it and without being given the acknowledgement of the appropriate job title. I remind him of this. My job title hasn't changed. Fuck, I took a low ball offer when I joined and have had a minimal pay rise in like, 3 years. My tone is "not happy".
His response? He discussed promoting me with CTO however budged constraints. I somewhat understand, however.
We have promoted several people in the last few years. We have grown by hiring new people in the last few years (5 in a company of 30). There are ways to compensate someone in ways that do not impact day to day budget (shares, TC, total compensation, is normal terminology in the tech field for this). I ask why the hell should I travel a few hundred miles to the office to get get to know people, put effort in to a company that demonstrably doesn't value me? Particularly as all levels of management have completely failed at developing a social atmosphere during covid? My first month, I had 3 5 minute meetings with my manager a week. That was all of the communication I had with people. I literally complained and laid out what they should do instead, they adopted most of it.
I also ask him if he genuinely thinks being here is in my professional interest? My tone has well passed pissed off.
I will say, I actually quite like my manager, we have a good working relationship and I've learned a lot from him.
He makes some mediocre points, tries to give advice about value of shares. To me, the value of shares is zero until they are money. The value to the company, however, is that it's a sizeable chunk on their balance sheet and shares sheet that they have to be willing to justify. If I wanted money, I'd go work at a high frequency trading bank and make 5x what I'm on now. No joke, that's what they pay, I could get a job, came close in the past but went to amazon. He understands.
He says will discuss with CTO. They were on a call for like an hour. His tone has changed to "you will be promoted ASAP, comp may be structured as discussed". Point made.
I'm in this job because it's convenient, is easy for me. Was originally lower challenge than previous, has a range of chances to learn and _that's_ the value to me. He's suitably nervous.
Point made I think.
So given I swore a few times, at least once about the CTO. Interesting to see how it goes.
Message from him to the effect that he spoke to CTO, has been told to write a proposal for promotion (kinda standard), will discuss with HR on Monday as they're on holiday.
So, maybe not getting fired today?
Blood pressure still very high.10 -
I write python that's faster than most people's c++. My c++ smokes everyone. Current project runtime has gone from 90 minutes to 90 seconds. Fuck yeah. I'm really not paid enough...15
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LLMs as compilers and optimizers. Oh hey look it's hallucinated some assembly... Fucking what? Who thought that was a good idea...
https://venturebeat.com/ai/...4 -
I've spent too much time online... I'm in a zoom meeting, I missed what someone said, reached to my keyboard to rewind then realised it was live... 🙈13