I worked for a somewhat large bank that used to do this "system analysis" job at its beginnings. Don't recall how they called this process step, but the idea was the same. Besides the internal analysts, they used to hire consultancies full of experienced ladies and gentlemen to design larger projects before coding started.
Sometimes they were hired only to deliver specifications, sometimes the entire system. The software they delivered was quite stable, but that's beyond the point. There sure were software issues there, but I was impressed by how those problems were usually contained in their respective originating systems, rarely breaking other software. The entire process was clear enough and the interfaces between the fleet of windows/linux/mainframe programs were extremely well documented. Even the most disorganized and unprofessional third-party suppliers had an easier time writing software for us. It wasn't a joy, but it was rational, there was order. I'm not trying to romanticize the past, but, man, we sure un-learned a few things about how to build software systems
What a coincidence, I've just read this paper while I prepare my proposal for a PhD. I feel that the difficulties reported by the novice users were related to the peculiarities of the mainframe interfaces + the 3270 emulator. Not exactly to the fact that they were using a TUI.
Senior dev, 22 years of experience. Almost exactly two years unemployed right now. I've done some technical leadership before but I'm not looking into it anymore, not really my thing.
In general, I get very few replies, even fewer interviews and 100% eventually "freeze the position" or simply ghost me. I've heard that too many companies are currently spending their HR budgets in market research and have no intention of fulfilling most of the positions they advertise. Not sure if that's true, and maybe there are other reasons for that, market-related and/or related to my resume, but applying to jobs is feeling just a huge waste of my time currently and I'm tending to apply only when I see a great fit.
How I cope: I could save a fair amount of money during the startup frenzy in the course of the pandemics and am living off it right now. But it doesn't generate enough passive income, not even close, so I'll have to find a job eventually. I'm seriously considering another profession. Maybe trying to ingress in the education field with my masters. Despite tech job market being at the rock-bottom, the unemployment rates in Brazil are at a historic low.
Now, despite this gloomy report, if you ask me, I'm feeling optimistic, happy even. I'm really seizing the opportunity to study a lot and spending time with my family, so I feel all this is doing me well overall.
> Likewise many companies in my slice of the industry point to one of the big leaders RTO policies as the reason to do the same
This also explains other things, not only RTO. Like when the mass layoffs started about three years ago. Overstaffed big-tech fired a few thousand allegedly idle employees and (not surprisingly) saw no impacts on output. That was enough for many smaller companies, some of them understaffed, to go on and do the same, surely encouraged by their investors. I have friends in a half dozen companies complaining about permanent overtime and severe project delays after the layoffs. Yet, referred companies are either not hiring, or doing it in a very leisurely pace.
> Overstaffed big-tech fired a few thousand allegedly idle employees and (not surprisingly) saw no impacts on output.
The part that's always glossed over in this narrative is that the remaining workers were forced to pick up the slack to keep up the output ("do more with less") which resulted in toxic work cultures. Ask any employees across BigTech companies and they'll tell you of this happening everywhere all at once -- formerly collaborative environments suddenly becoming cut-throat and competitive; high pressure and unreasonable goals for delivery; hiring being scaled back (except in offshore teams!) and new candidates being severely downleveled compared to their experience.
This was not a coincidence; Sure, there were slackers scattered everywhere, but the waves of layoffs were completely disproportional to that. The real intention was to bring the labor market, overheated during Covid and ZIRP, back under control (a power play, as other comments indicate.) And who better than Elon to signal that change with his shenanigans at Twitter.
If it seems surprising that output was not impacted (although I would argue a close look at Twitter shows the opposite) one just needs to look at the record levels of burnout being reported:
Speaking as an immigrant who is now a US citizen, I don't think this is particularly relevant. As far as immigration support from companies goes, Big Tech already offers it, so the real beef is with the federal government - and a trade or company union is hardly the best venue to have that fight. I would first and foremost want a union that protects my interests as a worker against my employer's encroachment, and it was no different when I wasn't a citizen yet.
Congrats. But the top priority for a non-citizen immigrant would be protection, above employer encroachment. Notice how this played out when twitter fired 85%, and who stayed back.
Unions being political players will have to take a side - and in the current climate this makes unions a non starter, since majority can never align.
Funny thing is that americans do that all the time, even in international settings like a coworking space full of expats. Everybody introducing themselves with a "hi, I'm from this country", except americans telling their state or city. Are they expecting us to be familiar with their geography, or just unaware of alternative geographical frames of reference?
I don't think that is strange at all. If you can reasonable assume the person you are talking to is aware of e.g. England, Minnesota, Scotland, Tasmania, Sicily or what not you can go straight for that?
I'm in a similar situation of yours (I don't feel any kind of regret though, I just feel this is a phase and it will pass someday). Anyway, I still read (and indeed not much more than that) a lot about my passions, but taking notes and writing down ideas to maybe try in the uncertain future has helped me to feel engaged with my intellectual pursuits. Stay strong my friend.
I'm going through a similar investigation. EDS + ME/CFS are the main suspects. Could live with the symptoms for very long, but they got too severe after covid (otherwise I would probably still be living with them).
I’m pretty much back to 100% I just get the occasional slump but I can’t be sure that isn’t from working too hard.
For the IL-1B I take high doses of D3, TUDCA, and DIM. For the dysautonomia aspect I take Low Dose Naltrexone, a lower dose of modafinil in the morning and amitryptiline at night. I prefer weaker psychopharmacology ligands as it’s preferable to work with the natural rhythms of the body instead of fighting them.
I have a strict near zero sugar diet that’s high in kale. I take a low dose of semaglutide (ozempic) which has been one of the best meds I’ve tried. I make sure I get enough UV exposure. I’ve done Test Cyp and Ipamorelin/ModGRF and they do help a lot but I stopped taking them when semaglutide worked so well. I highly suspect people with hEDS are highly sensitive to semaglutide and should start and stay on much lower doses (1/10th) otherwise they’re near guaranteed to have a bad time.
I’m mostly interested in the TNXB subtype of hEDS which seems to have some weird comorbidities, like an intolerance to noise, a touch of ADHD, obstinate personality, difficulty falling asleep, local and general anesthetic resistance, and an unusually high IQ. There is an unusual reaction to medications with most medications working less than expected.
Glad to hear you are well. Also because that gives me some more hope.
> which seems to have some weird comorbidities
I'm a bit shocked by your list of comorbidities. Not only yours, but also the one you linked to. MCAS is currently among my most pressing concerns, although it seems to be getting under control with H1 and H2 antihistamines + cromoglycate. An anti inflammatory diet also helps, even though I'm struggling to stay completely away from sugar. The psychiatric part calls my attention. I also present some traits of ADHD and ASD, although not enough to complete a diagnosis. Twenty years ago I joined mensa at the 99th percentile, but I do believe my IQ has decreased significantly since then. I can't even remember the last time I had, in my adulthood, my mind as functional as I used to have in my teenagehood, even before covid and the aggravation of the symptoms.
Out of your list, the only item I couldn't relate with were the medications working less than expected. In my case, I usually have stronger effects, both therapeutic and side ones. That happens with vaccines too. However, last weekend I took one for Influenza and the side effects were barely noticeable for the first time in my adult life -- I hope that's a result of the MCAS treatment.
It's a long list right, most doctors will think you're just being a hypochondriac, that's what they told me and my family for decades. A general distrust of doctors might as well be another comorbidity.
It certainly sounds like a TNXB subtype of hEDS, this is an unofficial subtype, I read about the theory here on HN many years ago and ran with it. With an IQ that high I would take a guess that you have 2 TNXB SNPs. I'm happy to share more details on what has been figured out about these specific genes, I'll add an email address to my account.
I don't think the IQ points have been lost forever, I think I've recovered to my peak and possibly surpassed it with carful management of the meds. I think the general case of child prodigies burning out is simply a case of them not being able to get effective treatment and not an unavoidable innate quality.
Sugar is is still a tough one for me, it tends to give me headaches rather quickly which does make it easier to avoid it, but the desire for candy is always there.
Sometimes they were hired only to deliver specifications, sometimes the entire system. The software they delivered was quite stable, but that's beyond the point. There sure were software issues there, but I was impressed by how those problems were usually contained in their respective originating systems, rarely breaking other software. The entire process was clear enough and the interfaces between the fleet of windows/linux/mainframe programs were extremely well documented. Even the most disorganized and unprofessional third-party suppliers had an easier time writing software for us. It wasn't a joy, but it was rational, there was order. I'm not trying to romanticize the past, but, man, we sure un-learned a few things about how to build software systems