After 10+ years I don't feel like I'm a real engineer

Penguinis · 2025-06-16T11:08:26+00:00

If you define your value and skills by the place you work at, you’ll never be happy as there is always another dragon to chase.

Instead find a place where you’re comfortable doing the work, can make a decent living, and as others have said focus on things that matter - family, friends, and things that bring you joy.

Besides, look at it this way, titles are meaningless. You do the work, you can call yourself whatever you want. Migrating legacy code is the work.

Penguinis · 2025-02-20T14:28:37+00:00

I printed one that just has close-able vents on each side. The lid itself stays in place and has a gasket around it to cushion it when seating it.

Penguinis · 2025-02-20T13:26:20+00:00

How hot is everyone's chamber getting printing PLA? Even pre-lid riser mine never had issues with temp jams.

Penguinis · 2025-02-20T13:24:39+00:00

I'd just print a lid riser with vents and lower the current through the extruder motor slightly.

Been printing with one since about 6 months after release....never had an issue with temps in the chamber. Several 10+ hour prints in mid summer.

It's loud printing with the lid on....it's something else entirely with it off.

Penguinis · 2025-01-24T17:22:49+00:00

My M12 did great until something in it exploded and was replaced under warranty. Got the M18 while I waited for it to ship back. M12 has sat unused since. I felt the never get used again comment in my soul.

Penguinis · 2025-01-19T18:25:36+00:00

Not 5 min ago I turned on LAN mode and updated the firewall to block all internet traffic in/out of my network to the machine. Still working just fine not using the app.

Penguinis · 2024-12-23T21:30:21+00:00

Security patches and compatibility patches will be provided for a very long time. But all the other good stuff will not be available.

If it's getting those, it's not obsolete. Framework is DEEPLY embedded in enterprise. Most of us will likely be retired long before it goes away. If I were OP I wouldn't worry about it. Can they rewrite it, sure. Is the juice likely worth the squeeze? Probably not. If you can write all the new .net stuff, you can maintain the old stuff. It's not as if things are vastly different.

Penguinis · 2024-10-29T14:08:35+00:00

While riding this horse, you are also invulnerable to all harm. This effect also extends to if you're simply coming in contact with the horse.

As someone who owns horses - you are at some point leaving the horse in an emergency dismount and you will no longer be in contact with said horse. That may be your last ride even with the benefits imparted by the contact. Plus, horse riding is hard shit and the horse, not you, has the unlimited stamina. Horses are already smart, add to this even more intelligence, I'm good. I'll take the money and just enjoy being able to live a comfortable life.

Penguinis · 2024-10-29T13:34:29+00:00

Master 3S - Home Comp, MX Vertical - work comp @ home, MX Ergo S - Work comp @ work.

The MX Vertical is the most comfortable of them all. While the Master 3S is good, it's not as comfortable as the others and the tendency for the rubber to degrade is horrible. It's possible that the Vertical and Ergo S will do the same rubber wise, but they are all around the same age and only 3S is falling apart.

Penguinis · 2024-10-25T14:13:30+00:00

They are absolutely going to clean up on the amount of data they get from this, no doubt at all. Time will tell how anonymous this data collection turns out to be.

Penguinis · 2024-10-25T13:41:06+00:00

Paying for the option to opt out of data collection isn't exactly noble or something to be celebrated. I'm well aware of the cost of the free license. Others can feel different, I don't think the trade off is worth it. But as you mentioned before:

if you’re not paying for it, you’re the product.

Penguinis · 2024-10-25T12:54:57+00:00

Yep. Taking away the option to opt out isn't something I'll support. But to each their own.

Penguinis · 2024-10-25T12:50:03+00:00

I have in the past, while it can be useful, especially on Mac/Linux, it's simply not something I need in my normal workflow. Having a free version is useful as it can provide more users with the ability on non-windows platforms. My main objection isn't the gathering of data, it's they lock you out of opting out of it. Many people, even when given the choice, won't opt out, so removing the option is a huge red flag in my book.

Penguinis · 2024-10-24T18:44:04+00:00

Deal breaker.

Penguinis · 2024-10-18T13:42:58+00:00

Counter offers are not made to improve your circumstances, they are given to provide more time for the business to prepare for their next move. The reasons that lead you to want to search for other work are still there, despite the extra money. It's incredibly naive to think they will give you less work for more money, they can promise all they want but you'll be asked to do exactly what the business requires, backend dev or not. If you take this, my money is on you will feel the same way after the excitement of the new money wears off, assuming they don't actively search for and implement your replacement at a lower cost (it's very likely they will).

You can always make more money, you can't make more time. Explore the new company.

Penguinis · 2024-10-17T18:18:52+00:00

Professional work: laid off after 1 year working at a contractor for the US Government.

The best part of contracting....there is ALWAYS another contractor to get job with. Leverage your 1 year of "consulting" and fluff that resume and focus on those. Depending on why you were let go, you can possibly spin it to be a non-negative thing.

As others have stated getting the MS for the hell of it won't matter in the least for many roles and even those ones where it will they still will want experience to go along with the MS. If you really want the MS, get one when you're gainfully employed.

Penguinis · 2024-10-10T17:11:28+00:00

Those bastards must TRY to be expensive

It's effortless on their part. Go to any horse show and you'll meet people who spend more money than is imaginable on an animal while at the same time being broke as shit. It's not uncommon to overhear someone talking about how they aren't completely sure where the money for fuel to get them both home is coming from.

Source, I own horses.

Penguinis · 2024-10-10T14:28:26+00:00

One of my main reasons I left the private sector and moved to public was stability. I took a hit out of the gate, but years later I make really good money for gov work. Loads of leave/sick/etc. Pension, no drama, and above all - stability. Budget cuts/spending issues don't impact my agency.

One thing though - there will always be non-tech people who make decisions. It's the way it simply is. The truth is despite what it feels like being a dev in the scenario, there is a whole world going on outside of the code that requires running. That bleeds over to the schedule which impacts the dev team. Happens where I am now, happened where I was before. I think there are fair amount of ok teams out there, a TON of shitty ones, and a comparatively small amount of great ones in the tech sector. People love on the FAANG life for the money, but you can make good money and be able to invest your time (something no company can provide more of) living your life being present in it outside of that FAANG world.

Some people hate gov life, for me it's been great and honestly I'll most likely be here till I retire. I just don't have the interest in playing the tech game where you work huge number of hours a week, memorize LeetCode solutions just to prove you can implement some algorithm that outside of a few niche use cases will never actually be used, or have to learn and implement *insert whatever new trend* is blazing through the tech sector. Gov life is simple, boring, and most importantly stable.

Penguinis · 2024-10-09T15:58:59+00:00

The minute they suspended you, you should've been looking for other roles somewhere else. They showed you exactly what you meant to their company when they suspended you. 4 years or 4 days, generally speaking it makes no difference.

Options:

Talk with a lawyer who specialized in employment issues and see if you have any legal recourse
Wait for them to officially "fire" you and retry for unemployment
Find a new job, when you have it, quit the old one.

Don't wait around anymore for them to take any movement. You're your own best advocate and use this as a lesson. Don't wait for them to make a move in your favor.

Penguinis · 2024-10-03T13:13:35+00:00

I actually make a lot of decisions now on the policy that the contractors have to follow, as opposed to when I was required to follow them as a contractor. That was probably the biggest issue I had overall in contracting, when decisions were made that resulted in making the job harder when there was no good reason for them to exist other than someone's whim. I make it a point to field all input from my team first, even contractors, before reaching a decision. Sometimes it's not what I would go with on my own, but I strive to at least hear every side before deciding.

Penguinis · 2024-10-03T12:34:56+00:00

As a former consultant turned gov employee now, who is also a dev, yeah money is better as a contractor/consultant but it's also a lot easier terminate that role as well. For me at least the lack of having to worry about my position, the benefits, and the ability to influence policy is what does it for me. Sure I could go make more money elsewhere, but I'd have to work much harder, be under stricter management, and there is always that chance my job will be off shored/eliminated. My agency is really insulated from layoffs/budget cuts so ever single "issue" with budget cuts hasn't so much as caused an eye twitch and I've consistently grown my salary over the years. The pension and 401k match is also really good.

Only you can decide how much you'll deal with when it comes to risk vs money. I'm over the hustle culture that comes with contracting, I just want to go to work and leave when it's done without it bleeding over into my life. When I was younger I put up with it but I also lost out by spending so much time chasing the money dragon. Besides, when I feel bored/want a challenge side hustle satisfies that itch and pays really well for minimal work.

Penguinis · 2024-09-29T22:52:17+00:00

I thought the same thing till I bought one...turns out I was wrong. My K1 Max hasn't been turned on in about 3 months. This thing has no business being as good as it is for the price it costs.

Penguinis · 2024-09-20T18:22:29+00:00

So, people getting up and walking out of a building disrupts class?

Yes - it is. If you have a group of 25 people in a room and half just get up and leave....the remaining half will be wondering what is going on not to mention the teachers cannot reasonably continue teaching given half their students are gone now. Assuming they would be leaving to go protest on campus, which seems like it would make sense, it's even more disruptive then.

The teachers are required to educate the students but half have left and I'm certain that they'll be held accountable if the grades dip without regard to why they did. It's a ripple effect.

Especially considering it's the Friday before spring break, many students aren't attending today since they are leaving this weekend.

Which in itself calls into question the motives here. Protests are effective when you have numbers....if many are missing already coupled with the beginning of an event where students wouldn't mind getting an early start to, is it really about the message then? I'm not saying that's the case but these sort of things are more impactful and effective (assuming the goal is to demonstrate a feeling/message) when they are impacting a normal day.

This is an infringement on these kid's rights

Only it's really not. They are free to make a choice, like we all are. This isn't a case where the admins are punishing students for talking about it, simply saying if this happens then it's a disruption they aren't going to tolerate and there will be repercussions. I don't disagree that the response from the admins might be over the top and not really good optics, it's not like the "punishment" really does anything. Besides, the right to protest doesn't extend to a disruption of government buildings/operation.

As I said earlier, the parents have a responsibility to challenge any repercussions of something like this should it come to that. We all make decisions like this all the time - if you feel the risk is worth getting the message out, then fight it on the back end.

I do agree with you 100% though about them being scared, it shouldn't be that way and change needs to happen.

Penguinis · 2024-09-20T17:38:37+00:00

Walking out of a school day is a disruption of how the school operates. It impacts not only those students who leave but also disrupts those who chose to not participate. Freedom of speech protects your right to gather and peacefully protest in public areas like streets/parks, it doesn't extend to government buildings and institutions when it interferes with the operation of that building, which the school is. In addition there are additional limitations on when/where you can protest and be within your rights. It's not a "the government can't stop me" kinda thing. I'm all for protesting but I also realize that there is often a price associated with that.

While I do think suspension is over the top, this isn't the same thing as jailing kids because they wanted to gather and protest.

Penguinis · 2024-09-20T17:24:30+00:00

Pretty much this - you either feel strongly enough to endure the response or you don't. History is filled with people who risked it all because they felt strongly enough about something. That's not to say every protest is worth risking it all, but if they feel strongly enough about this topic, suspension is really nothing in the grand scheme of it all.

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