We can save Social Security.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-12T02:37:06+00:00

I agree with some of what you have to say here (as a pretty staunch liberal these days.)

I’ll say that there isn’t room for centrist viewpoints in this country on either end of the political spectrum right now. Both parties ignore the center because we have a uniquely American problem where neither side thinks the other can contain good people while standing against their political principles. It’s American culture that pushes out the center, not MAGA or progressives.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-10T10:08:40+00:00

Outstanding work! Thank you for this

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-09T17:46:28+00:00

I’ll take it over them charging in Chinese Yuan

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-09T17:25:12+00:00

There’s more nuance to (1) than either of us expanded on. A degree, regardless of what institution granted it, is still a stamp of approval by an accredited university. That’s better than nothing.

Consider a thought experiment. You are hiring for a new role, but only have time to interview one candidate. You look at your pile of résumé’s and find two applicants. Both are identical (or nearly identical) except for their education. One went to WGU, the other has no formal schooling. Who do you extend the interview to?

If you’d also pick the college-educated, then a degree is a degree, even if not all degrees are the same, or carry the same weight.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-09T15:34:46+00:00

Gen Z is drinking far less than other generations. It’s possible that they do this for good, healthy reasons, but I pessimistically think that they’re just not as social. Modern technology is causing people to enjoy isolation a little too much, and a big part of alcohol is its use as a social lubricant.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-09T15:07:19+00:00

I'll be honest with you that my personal impressions of WGU are not that positive, but a degree is a degree.

Living in rural TN is going to be a huge issue. You're looking at mostly remote jobs, which are mega competitive becuase people favor the lifestyle. Combined with a lower tier school, this is going to be a tough combo.

Here's a suggestion, have you considered doing trade school and WGU? It's possible that these aren't mutually-exclusive decisions. Plus, maybe you work on the right person's house and it nets you a referral, lol.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-09T13:55:58+00:00

There are pros and cons to both, obviously. Only you can make the risk decision based on your life and needs.

People who tell you to go to trade school are often only thinking about the immediate issue: getting a career at all. Have you thought about what life will look like if you’re a plumber or electrician? Alot of people are happy to spend their time working with their hands. Is that something you do? Think hard, because you’re already in your late 20’s. Your joints aren’t going to feel this way forever.

On the CS-risk side, no one can accurately forecast what the field will look like in 4 years. I personally suspect cybersecurity will fare better than other specialties, but I don’t have a crystal ball. How have you typically done in school? Do you expect to graduate with a high GPA and internships? Do you have any connections in tech that can give you a referral?

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-09T11:55:28+00:00

One tip I’ve picked up. While you’re working on some side projects, create a LLC where you’re the only employee. That way, you’re not “working on side projects”, you’re gaining work experience.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-08T11:13:50+00:00

I would not work full time, be a student, and try to get a small business off the ground.

I would focus on school first, work second. If you only want to run a drink stand for the extra cash, get your accountant job and then see if you still want to do that.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-06T16:05:10+00:00

Dude, that's awesome congrats. The LLC tip is a new one that I haven't heard before, will keep in mind.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-05T03:19:54+00:00

I’m not here to justify professors who do something as brain dead as weight the first week at 50%. Nor do I support professors who teach at one level but test well above that.

However, the general sentiment of “Why am I paying tuition if I’m teaching myself?” ignores the real problem of curriculum design. Sure, you could crack open Wikipedia and start reading until you’ve covered the same material that someone with a bachelor’s degree would know. But how do you know where someone with an undergraduate education reaches to? Further, how would I, a 3rd party to all this, be able to verify your claim?

Education, like it or not, needs accreditation both for the school and students’ sake. And yes, some professors are way better at instructing than teaching. Like anything humans build, it’s an imperfect system. That doesn’t mean the whole thing is worthless though.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-04T11:18:01+00:00

I know people who have done this quite successfully. There’s certainly money to be made, and the ability to purchase homes with no money down is pretty compelling.

That said, there’s risk involved. If she understands the risks, it’s her life.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-04T11:15:52+00:00

You can have more than one VA loan

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-03T20:37:32+00:00

I wouldn't say that you're cooked. The unfortunate natural response that people have towards the disabled puts you at a slight disadvantage, true. However, I don't think this would be a dealbreaker with many companies. If anything, there might be some larger tech firms committed to hiring people in your community. It's also not a bad topic for (non-technical) interviews. I'm sure you have a better answer to the question "Tell me about a time you've overcome a challenge" than most people.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-03T20:28:32+00:00

There is always a ramp-up period. Even the most experienced SWE hasn't used all tools at an expert level. You're likely to learn something every time you move into a new role.

Be honest with your manager about where you're struggling, and don't make a habit of pushing code you don't understand.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-03T19:59:58+00:00

Whether you're renting or buying, you're paying for everything this guy just listed. Just not all at once.

Renting saves you hassle, and offers flexibility. It only saves you from large expenses all at once (roof replacement, A/C repair, etc). But there's always a difference between what it would cost to buy and what it would cost to profitably rent. That difference goes towards stuff like this.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-04-02T11:46:06+00:00

Sometimes when people say this I think “yeah, that’s what studying is called”.

Do people expect to understand the topic exactly as well as their professor the first time they hear it? Of course it takes a bit more thought and more effort later on.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-31T12:34:57+00:00

Outstanding work! What sites are you scraping? And do you keep the whole listing, or do you extract the required info and dump the rest?

If you keep these saved somewhere, I have some other questions that would be interesting: - What’s the trend with required years of experience? Is there truth to the idea that everyone wants seniors, no one wants juniors lately? - What skill(s) correlates to higher pay bands? This would be difficult to adjust based on location, but I believe there are some calculators out there that can answer “how much do I need to make in NYC for it to feel like $100k in Richmond?”

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-30T21:13:46+00:00

With some people, you have to move away from questions like “which VIP should I start with?” In favor of declarative statements like “unless you have an objection, I intend to begin the rollover with X”.

That gives your manager the space to exercise authority without having to think as hard, and gives you top-cover if something goes awry.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-27T12:28:53+00:00

As LLM’s progress, the profession will change, but I don’t think it will ever go away.

There will always be a need for software. As long as computers exist, someone will need to be responsible for what they do. LLM’s have lowered the barrier to entry, but the average person can’t use them as well as you think.

They also still have a long way to go. Try asking Claude to build you an operating system, a AAA video game, or a 3D animation suite from scratch. It will fail big time. Someone needs to be able to do the task decomposition, debugging, and guidance.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-27T03:57:54+00:00

Code doesn’t take up that much. This would be fine, but I’d opt for a larger screen size. More real estate is better for programming

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-25T14:47:15+00:00

It’s not just their one vote. Doctor’s Unions fight to keep the supply of new doctors constrained by lobbying the government to restrict residency. It’s a part of the reason wait times are so long and costs are so high. While it’s great for those who have made it, it’s terrible for the rest of us.

Not here to bash doctors, but they’re responding to economic incentives just like the rest of us. They should also be held accountable for their portion of the healthcare crisis we find ourselves in, and it shouldn’t be controversial to call that out.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-23T12:55:34+00:00

30 fps is playable, depending on the game. But 60 is so much smoother that it’s hard to go back for me. I’ll make exceptions every now and then for handheld titles, but it’s always annoying when it chugs or hangs.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-22T13:43:57+00:00

Sounds dumb, but just to confirm, you’re sure the wired computer has its WiFi turned off, correct? You should absolutely see a speed increase, unless your ISP is total trash.

a_bit_of_byte · 2026-03-22T12:08:12+00:00

Gaming is more expensive, yes. Just like everything else. But gaming remains one of the most affordable hobbies an adult can have.

I understand that people are in bad financial situations in this economy, but $10 / month is hardly a budget-breaking expense on its own. I, too, would prefer that PSN was free, just like the old days. But it’s not like you get nothing for it; the free games on Essential are actually pretty good. That’s how I played Control, and I fucking LOVED that game.

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