What's your day job?

masetrax

So it's already established we are all interested in *BSD.

But what pays the bills? It would be interesting to see what it is we all do, I'm sure there are some interesting professions out there that are related to computing and also not!

I'll go first, I'm a construction estimator who deals predominantly with construction and maintenance of process plants and non-process infrastructure in mining. Not exactly the kind of profession that is exposed to this hobby of mine.

I flirted with a CompSci degree back in the day, but I guess my interest is just because I think its cool 😃

JuvenalUrbino

masetrax But what pays the bills?

I didn't pay Uni up until 5th year as I took a 2 years break from studies in the between and subsequently lost the scholarship I had been given as a freshman. Now the lessons I give to high school students and the papers I translate for money (English to Italian) only marginally make up for the burden of tuition fees: I'm forced to rely on my mother's wage, who unfortunately is alone in this :-/

20-100

I give trainings on IT technologies (SQL, Java, XML, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Angular, React, Linux) and methodologies (Design Patterns, Scrum), plus a little bit of soft skills (communication, emotion "management").

I grew an interest in Unix while working on Solaris 2 at the end of last century, became passionate about Linux from '95 on, and started looking for alternatives a couple of years ago, realizing Linux had become the "thing" of a few multinational corporations.

My interest in *BSD has nothing to do with my work, for which I use Void Linux. However, if it were possible, I'd prefer to switch to one of the BSD, as I feel a better "fit" with them.

20-100

nia makes me happy

Just out of curiosity, what would it take for a Unix job to make you happy?

JuvenalUrbino

nia Don't have a degree.

I'm confident nobody here would object against granting you one honoris causa

20-100

Definitely. @nia, the skills and values you demonstrate as part of your NetBSD commitment are well worth a degree!
The only thing the lack of a degree can prevent you from getting is hierarchical promotion.
However, depending on your aspirations, this may not be a big issue.

rvp

Unix systems programmer: userspace, mostly (Linux networking-related stuff).

Process chemist working in drug production.

qik

Used to do backend development. Currently doing some freelance reverse engineering related to microcontrollers.

oui

Foreign student majoring in graphic and product design. Guess that makes me the youngest here? (mid 20s). Also doing freelance web development on the side.

Was contemplating for a long time wether or not to get a CS degree instead - came to the conclusion that my interest in tinkering with *nix systems stems from my interest to create things as a designer and therefore wanted to keep programming as a hobby and a tool to design rather than making it my profession.

JuvenalUrbino

oui Foreign student majoring in graphic and product design. Guess that makes me the youngest here? (mid 20s)

possibly, though I'm 25 and other users here talked about being in their 20s more or less explicitly in the past.

I'm an aspiring M.D. and a neurology resident. The high-level computing skills I'm required to meet range from being capable of accessing google drive to joining video-conferences with the zoom client . Jokes aside, UNIX is purely a hobby and a pleasant spare-time activity of mine.

nortonham

Before COVID, cook. For now, unemployed, waiting for things to go back to "normal" and get back to work. At least it gives me more time to play with Netbsd and hopefully install openbsd on bare metal.

rvp

nortonham An estimator, an educator, a part-timer, a chemist, 2 programmers, 2 students, a cook, a social worker... Christ, what an eclectic, motley bunch on this board. All we need now is an astronaut...

pfr

I'm a Social Worker. I've worked in the Housing (Homelessness) sector since graduating in 2011. I've had many different roles throughout my career but currently I'm a Tendency & Property manager for people in "Transitional Housing". This is basically where vulnerable homeless people and families are given temporary/short term housing while they get back on their feet (or usually wait until they get government housing).

It's a tough gig but it's somewhat rewarding. Though, I'm looking for a career change... I want to brew beer 🍺

Much like @JuvenalUrbino *nix stuff is my hobby, a way to clear my mind in my down time.

JuvenalUrbino

pfr that's commendable, you should be proud of yourself for the commitment you've been showing to such a crucial and yet too often overlooked social issue.

nortonham

rvp

All we need is a rocket scientist and a brain surgeon lol

Nick0lis

Graduate in school of pharmacy master's degree, and i work as a pharmacist. Free time freebsd, gentoo.

rvp

nortonham I put in astronaut because of NetBSD's NASA associations--but, those two will work just as well for more variety on this board. As will a lumberjack... 😁

JuvenalUrbino

nortonham brain surgeon

Now you mention it, as I'm about to start a research project to write a thesis in functional neuroimaging, specializing in brain surgery one day isn't a remote eventuality at all 😛

pfr

Are we going into space? I'm down if that's the plan 👍️

20-100

rvp As will a lumberjack...

A lumberjack of all trades, of course. 😉

neb

rvp

[…] lumberjack.

Will a carpenter do?
I educated myself in "organic building" - an experimental practical building education with an environmental approach. Even a Waldorf School (which I've attended most of my school years). Also did a bit of coursing in traditional building and restoration. (In Norway we have lots of old log houses and such.)

Unfortunately I don't pay my bills that way, but am in the process of facing some problems/checking my head for some four letter combination or something (not HDMI) while doing production work in a greenhouse and soon a café.

I lived many years without computers, but eventually I couldn't hold back and found a discarded UNIX book (Using UNIX by Solomon, 1990-ish) and fell in love. Shortly after running Puppy Linux on a discarded Atom processor Samsung laptop.

After five years of running Linux (and listening to BSD Now) I finally got around to running a BSD derivative. First attempt was NetBSD on a T42, but installer bootlooped. OpenBSD worked and I fell in love. Also ran NomadBSD and run GhostBSD.

Current OS-dreams are are a media production station with FreeBSD 13, a Pi with a cloud (to sync all my stuff) and also getting around to run an illumos-distro or two.

By the 31. of May my goal is to establish a IT company for basic support and some web at first and hopefully expand services as it grows. Using Unix and older equipment preferably/when suitable.

Also slowly reeducating myself. Next year apply to CS (Network and Security). A bit later than most as I am 36 yrs old now.

Oh, that slid somewhat off-topic - a bit of bio an OS-history. I am present on Telegram (OK, I'll come to Matrix soon enough) as well.

Peace!
#introduction