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Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

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Re: Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

#111

Post by freehunter »

I'm a hacker, as in I'm employed in Information Security. The other use for the word "hacker". I spend much of my days doing pentests, malware study, and forensic analysis for a multi-national. Lately, with some inspiration from HN, I've started into Python to replace or augment what little I script in Bash to help with my work.

I was drawn here because of the name, became disappointed that it was hacking in the sense of coding, stayed because I have nothing better to read. Since Paul Graham has his own forums, I wish Bruce Schneier or Brian Krebs had their own for people like me.

Re: Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

#112

Post by kyllo »

I guess I'm on the fringe of the tech industry. I work as a systems analyst in the IT department of a logistics company.

My primary job is not to write code or develop applications, but being able to write scripts and small utility applications really comes in handy when analyzing data. I write lots and lots of SQL and regular expressions for work, I do tons of grepping / sedding and am quite comfortable with bash, but I don't consider that coding.

Programming is also as a hobby for me, I have some side projects which are mostly Python and JS stuff, and a little Java. I also have an interest in functional languages. So there's loads of interesting content for me hear.

Re: Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

#113

Post by Tad_Ghostly »

I'm working on innovation in education as part of a small team working independently within a moderately large organization. I ended up here while reading about different lean startup methods. I dabble in client-side coding to make some prototypes, but certainly don't consider myself a programmer or hacker (unless you count the times I ferociously enter passwords in a sad attempt to obtain access to our own systems).

I get stories and perspective. I love reading a story, having my own take, then jumping in the comments to see how others view the same information. There are so many lessons I would rather learn from someone else rather than from my own experience...that's why I'm here.

Also, thanks for posting something I am qualified to answer, it prompted me to finally stop lurking.

Re: Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

#116

Post by ced »

deadlast wrote: post #115

I'm an recent high school graduate. I come here because, despite high test scores, I don't know what I want to do with my life, and I feel like being here might help me.

What do you like? What was the most exciting thing you did in the last two years?

Re: Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

#117

Post by bootload »

bkohlmann wrote: post #93
idlewords wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As far as I am concerned, there can never be too many online memoirs about carrier night landings. Please write up your stories for us chairbound types!

Here ya go: http://conservativeorthodoxy.blogspot.com/2010/05/general-an...

"... They are all of the same general shape and internal composition, and when looking down upon them, I couldn’t help but think of flying over suburbs of the US ..."

Listening to CDR Chris Hatfield on the radio yesterday, made this exact observation from space. It's a human pattern that you can see from Australia to the US to Afghanistan ~ http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/a...

"... When I emerged from the near empty Officer’s Mess after our Thanksgiving meal, I wandered up to the hanger bay and was shocked by what I saw. Enlisted sailors, many of whom had spent hours painting the walls, and cleaning the floors to present an image of perfection to our superior, were standing in an endless line hundreds deep waiting to get their meal. A meal that was due to close minutes later. I had never seen a line so long on the ship before. Somewhere the logistics chain failed, and priorities were askew. I did what I could for a few of them, but many still missed out on their meal. As a leader of these men and women, I felt ashamed. As far as I know, General Petraeus didn’t get wind of this – had he, I wonder how it would have turned out. ...."

I'm surprised by this. Non provisioning of the enlisted on a major US celebration. Could be mistaken as a sign of shite leadership. Your descriptions of Petraeus on the other hand speaks the opposite.

Re: Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

#118

Post by starky »

my_username_is_ wrote: post #16

I'm a mechanical engineer, working in product development. I have an interest in programming to the extent that I can try to automate some tedious tasks, but very little formal training. I'm definitely a long ways from being a "hacker" as its known here. I agree with all of your reasons for visiting HN. I've mentioned this before on another thread, but the guideline that posts should be "anything that gratifies one's…

Same here, I work in the tech industry doing mechanical design. While I would no longer call the company I work for a startup (we were arguably still one when I started) I still find a lot of the conversation around them interesting. I'd still say I'm a hacker, just in a much more physical sense of the word.

While I don't find the vast majority of the content about programming interesting, there is still enough content here that I do find interesting that other similar websites don't cover.

Re: Ask HN: Who isn't in the software industry/not a hacker?

#119

Post by ari_smith »

I'm a high school student (to be entering my senior year). I would definitely not call myself a hacker by any means, and while I am very passionate about math and science, at the moment, I would first and foremost identify myself as a jazz bassist (however, his may be due to the fact that I am currently at the Berklee college of contemporary music, studying in their five-week summer program). I have in the past ventured a bit into programming, but not very seriously, and my biggest achievement was probably a roguelike written in brainf*ck that I abandoned half-way through. Although I am very passionate about jazz, I intend to pursue a career in science (though I am not sure exactly what). I use HN because I can easily find many math/science/technology related articles that I find very interesting. Also, I find that the articles and posts on here tend to give me a different perspective on a situation than one might find elsewhere.
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