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How I Became a Quant (2007) [pdf]

engineering.nyu.edu

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Re: How I Became a Quant (2007) [pdf]

#3
post #2

(2007) MUCH has changed since then.

I came across this guide (dated 2025) a couple years ago and thought it was interesting. Not a quant or even in finance though, so I don’t know how accurate it is:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/da7zfjj2rplwzf2sfiriz/Buy-Sid...

Re: How I Became a Quant (2007) [pdf]

#5
post #2

(2007) MUCH has changed since then.

I came across this guide (dated 2025) a couple years ago and thought it was interesting. Not a quant or even in finance though, so I don’t know how accurate it is: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/da7zfjj2rplwzf2sfiriz/Buy-Sid...

What's a convenient and safe way to open PDFs safely?

Some options seem to be: Upload to google drive (inconvenient), use some open-source tool (LLM suggests DangerZone), use a VM (very inconvenient)

Re: How I Became a Quant (2007) [pdf]

#6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I came across this guide (dated 2025) a couple years ago and thought it was interesting. Not a quant or even in finance though, so I don’t know how accurate it is: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/da7zfjj2rplwzf2sfiriz/Buy-Sid...

What's a convenient and safe way to open PDFs safely? Some options seem to be: Upload to google drive (inconvenient), use some open-source tool (LLM suggests DangerZone), use a VM (very inconvenient)

I use markitdown[0] religiously. You’ll lose fidelity for anything complex (math equations, images), but it does a great job 95% of the time in my experience.

I’m assuming the attack surface is reduced. I invoke it through a docker container. But this might be a misplaced sense of safety.

[0] https://github.com/microsoft/markitdown

Re: How I Became a Quant (2007) [pdf]

#7
post #2

(2007) MUCH has changed since then.

Don't think it's a guide like "Hey here's how YOU can BECOME A QUANT!" bs, more about the stories/history of 25 different quants. So more of a personal story/history doc. I think it's an interesting read if you are a finance nerd

Re: How I Became a Quant (2007) [pdf]

#9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I came across this guide (dated 2025) a couple years ago and thought it was interesting. Not a quant or even in finance though, so I don’t know how accurate it is: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/da7zfjj2rplwzf2sfiriz/Buy-Sid...

What's a convenient and safe way to open PDFs safely? Some options seem to be: Upload to google drive (inconvenient), use some open-source tool (LLM suggests DangerZone), use a VM (very inconvenient)

Dropbox is rendering that pdf as html, so using that link should be safer than downloading the pdf.

Re: How I Became a Quant (2007) [pdf]

#10
I wonder how fun being a modern quant really is. It seems like one of those things that sounds more fun in your head, but the reality is different. Kinda like "studying physics", going pro in a sport, or becoming a rockstar. People see the end result and don't see how much work it takes to get there or what the day to day is really like
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