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A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

thirtythreeforty.net

41–50 of 60 posts

Re: A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

#41

I have some business cards that are so valuable, I can't give them away. I was attending a conference with some vendor booths, and while it wasn't anything like a job fair, I thought I'd try my luck at pitching myself as a prospective hire. So I went to the most IT-oriented vendor that I could find, introduced myself, and proudly presented my solid plastic CompTIA A+ certification. The good fellow thanked me and prom…

It's not necessarily why they didn't reach out, but waiving certifications and other random credentials (e.g. completion of some Coursera course) is usually not the best strategy to get hired. Talking about concrete work you've done (of interest to the company) is much more convincing.

Unfortunately for me I think my "concrete work" is what's keeping me from looking like an attractive employee to tech firms. Somehow they don't understand how construction and software development are extremely similar.

Re: A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

#42
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

exactly. I was going to say the same thing, then I realised I'm in hacker-news and then afraid of getting down-voted.

They’re fake internet points, why does it matter?

You can exchange the points for dopamine

Re: A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

#44

Really cool, but I can't help thinking: All that effort, and you're email address have a "5" in it....

Heh. I am George Hilliard V (that is, my dad is IV and my son is VI). So it makes a certain amount of sense!

I'm curious. What happens if you have another son?

Also, continuing similar tradition, I hope you've reserved mail addresses ending with 6,7 and so on for future generations.

Re: A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

#46

This was a novel idea once. But nowadays I would stay away from plugging in a usb device of someone I just met.

This is from a professional embedded systems engineer who is presumably only giving these to prospective clients because, obviously, they’re more expensive than regular business cards. If you can’t bring yourself to connect a USB device from your embedded systems engineer then you shouldn’t be working with that person. You’re also going to have a difficult time working with them on just about any product. Maybe just…

I had a run of Moo business cards made at one point, costing over $1/ea.

As a gimmick for highly likely prospectives (or, alternately, a thank you for current clients) this is absolutely at a price point of "have 50 spun via pick and place" to have on hand.

Re: A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

#48
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes exactly. I was free to name him whatever I liked, but at this point it's too neat to break the tradition.

Another question from a country where only the king does this: Is it part of your legal name, or just a convention? (Also, does it make your feel like royalty?)

I'd have to check to be certain, but I am pretty sure we didn't put it on birth certificates. It's convention only - some businesses (notably banks) have a "suffix" field to help disambiguate customers, but many of them are drop-downs which stop at "IV" for some reason.

What really makes me feel like royalty is not the name, it's the throne room I had installed in my summer home in the Bahamas. That and requiring everyone I meet to call me "sire." (/s)

Re: A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

#49
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Heh. I am George Hilliard V (that is, my dad is IV and my son is VI). So it makes a certain amount of sense!

I'm curious. What happens if you have another son? Also, continuing similar tradition, I hope you've reserved mail addresses ending with 6,7 and so on for future generations.

My family's tradition is that all the men share a middle name, and all the women share a middle name, so there's still name inheritance even for younger siblings! (There's an OOP joke in here somewhere.)

Amusingly, my wife also has the same middle name as the women in my family, so the tradition is likely to continue.

Re: A DIY business card that runs Linux (2019)

#50
I'm surprised that Apple or Google hasn't integrated a business card app of some sort and accompanying file format. Like a digital rolodex. I don't need my plumber, accountant, dry cleaner, or a zillion random people I meet at a tech conference in my contacts/address book, even if they're grouped. Exchanging info by giving them my phone number/email is usually a lot more than I want, and URLs just get lost. A QR code or a peer-to-peer transfer with an open, stylized/formatted, .vcf style file that's meant for a business related info app seems like a non brainer.

I want to have a conversation with the digital equivalent of:

> "That's bone. And the lettering is something called Silian Grail."

> "It's very cool, Bateman, but... Egg shell, with Roman."

> Now a third broker pulls out his card. It looks exactly like the first two, except it reads TIMOTHY BRICE: VICE PRESIDENT.

> "Raised lettering, pale nimbus."

> "Impressive", Bateman mutters. "Let's see Paul Allen's card."

> The room falls silent as the third broker produces an absent colleague's card.

> «Look at that subtle colouring. The tasteful thickness.»

> His face creases in horror.

> «Oh my God. It even has a watermark.»

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