[LUAU] OT: Looking for networks-off topic

[Charles Lockhart]

This is probably mostly off-topic, and I apologize for that.  If this is not 
apreciated, feel free to blast me publicly or privately, and I'll keep it 
strictly to Linux stuff from now on, no hard feelings at all.

I live in Hilo, and I work for the NASA IRTF, the second oldest telescope up 
on the mountain.  Heh, I spent almost all of last week living and working on 
the mountain.  Altitude doesn't bother me for the first few days, but by 
Thursday I'm really starting to burn out, and by Friday I'm almost brain 
dead.  Part of the problem is that when you're up there, there isn't all 
that much else to do, so you can end up working 14+ hour days without 
realizing it.

All the computer people that I know that work for an observatory mostly work 
in either Hilo (I spend 98% of my time at the IfA, which is off Komohana) or 
in Waimea.  Note, that's just in terms of people that I know, which doesn't 
range too far out.

I don't know how it is for all the other facilities, but working for the 
IRTF is pretty good.  The pay is decent.  The hours are decent.  The 
vacation/sick leave are pretty good, and you actually get to take the time 
off.

For the projects we work on, well, on the upside fundage is usually 
reasonable, the projects are interesting, and pretty challenging.  On the 
downside, well, specializations for insects, I've found that I need to know 
something about everything, and sometimes I don't know enough about a 
particular subject and the learning curve is frustrating (someday I'll 
actually KNOW something, instead of having to LEARN something, and then I'm 
going to go out and get really, really drunk).  Often there's nobody around 
to help you.  When you search the web, you find that maybe 20 other people 
asked the same question, and nobody got an answer.  So you look at it, and 
dig, and dig, and sometimes you still have to make your best guess of what's 
going on, and why.

I've had more practice in analytical and exploratory programming in the last 
two years than I ever wanted.  And then there's always a certain amount of 
fear that you're going to program something wrong and burn it up.

All of our instruments and systems at the IRTF are running either Solaris or 
Linux, and the general trend is for going 100% Linux.

The biggest downside I have with the job is that because it's so tightly 
tied with academia, there is a certain social structure, almost a caste 
system.  It's a little wierd.  Probably because it's so different from 
Adtech/Spirent where I used to work.

Not all the observatories are the same, some are worse to work for, some are 
better.

> This whole thread is.... just so wrong.   If you don't like the price 
> thats offered, say so (or stay silent).  But kibitzing from the side 
> about the Cost of Living in Hawaii?  Well, its not really any worse  than 
> Boston, or other parts on the mainland.

That was my fault.  Completely.  I brought it up, though I can't remember 
why.

ok, now completely off topic
> (Are there good schools for the kid in Hilo?)
Good schools in Hilo.  Well, my kids aren't that old yet (all three under 
5), so I'm mostly relating what other people have told me.

Private school-wise I think the best in Hilo is Saint Joseph's.  They have a 
website.  I know a few astronomers/PhD types that send their kids to St. 
Jo's.  It's Catholic, but you don't have to be Catholic, but they do talk 
some about G*d, which some people don't care for.

For public schools, the general sense that I get is there's a lot of 
variety.  At some schools, if you're kid doesn't get noticed as being 
particularly smart or particularly dumb, he/she is going to get pretty much 
no special treatment or notice.  At other schools they have what seem to be 
fairly reasonable AP courses and better opportunities.

My personal take is that it depends a lot on the parent.  The elementary 
school nearest to me is only about a block away, but it's one of the ones 
that probably won't give him second glance, it'll just roll him in as 
another drone.  If I put in a little effort and take him to a better school, 
help teach him, show an interest, and push a little here and a little there, 
I think he'll do just fine.

-Charles