See David Malan @ CS50 https://youtu.be/y62zj9ozPOM

"You don't always geeeet what you wa-ant..."

I work for one of the biggest (non-tech) companies in the world, and in many countries we've been storing user data in spreadsheets all over the place and often without consent. So it's been pretty frantic.

He asks "Have you had to make changes to the services you integrate with or create new technology" and your answer has spreadsheets. I bet that was unexpected.

You may find Sheetgo > Scan Sheets interesting to give a try: https://app.sheetgo.com/scan-sheets

> "I hate being called 'IT'"

Oh man I hate this. An "IT" job to me just means an admin job where the subject of the admin tasks happens to be computers.

It's worse when "IT workers" try to lump actual technically-skilled roles in with them, like it's just another task to be performed.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. I have nothing against actual IT workers, but grouping developers under "IT" is like referring to ER surgeons as EMTs.

IT also gives people the impression that one is a "computer expert", which can't be further from the truth for many developers. I happen to have a relatively detailed understanding of how computers work, but I'm by no means an expert on hardware, setting up large networks, troubleshooting, etc.

Yeah, taking Information Technology literally, we would fall under that. But so would someone operating a book press.

Yeah, it works both ways. "No, Auntie Susan. I have no idea how to fix your printer. Never call me again."

Um wow there's a lot wrong with this comment. But that aside, what if I told you programming was just modern accounting, glorified data entry? All programmers do is put code into repositories. Very very few people are actually inventing new systems and algorithms. If you're a "framework programmer" you know what I mean.

Anyway point is it's a spectrum. Yes some "IT" labor is menial, but I also know IT people who know way more about security and networking and identity etc. than most software engineers will in their entire career.

I would put security experts and networking experts in the "technically-skilled" category. However, my experience of most people who have something like "IT security" in their job title, is that they're just the guy who updates a spreadsheet that has a list of security policies in it, and they send emails out to people who have breached one of those policies. Admin.

That's very true, although I am sure that IT experts wouldn't be particularly happy being called "programmers" if the tables were turned. Then again, I could be wrong... it has surprised me over and over how few programmers care about being referred to as IT. I personally prefer having my specialization be explicit as opposed to being generalized or misattributed.

So its the common term for the entire industry in the UK its like the USA is bad as India or Germany in being obsessed with job titles.

Are we not supposed to not denigrate people needlessly on here?

You think he should build it for free? How is he supposed to pay his bills or eat while he's making it? Profit is not necessarily a dirty word.

I don't think that he should build that, period. It is an abomination of an idea.

Just like the "professional huggers" which he mentions. You can't purchase human affection.

I think it's fine to call this an abomination. I wouldn't be on Ask HN if I didn't want honest opinions.

However, the very spirit of being a hacker is to solve problems with less than optimal solutions, like duck tape. Human affection is the optimal solution, but people who use services provided by professional huggers know that they're buying an interaction that is positive to them, not a feeling in the other person.

Exactly. Profit is necessary to facilitate resources (time in this case).

I'm all for people meeting these needs in organic and free ways, that would the ideal. But it's something like good food, ideally, we should have time to prepare a good meal (real friends or new reddit strangers), but there's not always like this. So you can feel this need with some industrial food (the are services using AI to solve depression), or going to a restaurant with someone proud of their craft (my idea of service).

Slightly off-topic, but I can't believe the long hours you guys in the USA work as standard. In the UK, most jobs these days are 37.5 hours. Only a few do 40.

Of course there may be (rare) occasions where you need to work overtime, but 40-60 hours on a regular basis seems crazy. 80 hours is insane. People here simply wouldn't do it. I doubt anyone gets any more productive beyond around 30 hours a week.

Keep in mind that hours don't necessarily translate to productivity.

But yes, Americans work a lot of hours, and in the white collar professions this is especially the cultural norm. Living at the office or being tied to one's computer at home 24/7 (or both) are pretty typical.

Does this require a stay-at-home partner? I don't know how I would ever be able to handle my daily life, stuff like cooking, laundry, sleeping, errands, going to the hairdresser, working out, hanging out with my partner... and I didn't even mention the kids!

It generally does. The exception would be very well-compensated people in the corporate world who can afford au pairs and nannies, and, effectively, the modern equivalent of household servants. This is how the Sheryl Sandbergs of the world "lean in" and "do it all" — lots and lots of hired help. There is no other way.

I am not rich, and I ended up the single dad of a two year-old recently. So I am still trying to figure that puzzle for myself. Fortunately, I do have the flexibility of being self-employed, but on the other hand, if I don't work (long hours), neither I nor my son will have much to live on.