Re: Solaris experts wanted for SAGE project

[Heather Stern <star@starshine.org>]

I ate the fortune cookie first, then read what Jim Dennis wrote:
>  
> > Folks -
>  
> > SAGE has been approached by a company that makes employment tests
> > (skills tests that hiring departments can give to applicants) for
> > help in finding authors and reviewers.  At the moment, they're
> > looking for someone to author a Solaris sysadmin test (or rather,
> > to write good Solaris questions; they worry about the actual
> > "constructing the test" parts).  The job does pay, and there are
> > contracts to sign.

Personally since I think some of the most important traits of sysadmin'ing
are not OS based, I would consider it fair if the questions were fairly
generic, but the best answers were Solaris (or even nits about Solaris
versions) specific.

I don't favor multiple-choice only tests, unless all offer a "none of the
above" and a an "explaining in detail" pick.  I've often been annoyed at
a multiple choice quiz because the 'best answer' was still wrong in a
subtle way... and in sysadmin work, subtly wrong can easily lead to horrible
consequences.

> > SAGE is contemplating a "branding" program for such applicant
> > skill assesments (a seal of approval, really - saying that this
> > particular test does adequately assess what it claims to assess).
> > The branding decision (and creating of a Seal program) is still
> > ahead of us; the newly elected Board will need to make the final
> > decision.  Right now, we're trying to help by providing candidate
> > authors.
> 
> 	This will be an interesting program.  However,  I'd
> 	like to make sure that it avoids any appearance of
> 	impropriety by spelling out the financial implications
> 	of getting such a seal.

This could possibly be done as a percentage of profit, with a low minimum
flat fee if we feel that our brand will be requested so highly that we need
a processing fee.

Also I'd rather like to see several such Seals appear within a short
block of time of one another, so that no-one gets much mileage from trying
to claim they're the ONLY approved test (smudging us by implying their Seal
is exclusive).

How does a thing get the Good Housekeeping seal?  I know getting UL listed
costs serious bucks... but is also considered for qualifying under fire
codes, etc.

> 	In particular I'd hate to see small community college
> 	and "open source" assessment efforts closed out of this
> 	process due to licensing fees (for the SAGE seal) while
> 	I'd like to see SAGE/USENIX accrue some revenue from the
> 	process.

I agree, though see above.

> > If you're interested (either in authoring or potentially being a
> > reviewer for the test, once it's written), please let me know ASAP
> > and I'll fill in the details.
> 
> 	I'd like to be a reviewer.  I'd be happy to pose questions
> 	and suggest possible answers --- but I don't consider myself
> 	to be a Solaris expert (particularly with newer versions
> 	of Solaris ---- 2.6 and version 7).

Y'know it's a funny thing, but one doesn't always have to be an expert
to spot the difference between a genuine article and a snow job.  Though
at high jargon levels it helps.

> 	(Is it just me or does referring to "version 7" sound 
> 	incredibly "retro" in relation to modern versions of Unix)

Only 2 ahead of System V?  Actually it reminds me of when certain word
processor products have gotten renumbered, adding way too much feature
and a fair number of bugs.  But please don't take that as anything about
Solaris 7, I haven't even looked at it yet.

> 	Heather does have somewhat more experience with recent
> 	versions of Solaris --- though she doesn't like it as 
> 	much as FreeBSD or Linux.  Maybe she'll agree to participate.

This depends in fair part how much time would be required, and especially,
if any of it would be daytime.  But, I do have some thoughts about testing 
styles.  At work I admin Solaris 2.5.1 with a bunch of patches, and 2.6... 
but lots more FreeBSD 2.2.6, and occasional other OS' lying about.

  |                    Ricoh Silicon Valley ADC       star@rsv.ricoh.com
->+<-  Heather Stern   Starshine Technical Services   star@starshine.org
  |
  The price one pays for pursuing any profession, or calling, is an intimate
  knowledge of its ugly side.  -- James Baldwin