Re: [SAGE] Computer Sciences degrees in IT

[Richard Chycoski <rskiadmin@chycoski.com>]

Sysadmins and software developers are *not* the same thing in all (or most) 
circumstances. However, there can be crossover, especially where the software 
developers are working on operating system or closely-related code, or 
extensive scripting and associated programs for those scripts.

I've done both, and the big difference is that software developers are 
*expected* to write software! Sysadmins are expected to deploy machines and 
services (and a lot of other things) - but writing code is just another one of 
their tasks. Now - some sysadmins write a lot of code (I tend to be in that 
latter category when working as a sysadmin, but that's because I was a 
software developer before I was a sysadmin). OTOH, I've known some very good 
sysadmins who produced very little software. Other sysadmins in the group 
(sometimes me :-) did the programming.

'Sysadmin' is a wide-ranging field - some sysadmins write programs, some 
install hardware, some are chief-cooks-and-bottle-washers' - but few are 
required to do all of the above.

And I completely agree with finding interesting part time work while getting 
your education (I recommend that everyone ALWAYS try to find interesting work 
- it's much more pleasurable to do things that you enjoy!) - and pursue 
internships wherever you can. My own company hires a lot of former interns 
after graduation, and this is common at most other companies that have 
internship programs. Interships are seen as 'try-before-you-buy', and benefit 
both the company and the interns.

- Richard


Mark R. Lindsey wrote:
> 
> On Mar 27, 2007, at 9:53 PM, Paul Lussier wrote:
> 
>>  I read an article a few years ago in ;login someone wrote
>> describing the differences between sysadmins and sw developers.  The
>> gist of it was, they're essentially the same creature
> 
> 
> That rings true.
> 
> Going to school and doing nothing else can be too dull.
> 
> I got a BS in CS from an inexpensive, artsy state university. My  
> undergraduate classes seemed pretty slow -- this was definitely no  UCB 
> or UIUC. A key reason I enjoyed it was the part-time sys-admin  job I 
> held at an ISP.
> 
> Several of my professors were uninspiring, but there was always some  
> good stuff in there occasionally. I got plenty of challenges at my  job, 
> and the occasional nuggets of cool stuff at school made it  interesting.
> 
> So in the same spirit that encourages getting an internship, I also  
> recommend finding an interesting part-time job while you're an  undergrad.