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September 17, 2003

Broad Brush?

More like a broom I think! Jivha the tongue is apparently starting a new series of "broad brush" series where he calls a spade a spade and generalises to his hearts content. Actually based on the first article I think he is planning to call a spade a bl**dy great big shovel and use to flatten targets all around :-) Before you get upset, check out the rational behind the series:


One of the most common arguments you see from people while ranting against something is, "But you are making such sweeping generalizations, painting everyone with a broad brush" And that is why this series is called the "Broad Brush Series" - we know we are making sweeping generalizations, we know we are painting everyone with a broad brush, we know - so don't tell us!

First entry in this series tackles the problems of being an "Indian Techie". I have only one argument with this - effectively the same article could be posted here about Australian Techies with the substitution of "American" (or Microslosh) as the target of any "kow-tow" behaviour. Seriously, go and read for a summary of everything (well almost everything) wrong with the high tech industry.

It can be sort of fun to teach some of this at TAFE. I talk about the evolution of IT from the high priests of the main-frame, to the protestant revolution of Unix and finally the horror of manic cults (Windows?). Then we move on to the degrees of geekhood for administrators (at least in the Unix religion) - starting with a WEBBY (Work Experience Boy), PFY (Pimply Faced Youth - from BOFH), BOFH (Operator), SAFH (System Administrator From Hell), Guru.

I think next time, I will have to modify the class to cover Jivha's list as well ...

Posted by Ozguru at September 17, 2003 09:09 PM

Comments

"...WEBBY (Work Experience Boy), PFY (Pimply Faced Youth - from BOFH), BOFH (Operator), SAFH (System Administrator From Hell), Guru." Oh so THAT'S why you're called Oz "Guru" :-) Thank's as usual for the link, although I have got a fair amount of flame for this one. Next week's target is "socialites" aka "Page 3 People" ;-)))

Posted by: Jivha at September 17, 2003 09:09 PM

A page 3 girl is one with a skimpy bathing suit :-) From the habit of the old afternoon papers which put such images inside the paper so that you had to buy the paper to see the girl.... I think fark still has pointers to "page 3 people" sometimes.....

Posted by: ozguru at September 17, 2003 09:09 PM