-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In <199612060723.XAA21230@netcom7.netcom.com>, on 12/05/96 at 11:27 PM, frantz@netcom.com (Bill Frantz) said: ::At 8:44 PM 12/5/96 -0800, Timothy C. May wrote: ::>* Generation 1: The kids of the 1920s-40s. The Ernest Lawrences and the ::>Robert Noyces, who grew up on farms, repairing tractors and farm ::>machinery. They learned about machinery at a direct level. These were ::>the giants of the post-war science community, and the founders of ::>modern American chip companies. ::> ::>* Generation 2: The Sputnik generation, of the 1950s-60s. They grew up ::>with Gilbert chemistry sets, Erector sets, "All About" books, and with ::>constant exposure to nuclear physics, relativily, molecular biology, ::>etc. These were the workers who staffed the companies formed by the ::>Noyces and Moores of the world, and the young scientists who pioneered ::>the use of computers. ::> ::>* Generation 3: The computer generation. The 1970s-80s, who grew up ::>with Commodore PETs and Apple IIs (and some later machines). These are ::>the "new pioneers" of the 1980s-90s, the Marc Andreesens and the like. ::I am definitly from Generation 2. I have tried to interest my children ::in playing with ICs and various electronic pieces. I have also worked ::hand-in-hand with them, rebuilding auto engines and transmissions. We ::will see how it plays out. well, I class out as a Generation 1, born before the war --as a multi-disciplined generalist. during the 70s and 80s, we sat in the king's chair when they need us. by the late 80s and in the 90s, all they want are narrowly focused specialists, ignoring the generalist concept of overview and understanding the "big picture. we are considered too broad to understand the high tech... --and obsolete. I used to call most of my contracts "on the job training" --but the point of a generalist is the ability to comprehend the narrow field and separate the bullshitters and space-shot dreamers from the doers. just who on that team can cooperate well enough to get it out the door when it is months (or years) behind. it was the last legal stand of the man with a mask and gun. My only complaint is that generation 1 generalists were dead about five years too soon --unless you were Gordon Moore, etc. those of us who were cowboys --the last and best gunslingers in the West; we were passe. I never once in my 35 year career collected a W2 wage, (and sometimes none in any form --feast or famine). Tim May probably pulled off the best of all gigs --on the Intel wagon as it went down, with stock options which gave Tim full independence in his low forties. I may not have much of a pot to piss in, but it was one long rockin' and rollin' ride --basket to hell and all. you don't look back, you just slam the throttle forward --same way I fly stunt planes or hang from the apes of my hawg. several of my five children are true generalists. have I (am I) advised them to go the route of the cowboy --not on your life! but I certainly do not recommend engineering in any form --they would be bored out of their squashs and in-trouble/restless all their lives. I encourage academia --the last refuge of the absent-minded professors and researchers. I do not like academia in general, but at least you can breath. all the government wants and expects is mindless robots, useless automans. I have "persuaded" more than one school district and its teachers to stop playing with my kids' heads, trying to change them to Hillary's mold for a global village... (so I practiced a little: "...intimidation is just another form of communication" --BFD, whatever works...). even today's computer kids are poorly focused; they have no concept of what's under the hood, or why! they have no interest in the technology, methodology, or the modular concept of solution. they in the turn, and sooner than later, will be burned out without a clue of how to improve the interrelated functions. grade school children with calculators??? how are they supposed to absorb the rote learnign drill which makes it possible to "think on your feet?" The ability to mentally calculate and visualize are the keys of a generalist. *generation 4: MTV and power action games of death and violence. actually, I am not qualified to speak on either. I have never allowed a TV or video game in my house. - -- without arms they do not resist; without communication they know not what to resist. -attila -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3i Charset: latin1 Comment: Encrypted with 2.6.3i. Requires 2.6 or later. iQCVAwUBMqoCQL04kQrCC2kFAQHBUAQAxItjS573rKpQ2NgAD77JuOcy2s/a6aFj sbak8xWZ4rwd0dlTeTIZc2ahjIIGDDY/QEiFxonz0M6i0T+BJkRyUawOY0XakYEb uhumEO1VWcbj6IdA+zfi1sC5VMEQTXGP4S88VBF0FQDfibdGlxTOa0DECG3jYp12 AOlXiS5fwcE= =sfql -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----