----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aaron McCaleb" <[email protected]>
> "What do you wish ${other_profession} knew about system
> administration?"
If asked over a pizza, my response would be this somewhat rambling stream of
semi-consciousness. I apologize for it being so disjointed, I still haven't
figured out how to express this correctly.
If you ask five people this question "What would you design differently about
your car?" you'd get a minimum of five answers. All clever and in some cases,
well thought out. They'd all tell you how to make the fix too. Now ask them,
"How would you implement /that/ change on an assembly line that is traveling at
2-3 MPH? You'll get blank looks.
"Ok, Michael, what the hell are you trying to say?"
I think too often ${other_profession} as well as ${us}, forget that what we do
isn't done in a vacuum. What makes us different from the average hobbyist is
the element of time. Well done SA work includes the element of other systems
*in production* and the effects of time on the overall process.
Anyone can implement a change across a half dozen machines but to do it
reliably, repeatedly, and without interfering with the other things going on
with the system or other systems near it is where the difference lies. The time
element is the ability to make these changes while the metaphorical assembly
line continues without stopping.
Another aspect of the "time" element is knowing that you do something a
specific way, even though there's no obvious reason for it, because *later*, in
another likely situation, your action will leave you elbow room should a
subsequent problem arise.
Super simple example. You always use sudo to do your tasks instead of always
being logged in as root because at some point, you may have another SA working
with you and this will allow you to smoothly operate together. Using 'visudo'
is another side of that same example. I used to have a coworker who ALWAYS
edited the sudoers file by hand with his editor, he never used visudo. It got
to the point where I used to throw a foam ball (not too soft) at him when I
caught him doing it.
I've rambled long enough and I know it all sounds pretty foolish but please try
to "read between the lines" at what I'm trying to say.
Thanks for everyone's time.
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