traditional customer loyalty...

[isladogs]

I can talk forever, if you want to.

Believe me, we've all noticed. Do you know when to stop?

 

[NauticalGent]

As Ghandi has said: "Speak only if it improves upon the silence"

 

[vba_php]

Believe me, we've all noticed. Do you know when to stop?

come on Colin, it was a joke! I'm trying to make friends with Richard. We obviously have differing viewpoints and seeing eye to eye on at least some things is what good foundations are built on. The political world is doing the opposite and tearing down the system in the process. Which side do you want to be on? Why wouldn't you agree with that?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Do you care about them? Are you interested in helping them learn and grow?

And yet YOU are the one complaining about my acceptance of AI as a reality. The growth of the modern computer industry includes AI as a topic one should at least partly understand even if you can't build your own AI system. Perhaps you would prefer that I use the OTHER term often used for AI? "Knowledge-based" systems? That is a form of directed AI and is as legit as anything else in the modern computer world.

I can talk forever, if you want to.

You probably CANNOT talk forever. But it will feel like that to us anyway.

Your last post makes it seem like you welcome the fact that the "underground" or "illegitimate" people of the world are going to use it to damage economic growth potential and eliminate employment opportunities for young people.

Adam, get real. There is NOTHING illegitimate about AI and it is NOT part of an underground movement. AI used properly can promote business growth. Used improperly can damage it. AI, like a hammer, like a power drill, like a gun, like anything other tool or physical object you could name, is TOTALLY NEUTRAL. It is what you do with it that makes a difference.

No, I do not want to stifle kids who have a liking and/or a skill in programming, technology implementation or application, or pure research.

If you couldn't understand my message, that's fine. It seems you are so seriously off in your own direction that you don't catch my drift sometimes, but then again, human communication IS often imperfect.

My advice to kids these days is simple, and it is advice that my late uncle M. once gave me: "First, figure out what you really like doing - then figure out how to make money at it. You'll never be filthy rich but you'll always be happy."

In my case, I became the middle-man who stood between those folks who had problems but no clue about computers, and computers with which I could "communicate" but they knew nothing about the folks with problems. It means learning TWO languages - that of the customer and that of the machine. But those who can do it can always find work. And those who have communications problems with either the customer or the computer are in the wrong line of work if that is what you chose.

If you don't see yourself as a problem-solver, you will never use the computer quite to its maximum benefit. There will always be that little something extra that is lacking in your efforts because you never quite figured out HOW to close the loop - and WHY you want to close the loop.

Closing the loop leads you to the ultimate paradox... learning how to make yourself obsolete makes you MORE valuable to an employer who almost certainly has more than one loop to close.

Here's a little insight for you. When I was working as a contractor for the Navy, we had to undergo what is called a "recompete" every so often, typically every 5 years (but sometimes less.) In a recompete, the contractor company (my employer) would bid on the particulars of the contract. If the incumbent loses the bid, then all of their current employees are out of a job (because the current contract company suddenly has no positions at all) but the incoming company has no employees to fill the open slots and a lot of candidates who would love to have the job.

In that case, the government cannot tell either company how to treat any contractor - but they can offer a list of the folks whose performance was considered effective. That is the only hint they can give to the incoming company with regards to whom they should hire to fill particular slots.

I was ALWAYS on the "desirable" list because I was a problem solver. It didn't matter that I materially altered the daily pattern of my work so that my original assignment was nearly automatic - mostly due to application of "knowledge-based" programming methodology. It meant that I was free to implement various other scripts and utility programs to support operations of a more general nature. As a result, whenever a system was audited for requirements, my primary system was almost always above 95th percentile of compliance and more than once was 99th percentile of compliance.

 

[vba_php]

Perhaps you would prefer that I use the OTHER term often used for AI? "Knowledge-based" systems? That is a form of directed AI and is as legit as anything else in the modern computer world.

no argument I spose.

You probably CANNOT talk forever.

not after I die i can't. but I won't have to talk at that point, because we join the father and become part of perfection so we don't need a voice at that point anymore anyway.

AI used properly can promote business growth. Used improperly can damage it. AI, like a hammer, like a power drill, like a gun, like anything other tool or physical object you could name, is TOTALLY NEUTRAL. It is what you do with it that makes a difference.

haven't I already hammered this point into the ground already!? You confused the hell out of me with your prior words, now this seems like you've done a complete about-face. But regardless, yes now we apparently agree the right way.

It seems you are so seriously off in your own direction that you don't catch my drift sometimes, but then again, human communication IS often imperfect.

Not really. I think I understand you quite well on a lot of fronts, but probably not all. This reality you've just pointed out is *exactly* the reason that I will tell my employees and my customers, if I ever run my own tech business, what you've said here and tell them that if they cannot communicate with each other in 1 situation, to try someone else. This is just a smart way to do things, because there's so much information floating around the world in this day in age, basically no one knows what's going on, and if they claim to they're more or less living in a fantasy world. The exception to this rule would by my recent conversations with goDaddy agents at all levels of their organization. Almost everybody I talked to (like 8 out of 10 people) proved their incompetence in their own supposed "disciplines" by not being able to communciate like human beings in simple english and/or not understanding at all what goes on "behind the scenes" when they perform a service for a customer that really does "a, b, c", but was advertised and promised to do "x, y, z". I dumped them immediately and went with a rather smaller competitor that immediately proved their competence to me in just 20 minutes. it only took the words of 1 22-year old agent too! I'm perfectly happy with them, for now.

"First, figure out what you really like doing - then figure out how to make money at it. You'll never be filthy rich but you'll always be happy."

that's not always true Richard! You never know if an idea will turn into "something great". It's basically a crapshoot for anyone, but I will admit that some of the bigger influencers in the world have a better chance at getting rich than young kids who are unrecognized and considered "nobodies". Like me! According to most employers, I can't possibly know $hit about software because I don't work for a large corporation. But as of lately, I'm proving those hot heads wrong.

It means learning TWO languages - that of the customer and that of the machine. But those who can do it can always find work. And those who have communications problems with either the customer or the computer are in the wrong line of work if that is what you chose.

no argument. According to Mark Cuban, in the near future, and as AI gets more sophisticated, software engineers working for the big players will be transformed into philosophers when the software begins to write itself (which is already happening anyway).

Closing the loop leads you to the ultimate paradox... learning how to make yourself obsolete makes you MORE valuable to an employer who almost certainly has more than one loop to close.

I'm not sure I'm following you on this one Grandpa. Are you referring to this issue? Learning how to make myself obsolete HELPS me!? I think we've already covered this earlier when we were talking about the "good vs. bad" manager and what their motivations are (employing their people or using AI to replace them).

I was ALWAYS on the "desirable" list because I was a problem solver.

I would say I'm an expert in this area as well. Now whether I would've challenged you and your skills back in your prime remains debatable I would say. Actually, I'm currently in the process of updating my gitHub repos to show a large amount of content directly related to solving problems of varying degrees. This is exactly what I was referring to in the other thread today when I said I recently gained a knack for writing effective letters that turns the heads of employers and makes them think twice about not wanting to talk to me. What I have found lately, is that employers seem to want to drool over someone that has the ability to make them feel good about themselves, give them confidence in what they're doing, and mentioning that this type of confidence can transfer directly to their customers and in turn result in their customer growing their own business and coming back to them for problem-solving services. I've been writing such letters for 2 weeks now and it has not failed once. I have sent out 5 letters of this type, and I've gotten 5 interviews, all of which are still pending. So if you have more to say here, then go for it. Otherwise, why don't we call it a day on this one, perform a TLS handshake, and head on over to the next thread where we can continue to entertain the membership pool and guest pool in this nice little community of ours. Cool?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Now whether I would've challenged you and your skills back in your prime remains debatable I would say.

And there we have it - you see it as a competition with another person. But life and your career are always a competition with yourself; a competition to see if you can become better than the person you currently are. I don't play the game, but GOLF is a very good metaphor of life. It is a game that can be played but never won. Oh, you can win a tournament - but you can't win a solo game. It is a benchmarking process. You can only hope to beat your previous best.

The analogy isn't at all perfect, nor do I claim it as such. But it provides an analog of how to live life - by striving to improve. Then the accolades will come. (Like "Field of Dreams"... if you build it, they will come.)

 

[vba_php]

And there we have it - you see it as a competition with another person.

that was not the intention Richard. Hopefully you now realize that. I rarely fight or compare myself to anyone. That's been done to death by the politicians of the world. And like I've said, i wouldn't touch that stupid environment with a 10-foot pole! I think we're probably finished in this one....

 

[vba_php]

inevitability of offending someone....

hey you guys,

referring to my previous point about causing controversy: previous post, this is a classic example of why I cannot possibly please everyone in this world:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/updat...icle:7415159432280348216,6618156868344823808)

After posting that comment, which was nothing more than a playful gesture to add some humor to the day, I lost a connection on LinkedIn and 2 people stopped following my activity. I'm not worried at all about it, because I don't want to even be associated with people who can't see the light heartedness in that!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

The link doesn't work for me. You must have really ticked someone off over there.

I don't want to even be associated with people who can't see the light heartedness

Reminds me of the quote by Groucho Marx (paraphrased): I refuse to join any organization that would have me as a member.

 

[vba_php]

Here richard....this is the direct link. The 1 i gave u earlier was to an actual comment made on an article advertisement that thru my news feed. Those links expire after a short time:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adam...workplace-i-activity-6618139728036327424-DhKo

The article im referring to in that post of mine can be found here:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/silly-things-you-do-make-less-likeable-dr-travis-bradberry

Tell me what you think will you? FYI ive since lost yet 1 MORE follower on linked in because of this! Talk bout business people taking themselves too seriously! My god....some of them need their heads examined!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

The link takes me to a sign-in page. I'm not going to join LinkedIn so will have to let this drop.

 

[vba_php]

Richard,

I KNOW you can view this alternative method. Enjoy!