RIP Mark Hoekstra

Mark Hoekstra, a young Dutch guy, passed away last week, after suffering a heart attack. He was only 34.

He hosted the geektechnique.org website, informing the world of his ongoing projects and hacking together of electronic gadgets.

His death is a great loss for the Open Source and hacking community.

RIP Mark Hoekstra, you will be missed.

Dreamjob

Changing jobs is always some sort of a gamble. Will I like it? Is it as described in the vacancy? Is it as I expected it to be?
Therefor, it is important to know what you want and expect of a job.

Taking my current and past job experiences in account, this is what my ideal job would look like :

• It should have something to do with technology or IT. I enjoy creating new things, so some programming, engineering or research should be envolved.

• I have to believe in what I'm doing or what I'm being part of. The long-term project or product should be something I can support and be commited to. Maybe some sort of Open Source project, or cutting edge technology.

• Considering my health, it is important I get enough sleep. Although I always enjoyed doing project work which involved long, irregular hours and traveling abroad, it's better for me if I can have less demanding hours.

• I don't mind forensing, to a certain extent, but I'd like to live near where I work. Working in the same city where I live, is therefor preferrable. For a dreamjob, I would even consider relocating, even if it means going abroad.

• The working atmosphere should be nice. Getting along with my colleagues is important as I'm around them for a major part of the day, and maybe even for a large part of my working life.

Retraining batteries

I've bought an Apple iPod (4G) three years ago (December 2004) and I've noticed its battery life decreasing over the years.

A few months ago (March 2008) I started on a new job, for which I spend about 2-3 hours per day commuting by train, during which I listen to music on my iPod.
When I first started, I could use my iPod for 2 days (approx. 5 hours of listening), without recharging the battery. But over the past months, the battery life increased. Last week I managed to use my iPod for 4 consecutive days (approx. 10 hours of listening), without recharging. It seems that battery memory can be 'retrained'.

Todo list

This post is a work in progress, listing things I would like to do in the near and more distant future.
Some may be completed soon, while others will take a long time or may never be completed.
While some items are in preparation of another item on the list, others have no set goal or defined purpose, yet. Thus, the items on this list are in no particular order :

• Learning new programming languages and improving my knowledge of the ones I'm already familiar with :
  
  
  
  • Erlang
  
  
  • C++
  
  
  • Perl
  
  
• Linux :
  
  
  
  • Finish the CLFS project for my old 486
  
  
  • Upgrade to a new version of LFS on my server
  
  
  • Get my encrypted external hard drive working in linux and windows
  
  
  • Learn more about the linux kernel and maybe participate in its development or that of another Open Source project
    
  
  
• Continue work on some small PHP-projects


• Think about the feasibility of the semantic web, Turing tests, universal machines and time travel.
  


• (Re)paint my bathroom


• Find a new hobby


• Get a girlfriend

What a week!

Last week, I did a selection test at NMBS.
Yesterday, I got the result : 13,5/20, which is enough to go to the next round. But I'm not sure I will do the interview in the next round, given recent developments.

On Wednesday, I had another interview, this time for a job at VUB. Before I got home, they contacted me to announce I got the job. Since then I have made some arrangements to speed up the procedure for appointing my successor at my current job and got to an agreement with my new employer when to start working.

Today is my birthday. I've received a lot of messages, for which I'm grateful.
Tonight I will do something relaxing, going out for diner and maybe watch a film at the cinema.

Selection test #2 : trip to VUB

I went, I told them what I know and I got a job!

This morning I went to Brussels, for the second time this week, for a job interview and written selection test, this time at VUB. The job I applied for is very similar to what I do now, i.e. system administration of linux servers.

The written test, in the morning, went well, explaining some linux and digital library terms and answering some sysadmin related questions. In the afternoon, I had an interview, with more questions about linux, libraries, me and my motivation. And although I was quite nervous, it went well.

On the way home, I got a call, telling me I was ranked first and congratulating me with my appointment as sysadmin.

I didn't expect to hear from them so soon. I thought it would take at least a day or two, before they would let me know the outcome of their deliberation. But it didn't take that long, so I'm very excited getting that job.

I have some thinking to do and arrange a few things, soon, as they would like me to start in March already.

Waiting for reactions

As I'm actively looking for a new job, during the last few weeks, I've send out some applications already. But after sending them, comes a very boring and nerve-wrecking stage : waiting for reactions.

Some companies have a web application or a dedicated E-mail address for sending applications. Other have a good policy on handling applications. Both result in a (semi-)automatic answer, thanking you for your application, confirming your application was received or instructions on when to expect an answer (or not), or what to do when you haven't received an answer within a certain period of time.

Others send out letters or E-mails thanking you for your application, but regret to have to inform the vacancy is already filled or you don't seem to satisfy all the criteria needed for the job, wishing you good look on finding a job.
But, in case you're not suitable for the job, they never tell you why you're not fitting in. Was it something in the presentation letter? Was I too modest, or not elaborative enough? Did I write something offending? Didn't I apply to all courtesy and protocol which is needed in writing a presentation letter?
Or do I miss some experience or education? Did they put more value in the optional prerequisites, than was laid out in the vacancy?
I probably will never know, but it keeps me wondering.

But some don't react to your application at all, which is actually quite rude. If they would just send a short message informing you don't fit in (like I mentioned in the previous paragraph), you can stop waiting for an answer. But if no reaction comes, when can you stop hoping for a reaction?

But fortunately, you only need one job, so if you send out enough applications, some reach companies of the first type, resulting hopefully in a positive reaction or an invitation for further testing or an interview. And once you have a job, it doesn't matter some applications never get answered. But while you're waiting, it can be quite stressful.