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From: dsn@umcp-cs.UUCP (Dana S. Nau)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: The Silicon Syndrome
Message-ID: <556@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Mar-86 17:59:39 EST
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.556
Posted: Wed Mar 26 17:59:39 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Apr-86 07:24:52 EST
References: <42200027@convex> <637@hou2f.UUCP> <2c7dfefa.7005@apollo.uucp> <726@rti-sel.UUCP> <2047@peora.UUCP>
Reply-To: dsn@maryland.UUCP (Dana S. Nau)
Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 30

In article <2047@peora.UUCP> jer@peora.UUCP writes:
>... it is extremely frustrating when one's SO has no *idea* whatsoever
>about the sort of work you do.  For example, if I had an SO at present, it
>would be nice sometimes to explain things ... The problem in this regard is
>that people who do really well at their work generally have an enthusiasm
>for it that goes far beyond mere dull work, ...

I have a rather different orientation.  I get excited about my work--but I
have plenty of opportunity to explain its details to others in technical
settings where it's really relevant.  I normally don't care to inflict those
details on SO's as well.

Also, whenever it has been important to explain my work to someone
nontechnical, I've usually been able to explain it in a clear enough
way for a reasonably intelligent non-technical person to understand the
basics.  If I couldn't do that, then I would wonder how well *I* understood
what I was doing!

>However, that's a minor problem.  What's more of a problem is when one's
>SO doesn't even *think* the way you do; and this tends to be the case when
>you are an engineer, let's say, and your SO is in some totally unrelated
>field that does not involve rigorous thinking, e.g., politics, journalism,
>etc. ...

Hmm...  some of my nicest relationships have been with musicians, journalism
students, english majors, ...
-- 

Dana S. Nau,  Comp. Sci. Dept.,  U. of Maryland,  College Park,  MD 20742
dsn@maryland		seismo!umcp-cs!dsn		(301) 454-7932