The Life of Software Engineers
By Ng Wai Loong

Hello friend (whoever you are if you happen to pop by accidentally or intentionally)!

Once again, I’m back to action after a *hard* week at work. I have been rather busy this round taking on some new development assignment which I thought will be rather challenging for me since I have little knowledge on how to get it up.

It’s about writing some firmware to run on an embedded USB design and at the same time figuring out how to get a Microsoft Windows based application to run and “talk” to the USB device.

Ok, sorry about that before I get too technical into my thoughts…

Anyway, engineers alike will feel the same - it’s getting harder to survive these days with so much globalization going on… and as technology continues to evolve, making lives for the better - or for the worse?

Hmm… I let that for you to decide.

As the economy outlook for Singapore begins to look a bit brighter, people start to move around quite a bit recently. I suppose that if my theory is correct on the staff turnover, this will peek sometime late November and may persist until the end of the first quarter next year.

Yes, and just ending this week, another 2 of our colleagues left us, probably for the greener pastures?

Opps, I don’t mean the 2 as cows in the picture above ok?  It just happens that I’ve found this little cool picture with two cows in it (I kinda like it because its surrounding is so peaceful and that’s the kind of life I enjoy most).

Seriously, how many people do feel that way too?

Or more precisely, how many times are you tempted to move on because of money?

Or because of the new challenges and rewards?

How do we identify the right opportunities to move on, that is also align to our passions? I’ve learn along the way that opportunities, are those who have sharpen their competencies for a considerable time and are ready for it as it jumps on them.

Other times, opportunities required one to breakthrough their comfort zones and challenge themselves to overcome them - somehow (which we all don’t know how but I guess the universe will eventually put us all through these tests).

Amazingly, one of my colleague is already openly declaring seriously to rethink about his future - career, relationship family life etc…

Are you in such position too?

Or are you lost in the maze of financial or relationship struggles?

I guess most of us who have chosen the path of engineering have all one thing in mind - the thrill of getting gadgets of technology to work. If it doesn’t, we’ll just tweak until it turns.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we can do the same to our finances, relationships, family etc?

Unfortunately we engineers, especially software engineers are taken very much for granted for the intangible values we bring. As in any trade, there are of course black sheep among us.

Incidentally, I’ve found a some interesting YouTube video clips (made by some, I presume software engineers?), which may give you a glimpse of what a day as a software engineer may look like (actually just a fantasy…):

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A Day In the Life Of A Software Engineer
(Requires Macromedia Flash 9.x)

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Interestingly, software engineers these days are facing more and more pressure from their tight project schedules. Can you relate yourself (in case if you’re one of our kind) to the video clip below? Perhaps, if you’re the boss, how would you feel?

Just Another Software Engineer
(Requires Macromedia Flash 9.x)

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Finally, here is a very funny clip showing a software engineer, how habitual it is to bring the bad habits of his work back to his private life…

Hard Work Software Engineer
(Requires Macromedia Flash 9.x)

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Before I leave off with your thoughts, I just want to let you know that I’ve just picked up a book from the library today and it’s entitled:

“The Dilbert Principle, A Cubicle’s Eye View of Bosses, Meetings, Management Fads & Other Workplace Afflictions” by Scott Adams

One notable Dilbert Principle on the back of the book:

The most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage -

Management.

A bit hilarious but seemed meaningful on the surface. Anyway, I had a serious laugh reading it on the train on my way home today… and people who don’t know a clue might think that I’m crazy.

Okay, it’s getting late over here now…

I’ll catch up with you again soon!

Till then and have a wonderful week ahead!

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