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Diary of a B+ Grade Polymath ([personal profile] tcpip) wrote2007-09-07 10:16 am
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New Contract, Buy Back LJ, Games for Sale

I applied for a sysadmin position at Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing late last week. Wednesday was the interview. They asked me about my rather diverse academic background (Politics, Philosophy, Sociology, Business Studies, Network Administration). Apart from the obvious technical questions (three-way handshake, Cisco IOS, MTUs, preferred scripting language and the like) they seemed a little surprised when that I had used Fortran (readily admitting it was about twenty years ago), and even more surprised when I correctly answered their joke question: "What is the capital of Upper Volta?". About two hours later they 'phoned me and offered the job. It's a twelve month contract, good pay plus super... and heck, it's VPAC, goddamit. I mean, look at those computers. Phwoar.

I've started a new community for Livejournal; [livejournal.com profile] ljbuyback: With the introduction of unwanted advertising (even on paid accounts), witchhunts on fan-fiction writers, tracking the activities of users, and even rumours that it will be sold to News Corp, many people are unhappy with the service provided by Six Apart. Thus, it is necessary for actual users to buy back Livejournal and establish a new organisation which will not make any such decisions before consulting with the users. It is the users that make the communities, not the body which owns the technology. Join up and pass this information on to others.

Finally, with the realisation that I own more simulation and roleplaying games than most of the gaming stores in Melbourne, I've finally started some culling. Every day I'll put a few items up here. If you want to know whether I have anything special (e.g., a rare copy of the 1976 edition of Metamorphosis Alpha) feel free to ask.
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[identity profile] greylock.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
Damn. And I just re-activated my eBay account.

$1.25 for AD&D 1st! Where's the Buy Now option?

[identity profile] mr-e-cat.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 12:33 am (UTC)(link)
The AD&D collection look good but I refuse to sign up to ebay to bid on them!

[identity profile] grailchaser.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 12:35 am (UTC)(link)
Congratulations!

So what is the answer to, "What is the capital of Upper Volta?"

[identity profile] drjon.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
What are the chances you''d have the Steve Jackson Prisoner suppliment?
ext_74493: (cylonkitty)

[identity profile] wildilocks.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know if it would be worth buying back LJ, or that 6A would let it go for a reasonable sum given that the basic code is out there all over the place for free, and if LJ *does* go down - there are half a dozen already well populated LJ clone sites which will fight for King _J immediately, and also, I am confident that something better than LJ is likely to be developed in the not too distant future [though it's none of the big guys and I've yet to see anything even close to LJ functionality on the horizon]. I even have my theories on the tech, but so far I am keeping mum about that ;)

Just one q: was your plan to keeeeell facebook someting to do with buying back LJ, or something else?

[identity profile] ivansun.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
Phwoar indeed! congrats on your new job.

[identity profile] the-shadow298.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
Congrats, Lev. Great news on the job front.

By-the-by, what is the Capital of Upper Volta? :)

[identity profile] angel80.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 03:46 am (UTC)(link)
Congrats and Upper Volta is actually now called Burkina Faso! Did they know that?

Hosting LJ outside the US might be a good plan. No fuss about H Potter being under 18.

ironed_orchid: watercolour and pen style sketch of a brown tabby cat curl up with her head looking up at the viewer and her front paw stretched out on the left (Default)

[personal profile] ironed_orchid 2007-09-07 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
Congrats on the new contract.

I think your buy lj comm needs a manifesto. I often just paste the info blurb into the first entry.
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[identity profile] damien-wise.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 10:19 am (UTC)(link)
I applied for a sysadmin position at Victorian Partnership for Advanced Computing late last week

Been there, done that (well, been a Tech Writer there). :)
Seriously cool place to work/contract. Switched-on bunch, laid-back atmosphere, easy to get to. And, their computers, wooo! :->
I think you'll really like it. :)

[identity profile] cheshirenoir.livejournal.com 2007-09-07 01:25 pm (UTC)(link)
You realise this auction gives you access to the one of the earliest Charles Stross works?

VPAC ... wow

[identity profile] imajica-lj.livejournal.com 2007-09-08 06:11 am (UTC)(link)
My most hearty congratulations mon ami ... well deserved.

[identity profile] evil-genius.livejournal.com 2007-09-08 05:56 pm (UTC)(link)
congrats on the job mate.
I too started a new job this week. My first in nearly 3 years(thank you Finland). It's certainly a nice feeling.

[identity profile] tentacularone.livejournal.com 2007-09-09 01:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay job! Boo SixApart! Got any Call of Cthulhu stuff? I don't care whether it's the original Chaosium or later d20 stuff, I mishmash them anyway.
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