IT is dying

Original author: driftwolf
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I worked as an IT specialist for 22 years. My goal, like that of many other system administrators, was to remain inconspicuous. According to IT specialists, the ideal system is a correctly working system that does not attract attention, but "just works as it should." But have you been awarded me or some other admin for an excellent job? Nifiga like that! Was the guy whose server crashed regularly punished? Nifiga too! Moreover - he received a promotion for correcting emergencies. The very situations that he himself provoked by his shortsightedness. This is why IT is dead.

In management, accounting, etc., if you pay attention to yourself, then you get a promotion. You have to do something to get noticed. Something cool and bright. But in IT, everything is different. The coolest and brightest thing that can happen is to burn up the UPS, followed by a fire in the server room. And this can not be called a good result.

Nevertheless, it is this garbage that an outsourcing IT company has to deal with in order to convince management that it is not in vain that it receives its money. I was really asked to stage emergency situations (mainly on the eve of budget consideration), and only after correcting these situations could we approvingly pat on the shoulder. I know a dozen ways to disable a server and justify it with anything, even a lightning strike, but not with deliberate actions. Gradually, I practically ceased to fulfill my duties conscientiously, and began to worry mainly about salaries. Finally, when my career came full PE, I realized how this business works, where honesty and professional ethics lead to layoffs. In my case, this happened twice. I'm pretty slow learning. And now I'm trying to regain my inner motivation. But at least I can afford it.

When I worked directly in an outsourcing IT company, I had a period of 3 years without a single server failure. Suddenly, the management placed the server in my office, which almost guaranteed a weekly failure.

But managers like it!

Soon, when the servers began to fall, managers had the opportunity to pay attention to how quickly we are able to restore their performance (this is not difficult, especially if you planned and predicted what exactly would fall off and in what order), and added us money. From that moment on, my work was not to prevent problems, but to quickly solve them. But, as far as we have risen in the eyes of managers. It is as simple as a hook, fishing line and sinker. And so we acted in several companies.

Managers could not understand that every server failure costs them not only IT services to restore its performance, but also lost potential customers. No fucking submission! When other employees tried to resolve the essence of the problem in their own language of numbers, managers stubbornly did not want to listen to anything. Sails pretty well dusted their brains. Do not listen to your own workers! Later I realized why this happens: managers, by virtue of their nature and their experience, are simply not able to believe in the honesty and good intentions of other people. When I worked in the pre-sales department (by that time, I had already sold my soul to the devil), I could watch live as the salesmen did everything: they lie, deceive and even steal, just to sign this contract. And then bring down this tub with promises to direct performers. Poor performers came back and said that the promised either in principle does not exist or is impossible to fulfill (but I knew that this could not be done, and I talked about it to the sales, but he asked me to keep silent in the presence of the client). As a result, all the cones flew into the performers! And the salesmen calmly received their handsome interest from the deal, part went to me, and that poor guy who tried to make the bulldozer fly would never get a raise.

That's why IT is dead, dudes. It is impossible for a computer to lie. Either you need to enter the data correctly, or nothing will work. Most of the people with a technical mindset I've met are honest guys. I would even say brutally honest. But honesty is a flaw in our modern business world. Thus, the mentality that allows a person to be a good specialist, prevents progress in the modern "market economy". In it, capitalism - as it is. No ethical standards. Honesty sucks. Who has more dough - that is cooler.

Thus, if you are a good IT specialist, you theoretically and actually have no chance of making a good career. If you try to make something bright, you are NOT a good IT person. You can be the most creative person, but in the IT world this is not necessary. An IT worker should do his job reliably, thoroughly and imperceptibly. Nevertheless, if you do not anneal to the fullest, you can immediately say goodbye to your hopes for a successful career. Heck, in most IT companies, the employee simply has nowhere to go. If you want to advance, go to managers or sales. But put your conscience in front of the farthest door (even better, shoot it, burn it and bury it). Because I have not met a single person with a conscience in more than 500 companies with which I have dealt with during my rather long career.

This is why IT is dead. Society teaches us that if you want to advance, do not bother with technology. You can immediately forget about the technique. Better to know all aspects of human manipulation. Sell ​​your soul to any gods and demons in whom you believe and receive an education in management with a bias in management psychology (both people alone and in crowds). The better you know how to use people, the further you will advance. Learning a technique is a tricky business. She changes every day. The ability to manipulate people changes little over time, so practice it as often as possible.

I apologize for some of the confusion of my statement. I really should have framed these thoughts in a full-fledged post, perhaps with a lesser degree of cynicism and bring more evidence. But I really can no longer remain a naive donkey. I realized that nothing shines in IT and quit. I changed my profession, and God bless anyone who does the same, because in IT for honest, technically savvy people who just want everything to “just work as it should,” it gets worse and worse every day.

translator's notes:
This is my first translation for Habr, so please do not kick especially, but rather write where / what is worth improving. When translating, I tried to keep the intonation and spirit of the original as much as possible.
Also, please note that the opinion of the translator may not coincide with the opinion of the author.

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