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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:The Digital way of working
Moderator:QUARK::LIONELON
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5321
Total number of notes:139771

2870.0. "Well, here's my official goodbye TFSO note" by ANGLIN::SCOTTG (Dammit Jim, I'm a person not a resource!) Tue Jan 25 1994 07:13

    You're all probably sick of TFSO goodbye notes, but I just have to do
    one.  Besides, I know lots of good people around the company and
    this is the best way I know of to say goodbye.
    
    My layoff meeting was at 10AM Monday Jan 24.  It was civilized and the
    MCS managers showed lots of class in a difficult situation.  I would
    rather be in my shoes than theirs - at least I get paid for the
    trouble!
    
    How can I even begin to write down the memories that flood back over
    the last 12+ years?  Well, I won't bore all of you with that stuff.
    
    I've had the privilege to meet some of the smartest people on this
    planet and touch some of the neatest technology ever invented.  It's
    been one wild ride and I wouldn't trade the experiences and what I have 
    learned here for anything.
    
    I'm one of the lucky ones - I get a nice wad of cash to leave.  I don't
    think my friends who are left will get the same benefit.
    
    It's a shame DEC's leaders can't get their heads out of their butts and
    look at the world around them.  A couple observations:  Glancing
    through the Sunday want ads in my local Minneapolis Star-Tribune, I see
    just tons of opportunities for people with "client/server" experience. 
    Unfortunately, this means HP UX or SUN servers with Windows based
    database front end tools.  Novell networks are also big around here. 
    Out of 3-4 pages of classified ads, I found one maybe two jobs where
    DEC experience is an asset.  Over roughly the last 4 weeks, I can think
    of exactly 3 positions where DEC experience counts for anything.
    
    I just don't buy Bob Palmer's spin control about the Q2 financials.
    You know it, I know it, and the SLT knows it - the latest quarter was a
    disaster and they have no plan to make the next quarters any better,
    other than chopping more people who actually do the work.  I'm afraid
    the company is heading into the toilet and the SLT is leading the way.  
    
    How to fix it?
    
    If DEC is to have a prayer of surviving, the managerial metric games
    need to stop dead in their tracks.  No more fights over who gets credit
    for what sale.  No more silly metrics that incent people to screw
    customers.  No more screwing employees to serve some short term
    political purpose.  No more subtle word games about issues such as
    company cars and tuition reimbursement.  No more managerial technology 
    and turf wars.  Change the authoritarian decision making and really 
    decentralize it.  Change the MIS systems to be a help, not a hinderance, 
    to business.  Grow some entrepreneurial sprit and reward it.  
    
    Encourage smart risk taking.  Right now, everyone has authority to say 
    "NO", but nobody has authority to say "YES".  This must be fixed and
    fixed from the top.
    
    This company is still filled with people who want to improve things.  I
    just read a note in here from somebody who is willing to contribute
    their own money for advertising.  There are lots of other positive
    suggestions in this notes file.  After all the crap over the last few
    years, the company is still filled with people who care, people who are
    willing to take a risk to get a job done.  If management really wants
    to improve the company and grow some market share, they ought to spend
    less time meeting with eachother and more time looking at the suggestions 
    of some of their employees - the people who are closest to the work.
    
    OK, I've bitched enough.  It's not my problem any more.
    
    I look forward to a happy and prosperous future and I wish all of you
    the best.  Watch your backs.
    
    - Greg Scott
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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2870.1BSS::GROVERThe CIRCUIT_MANTue Jan 25 1994 11:428
    Now cut... that.... out.....
    
    If I hadn't seen your name at the bottom of .0, I'da sworn it was KO
    who wrote that.....
    
    You know it ain't PC to sound like KO anymore.....!
    
    
2870.3GOOD bye GregANGLIN::SULLIVANTake this job and LOVE itTue Jan 25 1994 20:578
Goodbye Greg, 

We'll miss you. Now We have no one to handle Our LOR's.

And also GOOD LUCK in your future postions. I know you will find something fast

Steve

2870.4Here's my new e-mail address via CompuserveANGLIN::SCOTTGDammit Jim, I'm a person not a resource!Tue Jan 25 1994 23:4032
    I hooked up with compuserve today and figured out how to send a mail
    message to myself at DEC and it made it through the internet.  I
    haven't tried to send anything back to myself at home yet - I suppose I
    should probably try to reply to this thing to see if it can do a round
    trip.  
        
    But anyway, here is how to get me in cyberspace after this week.
    
    I really think I am going to miss the late night notes and mail the
    most.
    
    - Greg
    
From:	US1RMC::"72102.136@CompuServe.COM" "Greg Scott" 25-JAN-1994 13:32:48.63
To:	<anglin::scottg>
CC:	
Subj:	Test message to myself at DEC

This is a test message to Greg Scott at DEC


% ====== Internet headers and postmarks (see DECWRL::GATEWAY.DOC) ======
% Received: by us1rmc.bb.dec.com; id AA24710; Tue, 25 Jan 94 14:30:23 -0500
% Received: from dub-img-2.compuserve.com by inet-gw-1.pa.dec.com (5.65/13Jan94) id AA27083; Tue, 25 Jan 94 11:27:43 -080
% Received: from localhost by dub-img-2.compuserve.com (8.6.4/5.930129sam) id OAA21243; Tue, 25 Jan 1994 14:13:57 -050
% Date: 25 Jan 94 13:29:51 EST
% From: Greg Scott <72102.136@CompuServe.COM>
% To: <anglin::scottg>
% Subject: Test message to myself at DEC
% Message-Id: <940125182951_72102.136_DHS66-1@CompuServe.COM>
    
    
2870.5HAAG::HAAGRode hard. Put up wet.Wed Jan 26 1994 04:083
    re: .0
    
    amen brother. amen.
2870.6Here's some shameless self promotion - plz forward!ANGLIN::SCOTTGDammit Jim, I'm a person not a resource!Fri Jan 28 1994 12:30143
    Well, they haven't turned off my account yet.  So in a shameless act of
    self promotion, here's a copy of my resume.  I am interested in short
    term consulting for a while.  Maybe you have a customer who is
    considering putting together an RFP and needs the services of an
    independent consultant.  Maybe you have a customer who needs someone to 
    evaluate their IS strategy.  Maybe you need someone to deliver an
    uplifting, high quality seminar. 
    
    Think of me!  Well, do more than think of me - give me a call at
    (612) 452-3935.  Or send me mail on Compuserve at
    
    		72102.136@CompuServe.com
    
    I did all that and more as a DEC employee.  I'll do it for you now as
    an independent consultant.
    
    - Greg Scott
    OpenVMS Partner emeritus
    Newly independent consultant





                                  D. Gregory Scott
                                 3968 Westbury Way
                               Eagan, Minnesota 55123
                                phone: (612)452-3935

          Goal: provide a significant contribution to an innovative
          organization interested in using leading edge information
          technology to gain a competitive advantage.


                                Employment History:
    
          (Nov 1992 - Feb 1994 ) District Software Product Services
          Consultant and OpenVMS Partner, Digital Equipment Corp.,
          Bloomington, Minnesota.  Serves as an expert in the district for
          these software  products.  Takes the lead in defining and
          resolving complex technical issues within the District, provides
          training for district engineers, and partners with the Support
          Centers for timely undefined problem resolution; responsible for
          all problem escalations in the  District; ensures that technical
          problems are defined to a level that Engineering groups can
          focus on them without additional follow-up  information.

          (Jan 1991 - Nov 1992 ) Software Consultant and VMS Partner,
          Digital Equipment Corp, Bloomington, Minnesota. Provide high
          level sales support consulting to customer decision makers;
          deliver non-disclosure presentations about Digital's future
          product directions; represent Digital at local and regional
          industry forums including the IEEE, industry trade shows, and
          user group meetings; provide customer feedback on product
          directions to Digital Engineering and product management. Winner
          of FY 1991 Digital Circle of Excellence award.  Winner of FY
          1992 VMS Partner Excellence award; partnered with one other
          consultant to plan, set up, and run the e-mail room at the 1992
          Minneapolis Supercomputer show, to rave reviews.

          (Jan 1988 - Jan 1991) Principle Software Specialist, Digital
          Equipment Corp., Bloomington, Minnesota. Provided strategic
          sales support consulting to Digital's customers and potential
          customers in Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota, and
          Wisconsin; also delivered technical and management consulting
          when required.

          (May 1985 - Jan 1988) MAPP MCCS-II Project Leader, Digital
          Equipment Corp, Bloomington, Minnesota. MAPP (Mid-continent Area
          Power Pool) is a group of electric utility companies across the
          upper midwest United States and Canada who cooperate to provide
          the most cost effective and reliable electric service possible.
          I led the team to build a communication network and several
          distributed applications among MAPP member companies to enhance
          this cooperation. The system has provided better than 99.96
          percent uptime since going live in October, 1987.

          (Aug 1981 - May 1985) Principle Software Specialist, Digital



                                                     (continued on next page)








          Equipment Corp, Arlington Heights, Illinois. Supported the
          RSTS/E and VAX/VMS operating systems as a team leader with the
          Central Region Technical Backup Support Unit. Duties included
          answering "hotline" calls from Digital Software Specialists in
          the field, delivering highly technical consulting to customers,
          "fighting fires" in difficult customer situations, giving
          seminars and other informal tutoring to other Digital Software
          Specialists, and assisting the field in any other way possible;
          also assisted our manager with the day-to-day running of the
          unit and mentored less senior members of the group. Promoted to
          Senior Software Specialist April, 1983, Principal Software
          Specialist October, 1984. Winner of the FY 1983 and 1984 Digital
          Software Services Excellence Award.

          (March 1984 - Aug 1984) On loan to Chicago District as a member
          of  the National Association of Realtors INSITE product
          development team. Took over as a team leader to implement the
          General Ledger subsystem; redesigned much of it to meet new
          customer requirements.

          (June 1979 - Aug, 1981) Assistant Director Computing Center,
          Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Indiana.
          Responsibilities included the maintenance and development of all
          administrative software, excluding the Business Office, and
          managing the administrative computer system. Was also in charge
          of the smooth operation of the Computing Center when the
          Director was away. Designed, coded, and implemented software to
          prepare financial-aid packages for students, resulting in a
          savings of several thousand dollars. Successfully managed the
          installation of the new PDP 11/44 administrative computer;
          proposed, designed, coded, and  implemented RHIS (Rose Hulman
          Information System), an on-line data management system which
          formed the base for all the other administrative software
          throughout the college. This included the Alumni, Registrar's,
          Admissions, Student Affairs, and Financial Aid offices.

                                    Education:
          Bachelor of Arts (1979) from Wabash College,     Crawfordsville,
          Indiana, with a double major of Math and Speech.

          Major Accomplishments during College: Attended DePauw
          Undergraduate Honors Conference to present my lecture, "The Use
          of Mathematics in the Study of Speech - Journey to Magicland."
          Developed and implemented software to perform multi-precision
          arithmetic to any desired degree of accuracy. "Numeral" in
          Swimming, spring 1975-76.

          Currently pursuing an M.B.A. degree at the University of St.
          Thomas, Minneapolis, Minnesota.




2870.7...Or maybe you know somebody with a contextual spell-checker!ANGLIN::SCOTTGDammit Jim, I'm a person not a resource!Fri Jan 28 1994 13:185
    OK OK, I'm a dynamite consultant but lousy speller.  Paul Beck sent me
    mail and said it's "Principal", not "principle".  I always thought it
    was "principle" - have I been nuts all these years?
    
    - Greg
2870.8Yep! Their differentODIXIE::SCRIVENFri Jan 28 1994 13:276
    Principal is the "head honcho" in grammer/elementary/high school. 
    Principle is on of those things you usually stand on and cut your nose
    off to spite your face (not always, but most times).
    
    Toodles.....JP
    
2870.9A *lot* of people get that one wrong...HYDRA::BECKPaul BeckFri Jan 28 1994 13:287
    I think spelling nits are justified when it's your resume.

    Principal: One who takes a leading part in some action.

    Principle: A general truth or law, basic to other truths.

    (Top level definitions from my Funk and Wagnalls.)
2870.10nested nitSMURF::WALTERSFri Jan 28 1994 13:546
    
    resume = restart or begin again
    
    resume(') = not possible on this particular device.... ;-)
    
    
2870.11MU::PORTERpage in transitionFri Jan 28 1994 14:416
2870.12from grammar schoolOASS::STDBKR::Burden_dSynchromesh gearboxes are for wimpsFri Jan 28 1994 14:445
I always remember it as:

The Principal is your 'pal'......

Dave
2870.13AXEL::FOLEYRebel without a ClueFri Jan 28 1994 14:447

	Mr. Romeo, my 2nd grade principal always said "It's
	PrinciPAL because I'm your pal". Amazing the things
	one retains..

						mike
2870.14AXEL::FOLEYRebel without a ClueFri Jan 28 1994 14:465

	Doh! Notes collision!

						mike
2870.15extra typing and characters might be an overkillSTAR::ABBASIa fork can be worst than a mateFri Jan 28 1994 14:4924
    i agree with \Dave on this one as far as how it "should" be written, but 
    i always wondered what the purpose of these little accents on top of the 
    e's for? it seems just a waste of extra typing to me, and it dont 
    change the meaning of the word resume also.

    i think in communication skills, we should strive to be efficient,
    to the point, short, and direct, and to try to avoid extra wording
    if at all necessary, and any extra characters (like the accents
    in resume) so to avoid confusions on the part of the readers.

    there are many words in English that need to be cleaned out and
    put in proper form, and resume and principle is only few of them.

    iam working on a list on words that easily confused between each others
    and i intend to make it public once it is over.

    please, let all be careful out there.

    \nasser
    ps. i also agree with \Paul \Beck on his outline of the differences
    on the word priciple.



2870.16err... umm... extra characters like \ perhaps??DRDAN::KALIKOWFri Jan 28 1994 14:535
    ... :-)
    
    ... but I hasten to add that there is ONE character whose words are
        always welcome on MY screen...  \nasser!
    
2870.17Since I started the rathole I guess I deserve thisANGLIN::SCOTTGDammit Jim, I'm a person not a resource!Fri Jan 28 1994 19:149
    Ok, enough ratholing - this is my goodbye note after all.  I'll fix it. 
    I already left 60 copies on people's desks all over the office and
    blasted it electronically everywhere I could think of - while I can
    still blast it.  Now thousands of people around the world will know I'm
    a lousy speller.
    
    So anybody got any work or what?
    
    - Greg (probably one of the last notes I'll ever enter)
2870.18ARCANA::CONNELLYAack!! Thppft!Fri Jan 28 1994 20:398
re: nits

I'll be happy if more than 50% of the writers here stop spelling "lose" as
"loose".

Good luck, Greg!
								- paul
2870.19more nitsMCITS1::BASCHALFri Jan 28 1994 20:566
    re: nits
    
    And I'll be happy if at least some people stop using "then" when they mean
    "than" and vice-versa.
    
    Jim
2870.20SUBURB::THOMASHThe Devon DumplingMon Feb 07 1994 10:0618
>    i always wondered what the purpose of these little accents on top of the 
>    e's for? it seems just a waste of extra typing to me, and it dont 
>    change the meaning of the word resume also.

	Er, it does chasnge the meaning, without the accent, the word is 
	English, and means to re-start.  With the accent, the word is Fench,
	and means an overall description.

>    there are many words in English that need to be cleaned out and
>    put in proper form, and resume and principle is only few of them.

	Nasser, resume means restart in English.
	For career history, American uses a french word with an accent
		       and  Engilsh uses the Latin; Curriculum Vitae


	Heather

2870.21ZOLA::AHACHEMagic HappensWed Feb 16 1994 12:056
    
    We could always switch to calling them Curriculum Vita, then there's
    no accent involved.  When I was in France people always use to talk
    about CV's and at first I had no idea what they were talking about.
    
    
2870.22QUARK::LIONELFree advice is worth every centWed Feb 16 1994 13:235
2870.23:-}LGP30::FLEISCHERwithout vision the people perish (DTN 223-8576, MSO2-2/A2, IM&amp;T)Wed Feb 16 1994 13:396
re Note 2870.21 by ZOLA::AHACHE:

>     about CV's and at first I had no idea what they were talking about.
  
        ...a kind of propeller shaft joint common in
        front-wheel-drive cars?
2870.24No, no, that's not quite rightDPDMAI::EYSTERDogbert's Clues for the CluelessWed Feb 16 1994 14:0211
    
    It's Latin for "Here are my credentials".  Unfortunately, the business
    world quit using Latin because of bad press with the crucifixion thing,
    thus causing the subsequent unemployment and fall of the Roman empire.
    
    This might also explain the high unemployment rate in Britain, by the
    by, except in the propeller shaft manufacture/repair business.
    
    Glad to clear all this up.
    
    					Brent
2870.25Duh, duh, deux....CVCHEFS::HEELANDale limosna, mujer......Wed Feb 16 1994 14:236
    Doesn,t the French version of "CV" imply a nose-down attitude with a
    high rear (and a tendency to swing wildly on corners) ?
    
    :-)
    
    John
2870.26dire criticism on diacriticalsSMURF::WALTERSWed Feb 16 1994 15:3011
    
    > We could always switch to calling them Curriculum Vita, then there's
    > no accent involved.  
    
    If you heard it in France, wasn't it still pronounced with
    an accent?   %-)
    
    2CV, my first car.....
    
    Colin
    
2870.27ZOLA::AHACHEMagic happens if you let itWed Feb 16 1994 16:559
    
    Thanks .22 I didn't know how to do the combination at the end.  If
    using Curriculum Vita (don't know how to make the combination)
    is tied into the downfall of the Roman empire then it might be only too
    appropriate for someone leaving DEC (oops Digital).  
    
    ^   ^
      ^
      v
2870.28USHS01::HARDMANMassive Action = Massive ResultsThu Feb 17 1994 02:237
2870.29 Sorry about the Rathole. SUBURB::POWELLMNostalgia isn't what it used to be!Thu Feb 17 1994 08:1014
2870.30digression re: .28REGENT::LASKOIf I need it, why isn't it the default?Thu Feb 17 1994 12:353