Re: [SAGE] It almost feels like homework

["Paul M. Moriarty" <pmm@igtc.com>]

Trey Harris writes:
[...]
> 
> But around about SAGE III, you really need to get to the point where you
> know what you *can't* know (at least without backing up several steps in
> your career and starting over), and who to ask when you need to know it.
> Sysadmins who think they can continue to be specialists in everything as
> they progress in their careers aren't terribly good sysadmins (and are
> insufferable to work with besides).

In my career as a sysadmin and as a PHB, it has been my observation that the
"I can do anything and don't need any help" attitude is quite prevalent
among sysadmins, more so than in other parts of IT like, say, application
development.  It's extremely frustrating to try to persuade one with this 
view to take a broader perspective.  

> 
> On the other hand, you *can* be a generalist at a very advanced level.
> Just don't deceive yourself into thinking you're an omnidisciplinary
> specialist.
> 

So, one continues to learn less and less about more and more, until one
knows nothing about everything?  Of course, specialists have the opposite
problem. :)

- Paul -