Kevin Thompson

Is your website down this weekend? I still get the "page not found" message.

thanks
Kevin

Marcus,

Are you still selling the "Java 5 Exam Question Database" for $15.00? (The one with 350 questions) If so, what is the URL? The URL for this that I had in my favorites, now says "page not found".

And I did previously purchase your "TigerTamer for Java 5 pdf" for $14.00, which I have been using and it is quite helpful.

thanks,
Kevin

I tell people that the IT profession has a disproportionate percentage of dumb-ass hillbillies when compared to other professions. They think I am exagerating. I wish I was.
Kevin

Michael,
Thanks for your post. All of it looks like something I would say.
And I really like the chickenhawk stuff. Our chickenhawks have no shame!
Kevin

Eugene -
You make good points that I have always agreed with.
What I can't stand is that "Greatest Generation" stuff. I think the greatest generation will be the one that says "HELL NO!" instead of marching off to war.
And the "service to your country" that people talk about - is more appropriately rephrased as "slavery to your master".
I feel sorry for those poor 18-19 year old boys out in Iraq dying for nothing and having their limbs blown off for no reason. They have been lied to and manipulated into thinking they are doing it for "freedom". What a crock. And then, to add insult to injury, after they are permanently disabled by their horrific injuries in Iraq, they come home to America to find out what they really get in return for their permanent sacrifice.
They get the rest of their life on welfare(living in poverty).
However, in contrast, I am sure after the war & after his presidency, Bush will have a happy life out hunting on his ranch and fishing off his daddy's boat.
And for Joe - I owe nothing to my government because I am a citizen. I owe nothing to anybody for any of my rights. I was born with my rights. I own them free and clear.

Kevin
[ February 07, 2004: Message edited by: Kevin Thompson ]

Lie.

What city & country do you work in ?
What is your current pay? Does the consulting company pay you by the hour? If so, what is your hourly rate? Do you get a salary? What is your salary?
Without location & pay info, we can't answer your question.
However, I can tell you that Dallas is dead.
Kevin

Tiffany,
I am assuming you are female. Here is what you need to know.
There is a HUGE PAY DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEEN MEN & WOMEN IN THIS INDUSTRY!
You only get what you DEMAND. They expect women to accept less, that is why they offered less to you.
Kevin

The problem is that there is no such thing as "a solid, lasting career".
If there were such a thing that existed, I am sure that your rules would apply.
Kevin
[ January 17, 2004: Message edited by: Kevin Thompson ]

Mark,
Enough with the snotty comments about me.
Keith - as for finding a mentor - that is probably a good thing. As for myself, I have been a mentor for long time. I have spoken on several occasions to high school students about the IT field, and I also serve as a mentor in a user group that I belong to.
In fact, just today, I was asked to serve as the IT rep and be a speaker at a non-profit summit this spring. I don't know if I have the time, but I was flattered to be asked.
Kevin

H1B is NOT free markets! Good Grief! It is the complete opposite!
I am completely willing to perform IT work in a free market! Bring the competition on!
However, I can't operate with protected special interests (H1Bs brought in by big IT companies) with the defacto slave labor issues.
Kevin

Keith,
Here is my advice on these topics:
Getting more education/degrees:
Do not get involved in this. Contrary to other people's opinions here, I can tell you that the vast vast majority of java developers do NOT have a degree in CS. If you get more than a bachelor's degree in anything, you will have to hide it from the HR department, because you will be over-educated.
Working for free:
There is really no such thing. IT companies simply do not participate in this. THere are a number of huge legal issues involved here - and this does not occur in the real world. However, donation of your personal time to a small non-profit org is possible(by this I mean a bunch of people who know nothing about IT and don't know how to even send e-mail attachments) There are thousands of outfits like this out there.
Networking:
This is mostly physically and emotionally exhausting.
Portfolio:
I have a perfect portfolio that is better than any other developer I have ever seen. (No I am not exagerating.) This has got me nowhere. It has been a real frustration - because I have spent huge amounts of time on my portfolio.
Certs:
You have enough certs. Getting more is not a useful use of time.
"Paying your Dues"
This is bogus. There is no such thing. This is some sort of religious thought process as in - if I suffer enough(go to school long enough, get more certs) - I will then be good enough to enter the gates of heaven(find a job).
What does yield job search results?
Be pretty. Be thin. Be happy. Be perky. Have a "perfect" resume that shows real world experience(even if you have to be very clever and creative to come up with it). Answer all the technical interview questions perfectly. That is how you get a job.
Kevin

Bye Alfred.
I too - sometimes think about coming out of the closet.
I have been posting here for almost 3 years. I am sort of used to my "alias" and I guess it suits me.
It is a form of "protective colorization".
Kevin Thompson

I was asked this question in a technical job interview. The possible answers were:
a) only the "third" button is displayed
b) Three buttons are displayed across a window.
c) A runtime exception is generated (no layout manager)
d) Only the "first" button is displayed
e) only the "second" button is displayed

Of course, as is the case with lots of technical interview questions - I think the question is jibberish and NONE of the answers are correct.
Does anybody here have any thoughts about this?

import java.awt.*; public class FrameTest extends Frame { public FrameTest() { add (new Button("First")); add (new Button("Second")); add (new Button("Third")); pack(); setVisible(true); } public static void main(String args []) { new FrameTest(); } }

On a topic like this - you really need full disclosure from the people giving you opinions. I would guess that the people telling you not to get certifications are the people who have not obtained a certification.
Instead of asking people here - look in the real "normal" so to speak world. The correct question is this ==>
Are there job postings out there on the internet or company web sites that absolutely REQUIRE any of the java certifications for their positions?
The answer is YES.
And as for my own full disclosure - yes I have a pile of certifications.
Kevin
SCJP
SCWCD
SCEA - Part I
IBM Certified Developer - XML