Oh, agreed, I do this as well. Again though, so much bullshit, why should we need dozens or hundreds of email addresses?
I feel like everyone is so used to needing accounts for everything, it's just accepted as a given. When you go to the store to purchase a newspaper, should we have to bring our passport?
Man it’s fallen off a cliff. Many years ago I bought a knockoff Chinese messenger bag from Amazon. It’s fantastic, great materials, good quality zipper, it’s held up to daily use for years and looks even better than when I got it (leather developed a nice patina).
So, I needed another bag, went looking for the same brand as mine. No longer there, but there are 75 identical looking but weirdly named brands instead. I found one that looked as similar as I could to my old bag, and this one is an utter piece of shit. I mean, I’ll use it, it’s a duffle bag so not as much use as the messenger bag, but the difference is stark. Stiff, cheap cloth, leather sure, but probably harvested entirely from cow buttholes, zippers look brass, but one zip and the color wore off…
Everything, even purchased goods have enshittified. Everything looks cool but just absolutely sucks.
I agree, and I do use an open source one, but I disagree that we need to identify ourselves for everything. You can't even look at a resturaunt menu anymore without signing up for an account. Everything is gate kept behind an account, and those accounts are all so interconnected that when one is compromised, it might for multiple and often you will never know (and I'm not talking about password reuse).
Password managers are a good solution to the problem, I'm not mad at them, I'm mad at the problem that necessitates them.
The fact that modern life basically requires a third party app to prevent instant identity theft and fraud is a real problem.
It all comes down to the fact that every fucking service in the world is just there to scrape data. I don’t need to logon and provide my every detail to check the local weather, I shouldn’t have to give my social security number to play video games…
It’s ironic how so many of us find ourselves being extremely valuable for the exact reasons they can’t stand us. As IT, I’m used to being seen as nothing more than red marks on a budget to the folks making decisions. The only thing they hate more than listening to us, is when they have to.
Kinda got a chip on my shoulder today it seems.
Yep, this is the culture I keep running head first into as I try to level up my career.
Bingo. They are breathtakingly low maintenance once you use them.
OP, use what you like, that’s the only trick. If you force yourself to use the “right” stuff, you will get annoyed and stop using them. Use them, find out what works and enjoy.
I started with a set of basic target brand non-stick. I mostly use cast iron and stainless steel now (been doing this for 30 years). I do keep a non-stick for eggs and such, but it’s the least used pan I have.
Once again, thank you, and apologies for the delay in my response. I was traveling this weekend and didn’t have time to really absorb your post until now.
IT degree – The degree I’m looking at is a business degree focused on IT Management. I chose this because it’s business-oriented, lets me leverage some of the experience I already have, and includes content outside my current wheelhouse that’s directly applicable to the roles I’m targeting. It also leaves a future path open if I decide to continue. My intention is to complete the IT Management degree and then evaluate whether I want to go on to an MBA or pursue more education in a different direction. The idea is to achieve something relatively quickly and stack wins so I feel like I’m making real progress. My biggest worry with jumping into something entirely new is burnout.
WGU - This is the first program I’ve really dug into, and it seems like a good fit for what I’m looking for. I understand their model, and my hope is that I can move through it fairly quickly. I’m not trying to “speedrun” it, but I do want to use my existing experience to accelerate where it makes sense. Based on my research, it still checks the most boxes. I have a full-time job, I have kids, I’m an assistant scoutmaster for my kid’s troop and so I need something that lets me learn at my own pace, in fits and bursts as I can clear time. I’ve run some financial numbers, and if I can stick to a plan, I think WGU (or a similar online, competency-based program) is still my best bet. Plus, I kind of like the idea of trying school in a different way than the traditional model, since I never had much love for traditional classroom environments.
Costs – As I said, I’ve run some numbers. I could do some prerequisites through something like Study.com, but the cost savings versus the added complexity just isn’t worth it to me. I’d rather commit to a complete program and march through it; I know myself well enough to know I need to feel like I’m “on the path.” I do have some tuition reimbursement and have reached out to HR for details, but even without that, WGU is affordable. My planning assumes a two-year target for the degree, but I’m fine if it ends up taking three.
I’m working on finding any transferable credits I might have and trying to track down my ACT scores (do 30-year-old test results even still exist?). I’m also talking with some trusted colleagues and friends who’ve been down a similar path for advice. I also personally know a career coach who is absolutely fantastic, and we’re meeting next week.
So, a plan is coming together. Thanks again for all your advice, this is good stuff and will absolutely help me on my path.
Which I always assumed was a hyperbolic stereotype based on things like the “Florida man” phenomenon.
Turns out it is a reality based description.
That’s an interesting euphemism.
Once again, thank you so much. It means a lot coming from someone in the industry, who’s walked a similar path.
I have been making some moves. I am evaluating, but I don’t want to get stuck in analysis paralysis. I’m in the “what happens if my situation changes” stage, and right now, I still think having a degree will be a benefit.
Sure, but I still think there should be a way to do this without the need. Password managers are fine, again, not upset with them but still, it should be easy enough to not need one, at least for a normal person.
A lot of this is due to dealing with my elderly parents. They have so much of their lives reliant on services, but they are no longer capable of even figuring out a password manger. Even for important shit, there should be a better way to do this than having to keep track of hundreds of pieces of information. Passwords shouldn’t even be a thing we ever need to use unless we need to break glass. There are methods out there that work, but it’s so disjointed but also interconnected.
Honestly, no idea how it could be solved other than through legislation maybe. Fat fucking chance with the way the world currently works.