From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: * X-Spam-Status: No, score=1.4 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_50,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,bdc41aa5ff8e1d93 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: dweller@dfw.net (David Weller) Subject: Re: Programmers -> Engineers; Engineers -> Programmers Date: 1996/08/10 Message-ID: <4uiuna$4ut@dfw.dfw.net>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 173407094 references: <1996Aug8.115630.4568@relay.nswc.navy.mil> <4udri5$dmv@michp1.redstone.army.mil> <320CB7C4.53FE@gnn.com> organization: DFWNet -- Public Internet Access newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Date: 1996-08-10T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: In article <320CB7C4.53FE@gnn.com>, Andy Askey wrote: >Kevin J. Weise wrote: >background. Most have a management background which usually allows them >to screw up everyone and everything involved. > > Which is why Scott Adams is laughing all the way to the bank while we laugh over his latest book, The Dilbert Principle. I created a corrolary to the Dilbert Principle called the Dilbert Factor, which is a scale based on the percentage of Dilbert cartoons that apply to your workplace: 100-90% Forget about giving two weeks notice. Leave Now! 90-80% Give two weeks notice, but explain you must take vacation for the last two weeks because "The voices told me to clean my entire gun collection" Because most managers are direct descendants of primates, they will undoubtedly consider this a threat and have some sweaty security guy escort you out of the building. At this point, tell your manager you don't want to take vacation, but you just need to go home for an hour. They will give you the two weeks free. For bonus points, recite bad Vogon poetry to the security guard as he's walking you out. 80-70% You are undoubtedly wondering what to do. You feel like a caged animal. Don't worry, look around. Did you know that the Slobovian word for "animal pen" is "Cubicle"? If your Dilbert Factor is this high, you're probably working for an aerospace company, from which there is no escape. 70-60% This one is tricky, because everybody _thinks_ this is where they are at. You could change jobs, but if you're still planning on staying in your career field, you'll only succeed in changing faces, not your Dilbert Factor. Have you considered becoming a televangelist? Also remember: Managerial intelligence, which some claim is an oxymoron, is scientifically proven to be a constant. Managerial population, sadly, is increasing. You are doomed to watch your Dilbert Factor increase. Give up. 60-50% Rejoice! Have a donut! If you're aspiring to become a manager, however, now is a good time to head up a "Wellness Committee" or "Quality Circle". 50-0% Stop lying! You're either working at home as an overpriced consultant (in which case, I want to know your secret!), or you're already a manager saying, "I don't do those things to my employees" (of course, the fact that you're reading this is probably entirely accidental, but that's beside the point...get back to work on that "rightsizing" report or you won't get this quarter's bonus!) In retrospect, the scale could probably be bigger, but since I don't get paid by the word like Scott, and since my third Whiskey and Coke is sapping my creative juices, I'll just close with this comment: Am I off-topic? -- Visit the Ada 95 Booch Components Homepage: www.ocsystems.com/booch This is not your father's Ada -- lglwww.epfl.ch/Ada