Megan Forbes - Professional Profile

15-Aug-03 20:49

Thanks Nitron Smile | :)

That's made my day!

I'm glad you liked it - it was a wonderful evening for Brendan and I. It was our 18 month wedding anniversary, and there we were, on the edge of a lake with a thermos of coffee, 2 camera's and a tripod, with an unexpected beautiful fireworks display on the other side of the lake Cool | :cool:

Life is such fun

Look at the world about you and trust to your own convictions. - Ansel Adams

Photography[^]

Talk to me :)

Megan Forbes2-Dec-02 5:41

2-Dec-02 5:41

After the "we" test fiasco (thanks Brian for being so quick on the draw Roll eyes | :rolleyes:

), I now feel it's time for a sensible thread.

So now that it's started, what would you like to know from the Oracle of Megness? Or tell the Oracle of Megness - oracle's are into learning about people, stuff, other cultures, techie stuff, etc.

Oh, and Dell PDA donations will add to the quality of the answers you recieve from the Oracle. Jig | [Dance]

I knew it would end badly when I first met Chris in a Canberra alleyway and he said 'try some - it won't hurt you'..... - Christian Graus on Code Project outages

A moment of silence please. A programmer's best friend has passed beyond that great exception in the sky.... - Mark Conger on "The coffee machine has died"

SimonS4-Dec-02 19:16

SimonS

4-Dec-02 19:16

Howzit Megan

I'd be keen to know something from you.
A friend of mine left for the UK 1.5 years ago as a mid-range J2EE architect/snr developer and admits that he's now a junior architect *again* because of the apparent lack of tech. skills / advancement in UK.

Do you think this is fair?

Is SA really good in terms of technology use?

Cheers,
Simon

"From now on, if rogue states want to buy weapons of mass destruction, they're going to have to go on eBay," Mr. Bezos said.

Megan Forbes4-Dec-02 23:08

4-Dec-02 23:08

SimonS wrote:
A friend of mine left for the UK 1.5 years ago as a mid-range J2EE architect/snr developer and admits that he's now a junior architect *again* because of the apparent lack of tech. skills / advancement in UK.

There is a problem here with the IT market being flooded with possible candidates for every position. This has caused the sad scenario of overqualified people applying for junior positions with low salaries because it's all they can get. Unfortunately this can lead to "going backwards" in your career. However, in my experience general employment conditions are still better. I was employed as a developer in SA, expected to do everything that every client required. My boss could program well, but was extremely lazy, so I learnt nothing from him, and the result was that progress was slow and poor practices were used (all ASP - SQL code in the page, etc).

When I arrived in the UK I specifically applied for junior positions because I did not feel my SA experience justified anything better here. I was lucky, I have a boss who not only believes in doing things the right way (eg.he would crucify us if we tried to put SQL connections in an ASP page Laugh | :laugh:

), but also tries to teach us the best way of doing things. Perhaps I was just lucky, but I have found working here to be a far more pleasant experience.

SimonS wrote:
Is SA really good in terms of technology use?

This may seem strange after what I've said above, but yes, SA seems to be extremely advanced - in the area's which could be considered first world. Unfortunately as you know this does not extend to everyone in the country. For example, I just got a Nokia 7210 on a contract here. I paid in a little extra, but nothing that set me back by more than a weeks savings. When I tried to find info on what it could do I eventually had to resort to the SA Vodacom site! Pretty crazy - although I doubt if many people will be getting the phone in SA for a while, whereas here it is readily available, the SA site was far more informative. Sometimes I think that it's because SA's have the potential to do well in all these technologies, but not the cash to afford them personally that we are so driven to excel in these areas.

Unsure | :~

Hmmm... what a long answer Big Grin | :-D

How are you finding work in SA anyway? I would love to move from here to the Cape in a couple of years, but unless things improve drastically, I wonder what the chances for success would be. Even less chance it would seem for the Knysna / Plett area Frown | :(

I knew it would end badly when I first met Chris in a Canberra alleyway and he said 'try some - it won't hurt you'..... - Christian Graus on Code Project outages

Religion without Science is blind, Science without Religion is lame -Albert Einstein

SimonS4-Dec-02 23:28

SimonS

4-Dec-02 23:28

Megan Forbes wrote:
How are you finding work in SA anyway?
Well, things are OK.
One thing that can be annoying, and probably career limiting (if you let it) is working in companies that don't think testing/spec'ing is *really* necessary.
And I'm not referring to small startups. Eek! | :eek:

Talking of startups, I use to work for one, and I still think that, that was the best experience I've had. That was almost 2 years ago. WTF | :WTF:

Still, I keep busy with new technologies and am always on the look out to learn something new and meet up with new companies, etc...
I've been pretty lucky that I help out with running a user group, so that's been a good foot-in-the-door.

I've thought of leaving SA, as I'm sure most ppl have, but at the end of the day I've got 90% of my family here and would probably come back every couple of months for a holiday anyway. Blush | :O

Cheers,
Simon

"From now on, if rogue states want to buy weapons of mass destruction, they're going to have to go on eBay," Mr. Bezos said.

Megan Forbes4-Dec-02 23:44

4-Dec-02 23:44

SimonS wrote:
I've been pretty lucky that I help out with running a user group, so that's been a good foot-in-the-door.

There are very good opportunities there, it's great to hear when someone has managed to find good work there, and can enjoy the beauty of the country. Smile | :)

SimonS wrote:
I've thought of leaving SA, as I'm sure most ppl have, but at the end of the day I've got 90% of my family here and would probably come back every couple of months for a holiday anyway.

One thing about working overseas and SA's - most seem to see it as permanent. Certainly my husband and I don't. We are gaining skills, and savings over here (both studying postgraduate part time in the evenings), which we will take back to SA in a couple of years to make our lives better, and hopefully spread the skills to those around us, thus benefitting the country.

As for coming home every couple of months - we fly in 11 days for our 24 day Christmas holiday over there Jig | [Dance]

We really can't wait to get back into the bush! Cool | :cool:

SimonS4-Dec-02 23:58

SimonS

4-Dec-02 23:58

Megan Forbes wrote:
really can't wait
Me too.
It's off to Plett for 2 weeks for me via George with my digital cam and 10Gb of space for pics. Jig | [Dance]

Just not too sure how pleased my parents will be with my dialing to another town (Knysna) to get my ~~monthly~~ ~~daily~~ ~~hourly~~ minutely Green Alien | [Alien]

fix.
Maybe I can blame it on my younger sister. Laugh | :laugh:

It'll be just like when we were growing up.

Cheers,
Simon

"From now on, if rogue states want to buy weapons of mass destruction, they're going to have to go on eBay," Mr. Bezos said.

Nitron10-Dec-02 14:21

Nitron

10-Dec-02 14:21

Megan Forbes wrote:
oracle's are into learning about people

Hi Megan. I've seen you in the lounge and I'm sure we've exchanged ideas, but I never formally introduced myself. My real name is Walter Storm and I live in TX, USA. (Not a native mind you, nor an aggie Dead | X|

!) I went to school in Daytona Beach, FL [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University[^]] where I met my wife. I studied Aerospace Engineering and my wife studied Aeronautical Science (she's a pilot and writes weapons systems manuals WTF | :WTF:

). I'm origionally from Pennsylvania, and we moved to Tx for the jobs. I am a systems engineer for an aircraft company and write software to test flight control systems and do data analysis. Anyway, that's my life story in 100 words or less Poke tongue | ;-P

- Nitron

"Those that say a task is impossible shouldn't interrupt the ones who are doing it." - Chinese Proverb

Megan Forbes12-Dec-02 23:17

12-Dec-02 23:17

Hi!

Nice to meet you formerly, Walter Smile | :)

. Your career sounds extremely interesting, as does your wife's!

Nitron wrote:
nor an aggie

What's this?

I knew it would end badly when I first met Chris in a Canberra alleyway and he said 'try some-it won't hurt you'... -Christian Graus on Code Project outages

His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a tumble dryer.
It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to he wall-Shaun Wilde

Nitron13-Dec-02 3:13

Nitron

13-Dec-02 3:13

Megan Forbes wrote:
Nitron wrote:
nor an aggie

What's this?

Well, in Texas, most people go to a university here called Texas A&M[^], and the students there call themselves 'aggies'. Dead | X|

- Nitron

"Those that say a task is impossible shouldn't interrupt the ones who are doing it." - Chinese Proverb

benjymous6-Jan-03 4:15

benjymous

6-Jan-03 4:15

How's the holiday (gone/going/whatever)?

Any photos for us to see?

--
Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!

Megan Forbes19-Jan-03 7:45

19-Jan-03 7:45

benjymous wrote:
How's the holiday (gone/going/whatever)?

It was great thanks! Cool | :cool:

benjymous wrote:
Any photos for us to see?

Look up Smile | :)

A pack of geeks, pale and skinny, feeling a bit pumped and macho after a morning of strenuous mouse clicking and dragging, arriving en masse at the gym. They carefully reset the machines to the lowest settings, offer to spot for each other on the 5 lb dumbells, and rediscover the art of macrame while attempting to jump rope. -Roger Wright on my colleagues and I going to gym each day at lunch

Brian Delahunty12-Jan-03 1:04

12-Jan-03 1:04

Megan Forbes wrote:
thanks Brian for being so quick on the draw

I've been a bit slow this time though Roll eyes | :rolleyes:

Megan Forbes wrote:
Oh, and Dell PDA donations will add to the quality of the answers you recieve from the Oracle.

OMG | :OMG:

Really???.. Cool.... Poke tongue | ;-P

Congratulations on the Anniversary. Rose | [Rose]

Regards,
Brian Dela Smile | :)

Run naked in the snow until you're sweating like a stuck pig and can't seem to catch your breath. When the flu becomes pneumonia, they can cure that with a shot. - Roger Wright

Megan Forbes12-Jan-03 4:01

12-Jan-03 4:01

Brian Delahunty wrote:
Really???.. Cool....

Undoubtadely! Cool | :cool:

(why does that spelling seem so Brianishly wrong? Blush | :O

)

Extra lenses for a Sony DSC F707 tend to have a similar effect Poke tongue | ;-P

Brian Delahunty wrote:
Congratulations on the Anniversary.

Thanks Smile | :)

test

Megan Forbes23-Oct-02 6:38

23-Oct-02 6:38

We don't need a thinker! We need a do-er! Someone who will act first, without considering the consequences. - Homer J Simpson

Brian Delahunty24-Oct-02 3:02

24-Oct-02 3:02

Megan wrote:
we

hmmm... we [ WTF | :WTF:

]???? could you elaborate for me please Megan..

Regards,
Brian Dela Smile | :)

Megan Forbes24-Oct-02 20:05

24-Oct-02 20:05

Hmm... guess I (and my invisible friends) have a thread now - I was trying to figure out where my name went during a formatting hiccup - didn't expect anyone to reply before I deleted the test Laugh | :laugh:

Brian Delahunty wrote:
hmmm... we []???? could you elaborate for me please Megan..

There is a theory that the "w" key is next to the "e" key on the keyboard and just happened to fall under Meg's fingers during the "test". Fortunately we all know that's just a ruse... Poke tongue | ;-P

I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty

Brian Delahunty25-Oct-02 1:01

25-Oct-02 1:01

Megan Forbes wrote:
There is a theory that the "w" key is next to the "e" key on the keyboard

Yeah right. Sure Megan.. You keep on believeing th... oh.. Your right. Sorry. Big Grin | :-D

Regards,
Brian Dela Smile | :)

Brian Delahunty6-Nov-02 6:17

6-Nov-02 6:17

Moch Frap;s Mad | :mad:

Regards,
Brian Dela Smile | :)

Megan Forbes6-Nov-02 9:01

6-Nov-02 9:01

Sorry

But in the words of Homer "They're so tasty!"

Aaah, I think I will take a trip to Starbucks tomorrow morning Big Grin | :-D

Deploying a web application without understanding security is roughly equivalent to driving a car without seatbelts - down a slippery road, over a monstrous chasm, with no brakes, and the throttle jammed on full.

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