Stefu's theory of nicknames: Everyone's alias can be shortened to 6 letters or less

[Jon Miller]

yah, I know how mcuh it sucks to being doing something that does not work

my thesis was that way

Jon Miller

[TCO]

Play it smart, big guy. Those fooks. I mean professors. rEally don't care about wasting a grad student on a very difficult problem with little chance of success. They've got tenure. Very different incentives. Pick something easy, where you can get results fast and start publishing very fast.

[RGBVideo]

Come on, I dare ya. Prove me wrong

Haahaa, you were wrong, Tass

[loinburger]

Originally posted by GP
Play it smart, big guy. Those fooks. I mean professors. rEally don't care about wasting a grad student on a very difficult problem with little chance of success. They've got tenure.

My prof's got me doing research on introspective computer programs, i.e. he's got me looking for The Holy Grail.

Ah well, it pays the bills, so **** it -- no harm no foul.

[TCO]

Originally posted by loinburger


My prof's got me doing research on introspective computer programs, i.e. he's got me looking for The Holy Grail.

Ah well, it pays the bills, so **** it -- no harm no foul.

You DON'T want to look for the Holy Grail as a grad student. You want a simple, quick research projkect. Nad than be gone. If you are a PI, the incentives are different. But as a student, take the easy route.

[loinburger]

I can't really complain, it pays the bills -- I'm not locked into the Holy Grail search for my thesis, only for my assistantship. I've been given a helluva lot of leeway on how I proceed with the research, too, so I've got a feeling that most of it will conveniently bleed over into my thesis preparation.

Fortunately, while I probably won't find the Holy Grail, I'm almost guaranteed to find the Holy Styrafoam Cup in the process, and that's Good Enough for a thesis.

[TCO]

Originally posted by loinburger
I can't really complain, it pays the bills -- I'm not locked into the Holy Grail search for my thesis, only for my assistantship. I've been given a helluva lot of leeway on how I proceed with the research, too, so I've got a feeling that most of it will conveniently bleed over into my thesis preparation.

Fortunately, while I probably won't find the Holy Grail, I'm almost guaranteed to find the Holy Styrafoam Cup in the process, and that's Good Enough for a thesis.

Ok. But there is no point in doing research that doesn't benefit you. Cram it into the thesis. Or ditch it.

[loinburger]

Not a problem, the amount that hasn't been written on introspective software is incredible -- if I can't find a Styrafoam Cup out of it then I should probably go back to building retention walls.

The only real question is whether I stay on for a doctorate or leave after a master's -- I've basically got the assistantship for as long as I want it, so funding's taken care of. I figure there's no need to decide for another year, though.

[Locutus]

Originally posted by Frozzy
In the CtPDG, didn't some one call you Locust, Loc?

Yes, quite amusing

If it hadn't been about the 247th time that someone has done that..

[TCO]

Originally posted by loinburger
Not a problem, the amount that hasn't been written on introspective software is incredible -- if I can't find a Styrafoam Cup out of it then I should probably go back to building retention walls.

The only real question is whether I stay on for a doctorate or leave after a master's -- I've basically got the assistantship for as long as I want it, so funding's taken care of. I figure there's no need to decide for another year, though.

More unsolicited advice. Publish. Publish. Publish. GEt every single drop of publishable articles out of your research as you can. Publish several papers instead of one (you can always do a review where you wrap them together.) I published early DESPITE my advisor showing little interest in my work and doubitng if it would be accepted. He got invited to mroe conferences as a result of my stuff than from his standard crap. (AndI made sure to go to some conferences off of it also.) I was able to write my thesis in 10 days. No kidding. Because I just cut and pasted all of my publications.

[loinburger]

What's your take on Ph.D's for folks not going into academia? All of the advice I've gotten so far has been useless, since my relatives are split down party lines -- the ones with Ph.D's say that I should get one, the ones who haven't got Ph.D's say that a doctorate is a waste of time. My undergraduate profs are equally useless -- the one who got his Ph.D right off the bat says that I should do the same, and the one who waited twenty years to get his says that I should do the same. And of course my advisor isn't even worth asking, his answer's pretty much a given.

[TCO]

Originally posted by loinburger
What's your take on Ph.D's for folks not going into academia? All of the advice I've gotten so far has been useless, since my relatives are split down party lines -- the ones with Ph.D's say that I should get one, the ones who haven't got Ph.D's say that a doctorate is a waste of time. My undergraduate profs are equally useless -- the one who got his Ph.D right off the bat says that I should do the same, and the one who waited twenty years to get his says that I should do the same. And of course my advisor isn't even worth asking, his answer's pretty much a given.

1. If you do it, get it done fast. If they're not willing to have you do it fast, don't stay to do one.

2. In CS or engineering, it's probably less important to have a Ph.D. than in Chemistry or Physics.

3. Would be good for you to publish though, regardless. You learn something from going through the process of doing a peer-reviewed paper.

[loinburger]

What's "fast"? I might be able to pull one off in two-and-a-half or three years if I busted my balls...

[Jon Miller]

wow, I think it will take me 5 or 6

Jon Miller

[loinburger]

Any amount of bull**** is accepted for AI theses. Makes the process go a lot faster.

I've also gotta take a heavy class schedule to keep my assistantship, so I wind up meeting the credit requirements much faster than usual.