In case it helps to illustrate the point, those aren’t the most complicated things; those are areas in which a few very complicated, difficult problems exist. For example, semiconductors is a very massive field.
Designing the next utilitarian op amp is not something everyone can do but it’s not that difficult of a problem, necessarily.
Designing the next cutting edge CPU (for Intel or AMD or Apple or whatever) on the other hand is (I imagine) a handful of very difficult problems (most of which I have only the vaguest idea of) like optimizing pipeline and predictive execution or how to get to the next level chip design & fabrication process (which itself has a bunch of different issues, from what I gather).
That’s where I would expect the 10x or whatever to work. At the cutting edge of engineering and science where the hardest problems are.
Standard interview questions are terrible for that. It’s probably better to test how well they learn and how good their thinking is in certain areas.
I’d rather hire someone who hasn’t a clue but can come up to speed than someone with decades of experience that still hasn’t managed to learn much.
Outside of the context of job interviews, I find when talking informally with someone who truly knows a shitload, they tend to know enough to know how much more there is to know and may make mention of that along the way. And those that don’t know how much they don’t know of course can’t really mention that because they can’t even convince of all the stuff they don’t know.
I always pay attention to people who are like the former and who are comfortable with maintaining an appropriate level of uncertainty because it usually means they think more scientifically.
Or put another way, he who speaks loudest knows least.
What “people”, what “experts” and in what field? What industry? Can you provide any additional context for the question?
Is the premise that “people” never hire “experts” or are you wondering about those cases where they don’t? I find it hard to believe this former is universally true.
Just getting back into gaming after eons. First up was Witcher 3… still working on it but damn glad I didn’t miss out on it. It’s been everything I had hoped for.
RDR2 is next. I started it. Not sure.
Stellaris was lauded on Reddit. Excellent game.
I have been wanting to play half life 2 since I first saw it but also never played the first. Am working thru that too. It’s been awesome.
X com UFO Defense is one I played but never finished. Tried to. Fuck that game lol
Good call.
FWIW, We’ve been using HP EliteBooks for several years now. (Maybe 840s at one point).
Never had any issues with mine and performance has been decent. Can’t think of my coworkers ever complaining either.
I think that’s what I would get for a cheap laptop. I found out an apple MacBook charger (USB C) can power one of these. Kind of a nice fallback.
My tips for solder gear are
- get temp control
- get one with easily swapped tips… Of an industry standard size. It’s super helpful to have multiple tip sizes
- clean your tip with brass sponge!!!^1
- cheat mode: use liquid solder flux, Kester 2331 ZX
- follow Sparkfun’s soldering tutorial.
1 I taught a bunch of elementary kids how to solder. We only had water sponges and within minutes nobody could solder right. I had one brass sponge and it made instant difference. Now the tip could actually conduct heat properly. It is seriously an unexpected total game changer.
As for the brand… Whatever Sparkfun or Adafruit is selling is legit but more budget friendly. I took a look and Sparkfun has some good options from Weller.
I got a Weller WS81. It’s been good except the first wand didn’t like too much side pressure (user error really). Otherwise it’s been totally solid for years. They cost a lot less when I got it. Yikes. Get the cheaper WE1010 or the other red one.
An Aoyue might be ok. My Aoyue hot air rework station has been solid for the past several years assembling several hundred boards.
Hope this helps
Lol I feel ya. I ended up making and selling electronics kits to fund the hobby somewhat.
I have been using cheap vintage oscilloscopes the whole time.
Not sure what they go for now but $100 for a 20MHz scope and $200 for a 100MHz was what it was several years ago. Cheapest I got off a buddy for $40. I am still using that one.
Sometimes I fix broken ones and sell them. One time I got one that they thought was broken but turned out it was just the basic settings. I like trying different ones so I have gone through a dozen or so by now.
Now* that I think about it, o-scopes are a whole other hobby lol.
Anyway. Yeah by the time you get the test gear and enough sensors and microcontrollers and whatever it adds up.
Right now I’m working on a power supply design for a 50W class D stereo. Found out big toroidal transformers are not cheap. Oof. And enclosures big enough (especially if labeled “amplifier” or “stereo”) are ridiculously spendy.
Not op, but ours is a Lelit Elizabeth dual boiler. Not cheap but I expect it to last like our Gaggia Espresso Deluxe did, about 15 years. I could’ve gotten away with a single boiler, truth be told but the ability to preinfuse (in a somewhat proper way) depends on it. Non negotiable was the PID temp control. Timed shots is nice to have.
But really I could’ve spent more on the grinder and less on the machine. The grinder I first got wasn’t up to the task of espresso. Didn’t have the range of settings and the grind quality was subpar. Had to get one a year later (grr) and settled on the Eureka Mignon Silencio. The flavor profile is so much clearer (this was obvious from the first shot I made with it) due to grind quality and it has stepless adjustment. So I can dial in the shot pretty well. Timed grind is nice too.
But damn what a lot of money for all this. Still worth it. It’s not much over 10-15 y. And it pays for itself quickly. I can have an espresso drink every day that is far better than many places offer and it costs significantly less even for the super expensive, fancy beans.
So true! Even two diy raised beds ended up costing quite a bit. Lumber is not cheap. Neither was garden soil. Buying perennial plants costs a freaking fortune. I am going to try for seeds for next year. Plus some bulbs. For vegetables, I need to learn how to grow tomatoes from seed. Of course that requires grow lights and such.
That sounds awesome. What is the front end written in? I always struggle writing front end stuff.
I want to get there with ESP32 sensors but haven’t had the motivation or energy to make it happen.
I have a few use cases in mind – soil moisture sensors for the garden, temp monitoring for fridge/freezer, stuff like that.
But so far all my home automation / smart home / “dumb home on the internet” stuff has been off the shelf stuff… so pretty boring.
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