uucp@ucbvax.UUCP (05/30/84)
From: decvax!mcvax!ariadne!dt (Dionysis Tsichritzis)
Since I'm here talking always in greek allow me to divert in English.
I'm following the discussion about prog. languages with interest.
I don't think people are wide apart and they discuss minor differences
in dogma.What is interesting is that so many Greeks exist who profess
to be involved with computers.
The language issue served us well to get acquainted.
Allow me to present you some other issues.
Q.What positions exist in Greece?
A.Every University is actively seeking people in every level.
Choose your spot.All pay same salaries(very low).The timeframe
to get a position is long (1-2 years).The students are smart
but misdirected.
Industry is mainly small co's or representatives doing jojobs
competing with the midnight programmers moonlighting from
stable jobs.
You don't want to be a civil servant because you will not
survive the boredom.
ANYBODY CAN GET A JOB IN GREECE PROVIDED HE/SHE DECLARES
TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT COMPUTERS.
Q.What will be a good position?
A.A good position means
SECURITY
INCOME
INTERESTING WORK
There is no such position in Greece.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE A COMBINATION OF JOBS
For instance in Crete we are establishing the following:
Professor at the University for security
Research at the Institute for interesting work
Contract research for income
Flexibility for more income(free license for the greedy)
IF YOU HAVE OTHER COMBINATIONS LET PEOPLE KNOW
Q.How much money I need to live here?
A.To live comfortably you need more than 100.000 Dr NET per month.
Add 20.000 for each kid.
You can live frugally with 50.000 NET.
Below that you start to hurt.
If you want to live as you do now ,go to your stereo put
some Theodoraki and stay where you are.
Q.Why then anybody would want to come back?
A.1)A sense of masochism.
2)A sense of missionary work
3)The best things in Greece are free
Some of the worst cost a lot of money.
Q.What about the Army?
A.There is no algorithm to escape the army.
However,there many approaches to minimize the damage.
1)Wait and hope (you may wait forever)
2)Go and try to transfer near your position
3)Push for your own settlement as a brilliant scientist
4)Persuade the government that some people should be
better utilized.(That's what I'm trying).
Q.What about colleaques in Greece?
A.Most of them will be friendly.However ,when they realize
that you are better, watch out for your ass.People will try
to hurt you for no apparent reason except that they feel
inferior.If you start fighting you may lose your self-respect.
If not,you may feel bitter.Best try to avoid competitive situations.
Q.When is the right time to come?
A.There is a window of opportunity in the next 1-3 years
as the pressure for Computer Science heats a peak.
There is a vacuum which will be filled.
If the wrong people get sucked in they will make sure
that nobody good will ever survive their system.
Q.Is it worth to try?
A.Depends on what you want in your life.Depends on what you call
being happy. Depends on what you call success.
Q.What would you do?
A.I don't know,because I still don't know what makes me happy.
Dionysis Tsichritzis
CRETE