The new news 24 thread

[Tickman]

Well done @reb

[AnnoyingPentium]

Good on you, @reb. 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

4 hours ago, reb said:

I have my second and final A+ exam in a couple of hours, I'm a bit nervous about it as I'm pretty sure the only reason I was passing the practice ones was because they kept using the same bloody questions. If I pass, I'm theoretically qualified to be an IT technician again. Having been variously employed at minimum wage or unemployed for the past 5 years it's quite an exciting prospect to have a meaningful job that pays well enough again. There's a fair chance it'll be a remote job too, which I have discovered suits me quite well (I left the remote job for reasons unrelated to it being remote). I just need to pass this damn exam.

Just going to guess that's the CompTIA A+, right?  Really ought to get on with that one seeing as I've been doing the job for 2.5 years now.  Congratulations on the pass, it's a toughie.

[AnnoyingPentium]

On 1/10/2022 at 9:11 AM, AnnoyingPentium said:

The wee Fabia is being dragged kicking and screaming into my new 30 mile (round trip) daily commute because I'm only timetabled to be in 1 hour every day at University. At least the wee thing doesn't have to drive all the way up though.

It's only 20 miles, it's closer to 30 if I'm going to Tesco, it turns out. 

It's been pushing on quite well, even if like always, it wants to be a bit stroppy.

[reb]

1 hour ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Just going to guess that's the CompTIA A+, right?  Really ought to get on with that one seeing as I've been doing the job for 2.5 years now.  Congratulations on the pass, it's a toughie.

Yeah, CompTIA A+, I'd studied for it in the past but never done the exam. I didn't find it too bad, got tripped up on the performance based questions because I couldn't remember any of the commands I needed for one of them. I didn't really do much prep for either exam, I've never been very good at revising for exams. The principle difference between the exam and real life is in real life you can google stuff!

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, reb said:

I passed the exam!

Top man! Well done and enjoy the confidence boost.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

17 minutes ago, reb said:

Yeah, CompTIA A+, I'd studied for it in the past but never done the exam. I didn't find it too bad, got tripped up on the performance based questions because I couldn't remember any of the commands I needed for one of them. I didn't really do much prep for either exam, I've never been very good at revising for exams. The principle difference between the exam and real life is in real life you can google stuff!

It's always struck me as a lot of content to learn rather than anything individually being difficult but it's a lot to cram into the brain.  Had the proper textbook for at least a couple of years and keep meaning to crack on with it.  Learning on the job is great but something systematic and accredited is very helpful indeed.  True enough on the Googling stuff...

.

CompTIA A+ is no joke.  Congratulations!  A career wondering why people don't read instructions lies before you - but you already know this.

 

[Carlosfandango]

What do you use to move a shite load of shite Land Rover parts when all of your shite land rovers are broken? 
A Peugeot of course, silly. 
 

CFD 

[reb]

13 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

It's always struck me as a lot of content to learn rather than anything individually being difficult but it's a lot to cram into the brain.  Had the proper textbook for at least a couple of years and keep meaning to crack on with it.  Learning on the job is great but something systematic and accredited is very helpful indeed.  True enough on the Googling stuff...

.

CompTIA A+ is no joke.  Congratulations!  A career wondering why people don't read instructions lies before you - but you already know this.

 

The main thing I struggled with memorising was the steps for troubleshooting and malware removal, I feel like there's an element of the "proper" way of doing things is different from the real life way. I'll probably learn more in my first year on the job than I have done through the whole course. The ITIL section in particular completely passed me by. I'm quite interested in the networking side of things though, and not just because there's good money there! Back when I was an IT tech before I was being trained as a replacement for the outgoing network engineer, I wish I'd stayed to be honest.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

My organisation insisted (now-outgoing Deputy Director of IT's idea) that we all get basic ITIL4 training (he had a complete ITIL3 and was converting) so I've done the ITIL4 Foundation.  Piece of cake but very interesting and definitely a good starting point when it comes to process management and change management.  Did an Azure Foundations course and exam as well and just about scraped it (one day of teaching with a terrible tutor and a remote exam) and that was very eye-opening.  A lot of scope for building on either of those and I don't think you'd have an issue with either.  Cloud computing is definitely worth brushing up on and knowledge is in demand.

I generally use the 'shit against the wall' approach but I promise I'm systematic about it when it comes to troubleshooting.  Mind you, troubleshooting is at least 50% of my job, just generally very basic stuff.  Trying to move up in the World...

Sounds like you're way ahead of me.

[reb]

The ITIL training I got was a rather rubbish series of videos, it felt like someone just reading off the learning objectives. Hopefully I'll get the chance to do it properly in the future. I'm quite interested in cloud computing so will definitely seek out training/certification in it in the future. My goal is to get into a position where my interaction with end users is fairly limited, hence my interest in web development. I'll probably end up in helpdesk to begin with though, which is fine really.

I'm not sure I'd say I'm ahead of anyone, my professional experience is less than 18 months 5 years ago!

[Liggle]

6 hours ago, reb said:

My goal is to get into a position where my interaction with end users is fairly limited, hence my interest in web development. I'll probably end up in helpdesk to begin with though, which is fine really.

I'm not sure I'd say I'm ahead of anyone, my professional experience is less than 18 months 5 years ago!

Once you get above the 2nd/3rd line support level and in to more project focused roles the interaction with end users is minimised, you don't have to be a developer (unless you fancy it of course)

7 hours ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Cloud computing is definitely worth brushing up on and knowledge is in demand..

It sure is. This is the area I work in and I'm looking for my next contract, there's 100+ a day advertised at the moment, and that's just contracts. It's booming!

[Liggle]

Posted in modern news as well. The 501k W203 for sale:

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Barely run in.

[beko1987]

First start of the car since boxing day and oooh, was a slow crank! Fired off though, seems 14ish days is the batteries limit in winter 😂

Bloody washer jets froze up on the m40 too, that was fun*.  They worked at home. Not worth caring about for the handful of times I drive at 7am though nowadays

[paulplom]

I had the boy at football on Sunday in the pug107. The engine's been sounding a bit coarse and tappy the last few times I've drove it so I popped the bonnet wgen I got to the carpark. 

That'll explain it. I drove the 15 miles home after the match and topped it up at home. Quiet as a mouse again. My mother had it for six months so I'm blaming her.

[TheOtherStu]

14 hours ago, reb said:

The ITIL training I got was a rather rubbish series of videos, it felt like someone just reading off the learning objectives. Hopefully I'll get the chance to do it properly in the future. I'm quite interested in cloud computing so will definitely seek out training/certification in it in the future. My goal is to get into a position where my interaction with end users is fairly limited, hence my interest in web development. I'll probably end up in helpdesk to begin with though, which is fine really.

I'm not sure I'd say I'm ahead of anyone, my professional experience is less than 18 months 5 years ago!

OK, let me hit you up with FREE stuff!

First one, as someone mentioned above..... Azure exams. Doesn't matter what you do, cloud is God. Developer, support tech, even service desk.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/events/training-days/

Azure Fundamentals. Not only do you get the 2 days training course, they let you sit the exam for FREE!

IT Security (SOC) - it's the big in-thing now. I joke not, we can't hold onto our SOC (security operations centre) employees. It's relatively hard to get into, although you might be able to get onto an apprenticeship (open to all btw - some of my apprentices were in their 30s when I was hiring them)

You could do a lot worse than doing this course (it's free- simply write to them, explain you're out of work and want to get in the business and they'll send you a free login - promise!)

https://www.antisyphontraining.com/pay-what-you-can/

Do all 3 of John's courses. They're all 5-9 at night or 6-10 in the summer. I did mine whilst working full-time.

Open University do free IT Courses too

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses

 

Thing with all the above is that you don't necessarily need to take exams. But they all look good on your CV. As does volunteering. If you can't get a job in IT, have a look at IT volunteering opportunities - a local charity might want help. Put an offer out on NextDoor or your local Facebook group to help Silver Surfers.

[Bear]

Had some bodywork done:

(First tattoo ever, got fed up of being delayed/fobbed off with covid and bookings and walked into a shop in Boston and made a booking - I chose well I think, it looks better than I dreamed possible from a scan of an old army insignia)

[D.E]

Thief wants to steal cat, jacks up Prius, doesn't bother to do it safely, Prius falls down. Thief dead.

https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1453122/Dode-onder-auto-in-Rotterdam-Noord-was-peperdure-katalysator-aan-het-stelen

[Spurious]

Frosty start this morning.

Minus 11, but proper powder snow so the dustpan brush was deployed and it brushed off handily enough. 

Post brushing, apparently you can be fined here for driving with snow on the car. 

Only noticed its those fake alloy hubcaps with steelies. Not that I mind. I suspect they're easier and cheaper to repair and replace if damaged. Komoroan winters, seem sure footed in this weather. Not lost traction yet. 

Ząb, the highest village in Poland, buried in the Tatras. 

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

5 hours ago, Spurious said:

Only noticed its those fake alloy hubcaps with steelies.

Our Sandero is the same, very convincingly look like alloys upon first glance too. 

[wuvvum]

8 hours ago, D.E said:

Thief wants to steal cat, jacks up Prius, doesn't bother to do it safely, Prius falls down. Thief dead.

https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1453122/Dode-onder-auto-in-Rotterdam-Noord-was-peperdure-katalysator-aan-het-stelen

[AnnoyingPentium]

17 hours ago, D.E said:

Thief wants to steal cat, jacks up Prius, doesn't bother to do it safely, Prius falls down. Thief dead.

https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1453122/Dode-onder-auto-in-Rotterdam-Noord-was-peperdure-katalysator-aan-het-stelen

On a similar theme to @wuvvum...

[grogee]

Nice visit this morning to Bicester Heritage Park. Lots of interesting petrol things going on, lots of valuable machinery to ogle at. 

Bit cold though

[SiC]

210032 and I'm out. HPFP failure that's munched a lot of the fuel system.

RemoveMyCar offered £1600 and I accept. They knocked money off because I scuffed/scratched the bumper while moving it around on the drive when it was dead and caught the garage. Really ground my gears that they knocked money off as I had the damage shown in the photos. Anyway it they offered £1517. Took it as it is a decent amount for a 11 year old fucked car with 210k on the clock. Plus no hassle.

Bye bye car 👋

[Bren]

52 minutes ago, SiC said:

210032 and I'm out. HPFP failure that's munched a lot of the fuel system.

RemoveMyCar offered £1600 and I accept. They knocked money off because I scuffed/scratched the bumper while moving it around on the drive when it was dead and caught the garage. Really ground my gears that they knocked money off as I had the damage shown in the photos. Anyway it they offered £1517. Took it as decent amount for a 11 year old fucked car with 210k on the clock. Plus no hassle.

Bye bye car 👋

I can see in my minds eye dodgy characters fitting a secondhand pump and trying to punt it on....

[Zelandeth]

Well into my usual garage for this sort of thing to see if the AC on the Caddy will take a charge.  I stuffed some nitrogen in it a few days ago and it doesn't seem to have dropped...so possibly hope for it.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Bren said:

I can see in my minds eye dodgy characters fitting a secondhand pump and trying to punt it on....

Maybe even with new plates to hide the mileage.

[Zelandeth]

Success!

I was keeping an eye on the machine and it didn't drop at all during the vacuum decay test (30 min), so fingers crossed it is actually gas-tight.  The condenser definitely looks newer than 100K miles, so have to wonder if someone got halfway through fixing it then never followed through sometime in the past.

Hard to really tell when it's this chilly, but it's definitely running - will be a help in trying to shift the bit of moisture in the cabin.

[wuvvum]

Must be unusual for a smoll van of that vintage to have AC.