xkcd makes me smile sometimes:

It is so right!

Dave

 

Since you got it done in 200 lines, we've decided that next year, you will need to share your secretary with Jim down the hall. You will also need to use his printer. He writes much more code than you do, and we have to cut expenses somewhere.

John

 

Yes, that's right. Industry is a totally different thing than academia.

 

Yes, that's right. Industry is totally different thing than academia.

Totally different in almost every way! Except that in both places, if you want to get something done right, you have to do it yourself.

 

Totally different in almost every way! Except that in both places, if you want to get something done right, you have to do it yourself.

You have to do it yourself but in industry you cannot do everything so you have to rely on others. If you are lucky you will get what you want.

 

... in industry you cannot do everything so you have to rely on others.

In academia you have to rely on others too. They call those others grad-students!

 

In academia you have to rely on others too. They call those others grad-students!

Well, this is not always true (from personal experience) because if you have more practical experience than them, then they are useless except on some theoretical aspects.
Most students go to university just to get a degree and show it, they do not care if they will learn or not.
Another category, are the students who go to the university and they think that when they graduate (if ) they will be ready to work in industry. I know people who have graduated and they do not know how to distinguish the phase from the neutral!

 

Hah! That's great

 

... if you have more practical experience than them, then they are useless except on some theoretical aspects ...

True enough, but if they are worth their salt, they work like dogs. And, even if they think like dogs, with a little guidance they can accomplish quite a bit. And, eventually they become human enough. After all, many of them become Professors.

 

Nice contrast.

 

Definitely!

The entire site is a no flame zone, we encourage questions on all levels.