PURPOSE OF YOUR CAREER

Astronaut:  Advance scientific knowledge for the good of humanity
Engineer:  Make everything better, more powerful and faster
Fireman:  Save lives and property
Sys Admin:  Assure uninterrupted access to alt.binaries.erotica.smut

ADVICE YOU'LL GIVE KIDS WHO WANT TO FOLLOW IN
YOUR FOOTSTEPS

Astronaut:  Study science and math and eat your vegetables
Engineer:  Study math and drink lots of coffee
Fireman:  Study science and math and eat your vegetables
Sys Admin:  Don't do it ! Run away from home !

QUESTION YOU'LL BE MOST TIRED OF ANSWERING

Astronaut:  How do you go to the bathroom ?
Engineer:  What kind ofEngineer are you ?
Fireman:  Do you really slide down a pole when the alarm goes off?
Sys Admin:  Can't you do anything about all this spam ?

WILL YOU EVER BE ON TV ?

Astronaut:  Yes !
Engineer:  Only when the bridge collapses or the rocket explodes
Fireman:  Occasionally
Sys Admin:  Only on MSNBC which doesn't technically count as TV

WILL YOUR JOB EVER GET ANY EASIER ?

Astronaut:  As computers get more and more advanced and able to
            control more of the functions of the space vehicle, yes
Engineer:  As more and more companies make more and more profits
              and are willing to spend a buck, yes
Fireman:  As more and more people install smoke detectors in their
            homes, and hopefully fire suppression systems, yes
Sys Admin:  As more and more clueless idiots discover computers,
                 then the Internet, absolutely not

INSPIRING MOVIE ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION

Astronaut:  "The Right Stuff"
Engineer:  "Apollo 13" (Don't let them kid ya, we were the real
                heroes)
Fireman:  "Backdraft"
Sys Admin:  "Wargames" (I guess)

YOUR WORK HOURS

Astronaut:  Fairly long days during the mission, but lots and lots
                 of  time between missions to relax
Engineer:  Normally 18 hours except of course when bridges collapse
                or rockets explode
Fireman:  24 hour shifts, but 48 hours between shifts to relax
Sys Admin:  Not really "work hours" or even "work days"...  more
                   like "work millennia"

FRINGE BENEFITS OF YOUR JOB

Astronaut:  Lots of good stories to tell to impress members of the
                 opposite sex
Engineer:  Sneer at System Admins who only think they understand
               "Dilbert"
Fireman:  Lots of good stories to tell to impress members of the
               opposite sex
Sys Admin:  You get all of the jokes in "Dilbert"

NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION

Astronaut:  A few, from people who think the government should be
                spending its money in different ways
Engineer:  A few, mostly about bridges that collapse or rockets that
                explode. But most of them from panic stricken elected
                officials.
Fireman:  A few, from people who think you take too long to arrive
               following a 911 call
Sys Admin:  You'll have to learn what comes after "trillion" to be
                   able to count them all

YOUR VEHICLE

Astronaut:  Multimillion-dollar space vehicle atop multimillion-dollar
                 rocket
Engineer:  Varies, but 4-wheel drive sport utility most favored
Fireman:  Big red truck with flashing lights and siren
Sys Admin:  1978 AMC Gremlin

In conclusion, latest job vacancy stats show the most openings occur
in the System Administrator position.

>-- 
>--------------------------------------------------------
>Buying an operating system without source is like buying
>a self-assembly Space Shuttle with no instructions.
>--------------------------------------------------------

As a computing professional, I believe it would be unethical for me to
advise, recommend, or support the use (save possibly for personal
amusement) of any product that is or depends on any Microsoft product.