Reply to: BCS

[Sysman]

Yes, back in the early 1990s, we were told that if you mentioned PCs in any exam answers you were red-lined - they were just toys [sic] and not part of serious IT solutions. At the time I was using PCs at work and had been for a while. Even the teachers I had on the course thought the BCS were barmy.

They were priceless. I've got other strange memories of my encounters with them, as I suspect many have.

My boss was also considering doing the BCS certification because they would give him some sort of exam credit based on years of experience, so we discussed the pros and cons at length.

This was back in the late 1970s and BCS had the same attitude about minis. I recall a strong ICL element (well, it was the British Computer Society after all) and both my boss and I wanted to leave that bit of our careers firmly behind us

We both knew that if we mentioned that with our mini based system, 10 minutes after bashing an order in at a terminal a picking list would be printed in the warehouse and goods despatched the same day, we would be in for a spectacular fail.

[Doggy Styles]

Not all nutters are BCS types. I don't mind working with characters with dickie bows, or vintage car enthusiasts.

I used to work for a bloke who rode a penny-farthing 10 miles to work.

And he had the second-longest moustache in the world.

[suityou01]

I do not think that being a member of the BCS is helpful in getting business. It gives off the impression that someone is interested in computing for computing's sake, rather than IT being a tool for business.

What the pimp said.

[The_Equalizer]

I am not sure about the "plummy" stuff but I tend to regard them in the same light as members of the real ale society or classic car clubs.

You're entirely correct. Premium brand bottle larger and BMW/Audis are the way forward.

[Platypus]

Plummy accents, dickie bow ties and double barrelled names

I tend to regard them in the same light as members of the real ale society or classic car clubs.

Had the misfortune to work with one of these. He really did wear a dickie bow. I had to fire him from the project as he spent so long preparing to do stuff and seemed never to get round to actually doing it. Urgh.

Sorry for the

[doodab]

I'd consider the acm instead, they give you a lot of useful online resources, their magazine are fairly decent as well.

[Doggy Styles]

In my second job in IT, management said they'd pay the costs for me to do the exams, but quite frankly at that stage in my career I was laready putting in lots of hours and thought that experience knocking out successful projects would count for more.

Plus I was already working with minis and the subject material at that time seemed to be all mainframe stuff. I'd never touched COBOL back then, for example.

...

Then a decade later I came across a bunch of BCS types.

Plummy accents, dickie bow ties and double barrelled names.

Glad I hadn't bothered.

Yes, back in the early 1990s, we were told that if you mentioned PCs in any exam answers you were red-lined - they were just toys [sic] and not part of serious IT solutions. At the time I was using PCs at work and had been for a while. Even the teachers I had on the course thought the BCS were barmy.

They were priceless. I've got other strange memories of my encounters with them, as I suspect many have.

[BlasterBates]

Not worth the effort. I used to be in the IEE never bothered to get chartered as nobody cared anyway. Only Civil Engineers or Engineers on building projects doing Electrical design/installation need to be chartered no-one else does. and a fat lot of good that does them on their pitifully low salaries.

[OwlHoot]

.. I tend to regard them in the same light as members of the real ale society or classic car clubs.

WHS

For me the BCS conjures up this image of '70s Open University lecturers

[DodgyAgent]

Thanks for all the replies.
Don't think I'll bother. SOunds like I'd get more use and pleasure out of the wine

Another victory for Cuk "bottle half empty"

[VirtualMonkey]

Thanks for all the replies.
Don't think I'll bother. SOunds like I'd get more use and pleasure out of the wine

[DodgyAgent]

I am not sure about the "plummy" stuff but I tend to regard them in the same light as members of the real ale society or classic car clubs.

[Sysman]

I was a member yonks ago but nobody I ever worked for was interested in it. I left because the BCS hierarchy were so far up their own arses.

I did the exams though, they were worthwhile as long as you don't try to be cutting edge with answers.

All that might have changed in the past few years, but I'd be surprised.

In my second job in IT, management said they'd pay the costs for me to do the exams, but quite frankly at that stage in my career I was laready putting in lots of hours and thought that experience knocking out successful projects would count for more.

Plus I was already working with minis and the subject material at that time seemed to be all mainframe stuff. I'd never touched COBOL back then, for example.

...

Then a decade later I came across a bunch of BCS types.

Plummy accents, dickie bow ties and double barrelled names.

Glad I hadn't bothered.

[Gentile]

Being a member of the BCS might impress someone that doesn't know anything about computing. Which may be exactly the effect you intend and require. It's like being a member of Mensa; not as hard as those who've never been members might think, and all you get from joining is a yearbook and constant marketing blurb to encourage you to buy evermore expensive levels of membership ("member for life", etc) for very little meaningful return.

[DodgyAgent]

I do not think that being a member of the BCS is helpful in getting business. It gives off the impression that someone is interested in computing for computing's sake, rather than IT being a tool for business.