[kolinko]

Interesting story. How did you find the transition from an active work style to a static/sitting one?

I always say that programmers have it as hard as miners, but it's a different kind of challenge. One is more physical, another mental (not going insane from sitting in front of computer all the time).

You have the comparison, What do you think?

[sprkyco]

Really mining is seen as this hardcore active lifestyle when in reality it is rather sedentary. Typically there are jobs for jr. level positions which are very physically demanding. Afer about 2 years experience most people get "promoted" to driving some sort of heavy machinery. Often these positions are union jobs where the workers can easily dictate the pace at which they work. Typically I could spend 8 hours or more in some sort of seat forklift/haul truck/loader or whatever. This may not be the case in Coal Mines in Kentucky, but as you can tell from the pictures many of the workers in mining are not in peak physical condition.

Even in the positions that were physically demanding your body "adjusts" to the workload and it becomes rather similar to sitting in front of a computer basically you go into periods of "auto-pilot" and then other times it was somewhat mentally demanding.

Most mining operations are heavily automated requiring at least some knowledge of I.ndustrial C.ontrol S.systems ICS/SCADA is somewhat of a programming work flow. If this valve is open turn on this other valve once this sensor is tripped turn off this motor and close this valve. From a very simplistic manner this is similar to binary logic.

At least from what I have experienced infosec is very mentally challenging, but it is not a constant demand there are definitely periods where I am in auto-pilot. The best solution for me having gone to a sedentary work life is to walk to work, drink lots of water at work (make you get up to pee alot) and to take walks at lunch.

[kolinko]

Thanks for the explanation.

[Jach]

My favorite over the top rant on the pains of this profession: http://www.stilldrinking.org/programming-sucks It's much more than just sitting in front of a screen all the time, which I think a lot of people can think isn't that bad either given they themselves spend so much time in front of their monitors and televisions... (That particular aspect doesn't bother me at all, I was a gamer before I was a programmer.)