From: Tech HR
Subject: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <tech-hr-CB3C9A.20322025022007@news.gha.chartermi.net>
http://www.smartcharter.com/jobs.html

Smart Charter Inc. is a dynamic new startup company aiming to 
revolutionize the purchase and sale of private aviation services. If you 
are ready for a challenging ground-floor opportunity with significant 
upside potential you've come to the right place. We are not your typical 
dotcom. We have a razor-sharp focus on an existing multi-billion-dollar 
market. We are well funded, and have the connections and the technical 
expertise we need to revolutionize an industry.

We are looking for people who are highly motivated and passionate about 
their work, and able to produce high quality code within a fast paced 
development environment.

We are hiring for the following positions:

   �  Senior software engineer -- Ideal candidate would have significant 
development experience, possibly an advanced degree in computer science 
or related field, experience developing planning & scheduling or 
operations software using linear programming and heuristic search 
methods. Proficiency in multiple languages including (but not limited 
to) C++, Python and Common Lisp would also be desirable.

   �  Windows software engineer -- This person will be responsible for 
integrating elements of our products into multiple existing Windows 
applications. An ideal candidate would have experience in development 
for the PC platform, in multiple tool suites, including Visual 
Studio.net Useful skills include the ability to work within existing 
interfaces, protocols, and code structures and to work with extensively 
with database applications.

   �  Web developer, senior web developer, system administrator -- Our 
website is currently a LAMP appication with P=Python. We are looking for 
bright motivated people who know or are willing to learn Python and/or 
Linux, Apache and MySQL system administration skills. (And if you want 
to convince us that we should switch over to Postgres, we're willing to 
listen.)

We are more interested in smarts, passion, and a willingness to learn 
new things than specific credentials. If you are interested in joining 
us drop us a line at: tech-hr at smartcharter.com

From: ······@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <1172482314.598240.3440@j27g2000cwj.googlegroups.com>
On Feb 26, 6:32 am, Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> wrote:
> Our
> website is currently a LAMP appication with P=Python. We are looking for
> bright motivated people who know or are willing to learn Python and/or
> Linux, Apache and MySQL system administration skills. (And if you want
> to convince us that we should switch over to Postgres, we're willing to
> listen.)
This is more out of curiosity, but does it mean that you wouldn't be
willing
to listen about a switch from Python to Lisp?
From: Tech HR
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <tech-hr-7BA45A.07232926022007@news.gha.chartermi.net>
In article <······················@j27g2000cwj.googlegroups.com>,
 ······@gmail.com wrote:

> On Feb 26, 6:32 am, Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> wrote:
> > Our
> > website is currently a LAMP appication with P=Python. We are looking for
> > bright motivated people who know or are willing to learn Python and/or
> > Linux, Apache and MySQL system administration skills. (And if you want
> > to convince us that we should switch over to Postgres, we're willing to
> > listen.)
> This is more out of curiosity, but does it mean that you wouldn't be
> willing to listen about a switch from Python to Lisp?

No, it doesn't mean that.  In fact, there is a significant faction in 
the technical staff (including the CTO) who would like nothing better 
than to be able to use Lisp instead of Python.  But we have some pretty 
compelling reasons to stick with Python, not least of which is that it 
is turning out to be very hard to find Lisp programmers.  (Actually, 
it's turning out to be hard to find Python programmers too, but it's 
easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp.  We 
also have fair bit of infrastructure built up in Python at this point.)

But we're a very young company (barely six months old at this point) so 
we're willing to listen to most anything at this point.  (We're using 
Darcs for revision control.  Haskell, anyone?)
From: Ray Dillinger
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <45e33052$0$27235$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>
Tech HR wrote:

> But we're a very young company (barely six months old at this point) so 
> we're willing to listen to most anything at this point.  (We're using 
> Darcs for revision control.  Haskell, anyone?)

Tell us, where you would expect an applicant for one or more of these
jobs to live if they accepted a job with your firm?  It's not at all
apparent from your website or job descriptions where the worksite is
physically located.

				Bear
From: Tech HR
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <tech-hr-BED89B.22460226022007@news.gha.chartermi.net>
In article <·························@news.sonic.net>,
 Ray Dillinger <····@sonic.net> wrote:

> Tech HR wrote:
> 
> > But we're a very young company (barely six months old at this point) so 
> > we're willing to listen to most anything at this point.  (We're using 
> > Darcs for revision control.  Haskell, anyone?)
> 
> Tell us, where you would expect an applicant for one or more of these
> jobs to live if they accepted a job with your firm?  It's not at all
> apparent from your website or job descriptions where the worksite is
> physically located.

We are in the Los Angeles area.  (We've added a note at the bottom of 
the jobs page on our web site.)  I can't be more specific at this time 
because we are in the process of finding permanent office space.  Our 
temporary offices are in Santa Monica.  We're hoping to find space near 
the Van Nuys airport, but the commercial real estate market here is very 
tight right now.
From: Tech HR
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <tech-hr-A1668E.23433626022007@news.gha.chartermi.net>
In article <·····························@news.gha.chartermi.net>,
 Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> wrote:

> In article <·························@news.sonic.net>,
>  Ray Dillinger <····@sonic.net> wrote:
> 
> > Tech HR wrote:
> > 
> > > But we're a very young company (barely six months old at this point) so 
> > > we're willing to listen to most anything at this point.  (We're using 
> > > Darcs for revision control.  Haskell, anyone?)
> > 
> > Tell us, where you would expect an applicant for one or more of these
> > jobs to live if they accepted a job with your firm?  It's not at all
> > apparent from your website or job descriptions where the worksite is
> > physically located.
> 
> We are in the Los Angeles area.  (We've added a note at the bottom of 
> the jobs page on our web site.)  I can't be more specific at this time 
> because we are in the process of finding permanent office space.  Our 
> temporary offices are in Santa Monica.  We're hoping to find space near 
> the Van Nuys airport, but the commercial real estate market here is very 
> tight right now.

Actually, it just occurred to me that the company location was also in 
the subject line of this thread ;-)
From: Ray Dillinger
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <45e5c246$0$27215$742ec2ed@news.sonic.net>
> Actually, it just occurred to me that the company location was also in 
> the subject line of this thread ;-)

D'oh!  Should have looked at the verbose header before responding.
I've got my newsreader set to display one title per line, and then
didn't give it enough horizontal room to see your full title.

Well, I'm not moving to LA, so I won't waste your time (and mine)
applying.  Best of luck!

				Bear
From: ··············@lycos.com
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <1172518611.232671.58860@k78g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>
Tech HR:
> In fact, there is a significant faction in
> the technical staff (including the CTO) who would like nothing better
> than to be able to use Lisp instead of Python.

I think CLisp and Python have different enough application areas, so
often where one is fit the other can't be much fit. Doing number
crunching or heavy processing, or lot of symbolic/pattern processing
with Python isn't positive (using Pyrex, Psyco, and numpy may help
solve a small part of such problems). If you want to do some kind of
html, text processing, and various other things Python may be a better
choice.

Bye,
bearophile
From: Paul Rubin
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <7xy7mk3919.fsf@ruckus.brouhaha.com>
Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> writes:
> No, it doesn't mean that.  In fact, there is a significant faction in 
> the technical staff (including the CTO) who would like nothing better 
> than to be able to use Lisp instead of Python.  But we have some pretty 
> compelling reasons to stick with Python, not least of which is that it 
> is turning out to be very hard to find Lisp programmers.  (Actually, 
> it's turning out to be hard to find Python programmers too, but it's 
> easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp.  We 
> also have fair bit of infrastructure built up in Python at this point.)

There's a lot of Python users around these days, and moving from Lisp
to Python is very easy.  The other way around is maybe a little harder
but shouldn't be too bad.

You know about http://lispjobs.wordpress.com I presume.

Also: 
http://lemonodor.com and lambda-the-ultimate.org may
have more pointers to such things.

> But we're a very young company (barely six months old at this point) so 
> we're willing to listen to most anything at this point.  (We're using 
> Darcs for revision control.  Haskell, anyone?)

Haskell is really a lot different and I think the implementations
aren't as mature as Lisp or Python implementations.  Maybe you want to
think about SML or OCaml.
From: Tech HR
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <tech-hr-EB2C05.22481926022007@news.gha.chartermi.net>
In article <··············@ruckus.brouhaha.com>,
 Paul Rubin <·············@NOSPAM.invalid> wrote:

> You know about http://lispjobs.wordpress.com I presume.

I did not.  Thanks for the pointer.
From: Bruce Lewis
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <nm9r6sclomb.fsf@scrubbing-bubbles.mit.edu>
Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> writes:

> (Actually, 
> it's turning out to be hard to find Python programmers too, but it's 
> easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp.

Is this speculation or experience?  If it was experience, what Lisp were
you trying to train Java programmers in, and what problems did you
encounter?
From: Tech HR
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <tech-hr-0727D4.22544726022007@news.gha.chartermi.net>
In article <···············@scrubbing-bubbles.mit.edu>,
 Bruce Lewis <·······@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> writes:
> 
> > (Actually, 
> > it's turning out to be hard to find Python programmers too, but it's 
> > easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp.
> 
> Is this speculation or experience?

A little of both.  We're a pretty young company :-)
From: Ken Tilton
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <PzGEh.24$161.11@newsfe12.lga>
Tech HR wrote:
> In article <······················@j27g2000cwj.googlegroups.com>,
>  ······@gmail.com wrote:
> 
> 
>>On Feb 26, 6:32 am, Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Our
>>>website is currently a LAMP appication with P=Python. We are looking for
>>>bright motivated people who know or are willing to learn Python and/or
>>>Linux, Apache and MySQL system administration skills. (And if you want
>>>to convince us that we should switch over to Postgres, we're willing to
>>>listen.)
>>
>>This is more out of curiosity, but does it mean that you wouldn't be
>>willing to listen about a switch from Python to Lisp?
> 
> 
> No, it doesn't mean that.  In fact, there is a significant faction in 
> the technical staff (including the CTO) who would like nothing better 
> than to be able to use Lisp instead of Python.

Ah, you must lack courage in your convictions. Unless you plan on being 
out of business in six months, Do the Right Thing. Use the best 
language. Then worry about little things like libraries and filling seats.

There is a great saying, "Think you can or think you cannot, either way 
you will be right." Something like that.

>  But we have some pretty 
> compelling reasons to stick with Python, not least of which is that it 
> is turning out to be very hard to find Lisp programmers.  (Actually, 
> it's turning out to be hard to find Python programmers too, but it's 
> easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp.

Place two ads, both for "Java/Perl/C programmers". One looking for folks 
willing to learn Python, one for those willing to learn Lisp. I 
guarantee you respondents to the second group will be more fun to go 
bar-hopping with. Oh, and twice as good at programming as the first group.

You are solving the wrong problem. "lisp is the best language and we 
cannot find Lisp programmers." The problem is not the choice of Lisp, 
the problem is finding people to program Lisp. They do not have to be 
Lisp programmers with certified scorched areas from being flamed by me 
on c.l.l. They just need to be great programmers, in any language.

Choosing Lisp will make all of you twenty to one hundred percent happier 
to go to work each day and stay a little longer each night to grind out 
CFFI bindings for the libs you need. Hiring a good programmer to learn 
Lisp will have them putting in about a hundred hours a week and loving 
it. Tap into the energy, man.

>  We 
> also have fair bit of infrastructure built up in Python at this point.)

Do I tell you my problems?

:)

kt

-- 
Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and
I'm happy to state I finally won out over it.
                                   -- Elwood P. Dowd

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.
                                   -- Elwood's Mom
From: Dan Bensen
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <ervjb2$90n$1@wildfire.prairienet.org>
Tech HR wrote:
> easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp. 

Are your technical problems simple enough to be solved by Python trainees?

-- 
Dan
www.prairienet.org/~dsb
From: Aahz
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <ervshb$m6c$1@panix3.panix.com>
In article <············@wildfire.prairienet.org>,
Dan Bensen  <··········@cyberspace.net> wrote:
>Tech HR wrote:
>>
>> easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp. 
>
>Are your technical problems simple enough to be solved by Python trainees?

If they're already good programmers, yes.
-- 
Aahz (····@pythoncraft.com)           <*>         http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"I disrespectfully agree."  --SJM
From: Dan Bensen
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <es02jb$dqp$1@wildfire.prairienet.org>
 > Tech HR wrote:
 > easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp.
Dan Bensen wrote:
 > Are your technical problems simple enough to be solved by Python
 > trainees?
Aahz wrote:
> If they're already good programmers, yes.

Sure, but who are these good programmers (coming from Java or Perl)? 
Do you have a list of them?  The employer needs to know how many 
not-so-good programmers they have to interview before they find one 
who's good enough.  It depends on how hard the programming is.

-- 
Dan
www.prairienet.org/~dsb
From: Michele Simionato
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <1172565321.372992.57320@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com>
On Feb 27, 2:51 am, Dan Bensen <··········@cyberspace.net> wrote:
>  > Tech HR wrote:
>  > easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp.Dan Bensen wrote:
>
>  > Are your technical problems simple enough to be solved by Python
>  > trainees?
>
> Aahz wrote:
> > If they're already good programmers, yes.
>
> Sure, but who are these good programmers (coming from Java or Perl)?
> Do you have a list of them?  The employer needs to know how many
> not-so-good programmers they have to interview before they find one
> who's good enough.  It depends on how hard the programming is.

Right, so they should hire Python programmers who know Lisp too. This
is not
so uncommon, we have at least three people here where I work.

 Michele Simionato
From: Tech HR
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <tech-hr-DC768B.22465426022007@news.gha.chartermi.net>
In article <············@wildfire.prairienet.org>,
 Dan Bensen <··········@cyberspace.net> wrote:

> Tech HR wrote:
> > easier to train a Java programmer or a Perler on Python than Lisp. 
> 
> Are your technical problems simple enough to be solved by Python trainees?

Some are.  Some aren't.  That's why we're using Lisp too :-)
From: Wade Humeniuk
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <VfXEh.988$IE4.363@edtnps82>
Tech HR wrote:
> In article <······················@j27g2000cwj.googlegroups.com>,
>  ······@gmail.com wrote:
> 
>> On Feb 26, 6:32 am, Tech HR <·······@smartcharter.com> wrote:
>>> Our
>>> website is currently a LAMP appication with P=Python. We are looking for
>>> bright motivated people who know or are willing to learn Python and/or
>>> Linux, Apache and MySQL system administration skills. (And if you want
>>> to convince us that we should switch over to Postgres, we're willing to
>>> listen.)
>> This is more out of curiosity, but does it mean that you wouldn't be
>> willing to listen about a switch from Python to Lisp?
> 
> No, it doesn't mean that.  In fact, there is a significant faction in 
> the technical staff (including the CTO) who would like nothing better 
> than to be able to use Lisp instead of Python.

Who is the CTO?

Wade
From: ······@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Jobs: Lisp and Python programmers wanted in the LA area
Date: 
Message-ID: <1172588177.556909.246130@z35g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>
> Who is the CTO?
>
> Wade

Don't you people have Google in your villag^W universe?