# Interesting job interview this morning



## drhowarddrfine (Dec 18, 2019)

Out of the blue I was called in for an interview with a large-ish manufacturing company this morning. They have 19 plants around the US and Canada and are a Microsoft shop but feel the licensing has them under their thumb--their words--and they aren't happy with SharePoint and other software they are using. It seems the updating and streamlining they have in mind also doesn't fit with what they would like to do.

So before I knew all that, this panel of five IT people asked me what operating system I would use. I said, if it was just me or nobody objected, I wouldn't hesitate to use FreeBSD and Linux would be my second choice. The interesting part was, no one objected! In fact, they wanted to know more about using FreeBSD and how they can use it to move off the Microsoft services and products. I got the impression I got neckbeard status as a real UNIX guy!

I wasn't expecting that at all. It might have even won me the job! But I need to see the offer first. Stay tuned.


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## SirDice (Dec 19, 2019)

drhowarddrfine said:


> and they aren't happy with SharePoint


I can relate to that. I seriously dislike SharePoint. I can never, ever, find anything, even stuff I had put in there myself. 



drhowarddrfine said:


> It might have even won me the job! But I need to see the offer first.


Congrats and good luck!


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## SKull (Dec 19, 2019)

SirDice said:


> I seriously dislike SharePoint.


No one, except the people who sell it, likes SharePoint 

Congratulations drhowarddrfine!
Since they will get rid of all the licensing fees, I'm sure they have budget to make you a good offer.


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## drhowarddrfine (Dec 19, 2019)

SirDice That is the exact same comment they made.


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## jardows (Dec 19, 2019)

Congrats on the interview, and for the community getting the FreeBSD name out!  Just curious, what were some of the FreeBSD solutions you offered to replace Sharepoint?


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## tingo (Dec 19, 2019)

Congrats - best of luck going forward.


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## drhowarddrfine (Dec 19, 2019)

jardows said:


> what were some of the FreeBSD solutions you offered to replace Sharepoint?


I didn't offer any. It was a statement they had made while talking about their dislike of using Microsoft products hindering their plans.


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## Crivens (Dec 19, 2019)

Adding to what SirDice said, has anyone ever got things from sharepoint and migrated to, say, drupal? No, me neither. That stuff is digital crack. First hit is free, then you pay trough the nose.

And good luck drhowarddrfine.


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## neel (Dec 20, 2019)

I've been using FreeBSD as a desktop for over 7 years, starting in November 2012 in my 10th grade (I just finished college today), and also almost exclusively on the server when I started in October 2013, aside from the occasional Linux VM. Yes, I'm good with dates.

I use `csh` as my shell, manage my files only using Unix commands, and use `vim` as my text editor of choice. I maintain Ports and even have kernel patches.

And guess who hired me? Plus, not even for Linux, very less FreeBSD.

Interesting where I ended up.


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## Datapanic (Dec 20, 2019)

2012?  By Then, I have been doing pooters for at least 24 years!  Today?  Ansible, Molecule, Vagrant, Jenkins... you know, the DevOps stuff..  Get it under your belt and just do it!  PS - congratulations on your entry level job!


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## CraigHB (Dec 20, 2019)

They'd be lucky to have you.  You could make their lives hugely easier (and cheaper) to get them out from under "the thumb".


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## neel (Dec 22, 2019)

Thanks!

However, I am joining as a software engineer and not a sysadmin or DevOps person. I doubt I will be able to convert them to FreeBSD.


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