I recently hired a CS masters graduate. He's really bright; otherwise, we wouldn't have hired him. He's doing the usual new guy "toilet-licking" tasks; massive integrates of required-but-unpopular technologies, whitebox testing, automation and application profiling. Someday, he'll get to work on tasks specifically related to his masters. Hopefully, his masters will prepare him for success in those pursuits. For today, he gets to earn his stripes, like any other recent hire.

While it's not exactly paced to keep the MTV generation glued to their seats, I adore Stephenson's writing style. Postulate: Maybe he's INTENTIONALLY making you go slowly, providing you with a surfeit of information, and making your brain work to place those made-up words. Maybe, by complaining about having to actually take time and experience the novel instead of flying through it like a Heroes marathon, you've identified yourself as...Extramuros. I enjoy the first-person viewpoint of the open-minded-and-curious-yet-emotionally-retarded main character, as he fumbles his way through profound events in his life. Not that it reminds me of anyone I know personally, mind you... Few writers actually USE language as deftly and deeply as does Stephenson. He gives me hope, and reminds me that we're not ALL illiterate yet. :) Of course, I haven't finished yet. If a Shaftoe character crops up, I officially withdraw the nice things I've said about Anathem.