Fringe - The Lab (OT) #18: 2018 is finally here! - Page 2

@l3jandra · 01-28-2018, 04:52 PM

But it's working now so that's good

**FoxPhile** · 01-29-2018, 04:59 PM

It had me really worried there for a bit. I really don't want to deal with transferring everything to a new computer right now.

@l3jandra · 01-30-2018, 12:09 AM

Do you want to buy a new one soon?

**FoxPhile** · 01-30-2018, 04:37 PM

I use a computer from work. I haven't bought my own since about 1990. Mine is about 3 years old now, and it's about due for replacement.

I will have to buy one in about a year when I retire.

@l3jandra · 01-30-2018, 08:32 PM

How much time until you retire?

**FoxPhile** · 01-31-2018, 04:57 PM

A year or two. I can actually retire anytime, financially. But if I hold off a couple of years, it will be much better.

@l3jandra · 01-31-2018, 10:55 PM

Why is that?

**FoxPhile** · 02-01-2018, 04:38 PM

I'm hoping that I can move to my house sometime this year. When I do, if I can keep working, I'll be getting the same salary, working from home 100% (no commuting cost) and I'll be paying about 1/4 of what I'm paying now in housing - so I'll be able to save a good chunk of that for however much longer I work. I'm also too young right now for Medicare, so I'd have to buy health insurance for 2 or 3 years if I retire now.

@l3jandra · 02-01-2018, 10:40 PM

Wow how old are you that you want to retire? Also what's your job? I'm finally getting to know you

**FoxPhile** · 02-02-2018, 03:56 PM

I'm 61, but apparently, because I'm active online, hardly anyone I know online believes that.

I'm a computer systems analyst and developer for a major newspaper. I've been at the same job for almost 40 years now - although it's changed a bit over the years.

Since we're sharing - I know you're in school - what are you studying?

@l3jandra · 02-02-2018, 10:10 PM

That's impressive!

What's the biggest change you've seen in your job in those 40 years? 61??? No way!! I thought you were like 30 or something

Mechatronics Engineering, I'm on my 8 semester so I'm almost done

**FoxPhile** · 02-03-2018, 04:45 PM

Engineering is impressive! That's a LOT of schooling.

The biggest change I've seen has been the switch to online news. We still print a newspaper on paper, and we still have a decent circulation. Back when people first started getting personal computers, no one believed that anyone would ever want to read the news on an electronic device or online. Now we reach way many more people online than we ever did with the print newspaper. Although actually convincing people that they should pay for the service is a challenge - which makes it difficult for newspaper companies to make money - even that is becoming less of one.

@l3jandra · 02-04-2018, 02:34 AM

How did you company managed to keep things going?

**FoxPhile** · 02-04-2018, 03:42 PM

We're lucky because we are located in an area where news - especially in-depth news - is very important to a lot of people for their jobs. A lot of those people are older, and haven't adapted to online reading. That's one reason why we've maintained a print audience, which has helped to keep things afloat because print was bringing in more revenue. At this point, we have a good balance between the two. The company has also expanded into software development that is targeted at media companies - we've taken the software we've developed to do our own online stuff and turned it into something we can sell to other similar companies.

Do you have anything specific you want to do with your degree once you get it? Is there a particular industry you're interested in?

Ropetuned · 02-04-2018, 04:24 PM

Mechatronics you say? I had to look that up just to see what it even means

I'm a very good underachiever by

standards I've found


Fan Forum > Archived Television Shows > Fringe > The Lab (OT) #18: 2018 is finally here!