Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> I'm always interested in geeking out over obscure algorithms and such.
> But I rather doubt that's what a PhD is actually about.

We-ell, depends on the project, depends on the subject. The important thing of
course is to find something that interests you sufficiently to spend three+
years on it. And you don't have to be limited to subjects you already know;
ideally you want to be learning continuously as well as applying previous
know-how.

> And you say you
> get paid, but how much? Not a lot, I'd expect. I'm always on very low
> money - that's why I'm trying to get hold of a job that pays real money.

Last I heard, PhD students in my old department were getting upwards of 15k a
year - that was the standard EPSRC stipend that any engineering PhD student
could expect, which won't vary much between universities. And that's tax-free.
I imagine it's similar or better in mainland Europe or the US.

> > And despite what you say, you *can* write technical documents. You keep
> > posting them here, and they are well-written.
>
> Well, at least somebody has something nice to say about me. :-}

Everyone says it, if they're sufficiently interested to read it!

> > Style and structure is
> > something you pick up whilst reading around the subject, and most
> > institutions will offer formal training for students and staff.
>
> My college and my uni *did* offer (indeed, require) formal training. I
> still suck at it!

I didn't do it myself. I had good supervisors and colleagues.

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