What'd you do this summer?
Well guys, summer is wrapping up, and I'm sure everyone's had summers full of awesome adventures.
So just figured I'd take a step outside of league for a moment and ask everyone what they did during the summer, whether an internship, job, or travels (or eating popcorn and playing League all day).
So, what did you do? :D
As for me, I worked in the nuclear field as a software intern. (Side note: If you think your job or classwork has strict procedures and critique, take that, multiply it by 5, and you have the nuclear industry.)
What'd we do? Well, there's this thing called a SCADA system. It's basically the control interface behind everything in any production industry. There already is a SCADA called FactoryLink where I worked, and it was designed for Windows 98.
My gosh, it's terrible. Even worse, though, is the fact it's no longer being supported by the company that owns it.
Our company handed us a platform called WinCC OA (Open Architecture) and a 300 page manual and told us to go crazy recreating the old SCADA system in the new language and software.
What is WinCC OA? It's the control system for CERN (Higgs Boson particle, anyone?), but for those unfamiliar with CERN, it's also the SCADA platform responsible for the entirety of the New York City subways. Powerful stuff. The cost is around... $150,000 - $200,000 per computer per year for a license.
So it was up to two interns (me and one other) to create a framework for the SCADA in WinCC OA, then take that and show it off to the head honcho there to try and convince him to make the switch over from the old system. It was an awesome experience. Very challenging, very strict as far as what procedures and documentations we had to do, but awesome to be able to say "Hey, I helped in a project in the nuke industry that's taking plutonium from nuclear bomb heads (which were previously manufactured there) and turning it into energy as per a contract we have with Russia."
What about you?
