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Ok, here's how it happened.
I had no job for some time. I looked, but just about none of them intersected significantly with my skill set.
I sent my CV to some company thing that matches people with jobs.
That company wanted me to just have a chat with some professionals, to get more than just my word on whether I'm actually a programmer or not (I thought that was just mildly insulting, given that I had discussed my portfolio with them, but I figured that's just the way these guys roll - too makes fakes, perhaps). Just a chat, that's all.
Well, the professionals that I was only supposed to be having a chat with were like "holy sh*t, give us that guy", and they all (including the company that's supposed to help me) talked me into at least seeing what it would be like (no one wanted to see anything about what the job really was, but they made it seem at least half-decent). So I was like OK, I'll go along with this for now, can't hurt to look..
Well it was less than half-decent.
As a bonus, I looked up that job opening on their site and it turns out that even a fresh college graduate is technically overqualified for it (as in, they're explicitly listing lower requirements).
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Well, OK, if you are in a situation where you don't need a paycheck and want to pursue your own interests instead, go ahead if you really want to do that. It sounds like you are fed up with working in general, not just programming.
Just remember, a girlfriend can change your responsibilities and financial needs with two words 
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harold aptroot wrote: the message I take away from it is that programmer is a worse job than being unemployed
Of course it is, because every job is worse than being unemployed. There isn't anything you have to do to be unemployed. Of course trying and failing to get employed is worse yet, because the pay is terrible and really discouraging.
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harold aptroot wrote: The reason I went into programming in the first place, about ten years ago, is
for the interesting problems. So if all everyone's doing is converting stupid
XML formats and the like, it's just not the right profession for me.
Which profession do you think you will be seeking which will be fun 40 years from now? And will be fun every hour of every day?
The very basis of a profession is that someone else is going to be paying money for what they want, not what you want.
Maybe what you are looking for is a hobby.
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"...they want me to create something that converts some arcane XML format (CAMT053) to an undocumented XML format they use internally."
XSLT: http://www.w3schools.com/xsl/[^]
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Yea that was my first thought.
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Document the format then create some XSLT transformations, personally, I have done something like this before and is boring as hell, but it's perfectly doable.
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--Instead, they want me to create something that converts some arcane XML format (CAMT053) to an undocumented XML format they use internally. Ok, sure, arcane to undocumented, perfectly doable, given enough time.
Given enough time? It should take only minutes.
What you're describing is a XSLT...a transformation from one XML format to another XML format. XSLT does precisely that.
Oh...and now you can demand the internal format....if it's wrong...change the XSLT config and you're done.
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It sounds like most of the respondees are reading into your description, that the politics and the personalities are the issue. But reading your actual description you really are just saying that the task just doesn't seem to you like it's worth doing.
So you are saying that you don't see the value of converting from one XML schema to another one.
On the other hand you did just start there and have little background on the importance or usefulness of it. In addition, sometimes when you start out, as an intern, guess what: you get to do the boring stuff that others don't feel like doing.
If you really are thinking about quitting the profession just because you are given a task that you feel is beneath you as an intern. Then by all means do so, because it seems you picked the wrong profession (but I doubt you will find the situation is much different in other fields).
On the other hand if it is, as others were reading into your comments, that the actual problem is a caustic and unworkable environment and personalities, then it might make sense to move on.
Although learning how to make things work in spite of the personalities involved is still something you would have to figure out at some point.
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Sounds like a good time to practice your documentation skills. Tell them that such a project can't be started until the XML to be converted into is fully documented so the two can be mapped for the conversion, which is perfectly true.
That gets you time and a paycheck to looks for something better, plus you can add that onto your resume to show you accomplished something while there. A good workplace will respect that you can do documentation. A place that doesn't is not a good place to work.
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CP member Tim Carmichael gave you good advice.
XML has very few rules, but they are strict, documented, and all MUST be followed for it to be XML. So, is it XML? (Can you put it up on IE and expand/collapse groups? If you can, it is documented XML.)
The format is intentionally undocumented, something to be done by the company who uses it.
Unfortunately, it is common for a company to implement a new XML format without any documentation of what they are doing within XML. Or, if they do have documentation, they forget to tell the new employee where it is and how to access it.
If you haven't asked, do ask for their documentation. If they don't have it, now is the perfect time to volunteer to do it for them if they want. You know all the trials and tribulations you are going through right now, so you know what the benefits it would give you to have the documentation of what they are using right now. (By the way documentation isn't teleported to you from nothing, somebody has to write it.)
Same thing with their "enterprisey piece of..."
harold aptroot wrote: But not worth doing.
That isn't your call right now. You said this was a job. If that is true, you are getting paid and you agreed the payment was reasonable. If you were told you were getting a desk job and then told you have to muck out the sewer, that is reason to quit. This seems a common programmer duty, especially since you don't know enough yet to be useful to them in their current enterprise.
You aren't there for your amusement or pleasure, you are there to make the company more money than they are spending on you. At this time this is leading to an unpleasant task that they see is a ROI worth doing. Seek a way to volunteer to make it more pleasant in the future or quit. When you quit, the reason can be "not worth doing", but as long as you still work there either suck it up and do it, or find a way to do it that feels that you are at least getting some satisfaction out of it.
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Good, even more reason to leave the damn field.
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If you are talking about being there to make the company more money than they spend on you, you won't find a company in any field that is different.
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No, that is to be expected. Otherwise they'd have no reason to hire you.
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Not all programming jobs are like that. But all have their share of manure to wade through.
Keep in mind that as an intern, they don't want to let you damage anything. And from your description, it would be easy to damage their system. On the other hand, they have this work they need done and don't want to do....
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Has Sean been going up to City Hall[^] to give image advice?
[Asking for a friend]
speramus in juniperus
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I was curious as to whether they invited their mayor to the recent CP celebration. He could have made things "interesting."
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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I'm shocked there has been such little noise here considering Chris et al are in Toronto.
speramus in juniperus
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Exactly. Maybe the hamsters went to the City Council meeting?
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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Walt Fair, Jr. wrote: I was curious as to whether they invited their mayor to the recent CP
celebration. He could have made things "interesting."
I think we all just figured that is why they had to umm bury servers the other day. 
Common sense is admitting there is cause and effect and that you can exert some control over what you understand.
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lion kills lioness in zoo[^]
Quote: Officials at a zoo in the US state of Texas are investigating why a male lion attacked and killed a lioness in full view of visitors.
They're 'investigating' it?
What're they gonna do? Have it in for questioning? Play good zookeeper bad zookeeper? Interview his mates down the watering hole, "did he ever say anything that might explain why he did this"?
“I believe that there is an equality to all humanity. We all suck.” Bill Hicks
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He'd need good representation, perhaps someone that has been called to the Lion bar.
Andy B
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Provided the hearing is After Eight, there may be a Bounty if he is represented by a Dove - but the only avian lawyer I know is a Flake, and he generally Mars his clients reputation. Perhaps some Minstrels in court would help set the right ambiance, or a Picnic lunch to get their minds off things before the Snickers start. It's a sore Topic though, and there is many a slip Twix cup and lip. Just Wispa to me: do you think he was provoked - I hear the judge is a Yorkie and they set great store by that?
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Seems like he's heading down a Rocky road as the prosecution will have a Galaxy of witnesses ranged against him. To be honest he's probably got less chance of acquital than a Texan crack dealer.
Andy B
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So he'll go down then. Which leaves him traveling the Hershey highway, and expecting a Finger of Fudge...
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