  Astronomy is changing. Large projects, large collaborations, and large
budgets are becoming the norm. The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) is one
example of this new astronomy, and in operating the original survey, we put in
place and learned many valuable operating principles. Scientists sometimes have
the tendency to invent everything themselves but when budgets are large,
deadlines are many, and both are tight, learning from others and applying it
appropriately can make the difference between success and failure. We offer
here our experiences well as our thoughts, opinions, and beliefs on what we
learned in operating the SDSS.
