Who's an IT Dude here?

[SilvrT]

Ecks recent post about a virus got me to wondering how many of us, including myself are IT "dudes" or "dudettes" and what's everyone's background / specialty / length of time?

 

For myself, I am mostly self-taught. I started toying with computers around 1984 and by 1986, I sold my 3rd computer for a bigger, more powerful one with 2...yes two 3.5 inch floppy drives (no hard drive yet)! I made a deal with the purchaser that I would teach him how to use it and since he owned a hair salon, I developed a program for him to track his clients, etc. He paid me with haircuts for 2 years (yes, I did have hair at one time:D).

 

I was out of work at the time and he suggested I put an ad in the paper to teach people how to use computers...so I did...and that's when it all started.

 

I then got into contracting to computer training companies. At the same time, I was advancing my knowledge of database development and picking up a few clients here and there. Demand from them got me into networking and eventually becoming a full solutions provider including hardware. As time passed and word got around, I kept getting more customers and their demands forced me to continuously learn new technologies and methods to provide their solutions.

 

I never did get any official schooling or designations or certifications...never had the time but over the years I've taught many folks who have them (surprisingly to me, I knew a whole lot more than they did about stuff). After working for myself for 20 yrs, I finally got tired of the "brain drain" the technology explosion was causing and got a "real job" working as the only technical resource for a small, in-bound call centre with a long-term, solid government contract. There was still a lot of learning to do when I came aboard but at least it was very specific.

 

In a nutshell then, my specialties are database development, desktop support, software instructing & courseware development, and small biz networks incl forests/domains, managed routers & firewalls, etc.

 

(no, I'm not writing my resume here .. :rotf:nor am I looking for a job )

[rosebud]

I am a dinosaur. I'm a mainframe programmer still working in COBOL.

I work for the leading bank financial software company in the world. I was hired 21 years ago as a third shift computer operator trainee with no mainframe experience at the local bank. They hired me since I was willing to work third shift. In the 21 years I have worked my way from being an operator trainee, to lead operator, to programmer trainee, to programmer, to my promotion earlier this year to senior programmer.

I an dedicated programming staff for the bank - (they were kind enough to move my husband and I to Oklahoma 5 years ago so we are not dealing with the 15% unemployment that our old community is dealing with). I am responsible for the Customer Information Systems. This means the bank doesn't trust me with money, but I am trusted to keep everyone's personal information safe and secure; which might be even more important in this day and age.

I know enough about PC workings to keep our personal ones up and running cleanly, but if you need help with your mainframe programs or you just bought a bank need it converted just give me a shout.

[halfwitt]

I am also self taught. I was a LCL (Lotus Command Language) wiz first. I used a dual 5.25 floppy for my first PC. The first one I owned was a massive 70MB IBM PC2. Who could ever use that much hard drive?! I mastered dBase III+ and wrote the first inventory control program for Cellular One. I wrote a program for a horse vet which led to a program for equine genealogy. But the only time I was paid full time for my computer skills was as an implementation consultant for a software company out of San Diego. There I became very proficient at SQL and Unix. The travel was too much for my family which, at the time, consisted of my wife home alone a lot with toddler twins. So I now I am a Purchasing Manager for a electronics connector manufacturer. I will still go out of my way to write my own SQL reports rather than using canned reports just "cuz I can". I miss that business but it was the right thing to do at that time.

[sgripp]

Have a few skills

 

Have been in the IT biz for about 20 years. During the day I am the network and security architect for a 800 person company in the city. In the evening and weekends I run my own business that designs and manages networks and also runs external security audits.

 

It has been a real love/hate relationship with computers over the last 20 years but I make a good living and I can make payments on that new 09 Venture I have in the garage.

 

:smash2::mo money:

[szach]

Starting tinkering with the ol commodore 64 with basic programming...

Went into the Army as infantry then moved to computers.. funny transition.

After 10 years in the army and being told going back to Korea, the wife insisting on getting out and going to school. Did the certifications, Novel and Microsoft.. been..

I am an SE contracted to the government.. Health side, no DOD yet.

Been working with the 14000 customer base for 9 years now.

Did the Novel to microsoft migration with them and now working with SANs, Windows 2003\2008 all server\network side.. not much on customer interaction. ;o)

 

All in all... Love the job, love the people.. even the old timers that are still around.. yes, i am on a project to migrate our data off the mainframe.. we have to retire it.. maintenance costs is rediculous..

[BigBear]

Cut my teeth on a Commodore 64...tore it apart...added parts/switches etc. Learned assembly language out of self-preservation! Got a good background in coding/development, but I prefer hardware and architecture.

 

I've got a solid background in IT...MCSE, MCT, MIS Degree. Been doing the IT "thing" since early 80's.

 

Held a "Systems Architect" role (all Windows-based of course ), lots and lots of Microsoft domain architecture stuff (migrations, collapsing domains, Desktop deployments, ripping out old NOS, etc) for ~5 years.

 

Been working as a Senior IT Windows Server manager for the last 7 years (8k users, 125 servers). Last 2'ish years, I've transitioned into a Sharepoint collaboration manager with the same company.

 

In short I've chased all of the *new* Microsoft technologies. As long as Microsoft continues to release buggy products, I'll have a job??!!

[fielddoc]

Started in IT late '80s mostly data entry for a Small company. Went to school for PC support then programming. Did PC and AS/400 support along with OS/400 and RPG IV programming for a few years. Moved on to installing and troubleshooting barcoding systems. I've been with the same company since '97, right now I am a security and automation programmer using UNIX shell scripting, PERL, DB2/SQL and whatever else I have around.

[juggler]

GEEK! That's me. I've been fueling my geekness since I got my hands on my first electronics kit in the late 70's. Then even more with a TI-994A computer and Apple II computers. I also did CNC programming in high school. Since then I've done bio-medical electronics and programming. I've programmed in FORTRAN, Basic, Assembler, C/C++, PHP, CFML, SQL, PERL, Bash and a few others. I also run my own servers at home. Yeah, I've got the geek bug real bad.

 

Today I'm a Sr. Web Application Developer and Systems Administrator. You can read about my geekness at my programming blog http://www.trunkful.com/page.cfm/About (which is different from my political blog).

 

Monday is Geek Pride Day! Celebrate with a few bytes or nibbles.

Edited May 23, 2009 by juggler

[GeorgeS]

I build my own PC's does that count ??

 

I can't program them. But I am a Jack of All Trades ??

[BuddyRich]

Do IT all.

 

Self taught to a point then formal classes. Before that though I had trained in electronics in the mid 70's in the USAF. RF and Digital troubleshooting, so the hardware was really easy. Been getting paid for it since the mid 80's.

[friesman]

I have been doing computer stuff for the last 15 years or so, teaching staff how to use the terminals when I was working in a retail store as a sales person. When the company (Eatons) went under i went back to school and took a networking course as I enjoyed computers.

I have now worked for the public school board here for almost 11 years looking after the 57 buildings we have our 6000 computers in. I dont do much programming, (never had patience to do it) but do a bit of scripting, run the exchange servers, Blackberry Enterprise servers, the EVA (disk storage), keep track of viruses and intrusions and keep all of our other 60 or so servers running in the city.

 

Brian

[GaThumper]

Hi, my name's James and I'm a geek.

 

I got started by taking a computer programming course at technical college in '77. Fortran, punched cards, batch processing, no VDTs.

 

Went to work as a user of MIS systems at a manufacturing plant in '79. VT100 dumb terminals and a DEC PDP 1170. Took to the systems like a duck in a pond. MRP (Material Requirements Planning system, APICS (American Production and Inventory Control) certified as a CPIM (Certified Production and Inventory Manager), worked as a user of the MRP systems in Shop Floor Control, Production Control, and Warehousing.

 

Everyone came to me to figure out how to do things, when things went wrong, etc. Moved to a support role, still on the user side of the business where I began to get behind the scenes. Went outlaw when my boss went outside the corporate MIS mold (mini computer, dumb terminals, data entry, batch processing, and daily reporting) and leased a CBM (Commodore Business Machines) 80xx, a really early "personal computer". It had a 6502 processor running at 1Mhz, 2 5.25 floppy drives, 16k of ROM and 32K RAM. It went in my office and I was the one tasked with putting the thing to work. From this point I was forever a "cowboy" refusing to fit the mold, which was a bad thing back then, but later was a good thing cause I was "Thinking Outside of the Box"!

 

We also bought VisiCalc (The visible calculator) software and a dot matrix printer. Visical was the first spreadsheet program and was released in 1979. (Lotus 1-2-3 was releases in '83 and Excel in '85 for Mac and '87 for Windows 2.0) Our version of VisiCalc was originally written for 16k and a guy from Texas (I think) came out to modify our version to allow it to access our full 32k of RAM!

 

Where the "corporate" system stored data input during the day and processed it each night producing lot's of fanfold reports to look at the next day, I could input some of the same data into my spreadsheets and print reports instantly! It was 1980-1981 and I was a geek!

 

Had a job rotation as computer operator while I co-op'd some more business courses, did training and support for some newly developed sales and marketing systems. Then our little support group was merged into the Corporate MIS department and I went from systems analyst (we did user support and training, requirements definition documents, functional specifications that we gave to the programmers, and then we tested the programs, wrote the user training and documentation, trained the users and supported the systems) to my first programming job.

 

By now we had a DEC PDP 11780 VAX (Virtual Address eXtension) using VAX VMS Operating language, BASIC (Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) programming language, and RSTS/E (Resource Timesharing System). I did BASIC for a while then we converted all our corporate systems to IBM mainframes using the IDMS Integrated Database Managment Syslem) database, the IDD (Integrated Data Dictionary, ADSO (Application Development System Online), OLM (On Line Mapping) OLQ (OnLine Query) and COBOL the COmmon Business Oriented Language. Yes, I am a geek and a dinasaur! A geekasaurus?

 

Years of mainframe programming carried me to exotic locals such as Boston, Baltimore, Rochester, Toronto, and more. I went from manusacturing and business information systems to Nuclear Plant managment and reporting systems.

 

All along the way I had been involved with the personal computer revolution. PC, PC/XT, PC/AT, PC DOS, MS DOS, Windows 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 95, 98, NT, XP, 3270 IRMA cards to emulate the 3270 IBM terminals, TCP/IP, Token Ring, Ethernet, Novell Networks, etc.

 

I was internet when internet wasn't cool. Implemented IP addresses, downloaded all sorts of things with FTP and then I downloaded MOSAIC from the NCSA (National Center for Supercomputing Applications). MOSAIC was the first web browser and and is credited with opening the WWW (World Wide Web) to non-geeks. MOSAIC later spawned Netscape Navigator, and ultimately the Godzilla of browsers MS Windows Internet Explorer. (NOTE: If you haven't tried FireFox, google it up and give it a spin)

 

So, I got out of programming and moved to "Client Services" supporting all things telcom, desktop and laptop workstations, servers, LANS, WANS, leased circuits, phones, PBXs, switches, routers, printers, mobile radios and most recently the mobile computing revolution with laptops in vehicles, handheld computers, Blackberrys, Smart Phones, Windows CE devices of all flavors. I've left the corporate environment and have been in Field Operations for the last 15 years. I haven't been involved in any programming and enjoy traveling around in my assigned region once again helping my clients figure out how to do things with Information Technology! I have come full circle.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

For all you programming guys, heres a hint:

 

iPhone apps.

 

If you want to get in on something that is really spreading, and making money, Apple has a way to get in.

 

First, you need an iphone. Next, you need a Mac. Then, you need some knowledge with programming, C in particular. Then, its a matter of applying for a developer status, payin 99 bucks, and then you download the SDK, (software developer kit) and start work on your app.

 

I'm no programmer, but I have a few ideas of some apps that are not on the market yet, and with 35,000 apps in the istore, thats saying alot.

 

When you come up with an app, and its approved, they put it in the apple itunes appstore, and you get 70% off all revenue from it. Hey, do the math. At $.99 per copy, sell 10,000 copies, make $7000. Sell a million copies, make $700,000!! Sell em for $1.99, make twice that!

 

Apple doesnt need MY help with this, but maybe some of you guys can get in on some of this action. Go to the Apple website, click on the blue 3.0 banner, and watch the video.

 

Watching the whole video will take maybe an hour and a half of your time. I'd LOVE to work with someone on my idea. Hope to hear back soon from someone wanting to make money.

 

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

 

Edited May 23, 2009 by tx2sturgis

[Hummingbird]

I apologize if I sound like a smart a$$ but what's an IT ?? :think:

 

My computer knowledge is basically turn it on, check mail, surf and turn it off.

[halfwitt]

I apologize if I sound like a smart a$$ but what's an IT ?? :think:

 

My computer knowledge is basically turn it on, check mail, surf and turn it off.

 

That would be Information Technology.

[Hummingbird]

Thanks Halfwit

[BPflanzer]

started as a Mainframe computer operator in the USMC in 1976.

operations and JCL tech, etc.

Left the Marines after 9 years for the big bucks of the civilian world.

JCL/Production support, on to storage management/capacity planning, when the company I worked for decided to go for the distributed platform vs the mainframe.

From then I worked with pc & server support/LAN Support then to configuring servers, then to Database Management (SQL Server) where I've been for 10 years.

 

Kinda funny sidenote, worked for 4 different companies all in the same building through buyouts/mergers/spinoffs.

 

Ben

'08 Venture

[1sttenor]

Man! You guys are impressive. I know where I'll go if I have puter problems.

[SilvrT]

This is WAY COOL to find out what ya'll do and that there's so many with such a vast assortment of specialties and knowledge! Compared to some of you, I feel like such a "little guy" in this IT world but hey .... we all play a role and we're all "geeks" to some degree ... until I got into computing I worked at tons of different jobs, never really being totally satisfied. Once I started with computers, I didn't know where I was going, I just went where it took me and I never once got bored or disinterested, nor have I ever looked back. I've never had trouble finding work and when I was self-employed, there were a couple or three years when I made a 6 figure income (but I had no life at that time either LOL).

 

What I have found over the years is that IT folks in the USA get paid a whole lot more than us Canucks to do the same job. Was a time when I even considered moving but other "stuff" got in the way. Regardless, I'm happy here and that's all that matters!

 

Great write-ups guys and gals!

[a1bummer]

My first computer was a Commodore VIC-20. Now I collect old computers from people so they don't end up in landfills. I refurbish some and give them away to people who might need one. Otherwise I dismantle them and recycle everything. It's just a hobby. I also salvage some parts to build my little robots and other projects. Like the turn signals for my scoot. Otherwise I'll be in my last semester this fall for Nanoscience Technology. (http://www.cvtc.edu/pages/423.asp). I've always been a "Jack of all trades, master of none". After injuring both knees at work, I figured it was time to "master" something.

[Russ]

As some of ya'll have described yourselves, I'm a Jack of all trades, master of none. my first comp was a TRS-80. Dabbled a little in basic with that, went on to my dad's 386sx (he was too cheap for the math coprocessor) and was told it better be working when he gets home from work. That forced me to learn to fix it. Lack of a direction in life led me to fall back on those skills and landed me a job with a small company that leased and customized computers for Caterpillar, Inc. from there I went into some network admin, sys admin, got laid off, and now I'm a contractor that gets to babysit a veritable crapton of Windows servers every night. I still enjoy writing my own batch files, even if there's an easier way to do it through the GUI, and I'm currently teaching myself C#.

[Royal05Steve]

28 yrs now in IT (-4 when I ran away to be a roadie) Started as a 3rd shift operator on a IBM System 3 then programmer in RPG II/III/IV ILE. I am now a Sr Developer coding in java using a Tibco Enterprise Framework Message Bus. I work at at&t (Your World Delivered Somewhere Else!!!)