I have spent the last 22 years working professionally in the Technology field. I started off originally programming in the insurance business and then moved into the network support side working in Health Care. It has been a lifetime and ups and downs and mostly full filling. I thought I would talk about today how I was inspired as a youngster, what motivates me and how I made the move into the world of technology.
My Dad actually inspired me with an Apple II +. He was a corporate treasurer and the company he worked for bought an Apple II + which he carried to and from the office in a large briefcase. The screen was only a small 7 inch green screen. My Dad used the computer for doing work on Visicalc which was the pioneer spreadsheet program. Before long I was using the computer more than my Dad to the point we had to compete for time.
I developed my love for adventure games on the Apple II +. I played the early Ultimate Adventure games on this machine. At one time I spent 8 months trying to solve one of these classics. I actually had 3 2″ binders full of notes and maps when I was done. Hard to believe now that I was that hooked. Needless to say I do not play adventure games anymore – I wonder why?
The Apple II + was where I first wrote my first major program. I was taking a computer class in High School and I wrote a basic program which was a strategic baseball game. The minimum requirement was 100 lines of code as my final project and I had over 3000 lines without an error in the code. Not bad for a 15 year old. Little did I know this was the start of a lifetime of being in the computer business.
The Apple II + was where I first got online as well. I can remember saving $250.00 from paper routes to purchase a 300 Baud modem so I could connect to BBS (Bulletin Board Systems) systems. This was long before the World Wide Web was developed. I bought my first modem when I was 16 years old and 26 years later I am still online – this time on the Internet.
Since the Apple II + days I have owned a Radio Shack Color Computer ( called the Coco) and many versions of IBM clone pcs running everything from MS Dos 3.3 to Windows 7. Incredible when you think about it.
On the mainframe/Mini side I have programed on everything from an IBM 1130 (using punch cards) to an IBM 3090E. I do not program professionally anymore. I realized I am more a people person and as a result I have moved into the support side of things. I find this very rewarding and satisfying.
This explains my love for computers which was my start into technology. From computers it just grew on me in a big way. I sometimes think I should have become a technology writer instead of working in support. This way I would be able to play with all the cool toys.
I used to be an early adopter in technology. When the Sony Diskman came out I had to be one of the first people to have one. I can remember paying $350.00 dollars for one and that did not even include the headphones. Wow by today’s standards.
When I was first in my professional career I was at one of the big professional trade shows; Comdex; and I won a Palm III. Since that day I have never carried a date book. Now I have progressed to the Iphone:) Why carry separate devices when it can do more than one thing.
I love technology but I am no longer an earlier adopter. The cost of being one is just way out of my budget. I have an Iphone 3G but I got it a year after it was out. I have many other comforts like a PVR, DVR and surround sound. Surprisingly I still do not have and LCD but that will be coming.
I love technology it has been such a big part of my life and I am thankful for that:)
