Originally posted by GreyGeek
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I wondered if you recognized my jab at the "helpful smile in every aisle" cliche lifted from the local Hy-Vee tv commercials. Only reason I know about that is I also am in Lincoln NE. Started my real computer trek after a car wreck in 1995. Went back to school instead of back to work, and bought an Acer 486 computer to help with my Electronics curriculum. I believe that machine came with the newly astounding Windows 95, or I acquired it soon after. I remember Win 95 being released late in the year. At school I soon discovered that the programming electives allowed for Electronics would lead to better paying jobs than the Electronic Servicing angle ever would. Best thing I got from Electronics was (1) learning how to build my own computer, and (2) the basic ability to understand all residential house wiring and how to repair my own guitar amps. They also made us learn Assembler, and that really helped me get a grip on how computers function at the most basal level.
While I went to school every night for 4 years I worked days at the State Health Dept, 3rd flooor SOB. We actually had a few contacts with Revenue on 2nd floor I think, some with Education on 6th, and some with DAS on 1st floor. Did you know Rod Cummings? Stan Schmidt? Steve Sherill? Ken Mitchell? Rania Schlein? Later I switched to the big help desk in the basement, Level 2. We did a lot of support work with NFOCUS and CHARTS, as well as a ton of stuff for HHS. Even got to drive out to DCS a few times on Van Dorn, with the occasional trip to Omaha.
When I finished school I got a job a month later doing VB6 and MSSQL for an insurance company. They went belly up (I'm sure you would recognize the name, as the former Dept of Insurance Director - also a former Husker QB - started the company) and I went to a research firm, got laid off, and ended up at an academic environment teaching myself C# and ASP. Also got to learn ASP on the side doing free lance for Rod Cummings and NAPT. Pretty cool stuff. Now we are busy converting all the old disjointed apps from Cold Fusion and PHP and Access to C# / SQL / ASP.
Thank you for the in depth description of some of the ins and outs of Linux World. I'm sure it will grow on me now that I've found a friendly door into it. I feel learning how to do some of the insider stuff in Linux will help in some small way to make me a better overall programmer. In fact, I have a pic of my screen so that I could ask you guys about the error I got when I tried to Start Mint Cinnamon. I'll post that up soon.
Do you ever attend any of the local code slinger events here in Lincoln? I haven't yet, but probably should....
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