My first awareness of 'computers' came in the middle 1960s in school. With a mathematical 'bent', I had the opportunity to visit a data processing facility - large tape drives, card readers, air conditioning, a full room full of magic machines. In my enthusiasm, I began to teach myself Fortran, thinking "Here is the way of the future!".
While my interest in maths continued, school through the 1960s did not provide me any further exposure to computing. Entering university in 1969 my interests had changed more to the liberal arts, so I paid computers and computing little further notice over the next decade.
By the early 1980s computers were again entering my consciousness. At an interview for a job as a beekeeping tutor at the (then) Bay of Plenty Community College, I was asked what experience I had and whether I thought I might be able to come to work with them. I spoke with great confidence about computerised machine control and my willingness to come to grips with personal computers...
As it turned out, my appointment was to be inexorably linked with computer use. In 1983 I was provided with the second PC the Community College ever obtained - a Wang PC (with proprietary PC-DOS like operating system) with a 5Mb Winchester disk! The supplier advised the use of an integrated package called Open Access. With no training, I quickly taught myself basic word processing and database use, and a new-found series of pleasures developed.
"Playing" took on a whole new aspect. Once I realised that the constraining Wang menuing system could be eliminated, I began to work at command prompt level exclusively. Batch files became my passion! I developed all sorts of small routines to make my computing work easier - batch file driven menus, utilities, backup routines.
My 'real' work with the PC involved writing a series of 12 modules to deliver to the beekeeping industry. I was able to do all of the input, editing, layout, production - the ability to control an entire process made me aware of the central positioning of the personal computer in the future of production and administration of courses.
I created a database to maintain all student records. The students undertook the modules in an entirely self-paced manner, so I had to keep track of when which module as sent out, when returned, marked, results - fortunately Open Access' database made it easy to modify fields extensively after the initial creation!
I used the PC to write, edit and produce the written material sent out to the students. The sense of absolute control over the entire process was particularly pleasing in a marginally bureaucratic environment...
I initially used the Wang WP but moved to a shareware word/text processor - PC Write. I created extensive and (for me at the time!) sophisticated macros that would allow me to readily save individual paragraphs written to students, then retrieve them to insert into letters to other students. It was not at all unusual for me to provide a 'personal' five or six page letter, custom-composed - but only taking a matter of minutes to construct!
I became the polytechnic's flavour of the month - carted around the country to demonstrate our young institute's initiative, entrepreneuring spirit, the high-tech way of the future! Wang entered into the spirit of it, providing beta imaging systems, increasing more powerful PCs and other opportunities to 'show off'. These were heady times...
I had always been involved in the beekeeping industry's national body, the National Beekeepers' Association. In 1989, I analysed their requirements are created an application to manage most aspects of dealing with membship records.
The association's activities were tightly constrained by their rules, with weighted voting systems related to hive numbers and a variety of membership types, with diverse reporting and label requirements
In 1987 I bought my first PC - I went for the best! 286 processor, 20Mb hard disk and I really extended my budget - EGA colour... All up it cost me just under $10,000.
About this time, my childhood interests in amateur radio re-emerged. I combined them with PC use and moved into the digital world of ham radio. Using a TNC (terminal node connector) I learned about the AX25 protocol for packet radio. I operated as ZL1BSN on both Very High Frequency (VHF) and High Frequency (HF) bands. I ultimately set up a local bulletin board service, acting as the equivalent of a usenet news feed in the ham radio world.
I delighted in tinkering, both hardware and software. I configured and changed, installed and tested for hours.
Eventually, I found AX25 a bit too much 'hands off' when it came to the really interesting stuff, so moved into TCP/IP over ham radio. At that time, I was the first Tauranga ham, and I only ever managed to talk two or three others into it through that period - it really cramped my style not to have other stations to work with. I connected to my own station a lot!
The ham software for TCP/IP was pretty much all command line, and again I reveled in it. All of the configurations - hosts, routing, aliases, etc - were manual text files, requiring real understanding of the features involved. I'm still amazed at how much of this experience still benefits me in general network understanding and application.
By the late 1980s the beekeeping course I had written had peaked in student numbers. I moved into the Management Information System development endeavours of the BOP Polytechnic.
Initially, I was involved in user documentation and training. The Polytechnic had specified and developed its own MIS using a 3 1/2 GL called Berger, on the Wang VS platform. Users operated as terminals only.
At the time, that was probably the right decision, as LANs were not particularly widespread or stable. Ultimately, the Wang VS platform became the downfall of the system's acceptance by other polytechnics.
My immediate supervisor, and more importantly my role model and mentor, through these years was Joan Leversedge. Though without programming experience herself, Joan has exceptional personal, managerial, analytical and communication skills - she was a delight to work for and with!
When she was promoted to a Divisional Manager role, I spent nearly a year as co-leader of the team, working with Bruce Stock, a young but extraordinarily skilled programmer. Between us, we managed some aspects of the implementation when Carrington Polytechnic (!) bought the system, as well as all user support and development through the period. I learned the value of method and recording systems, allowing us to 'track' requests and responses, ensuring a professional approach.
My job then became a direct assistant to Joan Leversedge, with specific responsibilities related to the planning and budget process, quality assurance systems and general data analysis. Again, a delightful few years of challenge and learning.
Using Joan's position and authority, I was able to design and implement an Excel-based budgeting system that allowed 42 team leaders to set individual budgets, immediate consolidation and analysis of various indicators. Other linked sheets provided the myriad of calculations and conditional processing to work out Ministry funding, EFTS calculations and all the other management information required for the decision-makers to have real data at their fingers.
I participated in three years of the budget process, attending all management meetings, handling the integrity and updating required, and managing the timeframes and task monitoring.
I performed a similar role related to the Polytechnic's Annual Report for two of those years, getting firsthand experience of a reasonable scale of project management.
I also created a Quality Management Documentation System during this period. This involved the 'codification' of policies, procedures, guidelines and forms for the Polytechnic. As a relatively small and young institution, most operational aspects had developed in isolation and without formal documentation.
I developed and managed not only the system of creating and approving the policies, etc, but also the maintenance and distribution/availability to staff. While by this time my personal aim for such things was entirely electronic, the result was for the most part paper based. The 'background' was all electronic, though - linked documents, extensive use of templates, databases to generate indices, flowcharting (again, linked into the documents) - altogether another set of systems that I was allowed almost complete authority to create!
My time with Joan Leversedge allowed me the opportunity to institute many small scale IT related projects for the Polytechnic, and I learned the importance of analysis, design, communication and training in general!
I was, during some of this time, still tutoring. I began to work in the areas of the computing courses for the NZ Diploma in Business Studies, as well as other computing related courses.
The early 1990s saw my second PC, a real IBM, 486 25MHz, 120Mb hard disk. Again, it seemed magic at the time. I used it as my 'main' PC for about six years, after upgrading processor to 50MHz, adding a CD-ROM, RAM, new hard disk. With young children, I did my best to keep it operational so I didn't have to upgrade too soon!
By the middle 1990s I was again full time tutorial - Joan Leversedge's successor saw me more as a secretary for him than a person with ability and initiative! I got bored with him...
When taking over the introductory computing courses, mostly for the 'non-computing' type students (sport and leisure, horticulture, etc) I was appalled to find there was no system, no real plan or curriculum. The non-computing students were not really being respected by the 'normal' IT tutors, who saw them as no fun and no future.
I designed and created an introductory course, including aspects of word processing, spreadsheets and integration of data. It resulted in a much more orderly and consistent delivery of computing education to a market which is now a substantial part of the overall 'computing learning' that happens.
When our Polytechnic embraced the Qualifications Framework, I re-wrote the course to become units based (for good or bad!).
I spent one year involved in industry training. This consisted of designing and delivering any short courses for which I could get (full fee paying!) students. While I got some personal satisfaction, the lack of overall responsibility for most aspects related to marketing and promotion saw the venture ultimately brought to a halt. My knowledge of management systems was considerably increased - you don't learn only from the good ones!
I currently teach in a variety of modules mostly in the Business Administration area - beginning and intermediate application use, office systems in general, with a view to making my own students really aware of the impact and possible directions of office-related employment and technologies into the future.
My internet experience began eight years ago, which makes me pretty much an old hand among even my own colleagues.
I knew of the internet's existence through my ham radio involvement, and figured I had nothing to lose - I rang up the University of Waikato and talked my way into an account! They were so surprised that anyone even knew what they were doing that they let me have one!
I spent the next few years with a dialup account at 2400 baud for the majority of that time. As I knew I was there on a 'favour', I didn't feel as if I could ask anyone there anything, so again began the painful and pleasurable experience of learning yet another command line operating system - VMS. Being on the other end of a long distance telephone call meant it was more task oriented, but again I developed the skill required to do what I wanted to do. I automated almost all aspects, variously scripting with the terminal programme, then manipulating text with advanced WP macros to minimise time on-line.
I began voluminous email use, relating it to both my family (I grew up in Texas) and to my beekeeping involvement which still occupies a lot of my own time.
When the first Internet Service Provider began business in Tauranga in the middle 1990s, I became their second local customer! I was particularly fortunate to develop a good relationship with the ISP (wave internet services) which included being able to help them out here locally.
As their own office and personnel were based in Hamilton, and their Tauranga equipment was located in a room at the BOPP, I acted as their 'fixer', 'resetter' and troubleshooter. I spent many hours with a telephone to my ear, connecting the orange/white wire to the second terminal, resetting modems to order, sorting out problems with power supply and UPSs... While not a wage earner, I learned a lot about the routing systems and delivery of internet services. They were also generous in providing me with web space!
I taught myself HTML in the same way I do most things - plodding along, looking at examples, and try, try again...
My first substantial web site went up in 1995. I have since created several others, and currently manage five domains. I do not feel my real strengths are in graphic design, but I do have a good understanding of most HTML work. I have tried a variety of HTML editors and generators, but ultimately still much prefer to use my trusty DOS based text processor!
While my own website is designed to promote the New Zealand beekeeping industry, acting as a focal point and lobbying tool for market access and promotion of New Zealand's honeys and hive products, most of my interests are currently in the areas of email distribution lists.
I used Mercury Mail, a NZ written mail transport programme, to manage lists for the beekeepers initially. I currently manage three beekeeping lists, about a dozen lists for the World Veterinary Association and several miscellaneous lists. The largest of the lists has only about 200 members, and it is all still done from my home PC using a scheduled/automated dialup connection.
Three years ago I managed (with the help of selling my power board shares - thank you, Trust Power!) to buy a new PC. Again, though it is highly spec'ed for the time, I was well aware that I'd feel disappointed in its capabilities in several years.
My children, now 12 and 15, dominate the computer for large segments of what used to be my computing time! I retaliated by resurrecting the 'old' PC and installing Linux!
And it works! I have dramatically challenged my own abilities repeatedly and on an unprecedented scale and am now able to say I'm coming to understand and be able to use it!
I have installed, configured, operated, removed and done it all a dozen times or more now, partly for fun, partly for stupidity...
I have the 'old box' operating now a server for a home network consisting of (now) three PCs only, including Linux, Win98 and Win3.1 operating systems. I have internal mail systems set up, and can remotely manage many aspects of the server's operations.
Fetchmail, sendmail, procmail and majordomo have become the currency of my interactions with my computer - the system is finally working about the way I want it to. I managed a number of mailing lists now from that machine until the demands on the dialup connection became too great.
I have chosen to never pursue qualifications in the Information Technology field previously. The opportunities involved always seemed too remote from my real experiences and, more particularly, my interests. Though I have done some programming, minimally, I do not perceive that as a major component of my future. Similarly, though I have been involved in documentation and support, that is not the direction I wish to extend myself.
Education and communication will form a substantial part of my future employment and pleasure. The uptake of email and internet use by non-computing people shows me a clear bearing for my future learning and endeavours.
I expect, over the next few years, to extend most of my activities into the areas of web site creation and management, but with a clear understanding of the changing cultures and ways of doing things, the ways that IT systems can be used to effectively 'fit into' people's lives in the future.
I want to be part of both an educational and influential system that will help to shape the future ways that people communicate and carry out their businesses.
I believe I chose the right course of study!