Computers, codes, and having fun (for all you Geeks out there)

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:17 am

I know we got ALOT of computer Gurus out there, and we all have our expertise..... my problem is, I dable in a LITTLE bit of everything, but am not really good at anything. My goal is to get good at it all. I was wondering who out there were out Code guys, who are the hardware guys, who are the networking guys, who are the software guys, and who are (like me) and all around, try everythign guys?

WaveAction · Post by **WaveAction** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:23 am

im none of those..can i help you with anything but those 4 other guys? lol

GrayFox · Post by **GrayFox** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:23 am

I fixed computers before I got into the whole graphics thing mainly simple computer repair but I did have a hand in a few big server installs... I guess I would be more hardware oriented and I (used to) know HTML pretty well but haven't messed with it in so long... I'd like to get back into it just to broaden my horizons a little moreI also took Cisco courses 1-4 but like other stuff haven't messed/used it in a long time. I was the only person to graduate in my class, haha I was also the youngest

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:27 am

I am like you.But I work setting up networks for the printing industry.I also fix the hardware end of things too.Then,after that if there is anything wrong with the printer side,I have to fix that too.I am also a licensed motorcycle mechanic and backyard auto mechanic.Jack of all, trades master of none.

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:38 am

See, this is already paying off. I am currently 90% hardware, on PC's working for the army. However we get some printers, and I can never figure out what is going on. Now I know who to turn to for help... lol.I am trying to get back into HTML, PHP, and some other coding/hosting things. I haven't coded for years, and picked it up again this year for making a website for my motherinlaw's new wedding business. Just seeing who is into chatting about things and can teach me how to use frontpage and edit and such.

GrayFox · Post by **GrayFox** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:46 am

I hate working on printers but I guess it's people like me that gives people like you a job and if you need an ad made for a printer fixer then I got you covered see it all works out haha

millster · Post by **millster** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:52 am

I'm an all-around guy and have been for about 8 years, now. I've never really had a position where I've had a specialty even though most of them were supposed to be specialized. Someone always figures me out and I end up being a catch all.

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:57 am

I dabble in the little ones too,but mainly commercial for Xerox and I am certified,but I can help with most problems on all printers.So.if you ever need some assistance hit me up.Here's a pic of some of the ones I service.These are real Printershttp://www.xerox.com/images/us...a.jpghttp://w ... us...0.jpg

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:27 am

i just like to fiddle and tinker with things. i don't necessarily know how it all works, but have a BASIC understanding of most general networking.... don't ask me to help build a network, cause i just sell it, not install it or set it up! LOL however, that does not stop me from messing it up or clicking buttons or things i probably shouldn't.

coldmm803 · Post by **coldmm803** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:34 am

i'm also hardware, i built my first pc november 05, i'm on a few pc forums

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:26 am

Ive been a PC tech since 2000, that includes windows based pc's and mac, both hardware and software. I fix laser jet printers a lot and like them, I think they are easier to fix/troubleshoot than pc's. I have set up networks and done networking things but Im not current on the business hardware much. I just do lots of home networking for clients.Ive done my fair share of coding, C, C++, HTML, XML, VB, ASP.NET 2.0 and Assembly on a motorola 68hc12.I fix lots of video game consoles too.... ahah I like tearing things apart...but maybe I have ADD cuz if its my own, it doesnt get fixed but if its someone elses it does...I, like you, like to know about everything. So I am getting Net+ cert'd and apple tech certed soon once school is over and I finally have time!

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:54 pm

Wow North, you just put us all to shame, lol. You certified for those or just "know" them. I know in real life, certifications don't mean anything. Our shop at work has one guy who got his A+ Cert.... but we have some of the smartest guys I have ever met. Certs are just for resumes and gettign more money, but in real life, nothing will beat experiance.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:47 pm

I am A+ cert. but its such an easy test and it was so that compUSA could make me a "legal" tech. Printers and mac's I just picked up one day and started fixing, so yeah I just have experience, but I really would like to get my Apple Tech cert if this current employer I am interviewing with doesnt hire me.... Yup experience is the best way to get good at it. But an A+ or net+ cert is a easy and semi cheap way to learn a little and then be able to prove to people you know something, specially on a resume. Although I do not have A+ cert. on my resume.....

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:55 pm

Yeah, I have studied for the A+, but just haven't taken it yet. I am hopign to start summer school, and stuff and work on a Degree in Computer Science. Not so much to learn (even though I LOVE to learn new things), but that way I can ask for a raise, or in 4-5 years when I am looking to move out of NC, I can ask for more money with a new job.

MRCN RCE · Post by **MRCN RCE** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:34 pm

the only codes i know are for infinite lives, extra weapons, and invincibility n stuff for game consoles

NascarXprt · Post by **NascarXprt** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:05 am

Quote, originally posted by MRCN RCE Â»the only codes i know are for infinite lives, extra weapons, and invincibility n stuff for game consoles yea me too. i also know some html code and alittle bit of CSS. i too am i the graphics.

millster · Post by **millster** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:12 am

I agree, North. The certs make a difference if you have equal experience with another applicant.I'm A+ and was MCP but I let that lapse now. It really makes you a lot more appealing.Of course now that I find myself focusing more on the programming than hardware repair and troubleshooting, the A+ and if I still had it, my MCP wouldn't really matter.

NUBlackshirts · Post by **NUBlackshirts** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:35 am

Hmmm, for me it's hard to say. I got a Commodore 64 back in '83, an Amiga 500 in '88, then jumped into PC's with both feet in '90. I have been known to fix just about anything computer-wise. I worked for the "evil empire" for a few years doing Windows 95/98/NT4 phone support. Then I moved over to MS Premiere support for NT4 Server troubleshooting networks. Now I am a systems admin for the USAF (civil service) and have been for several years. I can troubleshoot hardware, software, and networks. But, I don't consider myself an "expert" at any of these.PS: One thing I refuse to do is programming. You programmer types are nuts.

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:27 pm

I am shocked at how many computer guys we have around here. Maybe there is a connection to Vibes... and Computers... hmmmmmHere is a new one. Now that I have moved off the Desktop Support lifestyle and working as a Senior Sys Admin (Which I am insanely proud of being 26 and a Sr. Sys Admin, after only being a junior for a year), does any one work with VMware at all? We are installing it this month and virtualizing all our servers, and wondered if any one has gone through this process, and has any tips or tricks.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 10:44 pm

ah, yes we use VMware. well I'm using it now for server 2k3 training and to run linux at work (gets around websense ) We just have a couple VM servers, not a huge deal but can be tedious setup.

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:44 pm

I admit, it can be some work. We have 4-5 virtual servers running, but none are true production. I am schedualled to go to a boot camp for it, and get the actual VMCP cert. It is some neat software, and I am shocked that it took this long before it started to become so popular with businesses.

ClunkClunk · Post by **ClunkClunk** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:48 pm

My company has weird policies about identifying your job role online, so I'll keep it general. I guess you could categorize my job as a tech, primarily working with consumers who have purchased our products. I'd say my job is 50% software, 50% hardware of both our consumer electronics and computer lines; mostly troubleshooting and repairs.

bull77 · Post by **bull77** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:26 am

Quote, originally posted by Vibr8tr Â»Now that I have moved off the Desktop Support lifestyle and working as a Senior Sys Admin (Which I am insanely proud of being 26 and a Sr. Sys Admin, after only being a junior for a year), good job man! -- I'm working as an admin now with the government -- but don't touch the vmware stuff

scherry2 · Post by **scherry2** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:14 am

after reading all the posts I have a headache. this is the only code I know . . . _ _ _ . . .

altimar · Post by **altimar** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:36 am

I haven't come across this thread until now, so I'll check in as another computer nerd, specializing in software. My job title is "Programmer/Analyst" and I work on a large medical billing software system that is used by my company as well as six other large companies across the nation. It's a beast, mostly written in VB5 originating the late 90's. We write newer components in .NET now, but I probably spend more time slogging through horrendous VB5 and *truly horrifying* stored procedures. There is talk of a rewrite in .NET, but there are only 5 of us and we stay fairly busy just maintaining the thing for us and the clients, so I think it could be another ten years before anything really happens...I have a BS in Computer Science and I'm pretty decent with C++, Java, VB5, VB.NET, MS SQL and I've done simple web programming with PHP, JSP, and MySQL. I've programmed in 5 or 6 others while in school, but it's true that if you get a good background in basics, you can pick up any language in no time. It was fun trying to wrap my head around a functional language like ML, a strict object-oriented language like Smalltalk, and a pattern-matching language like SNOBOL. IMO, COBOL is a spawn of satan.My favorite software would have to be Linux (and other Free Software). I first looked at it around 2000 and had a bit of trouble getting into it, but maybe a year later, I was loving it. I think I pretty much gave up Windows at home around mid-2002. I run an old PC at home for a simple website, wiki, mail, FTP, and PC-backup server. It runs 24/7 since at least four years ago and the only problem I've ever had was a HDD failure. Try that with Windows! My favorite distro is Fedora and my current PC is an Acer Aspire One (a tiny netbook that came with a Fedora derivative installed) and I'm *loving* it.Hardware-wise, I've put a few PCs together, do some home networking, and fix things for family or friends, but I wouldn't want to do it for a living.Nerd joke: There are 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't.

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:18 am

I like that joke....How would you compare Fedora to Ubuntu? I am getting into Unix and Linux, and trying to find what's best for me to learn with. Every one I work with loves Ubuntu and uses VMworkstation to run any Windows applications at home that it won't run.

tribalman · Post by **tribalman** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:43 am

hm... well i go to school for networking, but i also like hardware a lot too. i deal a lot with operating systems, mostly maintaining. i also prefer ubuntu cause i find is more intuitive for me. i would probably end up using Fedora RHEL instead of core 9 in a server environment though. just woud say just try them both out. ubuntu has the live cd you can dl, and fedora has the live dvd. don't have to change anything on your system.anyone work in the industry and have any entry level positions open? xD

altimar · Post by **altimar** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:33 am

tribalman is right, you can try them both out pretty easily. Personally, I started out with RedHat 7.2 (they switched the name to Fedora later), so I prefer that. I actually did try out Ubuntu for right around a year, and it was nice. It made distro upgrading pretty easy, it was easy to find help for common problems, apt-get works very well, pretty good support for a lot of apps in lots of repositories. IMO, Redhat's yum is just as good though, there's probably still the same or better support for Fedora. In the end, I think I just prefer Fedora being a little more command line friendly.FWIW, if you want to develop Linux skills for enterprise purposes, go with Fedora, because it's the community (more bleeding edge, consumer oriented) version of THE most popular commercial Linux distro RedHat Enterprise Linux (like tribal said). Even better, go with Centos which is exactly the same as RHEL, but free. Not sure about live cd/dvd versions though.

Vibr8tr · Post by **Vibr8tr** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:14 pm

Yeah, I DL'd the Ubuntu Live CD when it was 7.4 or something. Now they have like 8.1 out and I have to download it again. I just never really played with it. We don't use Linux at work alot, only for VMware, and we have a few mail filtering boxes, and firewalls. So it's all just learning so I can know more than to really use.

altimar · Post by **altimar** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:09 am

Quote, originally posted by Vibr8tr Â»Now they have like 8.1 out ...It's 8.10 actually. Mathematically that would be the same, but Canonical's naming convention is a reflection of the release date, ie. 8.10 = 2008/10. I'm not trying to be a smart---, I just think it's a nifty naming scheme and wanted to point it out. So, you can determine that it has been a year and a half (and 3 releases) since the last Ubuntu distro you tried. I believe they've had several large improvements since then, especially wireless drivers and Xorg. I think it (Kubuntu) includes the new KDE 4.1 if, like me you don't care for Gnome.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:44 am

AND!!!! beter integration of the 3d drivers and ati support

but really only for newer cards

Computers, codes, and having fun (for all you Geeks out there)

Computers, codes, and having fun (for all you Geeks out there)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (Vibr8tr)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (Vibr8tr)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (kevera)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (Vibr8tr)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (Vibr8tr)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (ANO_Vibe)

Re: (northvibe)

Re: (northvibe)

Re: (MRCN RCE)

Re: (northvibe)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (Vibr8tr)

Re: (Vibr8tr)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (Vibr8tr)

Re: Computers, codes, and having fun (scherry2)

Re: (Vibr8tr)

Re: (Vibr8tr)

Re: (Vibr8tr)