Brief Introduction

For those of you that don't know me (which will be most of you), My name is Mitchel.

This blog is all about putting technical information in the hands of the common Joe.

I started working on computers back in 1983 on a state of the art IBM 8088 (hee hee, even the mere typing of that computer name gives me a head rush when I realize how much computer history I lived).



My dad got our family a IBM PC jr. 1984 and then a IBM PS/2 in 1987. I remember fondly those early days watching my dad struggle with large manuels about MS DOS and trying to duplicate the examples on our home PC and i'd watch him. I also remember him telling me once "Don't touch it, you'll break it". But as soon as i'd won his confidence I started excelling with the world of computers, soaking up everything I read and saw.

Now years later I dabble with servers, mainframes, micro-computers and a host of hardware. My boss recently commented on me looking at our IBM I5 files and said "Don't touch it, You'll break it" and it reminded me of so long ago when I knew I couyld do it if given the chance.

Now I grow tired of the supposed experts and manager types that want to look down their long ignorant noses at the operators and end users with disdain. I say, computers aren't magical or mysterious, in fact they are no more than a tool. When you learn how your tool works then you are your own expert.

Of course where to start is always a problem. I started, for all practical pourposes, at the beginning. I can't expect you to go back in time 25 years ago with me and go through all the books and magazines, sitting up late into the night writing programs or sitting in informal seminars, visiting the local techie guru sitting in his underware while I barter for a 10 mb hard drive... no those days are gone for the most part. On the bright side though we now have the internet and a megaton of wealth that I didn't have for the first 10 years of learning.

All that to say I believe that where there is a will there surely is a way.

Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions as I will be posting on a myriad of topics ranging from history, programming, hardware issues, operating systems, hacking and who knows what else may come up... and I am not the final authority on all subjects so I love constructive comments.