Gerhard Froehlich wrote:
> +1 wanna hear
I guess I only needed one :)
My name is Berin Loritsch, knocking on 30's door (I'm young aren't I?).
I live in Virginia in the good ol' USA. I started out typing in programs
from Commander magazine for the Commodore 64. It didn't take long to
realize that BASIC was too slow, and the programs written in assembly
were much faster. So I got an assembler, a dissassembler, and got to
work reverse engineering some software and making some of my own. Since
I like graphics more, I was one of the first to get GeOS (Graphical OS)
for the C-64. It's Assembly API was the best I've seen yet. My first
corporate job was an R&D assistant for Systar, Inc. (a French company).
While I was there I goofed off, wrote my first game, and had my introduction
to designing a database application. I left that job to go to school.
I've always been into the musical arts, but I can't sing and I can't
play any instruments--so I learned to record. I went to Full Sail
Center for the Recording Arts, which has nothing to do with programming--
although the section on practical troubleshooting was better than I've
heard for any other course of study. When you are paying over $200 an
hour and some equipment breaks, you have to fix it fast.
When I got back from school, I set out to find a job in the field I studied
for (don't we all?). In the mean time, I was temping as an administrative
assistant. Then I had two offers: studio manager for $6.00/hour or admin
for $22500/year. Being the smart person I was, I went for more money. It
didn't take long to get bored with the job, so when they introduced the
internet to the office, I found out about Linux, the Free Software Foundation,
and Open Source. I knew I needed some new skills, and I have been itching
to learn C++, so I got a copy of Linux to learn. I couldn't see spending
over $600 for a compiler back then. In the process I learned UNIX
administration, how to compile a kernel, and how to really skrew up a
Linux install in five easy steps.
Professionally, I got involved in the PC service center, became an
"environment specialist" (not an admin, but not a full fledged technical
person either) and set up the processes for borrowing computers, and keeping
inventory. I got another division interested in me, and I designed 3
database systems and a software defect tracking tool. I got my first
official experience as a professional programmer there--though I didn't
go beyond making simple tools.
I moved from that company (woefully underpaying me), to the one I work for
now, that is very sympathetic to OSS--especially when it helps us make better
products. I helped them with a coldfusion application, and after a painful
migration of no less than 3 different styles for the same app to one I found
out about Cocoon. I did a quick demo of what Cocoon could do for them, and
got their interest. I went from Cocoon to Avalon and back to Cocoon (version 2).
From that point on, I have been involved in Avalon, Cocoon, JMeter, Axis,
and a couple projects that I started.
--
"Those who would trade liberty for
temporary security deserve neither"
- Benjamin Franklin
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