Geeksweekly.com is a site produced by two IT professionals that want to give back to the world of Geekdom. James and Paul have prepared the episodes in mpeg4 format and have given pdf tutorials and flash "how-to" sessions. The navigation links on the left are kept simple to minimize confusion.
Pauls BIO:
I started programming back in the mid eighties on the apple 2 platform, I made several sub rate video game clones before moving on to actually build a really decent dig dug clone. I continued to play with programming with the apple and then with a commodore 64 for a few years. I took a few years off from computers when I became a logger, specializing in heliwood harvesting. I sustained an injury to my left foot that made me rethink my career choice. I decided to get into computer art, specifically video editing and graphic arts. I acquired money for my post secondary education from the FRBC (forest renewal plan of British Columbia). With this money I was able to attend CDIS (centre for digital imaging and sound) in Burnaby B.C. Here I learned about this new platform called windows, photoshop, premiere, illustrator, after effects, avid, video toasters, tele prompters, director, 3dmax, form Z, pro tools, and the ins and outs of blue screen, compositing, and various styles of cameras including film and video (hi def wasn't even a wet dream back then.)
After College I built several computers for friends and a few small networks for businesses out in WhiteRock B.C. I did not have deep computer knowledge back then but was learning a little bit more every day. I survived on the money I made bouncing and bar tending at the hotel Burnaby on 14th & Kingsway along with some day jobs roofing, demolition and renovating. I eventually ran into some personal issues and decided to return to the Queen Charlottes for my cousins wedding.
Shortly after moving back (living with my parents how geeky can you get) I was asked to come work for EchoBay scaling and gradings sub company OfficeWorks Plus as a computer tech. For about a year I did just tech work, then the resident graphic artist moved so I quickly took over his role as well as my own. I switched the company over to Adobe products and convinced them to upgrade their color copier to a photo quality Xerox machine. Its about this time that several major players in the B.C. IT industry contacted us looking for on island support personal. We serviced the region for several years to follow before new conditions forced me to chose to let some of the contracts go.
During this time the business I was employed by underwent some dramatic changes. The rental space had grown too small so land was purchased and a completely new building was built. It was right around here I met my co-geek James, he had just been awarded the school District network contract. Over the next few years I learned an incredible amount from him, and vise versa I'm sure. The owners of the business decided to split ways and the company was reinvented as qci OfficeWorks plus keeping the new building and staff. My role now changed to upper management. I learned project management and administrative skills. I decided to try a slightly different avenue in my tech work. I went out and got certified in installing and connecting data cabling systems. I dropped some of the go nowhere contract I had and sparked up some new ones that paid better and let me actually work. This year (2006 2007)I continued to upgrade my certifications getting the new A+ , network +, security + MCSA, MCSE+security, MCDST, DCSE, MCTS project 2007 and in early 2008 I upgraded my adobe to cs2 ACE and plan to get my CCNA, CWNA, project +, Linux + before the decades end. Currently I am enrolled in Thompson Rivers University for a Technology Degree in Information Technology Management. I have been moving the business towards large format printing, laminating and coping. My Adobe print specialist certification and web certification are the only ones in the region as far as I know.
Most recent James and I wanted to contribute to the other geeks and techs out there by pod casting our insight for others to learn from. Along the way we surely will learn from others either in the field or just stay at home geeks. I know that their are people out their with mad skills far beyond what I posses, hopefully they can help me develop to the next level and correct me when I'm wrong, this is how we learn.
James BIO:
Much like Paul, I began many decades ago. I first found my inner geek when I discovered the Apple II and Commodore Vic 20/64. As many kids did I began programming in basic. I spent many hours of typing in code from Computer Gazette only to discover I had some minor typo preventing the game from running. Shortly after that, thanks to a couple friends, I discovered 6502 assembly programming on the Apple II. Much to my joy I discovered that the cpu on my commodore 64(6510) was VERY similar to the Apple II cpu (6502). The kernal and addresses were different but the assembly language was virtually identical. This allowed me to write programs that, with a little modification, would work at school and at home! I quickly became "heir uber geek" at school and found myself tutoring my computer science teacher on weekends.
Over the years I have always been "Mr. Computer Fixit" for many people. This led to a tech position at Northern Lights College(NLC) which led to computer instruction. I began teaching many seminars (photo editing, pc repair, etc). I also found myself in a position to teach MS Office for their office admin program for several years. During my tenure at NLC they began a program to teach the MCSE and CNE course. In desperation for an instructor they turned to me and asked me if I could handle it. Having never done these certifications, and knowing how tough they can be, I was hesitant. We negotiated for me to teach the courses provided that I stay ahead of the students. All went well. I even made it into the newspaper as the Peace Regions first MCSE (front page.. woohoo!! lol)
Now that I had an MCSE I found myself wanting to get more (its an addiction I tell ya). 10 years later I've acquired the following: CNA, CCNA, MCSE+I NT4, MCSA/MCSE 2003 in Messaging and Security, MCDBA, MCTS Exchange Server 2007, MCTS Managing Projects with MS Project 2007, and finally (I think) MCTS .NET Framework 2.0 Web Applications. I've worked in everything from Dos and Windows 2.0 through to the various Windows 32 bit flavours. I've played with Linux and OSX and occasionally Solaris. I've programmed in 6502/6510 assembly, Visual Basic, Turbo Pascal, Visual Java 1.1 and C++. My first PC was an 8088 IBM, following that was a 486DX2 50, and next a Cyrix 150 (Pentium clone).
I'm currently the local Info Tech Manager for the school district and still find myself geeking out whenever I can. I am a gamer and have had online forays into Lineage 1 and 2, WoW and Star Wars Galaxies. I'm currently playing Oblivion and FEAR (I know.. it is a year or so old by now).
Paul and I decided to start GeeksWeekly.Com to give something back. We both have a strong desire to support the geek community. With that in mind we will do our best to bring you accurate and informative geeky goodness. Should you find errors or omissions feel free to let us know! We don't claim to know all and take criticism, both bad and good, well.
Let the Geek Fest BEGIN!
