Just curious how many fellow nerds are out there?

I've been interested in technology as long as I can remember. When I finished high school, I imeediatley pursued my MCSE. I had dreams of becoming a NE. I got pretty close to finishing my degree, but stopped a little short when I had my son. At that time, I became a stay at home mom, but never gave up my love of all things tech. I would repair compters on the side, and became the free go-to-girl to all my friends and family. I was like a one woman help desk. lol

I have considered going back to finish, but I would have to re-learn so many things since most of the classess I took are so out-dated now. At least I get my fill being my company's unofficial network & tech support. Now if only I could get paid for it....

Do you love tech things? Or does you avoid all things tech?

But... if you did get paid for it, you'd get tired of being family help desk real quick. That's how it goes. ;)

Me, I've been playing with computers since jr high (I'm old... Commodore 64s were new) and have parlayed that--over a meandering path through customer support, tech writing, and consulting--into a career at Microsoft. I write manuals and UI text for Xbox, contributed some to Xbox.com, and maintain my team's authoring system (XML & XSLT). Right now I'm working on some stuff for Natal. It's pretty awesome.

At home I build my own PCs and enjoy a few gadgets here and there. Just received my Zune Originals Zune HD on Friday, yay :>

I've been in IT for 10 years doing everything from programming to network and database. My most recent position I was a Manager of Help Desk and Senior System Admin. What I have found frustrating about being in IT is that once a company finds out you are good at it, they tend to minimize staff around you, stating that you can do the tasks. Before you know it, you're taking care of all the desktops and the server room.

Personally, I want a change. IT is difficult right now because everyone wants you to bandaid stuff without giving you the proper money to fix it. Then they wonder why it breaks so often. I have also yet to see more women in IT which is also frustrating. Every time I dealt with a vendor they thought I was the IT secretary. So frustrating.

I've been looking into a Project Management career where I can use my IT knowledge and skills to know when IT needs to be brought in on a project. I want to get my certification, but don't have the money to go yet. So we'll see. In the meantime, I've been working on GamingAngels.com while interviewing and seeing what's out there. It's pretty bleak! lol The interviews I have been on, I've been through 6-7 rounds of interviews only to be the second to last one or in the most recent case the one they want...but haven't extended an offer to yet. It's so frustrating because in this economy they have hundreds of people vying for a position. You have seniors going for lesser jobs just to work.

I guess in the end, yes I'm a techie, but I am definitely looking for a career change.

Elle - 12 October 2009 02:53 PM

But... if you did get paid for it, you'd get tired of being family help desk real quick. That's how it goes.

Me, I've been playing with computers since jr high (I'm old... Commodore 64s were new) and have parlayed that--over a meandering path through customer support, tech writing, and consulting--into a career at Microsoft. I write manuals and UI text for Xbox, contributed some to Xbox.com, and maintain my team's authoring system (XML & XSLT). Right now I'm working on some stuff for Natal. It's pretty awesome.

At home I build my own PCs and enjoy a few gadgets here and there. Just received my Zune Originals Zune HD on Friday, yay :>

Nice - I've been programming for the last 12 years - my primary focus is UIs, but nothing as cool as working with Natal. Just your standard windows and internet forms mainly. Currently doing VB .NET.

I run my own business building, repairing pcs. I also do networks. Never went to school. School is for the weak. Most geeks learned on their own and not a school. I can run all windows and some linux systems. I also fix consoles old and new. A lot of my older consoles are in fact modded to fit newer tvs.

School is not for the weak at all. It gives us a look at the real working world and prepares us for our lives ahead, whatever path we decide to choose.

I work on a helpdesk, but I started off doing a technical traineeship. I'm a bit of a let down for a girl nerd, I like the people side of things more than the technical lol

I'm a semi-techie. I have a on the side thing where I offer one on one in home computer education for people who need it. I am enough of a tech to know that there is much I don't know but I know more than enough to help others learn to use their own computers. I can fix most minor problems (and some major ones) but usually I leave that to my husband (school educated techie and I'm very proud of him). I do have to say that while I have met some amazingly talented self-taught techies I have met more than enough people who think they are self-taught techies who have done more damage than they have fixed. I have also encountered people who went to school to be techies that I am amazed that they can turn on a computer let alone fix one.

The geek squad at Best Buy is the worse. They think they know it all but know absolutely nothing. First they'll try to sell you crap you don't need such as Norton or Trendmicro virus protection. Second they'll try to sell you a warranty you don't need. Fix it yourself it's much faster and easier. If they notice you might not know much they will hustle you. I've seen their tools disks and I quote from comic book guy Worse Disk Ever!.

I'm not a techie in the sense I do it for a living or on a daily basis, but I just love new technology from reading up on it... and usually buying it haha. I love knowing about the latest gadgets that come out (Apple tablet today?) and even though I'm not particularly good with computer troubleshooting, my friends always call me when they need help with compooters. Mainly a Mac girl though =)

Yes.... I have my own web design/hosting business... but I also offer computer services also, fix, update, modify, (smack around), pretty much anything computer related including application writing etc.

Yeah, I am not a fan of Geek Squad... they do try to sucker you into their crap.. and I never advise anyone to go there when I can do it much cheaper and wont screw anyone into saying it will take a week when usually it just takes a couple of hours...


LOL, yeah its kinda funny when family and friends find out you are computer savvy... its as if they all come out of the wood work for help.. At first I dont mind b.c well it is family, but from a business perspective that can be a harmful and quick way to bad things LOL ...

I also went to school for computers and programming and etc etc.. but what people dont understand is that most of that stuff is obsolete when your done and while its a good start, most of the time you can figure out the new stuff yourself!

I wouldn't say I was a techie but I suppose Im a nerd in a way. I know some things about computers but I am more a techie on the designer/creation side of things. Ive had two pc's of my own and a laptop, I just can't really live without a pc. I use it for everything!

I'm just getting into it. I fixed my first RRoD all on my own last night. I was surprised how satisfying it was using all the tools and couldn't help how excited I was when it turned on. I guess it just makes the gaming experience a whole lot cooler knowing how all the parts work and are connected in the console.

Bella Donna - 12 October 2009 01:26 PM

Just curious how many fellow nerds are out there?

I've been interested in technology as long as I can remember. When I finished high school, I imeediatley pursued my MCSE. I had dreams of becoming a NE. I got pretty close to finishing my degree, but stopped a little short when I had my son. At that time, I became a stay at home mom, but never gave up my love of all things tech. I would repair compters on the side, and became the free go-to-girl to all my friends and family. I was like a one woman help desk. lol

I have considered going back to finish, but I would have to re-learn so many things since most of the classess I took are so out-dated now. At least I get my fill being my company's unofficial network & tech support. Now if only I could get paid for it....

Do you love tech things? Or does you avoid all things tech?

I'm like you I love tech things if I could buy the latest computer, cellphone or any other gadget that comes out I would. I would love living in japan but I would be broke at the same time.

I'm the resident nerd at my company as well (network admin and complete IT department) but the "most fun" part of my job is that I answer directly to the CEO who is completely computer phobic. I love my job and figuring out the issue and resolving it but for me there is nothing more frustrating than a user who refuses to accept that what they're doing is wrong. Especially when they've broken the same thing 3 times in 4 hours. And you know the old joke "Where's the any key?" Well, I've had that conversation ladies, with a staff member who then informed me that because I am (a) young and (b) female that I couldn't possibly be correct and to check with our IT contractor who I was in the process of replacing at the time.

All complaining aside though, there's something very satisfying about being able to do something that no one else in my office can and being relied upon to make the major decisions that drive the company's tech into the future.

i would say compared to the gamerchix, i'm probably not high ranked on the techie scale; however, at my job and in my family they all seem to think i am. i do love technology, but i am finding that i'm getting older than the technology enthusiasts and i'm not as into it as i used to be. i've had the same lemon cell phone for over a year, and the internet doesn't even work. sometimes when i use my friends' phones, i find myself fiddling with it like my grandmother trying to use a dvd player.

I am a web developer, currently in school earning my Bachelor's degree as I have found that the cieling is pretty low when you have loads of tech experience and not so much 'formal' education. I started using computers at the age of 13 with the commodore64.. I see that a few others have as well :D Go nerd chix! Anyway, I have followed that career through help desk, tech support and consulting. My last job was 2 years ago as the VP of Tech Operations and I oversaw both the Web and Tech side of the company as well as all client interactions, program writing, site development, budgets and misc. other crap that fell under 'other duties as assigned'. I think that my favorite part of the job was keeping up with new technologies and talking with the techs. There were quite a few that so blew me out of the water with what they knew...but I loved talking to them about problems and solutions...creative bunch! I love that.

I'm familiar with it a little bit, but nowhere near tech support...

I'm a Jane-Of-All-Trades Geek. I mainly do tech support on vBulletin Forums, write HowTos/FAQs and translate GeekSpeak for those who need it. I love that it combines my love of all things tech with my enjoyment in organizing information to make it truly useful/helpful.


Programming Gals ~ I've been wanting to learn how to program for a long time, and now that all three kids are in school, I can! I'm a complete n00b in this area, though. I have no idea where to start. Should I focus on what type of programming I think I want to do and go from there, or is there a good basic place to start (like C, C#...)? Also - online courses - yea or nay?

i am a such a geek when it comes to technology. early 90's, my dad was big into building his own computers and doing the same for family and friends. he also had a techie job, so i kinda fell into computers at a young age. I use computers on a daily basis, and am the unofficial support go to for a bunch of my friends!!

While the main part of my job is CAD related, working with floor plans for Microsoft, my company also manages the software that the plans are kept in, so we provide tech support to employees on how the software and apps needed. it's pretty fun!!