Certified IT folks... have some questions.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Sep 12 2007, 02:48 PM) [snapback]511485[/snapback]</div>

Funny you should mention that... neither does mine. And i wrote half of it!

LOL

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Sep 12 2007, 02:48 PM) [snapback]511485[/snapback]</div>

Funny you should mention that... neither does mine. And i wrote half of it!

LOL

 

Here's another quick vote for "There's a lot of crap books out there, and O'Reilly is a high quality line of books."

If software development (programming) were the direction you were looking, Ive got a few others I'd recommend, but I don't have much experience in the hardware side of the industry.

 

Here's another quick vote for "There's a lot of crap books out there, and O'Reilly is a high quality line of books."

If software development (programming) were the direction you were looking, Ive got a few others I'd recommend, but I don't have much experience in the hardware side of the industry.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 03:31 PM) [snapback]511477[/snapback]</div>

It's true about development engineering. It takes a certain personality to like it, and I suspect you are correct that DH would prefer something more hands-on.

There are some advantages to development work. Take a look at the photo on the qbee42 page. It's me sitting on my boat doing some firmware development on a new product. The boat (Suzy) is at anchor at an island on the north end of Lake Michigan. Suzy has a large house battery and an inverter, so I can run my electronics while off the grid. Sometimes it's nice to get away from the phones and other interruptions, and just work in peace.

Here is another photo of Suzy anchored at the same island:

[attachmentid=11386]

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 03:31 PM) [snapback]511477[/snapback]</div>

It's true about development engineering. It takes a certain personality to like it, and I suspect you are correct that DH would prefer something more hands-on.

There are some advantages to development work. Take a look at the photo on the qbee42 page. It's me sitting on my boat doing some firmware development on a new product. The boat (Suzy) is at anchor at an island on the north end of Lake Michigan. Suzy has a large house battery and an inverter, so I can run my electronics while off the grid. Sometimes it's nice to get away from the phones and other interruptions, and just work in peace.

Here is another photo of Suzy anchored at the same island:

[attachmentid=11386]

Tom

 

I'm debugging code right now. I'd throw the machine through the window, but the code is on the network, and they'd just get me another workstation anyway.

Nate

 

I'm debugging code right now. I'd throw the machine through the window, but the code is on the network, and they'd just get me another workstation anyway.

Nate

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 12:31 PM) [snapback]511477[/snapback]</div>

I'm going to throw something in out of left field:

How about getting a job repairing/maintaining Hospital equipment? They can't outsource that job because the sick people are here in the US, and most of the equipment is not that large (MRI equipment is an exception) so heavy lifting shouldn't be a job requirement. He probably won't smell like ATF when he comes home either.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 12:31 PM) [snapback]511477[/snapback]</div>

I'm going to throw something in out of left field:

How about getting a job repairing/maintaining Hospital equipment? They can't outsource that job because the sick people are here in the US, and most of the equipment is not that large (MRI equipment is an exception) so heavy lifting shouldn't be a job requirement. He probably won't smell like ATF when he comes home either.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 04:32 PM) [snapback]511590[/snapback]</div>

Glad to hear it!

Yes, MCSE will get you in the door with a temp (with benefits) firm like Kforce or any of the others. Hospitals are decent places to work IT because they have users with specific needs, a wide variety of platforms, and usually decent budgets. However, there is no "after hours" to play with live stuff.

Offices are pretty good for after hours play. If you can find old routers sitting around the office, you can set up a mini lab in the IT department instead of buying one online.

Many employers will pay for CCNA, but they want you to take a course. (Slow and painful). Skip the course, get the mini lab set up, and DH will be on his way.

A small ISP isn't bad, but you'll NEVER get to play with the live routers. They should have a pile of stuff to set up for a test bed, however.

A decent way to learn a Cisco router is to buy an ISDN router and get an ISDN line at home. Basically, just start building the config one line at a time. Eventually, you'll have connectivity. It will cost likely $150 in service fees per month, but you'll learn the ins and outs of the router, ISDN, and dialer profiles, so if you can learn it in a month, then you can cancel the service and sell the router. If you go the ISDN route, get provisioned for unlimited outgoing calls. My buddy got the 400 call per month plan, and misconfigured his ISDN while doing this, and ended up with $1000 in connect charges. ISDN can set up and tear down a call almost instantly and silently, so at 7c per call after 400, he had to pay. (Note: When calling the phone company, I believe provisioning type (S) is the best one for multilink PPP with voice failover on either channel).

Hope this helps. DH is officially on his way with an O'Reilly order from bookpool.

Nate

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 04:32 PM) [snapback]511590[/snapback]</div>

Glad to hear it!

Yes, MCSE will get you in the door with a temp (with benefits) firm like Kforce or any of the others. Hospitals are decent places to work IT because they have users with specific needs, a wide variety of platforms, and usually decent budgets. However, there is no "after hours" to play with live stuff.

Offices are pretty good for after hours play. If you can find old routers sitting around the office, you can set up a mini lab in the IT department instead of buying one online.

Many employers will pay for CCNA, but they want you to take a course. (Slow and painful). Skip the course, get the mini lab set up, and DH will be on his way.

A small ISP isn't bad, but you'll NEVER get to play with the live routers. They should have a pile of stuff to set up for a test bed, however.

A decent way to learn a Cisco router is to buy an ISDN router and get an ISDN line at home. Basically, just start building the config one line at a time. Eventually, you'll have connectivity. It will cost likely $150 in service fees per month, but you'll learn the ins and outs of the router, ISDN, and dialer profiles, so if you can learn it in a month, then you can cancel the service and sell the router. If you go the ISDN route, get provisioned for unlimited outgoing calls. My buddy got the 400 call per month plan, and misconfigured his ISDN while doing this, and ended up with $1000 in connect charges. ISDN can set up and tear down a call almost instantly and silently, so at 7c per call after 400, he had to pay. (Note: When calling the phone company, I believe provisioning type (S) is the best one for multilink PPP with voice failover on either channel).

Hope this helps. DH is officially on his way with an O'Reilly order from bookpool.

Nate

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 04:03 PM) [snapback]511607[/snapback]</div>

Fair enough.

I'm just trying to think of how he can still do what he likes to do, but eliminate the part that hurts his back.

How about equipment at a University? For example, when I was in Grad School (I'm officially a PhD dropout ) we had a tech that would maintain/ repair the SEM and TEM in the Microscopy Lab that I worked in. Most science/engineering departments are going to have equipment that they have to maintain.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Sep 12 2007, 04:03 PM) [snapback]511607[/snapback]</div>

Fair enough.

I'm just trying to think of how he can still do what he likes to do, but eliminate the part that hurts his back.

How about equipment at a University? For example, when I was in Grad School (I'm officially a PhD dropout ) we had a tech that would maintain/ repair the SEM and TEM in the Microscopy Lab that I worked in. Most science/engineering departments are going to have equipment that they have to maintain.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ Sep 12 2007, 01:25 PM) [snapback]511440[/snapback]</div>

Ditto this. I highly recommend O'Reilly press. I'm a school librarian and have to keep up to date on my own time on my own dime. When I need to learn something, I buy O'Reilly.

I'd also suggest looking into the local public school districts. They never have enough IT, usually because they can't compete with the private sector. The advantages are that you have a steady paycheck, retirement and healthcare. He'd be a classified employee. Too bad you're not in San Diego. I think our site network administrator is going to be leaving soon. He's chronically late, often out "sick" and is already being documented by the administration. If he doesn't shape out he's out. He troubleshoots everything.