Jim Lawrence
accessd at shaw.ca
Tue Feb 22 14:24:31 CST 2005
Totally off topic: Rocky: As far as I can see it I will be retiring soon.... probably in about twenty plus years, while I am still young between 70 or 80. I am waiting for a wealthy benefactor but in the meantime there is always coding to do. Jim -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Rocky Smolin - Beach Access Software Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 10:41 AM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: What are you lot doing now and then? Jim: I have already retired three times and find the lifestyle seductive. However, each time I ran out of money so the strategy needs some polishing. I don't regard retirement as not doing anything but fish and golf. There are a lot of satisfying things to do in this life that don't involve making money. So I have treated myself to extended time off whenever I was between major projects. I always liked the grasshopper's approach better than the ants. But I can see now that winter is on the way... Rocky ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Lawrence" <accessd at shaw.ca> To: "'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'" <accessd at databaseadvisors.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 9:27 AM Subject: RE: [AccessD] OT: What are you lot doing now and then? > Sure Rocky... but wouldn't you rather be churning out code than playing > golf... let's be honest. You are much too young to consider > retiring...retiring and then you would be just end up programming in your > spare time. ;-) > > Jim > > -----Original Message----- > From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com > [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Rocky Smolin - > Beach Access Software > Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 7:38 AM > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving > Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: What are you lot doing now and then? > > Steve: > > I started with computers when I was 16 - back in the days when they were > still steam powered (ba-da-boom). But seriously folks... > > I grew up in Chicago and took a weekend course at the Illinois Institute > of > Technology on programming in IITran - their dialect of Fortran. It was > punch cards and you handed your deck through the big glass wall and came > back the next day to find out where you had misplaced your comma. The > machines were and IBM 1620 and IBM 7090. I was hooked. > > In college I hung out at the computer center and between my Junior and > Senior years they installed an IBM 360/40. I hung with the engineer > during > the installation and when September rolled around I was the only one on > campus who knew how to run the thing so I got to be systems manager. And > they paid me! I was further hooked. > > Then, in my Junior year I wrote a program in assembler to create a > variable > cross reference index, got some free PR in magazines like Datamation and > sold the program (mailed it on a deck of punched cards) to a bunch of > companies. $40 a pop when that was real money. Now I was totally hooked. > > I played with the world's best toys, had as much fun as a person could > have > with their clothes on, and people shoved money at me for doing it! That's > as good as it gets. > > Until the creation of commercially viable personal computers in the late > 70s > > I had to work for other companies because of the cost of the systems. > Once > the PCs appeared I went into business for myself and never looked back. > > Now, 25 years later, it's still a bit of a high wire act but we're not > missing any meals, I get to work at home and be with my kids, and if I'm > still pumping code when all my friends are playing golf or fishing in the > Keys, well so be it. > > Rocky > >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: Steve Erbach [mailto:erbachs at gmail.com] >>> Sent: 21 February 2005 12:44 >>> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving >>> Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: What are you lot doing now and then? >>> >>> Roz, Gustav, John C., Gary, Jeffrey, Jim D. Doris, Debbie, Brett, >>> Charlotte, Ken, Mark, John B., Stuart, William, Rocky, Jim L., Jim H., >>> Andy, Randy, and Tom, >>> >>> Thank you all very much for your responses. Our glorious leader, Mr. >>> Bartow, has asked me to write an article for the newsletter based on >>> the responses you've given. So I'm asking if any of you have any >>> objections to letting me abridge your responses for that purpose? It >>> would also be helpful if those of you who already gave an >> "abridged" >>> version for the survey could flesh out your responses a bit, if you >>> have the time. I would appreciate it. Everyone has an interesting >>> story to tell about his or her own growth in the computer field. >>> >>> I'm so glad that 21 of you have responded so far. Any others? >>> >>> Steve Erbach >>> Neenah, WI >>> www.swerbach.com/security >>> >>> >>> > > -- > AccessD mailing list > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > -- > AccessD mailing list > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > -- AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com