How to get started in computers
14 September 2007Every accomplished computer geek has had someone come up to them and ask them how they get started in computers. Sometimes it’s an awkward conversation, because the person obviously isn’t qualified. It usually goes something like this.
Jimmy: "So what is it that you do for a living?"
(thinking to myself): So you mean you can’t tell by the glasses and the bad choice in clothes?
Me: "I’m a computer geek."
(Jimmy gets excited)
Jimmy: "Where do you work?"
(thinking to myself): I shouldn’t tell him, he’ll be following me around all night.
Me: "I work for Yahoo!"
Jimmy: "Oh wow! I use Yahoo! Mail. But didn’t Google buy them?"
Me: Sigh. "No. Yahoo! and Google are completely separate companies. Google does very well with search. Yahoo! does other things very well." (comparison)
Jimmy: "You know, I’ve been wanting to get started in computers. All the people around me are afraid of ‘em, but not me. I got e-mail and youtube and everything."
Me: "Huh. Yeah. E-mail is pretty cool. And did you seen the fire fart video on Youtube?"
(thinking to myself): Hopefully the firefart video will distract him.
Jimmy: "So do you think you can get me a job at Yahoo! doing computer stuff?"
Me: "Maybe in a few years. Just keep surfing around and teach yourself. That’s all I did."
When people talk to me, they are often amazed that I’m self-taught. "You mean you didn’t go to school for this stuff?" They always want to know how I got started. That’s a whole ‘nother story.
