I used to do programming work and System Administration for AcadiaNet. I worked on a FoxPro application called Calls which is used for a number of AcadiaNet's data control systems and tech support phone calls. This application was a natural extension of the original paper based system for logging and returning calls used when AcadiaNet first started tech support operations.
Since most of work revolves around small to medium sized datasets (from 10Meg to 100Meg), I used FoxPro as my primary programming language. FoxPro has many of the advantages of C and C++ in that the built-in data functionality is very fast and built-in object orientation. FoxPro also has many of the advantages of programming languages like VisualBASIC (VB for short) in that it is a p-code based language: loose typecasting of variables and datatypes makes it is to migrates to new or different datatypes for a given data item.
I also work in Visual C++ when I need little utility programs. Jeff Kase, one of the owners of AcadiaNet, writes in C++ for a living as well as his role within AcadiaNet. I worked with C on our Unix servers for small utility programs and for installation of major software packages.
When at Funk I learned the in's and out's of VisualBASIC for some of the automated testing of their remote control product, Proxy. COM, DCOM, ActiveX are all things that gave me some sleepless nights. In the end, I gave the product a run for it's money.
At Synchronicity and Ammasso, Inc, I picked bash shell scripting for real, not just for fun little stuff. Shell scripting is a good thing in the Linux area due to its portability. Shell scripting even on Windows is good with the help of Cygwin.
In the beginning of AcadiaNet, there were just the modems. Then there was Don pestering Jeff about getting the news server online. Then there was Don trading free connection time for helping other new AcadiaNet users get online. While Don was helping others, he was still a Hobart Technician (see next section). David Irvin (one of the other owners of AcadiaNet) saw this help was good and asked Don to do the Don-thing "in the office". Don declined. Mr. Irvin said to Don, "Let a paycheck meet you each Friday if you do the Don-thing in office." So there you are with Don.
Don started in the back room of what was then Jordan Communications and the Message Center. Don worked during the daylight hours at AcadiaNet and the evening hours at Miguel's Restaurant. Those were the long days of five "doubles" a week for about 4 months. (Oh that has got to hurt).
Since then Don moved to full-time work, was joined by Matt Hochman over the Christmas of 1995 and then later Kevin Jackson joined the fray February 1997. Matt is very silly and I suggest that you NOT click on his web page as he is a freak and likes like that.
Finally, Don ended up handling the bulk of the support email for AcadiaNet (from 40 to 120 emails daily), occasionally answered the phone and worked on those "special projects".
There was that thing with Sybase and the Interface Manager, but I am not going there
I am known as "El Don" (like The Don from the Godfather, but Mexicanized) at Miguel's Restaurant. Over the last over nine seasons I have worked at Miguel's anywhere from 80 hours a week to 80 hours in a season, but every year I come back and little, some, or a lot, depending on my availably and the need for work at Miguel's. I have been working there so long, I do not have to think about what I am doing, I just do it. So, working at Miguel's during the summer is a good compliment to working at AcadiaNet: at AcadiaNet I squeeze my brain like a sponge and grow pimples on my butt; at Miguel's I turn off my brain and sweat like a pig in the warm kitchen. It is a perfect juxtaposition of jobs.
Michael Anderson (the previous owner) took me under his wing and taught me how to be laid back, but effective at work. And, to have a sense of humor at work. Sadly, I haven't worked at Miguel's for a number of years and I miss working there.
I did build the ferret cage for our ferrets. (See The Ferrets in Odd and Ends) The project did have its highs and lows. In fact, it took several months to complete the project for a lot of reasons, virtually none of them have been technical. However, it is done, and it came out with some nice features. There were a number of mistakes, but the overall the cage is usable with three levels of removable shelves, tubes to traverse the levels, sling, and other snuggle places.
Shelving is next on Don's list of good things to do. The oak table needs to be stripped and refinished as the previous varnish finish didn't appear to be water proof. There is a towel rack that I should try to build for the wet face towels come out of the shower.
Copyright 2005, Donald Nolin