Will I get rich?

Despite all the hoopla, an Internet site will probably not make you rich unless you have some real niche which lends itself to electronic commerce. Still, having a virtual store can give you the appearance of being on the leading edge, which might be really important in setting you apart from your competitors. For those offering services, just having a small site with a few pages telling about the services you provide can make a difference.

 

For example, I recently needed a dumpster to facilitate removal of construction debri. There were lots of different options on-line from the very expensive ones backed by a home store to the one guy with a truck and a dumpster. I eventually chose one of the guys with a truck and a dumpster because his web page was simple and told me a little about him and his service. I could see from the picture that the dumpster he offered was just the right size for my job. It turned out to be a very good choice. I got the dumpster for about 1/2 the price the big guys were charging and helped a small businessman in the process.

 

Why hire Deb for your website development or technical writing?

I started working with computers back in 1978 when I computerized $1M+ account payables for a large camera retail firm in Oklahoma City. That first computer was a Digital which was linked via dedicated lines to a mainframe downtown where time sharing was the modus operandi. I was hooked.

 

In 1981, just after joining the Navy, I bought one of the first TRS-80's to hit the market. Over the next few years, I learned Basic programming, soldering, peripheral installation and a variety of software. I networked with other enthusiasts, took college courses in Computer Science and read everything I could get my hands on about computers. I was first introduced to Aarpanet and Milnet in 1985. This introduction led me to move from Aircraft Maintenance into Telecommunications Systems Management with the Navy.

 

At my first assignment in Telecommunications field, I managed the Pearl Harbor Message Center in support of CINCPACFLT. Finally in my element with two UNISYS mainframes and a small but growing inventory of PCs linked directly to mainframes. I continued to learn about databases, telecommunications hardware and protocols, management of automated processes, encryption and security procedures, and asset management. When I moved up to Assistant Communications Officer, my horizons broadened to include satellite and HF radio communications, large scale project management including mainframe installations, database conversions and a broader form of pc/mainframe integration. Everything was done on a large scale at the Naval Communications Station Eastpac, Wahiawa, as it was the largest naval communications station in existence. Still, one of the highlights of my tour (1987-1990) was the day I got my own PC on my desk.

 

I went on to earn my M.S. in Telecommunications System Management at the Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, CA, in 1992. By then I had an 8088 on my desktop and was lugging around one of the first laptops, an 80826. At PG school I was able to dial in to the mainframe and zoom out to the Internet @ 14.4kps. Wow. Despite the cumbersome language and totally unfriendly nature of the Internet in those days, I plunged ahead learning and playing.

 

At my next duty station in San Diego, I was heavily involved in the conversion of the Navy's Telecommunications Message Delivery system from paper to electronic delivery. It was during this conversion that I experienced first hand the effects of technological changes on long established office processes, the fear which comes with such changes, and management's responsibilities in making such changes. While the technical side of the business still fascinated me, this facet of the industry changed the way I looked at new technologies. I established the first Help Desk for the Navy's now automated Message Delivery system and worked closely with customers to make the transition.

 

Local Area Networks (LAN) and Help Desks were the focus of my next and last assignment in the Navy. The LAN at Naval Air Engineering Station, Lakehurst, was 2500 nodes strong. It supported engineers who developed CAD drawings for aircraft support equipment, MILSPECS, and Tech Pubs. Maintenance of E-mail systems and the Internet/Intranet connections with numerous other sites were among our main concerns on a daily basis. I led my organization as together they survived a fire and water damage in the hangar housing the main switches with no productive hours lost. I set standards for the Help Desk, conducted customer focus groups, and introduced Standard Operating Procedures and Protocols. I also discovered that I have a real gift for technical writing.

 

I left the Navy in 1998 when I began to discern a call to the ministry. I moved to Fredericksburg, Texas. There, I developed web pages, learned a little java scripting and consulted with small business in the area for several years. I went on to serve the United Methodist Church, as full time commissioned pastor, for five years before returning to life as a lay person. I am now located in San Antonio. Since there is always something in this field to learn, my current learning project is to learn CSS and PHP. I continue to develop web pages as it is something I enjoy doing and I am looking for work as a technical writer because I'm good at it.

 

If you have questions about how I might be able to help you develop your own web site or if you would like to talk to me about a technical writing project, call me at 210.268.8187 or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.