Where did you gain your Software Knowledge/Experience

i was just wondering what kind of training and/or experience you guys have with software? All my PC knowledge i have learnt myself, i havent done any courses ect i just read books, websites, forums (Like MGs) and been messing around

just wondering if some of you knowledgable guys would like to share your path to software mastery

Thanks

 

I'm not a software master, but i learned a lot of what i know from classes. i took pc repair and networking in high school and i now have a job working as one of three network administrators at a local bank in my hometown. I also read a lot of forums. what better place than right here on major geeks. It's something you learn over time. like i said i'm not a software master by all means, and i have been working in this field for three years now. If you do have any questions about software ask it here and we'll all try to help you.

 

ah thanks for the info padams, any stories are fine

bank network admin nice! must have a fair bit of responsibility

 

Basically the hardest part of my job is keeping everything secure. But i live in a small town and nobody around here is smart enough to know how to hack anything other than pandora (swing and a miss). It isn't too hard to maintain the network here, but we act more as a help desk than anything. There are so many older people here who have no idea about computers it makes for a pretty interesting job. What do you do? Are you in the tech field?

 

sounds intresting atleast your keeping the info fresh in your mind

im not in the tech field im afriad i wish i was though!

I have only ever played with PCs as a hobby and never had any classes\courses but i have just been made redundant whilst doing an engineering apprenticeship so thats gave me a spur to really wanna go into computers now, thats kinda why i started this thread just to get an idea of how people got to where they are now. Ive got a 2 week holiday to cyprus soon so when i get back im going to seriously look at getting a job in the field or atleast "get my foot in the door".

 

Go to a book store or get online and search for books that have to do with A+ certification. Read through the books, they're not only software, but also harware too! Then when you feel comfortable with the knowledge that you've learned you can test and get your A+ cert. Instead of going to college and getting a degree in pc repair you can get your A+ cert. and it's like saying i don't need to go to college cause i know my sh...........stuff. That'll easily land you a job in the tech field.

 

I disagree. You have a point; certifications will get you the specific knowledge to do a certain task, but getting a job is PC repair is NOT easy. The field is saturated. Computer hardware is getting easier and easier to work with. My mobo at home, for example, even has the JUMPERS colour coded. I have a diploma in computer network engineering, and I had to start my own business to work in PC repair. That failed, and I attribute it to the fact that there are home-brewed PC repair shops all over the place. You might have more luck if you lived in an apartment building; you could post a flyer in the lobby, and hopefully attract the local business.

I say that the best way to learn is experience. Certifications and diplomas alone won't have companies hunting for your head. Get the A+ cert, and volunteer somewhere! Doing it for free will show that you have a keen interest in the field, and you will be getting real-world experience all the while!

 

yeah i agree mada it is too easy to install hardware now, with all this driver support in XP its a peice of cake to bung in a card or upgrade. i remember messing with win 98 changing IRQs and messing with memory addresses almost everytime i changed my hardware lol.

i was thinking more towards troubleshooting/malware ect or even programming, recently on the news in the UK they said they had a shortage of workers in the software industry and mentioned the possibility of many jobs going abroad so it seems there is room for a few more

 

Heh, programming is ALOT tougher that I ever imagined. This is what got me into the field! I took a few computer sciences classes in high school and got hooked! However, you have to know ALOT. Your best bet in this vein would be to learn C/C++. For this, I would recommend that you get a linux machine, as it has a free C and C++ compiler. I don't know of any equivalents for Windows, all the compilers I know are pay-for. This will prep you for application and hardware programming (C can be used to program microchips)

For troubleshooting, go for the MCSE this is a microsoft certification that will give you the ins and outs of windows networking. This is probably my most practical skill, I use it every day. I only use programming skills when the need arises.

 

i have bought a book on C++ in the "for dummies" range and was quite fun to begin with but i started working 66 hour weeks and just didnt get the time to finnish it, i have played with linux too and also have books for that so i may set up a box and start to play with it and get myself aquainted with C++ atleast.

as for the MCSE did you put yourself through the course or manage to get a company to put you through? im pretty sure they cost a bomb over here lol

i have looked alot at MS Certs and was the way to go if i was going to get serious, i even managed to get my dad to agree to stump the cash up for the course if i could get a job at the end of it but im not sure he would pay for MCSE heh

 

Heh, I'm actually MCSE trained, but not certified. I know how to do most if not all of it, I just don't have that second expensive piece of paper. Its implied by my first expensive piece of paper.

 

programming is very hard to learn and become fluent with. most of the time when you go to get a job you need to know multiple programming languages (i.e. c++, cobalt, etc.) but your pay can make up for the time you spent learning all the languages. I have a frien in memphis that's a programmer and he clears $120,000 a year easily. however it is predicted that i think by 2009 the demand for techs will be at an all time high. You're not limited to pc repair by your A+ cert. There are many companies that need people to keep there hardware up and running. Network admins are usually so busy with other things that they don't have time to mess with small things like a dead computer. This makes you very valuable to a company for the mere fact that they don't have anybody else to do it but network admins. You don't have to limit yourself to just pc repair. You just have to figure out what you are into. Is it more fun for you to take a peice of crap computer and make it run like new (polishing turds) or do you like type code and make programs, or are you more of a networking person? Do what you like.