Diary of a Network Geek

Whoa!

Okay, this is for the geeks, specifically for the Netware geeks, like me. Novell has canceled next year’s BrainShare. It’s not clear whether this is just due to a really bad economic situation this year, or whether this will be permanent, but, after 20 years, Novell has canceled their premier convention/training session/user-conference. It does not give me a good feeling for the future of Novell or Netware in general. (If you’re interested, you can read the actual announcement here: Novell BrainShare.)

Wow.
I’m just so shocked I’m not sure what else to say.

Netware was the first real, viable Local Area Network operating system that wasn’t UNIX or some other mainframe system. Yes, there were others, Banyan VINES, SCO XENIX, and even the early Windows Server, but none were as robust and easy to use in those early days as Novell’s Netware. And, you could load it on what was basically a high-powered desktop machine. It might not run well on that, but you could do it.
Novell was the first certification I got when I was new to the network-geek-game. Back in the day, Netware was the thing to know. Now, it seems like a dead, or dying, technology. Now, we’re all learning Linux and UNIX, which, of course, was what Netware was modeled after. Wow, the times, they are a changing.

So, if you’re a fellow network geek like me, I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments. I have to say, I’m really shocked by this news. It cannot mean good things for Novell, even if they only cancel for this year and start up again next year.

Okay, so it’s been a while since I had an update, but there’s a good reason. One of the headhunters finally came through for me and I’ve got a new job! DÜT, whose real name I’m still not going to reveal, got me an interview at Kirby Marine Transport and I apparently fit their search requirements pretty darn well. When I first went to see them, I didn’t think they were going to work out, but I guess I made a pretty good impression on them, because they totally rearranged their department structure to suit me. Go figure! My “official” title will be Supervisor – Local Area Network/Desktop Support. I’m still not clear on how many people will actually be reporting to me yet, or if I’ve replace the Desktop Support Supervisor that I talked with when I was interviewing, either. But, no matter which way it goes, I’ll have a pretty sweet new job. They’ve got mostly Netware 5.x, but with at least one Netware 3.12 server, two Citrix MetaFrame servers, two AS/400’s, and at least three Solaris servers, including one that runs the web server.
Anyway, I have to pass a drug test, which should be no problem since I’ve never used drugs, and then I start on Monday, 8/21/2000. I’ve already given a week’s notice at what used to be Harbor Financial, then I’m going to take a week off to “clear my palate” as it were, before starting the new job. After all the time I’ve given to Harbor and their successors, I think a week is enough notice. It’s not what I’d normally do, but given the circumstances of the bankruptcy I think it’s actually quite fair.

After I actually start the new job, I’m going to do my best to chronicle the start of my new job. You can bet that my semiweekly updates will get more personal than they’ve been. Keep in mind that this new job is going to let me and Anne save my bonus money from Harbor for a down-payment on a house. But, before we can get a house together, she has to get he divorce finished up and then I have to get her to marry me. (Don’t worry, after living with her for 2+ years, I’m pretty sure she’ll say yes.) So things will bet pretty darn personal! Also, I hope to spend some more time on my other two web sites: www.Fantasist.net and www.HavePalmWillTravel.com When I start the new, more personal portion of the Diary of a Network Geek, I’ll archive this part. Stay tuned!