After all, it’s only by getting a sense of how quickly things are moving, and by having a lot of practical experience with newly emerging “stuff,” that one can manage to position themselves for the complex technology economy of the future.
In my own case, I’ve been playing with technology for twenty years and view this as critical to my success. Heck, I’m proud of the amount of time I’ve wasted, and I suffer no guilt.

A couple of years back, I became interested in the world of online video. Since then, I’ve invested countless hours in the world of digital video editing. It’s been a fascinating experience, and yes, it has had a direct career impact. Online video has become a key part of the way I market myself.

Then there’s Linux. I realized three years ago that something big seemed to be happening, so I rigged up an exercise bike with a separate PC so I could work my mind into the system. Thousands of miles later (but with no discernible reduction in weight), I’m using Linux for a wide variety of purposes.

My next objective? A home automation network based upon some recent work that Intel has been doing. Why do I do this? Because I can now talk with a degree of intelligence, both to business crowds and to the media, about the impact that Linux will have on our Microsoft-centric world. Not to mention that I’ve learned to put a bunch of inexpensive servers in my home.

Firewalls? I’ve spent a great deal of time working with various programs, in order to really understand what Internet security issues are all about. That way, when I’m asked to talk about security issues, I know what I am talking about. Not only that, I can assess the implications that various changes might mean to me. My current firewall vendor suggested a rather complex change to me, and I realized it opened up the possibility of IP-spoofing. I understand now what that means, what that works, and recognized the risk myself. I can take care of myself in this HiTech world, and I’m pretty darned proud of that fact.

Then there’s e-biz. I’ve created an online store and done the whole shebang in terms of real-time credit card processing. Lots of play time, but with practical results — it let me write a book on the topic. Most recently, I’ve installed the Miva Merchant shopping cart/storefront program on another of my Linux computers. My actual online store is hosted elsewhere, but I wanted to install one of my stores from the ground up, in order to get an even better sense of what is behind the scenes in such a system.

I’ve always taken the attitude that playing with technology is a good waste of time. Back in 1982, I remember getting a (pirated) version of dBaseII. I had no manual, a few basic help screens, but somehow managed to create a database containing details on all my record albums. A completely useless exercise, in retrospect, except I taught myself some invaluable skills and gained insight into a world of which I’d known nothing.

The successful IT specialists are the ones who display an intense curiosity about the technology world that surrounds them. They play with new gadgets, software, toys and technology. They don’t suffer guilt for doing so. They recognize that while playtime is fun, it’s also an important career investment.

So go ahead — waste some time!

Students purchase long distance call cards to communicate together with their loved ones, friends and colleagues, in the most affordable manner probable.

Tags: call cards, internet, technology