Hi everyone,
I'm currently working as an 'Enterprise Support' engineer for Flash-based computer products - that means SSD (Solid State Disks) and PCI Flash cards - it's really cool to have a PCI card in my support rig with 4.8TB of flash memory on it!! Shame it's not mine to keep!
My role is to support customer deployments post-sales or during evaluations, which means I have to know the technicalities of the products, but, more importantly, how to configure the host systems (apps, networks, Windows and Linux) to run them at maximum performance and also how to tune them for various apps and environments, such as: virtualisation, databases, caching other storage etc. In previous roles I was an IT Manager for a high-tech company working on security, public address and access control systems (airports, railway stations, sports stadiums etc.) and also designing embedded systems and sensors for the automotive industry - things like all-round vision, collision avoidance etc. I wasn't doing the designing - I managed the Windows/Linux systems, comms, virtualisation, networks etc. that allowed the engineers to do their thing.
Absolutely none of that involves PICs!
My first job was as an electronics engineering apprentice, then electronics engineer, for a flight simulator company.. I got the job because electronics was my hobby - this was 1982 when I was 16. No microcontrollers there - but plenty of processors (8086/286/386) and, what was called then, Programmable Array Logic (PALs).
Along the way I also volunteered for a local 'working museum' in the radio and TV exhibition - restoring old valve TVs and radios to working condition.
Back to now - about a year ago I decided to resurrect my hobby and also include some programming - hence the PICs! Since then, though, my wife changed jobs - and so did I. With all the changes I have not really had much time to do anything productive except read a lot and hang out around you guys to learn some useful tips and tricks. So far, my only completed PIC project has been a 'candle flicker' circuit, beefed up with a darlington pair to drive a couple of 12V car lamps as a fire effect for a local theatre production of 'Annie'.
I'm about 2 months into my new job - and currently on 3 weeks training in Silicon Valley! When I get back to the UK I hope things will settle down enough to do some more stuff - it's going to be real fun things - on my list are:
- A Nixie clock with RTC backup and self-setting from the MSF time signal
A central heating control system - I want to do one based on a PIC/LCD display and another on a Raspberry Pi.
A 'Superprobe' - along the lines of this: http://mondo-technology.com/super.html
Something involving the DMX lighting standard
As you can see, PIC stuff for me is a fun thing to keep my mind active and to do something fun and creative. I know a lot of the folks here do embedded stuff as a career and I really appreciate that they take the time to help and encourage the rest of us.
...and a big thank you to Ric for setting up a forum that is a pleasure to use.
PS: I was killing some time in the hotel bar the other night (with laptop) and ended up buying an Arduino clone off ebay - sooo sorry!! Actually, it was more of a reaction to the frustration of trying to use a certain other forum! That'll teach them!
PPS: Yes, I am writing this in the bar!