I retired in September 2003 after working in both the mainframe computer, mini and microcomputer areas. I started in Relay logic for artillery fuses with Elgin National watch in 1954. Next I worked on the DC 8 electrical system. When I joined the USAF, I worked on the SAGE air defense computers moving on to mainframe computer electro mechanical design for NCR in 1961 after my discharge.
After a period as a design engineer, I contracted to the Apollo program at NASID, then I moved to the Mariner project at JPL until I went to work at Westinghouse on a space telescope in 1964 (like Hubble) and had to learn to program a PDP-8 we used.
I got interested in software design and development and took enough programming classes that I was able to get work as a Programmer/Analyst for the Simi school district. I left there to go to work on a big mainframe at Lockheed on a math modeling system to predict spare part requirements for the L1011 and I stayed there long enough to meet and marry my wife in 1968.
I next worked on commercial accounting systems for the 2nd largest farm in California. I had some interesting challenges going into an area where I had little familiarity with the problems of long-term projects like starting orchards. We also owned and operated Magic Mountain, the 3rd largest amusement park in the western US. It was quite interesting from a data processing point of view. Both of these functional areas had a high employee turnover and extreme seasonality. The biggest problem with this job was the lack of advancement possibility and a very paternalistic environment, so I moved on.
Moving from the farm operation necessitated getting a house at the same time I changed jobs, which was difficult, but we managed to do it, and I went to work as the systems analyst in charge of the fashion inventory system for a major department store chain. This was a good job that I enjoyed until there was a major realignment when it was decided to remove the computers from all of the individual divisions of the company and to bring the displaced staff into work with us at corporate data processing. Unfortunately, the only ones interested in relocating to Los Angeles were the most senior people, who were protecting their retirement benefits. I decided that when there were suddenly 3 new layers of management above my position it was time to relocate to a new job.
I moved, but the new job was a disaster. I had gone to work at a major hardware distributor, which was an old and well-established firm. (2nd company incorporated in California) But, by the time I was there 6 months, I was the most senior in a staff of 18. After one particularly bad situation, I called my old boss at Lockheed and went back to them until we moved to Fresno in 1981.
In the 20 some odd years I have spent around Fresno I have mostly done consulting on mini computers like the Burroughs B1900 and microcomputers. I did spend 6 or 7 years as operations manager for a service bureau, until I got so sick with COPD that I went on long-term disability. After about 3 years on disability I had recovered enough that I wanted to work again and was fortunate enough to get a consulting job that eventually became a permanent position with a public agency that I had done some contract systems design and programming for while I was at the service bureau. That’s where I eventually retired at the age of 66 after spending a full 48 years with computing equipment of one kind or another.
Since my retirement I designed and supervised the installation of a 10 kW photovoltaic solar system that supplies about 75.95% of the power we use at home currently. This is enough that we do not get a power bill. This is because the time of day rate structure we are on, pays a premium for power produced in the afternoons, which is where a lot of our solar power is produced. Duh!
Now, I am very interested in using some of our annual power credit to power a PHEV automobile if they ever make one. The CalCars organization, here in California has proven that the pieces are all there and the manufacturers just need to make the commitment to build them. Each day it appears more likely that someone will soon.