1999 started out on a real high note for me. I had a finally achieved the rank of MIS director, and with doing that I had finally reached my goal to be considered a serious player in the computer industry.

Sadly the year ended for me on a low note when I realized that I don’t want to work in MIS field anymore. I do not intend to leave the computer industry – that would be like losing a limb. MIS/IT just doesn’t have the same thrill for me as it used to.

The idea of rolling out 100 new PC’s, a couple of new servers, and a T1 line to match just doesn’t sound like fun anymore. I really just have no interest in it anymore. Fix this, patch that, repair this, replace that. It begins to take its toll on you, and after 5 years I am screaming, “Uncle!”

The last straw for me was when I purchased a 600 MHz Pentium III processor and an Abit BF6 motherboard two weeks ago. Installation was effortless – but when I tried to use it, my monitor would not respond. After spending two hours trying to get it to work, I had decided that the motherboard was defective. Had this been 4 years ago, I would have been very upset, but that night I just said “typical”.

Then I realized that I deal with this kind of garbage on a day-to-day basis. Can I fix almost any PC computer problem out there? Yes, but I don’t want to anymore. I have better things to do with my time – like play with stuff that works.

As a new year’s present to myself I have decided to purchase a UMAX SuperMac S900, with dual 233 MHz 604e processors from Small Dog Electronics. For now, it will make a good starter system – until I can get a G4 Sawtooth. It will replace my freshly upgraded PC and become my full-time computer.

The only thing my PCs are good for these days is playing games and running BeOS. My relationship with Windows had to end sometime, and with Windows 2000 coming right around the corner, I couldn’t have picked a better time to bow out.

One thing I don’t see all that often is Macintosh shops that have an MIS department full of Mac people and the company is top to bottom Macintosh. Low End Mac’s View From the Classroom has always offered me an interesting perspective on Macintosh-only environments, but I am really interested to hear about them in the corporate world. If you are a Macintosh-only shop, I would like to hear from you. Tell me how you run your operation.

The time has come for me to take things to the next level in my career. Instead of fixing, I want to create. My new year’s wish is to work for a company (in the technology field) where, if it becomes a success or does better, I know that I had something to do with it, where we are doing groundbreaking, no holds barred type of stuff. I guess what I am saying is that I want to help change the world. A big player in the computer industry just might give me my new year’s wish. Unfortunately, I can’t reveal who it is (yet), but let’s just say that I believe in them.

I learned a lot this year, and getting involved with the Macintosh had a lot to do with it. Not just the technology, but also the people who work with it. Class is out; it’s time to get out there and see what I’m made of.

Happy New Year.