I first used a computer in 1981 when I got a part-time job with the University of Toronto Robart's Library, registering students for library cards.

It was very interesting using a "ruby wand" to scan bar codes on the cards into the system. I did not want to study computers in univeristy because I remember my brother coming home from university with all these computer cards he had to fill out and that did not seem interesting to me

A career counselling told me I should try a career in computers but I did not listen to him.

It wasn't until after I had graduated in anthropology did I think I may have made a mistake in what I chose to study.

So I went to Sheridan College to take a one year post degree course called Integrated Office Systems.It was in this course that I used email, even though it was inter-office email, for the first time.

This was in 1983-1984.

In Ottawa I worked with computers in construction, government, and business, for about twelve years.

I took a short course in UNIX and a five month course in Visual Basic programming.

I bought my first computer in 1991 and quickly had a BBS system up and running. (Bulletin Board System).

I ran this BBS for about three years. The dawning of Windows 95 and 32 bit processing put an end to all that.

I use the computer mostly for email and reading newsgroups.

I belong to several LISTSERV interest groups.

I thought if I could not read my email everyday I would die, but I lived in Korea for almost eight months without using email, and I survived, but just barely.

I worked for three years for SHL-Systemhouse in Ottawa in the Image Processing division, as a data conversion specialist. I am interested in the Ottawa based company Corel, which owns Word Perfect and Corel Draw. As a competitor to Microsoft they are not as popular, but they are a leading edge and innovative company.