Way back when, I interviewed at Ericsson CyberLab (lame name, cool lab) for a position as Developer Liason. I was asked to generate an informal document detailing my "skillset." Below is what I wrote off-the-cuff.
I didn't get the gig.

Ericsson was trading at 25.00USD those days. Today, they are at 5.00USD.

Coincidence? I think not.

:-)

Keith Alexander _______________________ keith@nootrope.net
Technical Skillset
01/04/01

The following is an overview of my technical skills. I am learning everyday and find great pleasure in understanding new applications, operating systems and commands.

One of the many rewards of teaching at New School University is the system of "teach a course, take a course". For every course I teach, I am allowed to take one. So if I find my skillset lacking in a particular area, I am able to quickly sign-up for classes to remedy the situation. I currently have seven courses "in the bank" and plan on taking an XML, IA and a Networking course this coming spring.

I have an extensive research library and a network of mentors that I call upon to help answer my questions as they arise. And I've come to accept that the more you learn, the more you realize how much there is that you don't know. One answer begets ten more questions. I find that exhilarating.

I am in the middle of two outstanding books; "The Human Side of Managing Technological Innovation" and "Managing Strategic Innovation and Change". While books provide a great deal of insight, they pale in comparison to actual hands-on work.

I have broken this document into two sections, operating systems and programs/misc. The end contains a brief outline of what I consider my technological weaknesses.

Operating Systems

* UNIX
I use a BSD unix shell account daily. I connect to the server using SSH or telnet. From the command line I edit HTML files, FTP into other boxes and so on. I also have a telnet client on my wireless Palm Pilot that allows me to work as if I were sitting at the console itself.

I am very comfortable navigating the directory structure and creating or deleting directories from the command line. I use Pico to create and edit files and have a good understanding of vi and emacs. While obviously not as powerful as Outlook or Eudora, I adore the speed of Pine, Tin and Lynx.

I own a Sun Sparc LX that I can't get running. Yet.

I need practice unpacking and compiling code.

* LINUX
I have two machines at home running Red Hat's 6.2 distribution of Linux kernel 2.2. One machine runs a graphical interface. Usually Enlightenment's window manager. The other machine runs a text-only command line interface.

I have yet to experiment with re-compiling the kernel. In the near future I will be networking these boxes via Ethernet. I also plan on running an Apache HTTP server off the larger machine. I am reviewing the DSL providers in my area. I need one that assigns static IP addresses to non-businesses. I would also like to offer shell accounts to friends. As root, I can perform basic sysadmin duties.

I have many distributions of Linux in my collection and have not found the time to play with Debian, suse and the rest. I've played with GIMP and found it very useful.

I enjoy following the developments of the open-source movement and applaud the exploits of the white-hat hackers. I have a keen interest in security issues, particularly IDS.

* APPLE
My first machine was a Quadra, which I still own and run. I also own a Performa which I run occasionally just for the silly, pointless screen saver. Mood lighting.

I am no longer very comfortable on the Apple OS. I can use it if need be, but have become much more proficient on Windows machines. I look forward to seeing OS X.

I currently use a G3 and a PowerPC for QA/QC tasks.

* WINDOWS (95, 98, 2K, NT, ppc)
I am most comfortable on a windows machine. While I deplore Microsoft's predatory business practices and bug-ridden code, I could not operate without Project, Excel, Word and IE. I just wish they would stop freezing my machine.

I own two DOS boxes, a Win 3.1 box, a Win98 box and a ThinkPad 770ED/DVD running Win95.

The DOS boxes each sold for $2800.00 in 1987. I bought them both for $5.00 in 1999. Yes, that was useless information. Although quite illustrative of Moore's law.

This winter I plan on building a machine from parts I have lying around.

Programs / Apps / Misc.

* HTML
I am a good, basic hand-tagger. Nothing fancy. I've created three personal sites using NotePad. I can create a site from scratch and upload from my wireless PDA. I also have experience with Adobe GoLive/ Dreamweaver. I've maintained an extranet using these products. HTML is Dead, Long Live XML.

* WML
I've created a few test decks. Nothing spectacular or worth saving. I understand the relationship to WAP. I own a number of emulators and the SDKs from Ericsson, Nokia and Phone.com. I've used Waptor and a few other WYSIWYGs.

I 'm interested in the impact of NTT DoCoMo's agreement with AT&T in relation to i-mode and CHTML.

Personally, I will not be happy until the wireless devices are fully addressable, legitimate nodes on the network.

* ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
While by no means a guru, I have decent graphics skills. I understand and use layering and enjoy the restrained use of filtering. I use 89a .gifs where needed. I play with PS often.

My weak points are using paths and channels. I understand but have not used anti-ailiasing. Luckily, I have many friends who are designers and the answers to my graphic questions are a quick phone call (or instant message) away.

* FTP
On the GUI side, I use LeechFTP. I have used CuteFTP and if need be, can operate from a CLI. I realize GUI FTP does not really qualify as a tech skill.

While not a difficult operation to perform, I find FTP the most magical utility. Placing a file from my local box onto a server halfway around the globe, still amazes me. Telneting into a server gives me the same feeling.

* MS PROJECT
I use Project everyday. I also use a Project extension on my Palm Pilot that allows me to bring .mpp files into meetings without using a laptop. I wish I was using this program when I opened my first business. It's very helpful and provides insight into a project before it even begins.

* MS EXCEL
I'm no power user, but can fully exploit this program's power to help me do accurate budgets and projections. The use of templates for some types of jobs makes the process that much faster.

* MS POWERPOINT
Not a difficult program, but one that requires restraint and design sense. Over-burdening slides with copy or images is a danger. I find PP a good support tool to a verbal presentation. Audiences like seeing visual representations of information. A great use of PP is embedding Flash movies into the slides. If I had my way, all presentations would be created in Premiere or Director.

* VISIO
Basic user skills. Flow charts and site maps. It's drag and drop, so no big deal.

* SOUND
I own SoundForge and CakeWalk Pro but have only dabbled with them. I have many years of experience in recording studios and am an accomplished guitar player. I play and also collect many different kinds of hand drums.

* IRC
Probably not worthy of inclusion here, but I find IRC an amazing communication tool. While on tour in Europe, whenever possible, I'd launch a telnet session and join channels set up by friends and say hello. IRC can also be useful for tech support and corporate communications. The same can be said for instant messaging.

As we roll into this new century, wireless video conferencing will eventually be possible, but until then, IRC chat is a guilty pleasure. From the CLI, of course.

* PDA
I don't know how I lived without my Palm Pilot. I _really_ don't know how I lived without the Minstrel wireless modem. I can ping servers, run traceroutes, use whois/DNS, telnet, AOL IM, Yahoo IM, use SMTP / POP3 mail servers, browse HTTP and WAP content, edit and upload files... all from my tiny Palm Vx. Beam me up.

* PGP
Finger nootrope@escape.com for my public key.

Weaknesses:
I have no programming skills. I do understand many of the concepts. I understand, but have no experience in JavaScript. I have created basic Flash movies. Nothing worth writing home about. I have no skills in Premiere / Director / Illustrator / Dreamweaver. I understand, but have no experience in DHTML / XML / ColdFusion / ASP. I am familiar with BlueTooth / VXML in theory, not practice. I believe Java / Jini can save the world.

I am more comfortable using chopsticks than a fork and cannot decide which is my favorite beer, Becks or Sapporo.