NWI Tech Support

This site was created with the intentions to provide as a collection of information’s based on real-world experiences from intelligent IT technicians far and wide. Our hopes were to build a user base to provide help amongst one another as well as the public, to provide encouragement, and a means to excel.

A little about myself

My name is Ted Durbin, I was born in 1977, grew up in Hobart, Indiana and have been happily married since 2001. We’ve owned two african spur-thigh tortoises since 1994 (both male and female were purchased as hatch-lings and were no larger than a silver dollar).

Alana - the African Spur-Thigh Tortoise

I don’t really know what it is that most fascinates me with technology. Possibly the fact that computer technologies are primarily based on the human brain’s design and methodology (albeit in digital-only format), or the fact that computers function purely based on logic. I do know that I am a problem solver driven by competition. I am very focused on whatever task is at hand, and I do seem to get bored quite easily.

I’m quite sure this is the reason I am constantly working on a something new. Most all of my projects are based on open source code of some kind and compiled on a linux derivative of some sort, don’t get me wrong, I don’t neglect my Mac. It’s just that Linux is my favorite of all of the Operating Systems available, Macintosh falls next in line, although I do believe they need to bring down the costs to increase their user base, and of course there is the love/hate relationship I have for Microsoft…

As far as Linux distributions go, my primary desktop Operating Systems are generally running Ubuntu, our web servers are typically running CentOS for the stablility, and our in-house servers are usually running either Ubuntu and CentOS based on the criteria. I generally carry a Puppy Linux USB flash drive housing a customized NOP mainly for repairs and secure access to our servers/desktops as well as websites for safe Internet surfing.

I’ve been working in the technical field professionally since December of 1999 with all credits going to the greatest teacher I’ve ever had. He taught CIS at Ivy Tech in Valparaiso, Indiana while I attended. His name was Brandon Hamilton. He was teaching an Operating Systems Fundamentals course, as I remember it, that was way too far over our heads to grasp. While we worked on the syllabus as best as we could, Mr. Hamilton’s main objective, as I took it, seemed to be exploiting our individual strengths and pushing us to excel in them. At the end of the semester Mr. Hamilton essentially went out on his own and sold his students by finding and arranging interviews with different organizations he had established relationships with. I was one of the lucky ones and ended up passing the interview and gaining employment working for LaPorte County’s Data Processing team.

That job was the greatest job in the world as there was so much to learn, and so many areas to grow in. I became the over-seer of the Netware 4.11 server that housed the Financial information. I was sent to multiple courses in Chicago to learn the intricacies of Netware’s Operating System and it’s functionality. Sadly, I have never really cared much for Novell and their ways although I do like to point out the fact that Netware Directory Services were around long before Microsoft’s Active Directory, and the similarities are striking… Funny are the ways in which Microsoft works. I got to know many many great people and learned a great deal before I was coaxed by a head hunter to sign off for a 3-month to contract position at the Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso, Indiana.

I showed up early the next morning to start my new job and stood before my new work mates who seemed nice enough. My responsibilities included removing all Netware products from a list of workstations and installing Outlook to take the place of GroupWise (if I remeber correctly). It was pretty mundane work needless to say. The worst was yet to come though. On the completion of my third day I was informed I would no longer be needed on the team. Apparently the migration was running way ahead of schedule and all external workers were let go. It sure didn’t help matters that my wife had purchased an new wardrobe for me and my new position, took in a stray cat, and paid a fortune at the vet to find out that our new cat had a broken tail that nothing could be done about.

I found part-time work the very next day working for a small outfit in my home town. Work was great and I felt like maybe I was back on track. But it didn’t take long, in fact, about a week before I wasn’t keeping busy enough to keep up the bills. I moved on to take a position with another small outfit based in Valparaiso, Indiana that has since gone missing from the list of local businesses. Before I quit I told the boss off, for lack of appreciation, in the nastiest manner possible ( I do regret some of the words I chose). And the funny part was that I received a call back from him asking me to come in to discuss retaining my position. I unwillingly accepted, drove out to meet, and was told that everything would remain the same, but I would be back on a probationary terms for two months. I laughed and gave him more of my mind as I walked out the door. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a boss that knows less than his employees. Especially in the field of technology.

For that very reasoning I began the company slighPC’s and had a tough time keeping steady, but things were growing… just too slowly. So I went out on the hunt for a job and ended up with an interview. A local communications company looking to add an IT division. The best part was the fact that the owner was aware that I was running my own business and he was alright with it so long as it didn’t interfere with any of his clients. Things went well and I ended up building/running the IT side of his company. It was great for a year and a half or so, granted there were times I feel I was taken advantage of, but all in all it was enough to get us by and an interesting experience as well. But it finally came to a close around two years into the making and I decided it was time to dedicate myself full time at slighPC’s.