My Network Story … part 1

I grew up with a computer at home in the mid 1980s. I don’t remember much about it now but it was a RISC (reduced instruction set computer) that only allowed you to do very basic things with the hardware and software. Yet  I do remember that I only ever used that PC to play Pac Man. The best game of that era that allowed you to eat ghosts when they turned blue.  Oh I wish I could get a real pill that turns my ghosts blue on my angry days…face it, everybody has a few ghosts.
The computer never really sparked my interest until one day I decided to look what was under the covering that made these sounds and gave me some pictures on a 10inch monitor. My story wouldn't ever be the same again.

I was the last of four children for my mother and father. We lived in this volatile community called Salt Springs in St. James. This is located on the north western side of the Caribbean Island, Jamaica. A place where in my teens it became very popular to hear of a friend's death or imprisonment.

Truth be told, if it wasn't for football and strict parents I'd be another statistic. Through many sacrifices I  was able to continue going to school and excelled at it. I played football in my spare time on the "Ball Ground". Fitting name I think for the area we played football. I passed the Common Entrance Exam (A  primary school test for high school placement) in the fifth grade and then passed all my CXCs in the 11th grade. Without notice this was a major achievement for me and my family. So I will not play it down and say  I made my family proud. Oh.. The primary school was Barracks Road Primary and then on to Herbert Morrison Technical High School.

After doing well at the CXCs and catching some football eyes I enrolled at Cornwall College which at the time boasted the only Sixth form classes among high schools in Montego Bay.  Cornwall College along with Herbert Morrison, represents great high school traditions and share a monumental rivalry even to this day. While at Cornwall I excelled at sports and reignited my love for physics, mathematics  and computers. The classroom discussions were a thing of beauty.

Sport was my strongpoint at CC. I became president of the Chess Club… yes I play Chess and very well, I represented CC in track and field, and I was one of the best players on the football team.  We Historically placed 7th at the yearly Boys and Girls track and field competition, won the Dacosta Cup and Ben Francis football titles, while I simultaneously  captained our Chess team to the quarter finals of the Island wide High School Chess competition. Whew! That was a mouthful.

I still did well in school if you were wondering and excelled at physics with the unknowing help of the brighter kids in class… I would not be outdone by anyone of them… … they know themselves.. I got into my own with Mathematics after a good friend shared some of his insights while we listened to DMX in the evenings….. DMX is by far the most inspirational rap artist if you want to get Algebra.. Get at me Dog.. Harrr hharrr.. ! Say that with a groan.. You'll  get it!

Back to the point….. While at CC I went into the computer room and saw some kids playing 'Commandos' - A world war II era game. I started to play and fell in love with computers again… How the hell could this thing draw me into an imaginary world of being a soldier trying to kill Nazi's.  I spent hours doing that.. And learnt a few things about processing power and graphics cards and main-boards and RAM and keyboards and mice.. They all contributed to a better game experience or else I might have not learnt about them… 

More on this story later…...