My name is Thomas Jones. Born on April 6, 1969 with a Dutch mother and American father.
I was about 12 or 13 years old when I first got introduced to the Atari 400 and 800 computers, with only 32 and 64Kb respectively in Junior High School. After playing with the simple BASIC programming language, I decided to learn how to create simple programs. The spark in the IT was lit. It would forever change my destiny. I moved on to being responsible for the student registration system, a large rectangular block with manual switches connected to an amber screen. One of the first Apple computers, the Apple II, was my first introduction to that system.
Fast forward to 1989. My father retired from military service in 1984 and we moved and settled in the Netherlands, to my mother’s hometown of Zwolle. After getting my Dutch Mavo diploma (which was an achievement on its own due to the fact that my Dutch wasn’t all that well evolved), I went on to take a more dedicated computer study from a computer company called Computerij. I discovered I had a pretty good knack with computers. I excelled in dBase, Framework, Calcstar, Wordstar and getting a better understanding of computer anatomy. After an internship and hands on experience at Brink Trekhaken (a national leader in tow-bars on automobiles) and redesigning their tow-bar administration system in dBase, I graduated. I had on and off jobs getting better and better in the IT. Unfortunately, I was unable to land a permanent position.
Another fast forward to the year 1991, I landed a job as a helpdesk tech with Kuipers CvK. I learned a lot but the job only lasted 1 year and I left and started to work for Windesheim (a large college in Zwolle). I setup their first helpdesk department that later grew to about 10 or 11 when I left in the year 2000. I left for ABN Amro Bank. It’s there that I first came into contact with Lotus Notes. And also instantly, I was gripped and amazed with that platform. I just needed to know more about it. I knew almost everything about the client but wanted to learn more about the Domino server platform. I never got the chance until much later, I was finally able to work with the administrators. I just loved that Domino environment. At that time the IT was outsourced to IBM. IBM had acquired Notes and Domino from Lotus and I was able to become CNA (Certified Notes Administrator) for Domino version 8.5.5. After a ten year break (maybe the dumbest and most unhappy period of my life) working in Functional Administration, I wasn’t allowed to be an administrator any longer. The IT, Domino, kept calling until finally, I had had enough and when the company reorganized, I left.
Almost 3 years passed until finally, after a very nasty year with a company I rather not talk about, I found the company that let me, be me. Welcome to e-office! Finally, I came back home, to Notes and Domino, now under the HCL flag and a whole slew of new and exciting software. Connections, to name a few.
AWESOME!