The creative side of computing fascinates me. Since the early 1980s I have been involved in sales and support to creative professionals and their businesses. I worked in retail computer store sales / management and engaged in private consultation long before its rise in popularity. My perspective both then and now is, you should know your clients needs and wants if you care to make a difference. In the beginning everything was new and challenging and there was no internet to instantly provide handy answers. You either found the solutions or you collaborated with others. I seemed particularly adapted for this perhaps because I was especially interested. My high level of interest made me very good at solving problems and finding new techniques. And I knew how important these computerized tools of creativity would become. Someone in the early 90's was credited for saying "everything that can be digital will be digital." That's fine, except I said that in 1983.
Since then, I steadily honed my skills as workflows developed in:
- Desktop Publishing
- Vector Graphics
- Digital Imaging
- Web Design
- Music Composition and Audio Engineering
- CGI/Animation and Compositing
- Video and Motion Graphics
I also have a solid grasp and working experience with:
- Server configurations and administration support
- Cluster solutions under Linux
- Fibre Channel solutions for Storage Area Networks (SAN)
- Other storage solutions from JBOD, RAID, LTO and Optical to Enterprise Storage
- Enterprise level networking solutions for Fortune
1,000 companies
All this experience makes me uniquely capable of:
- Understanding how computers foster the creative experience
- Troubleshooting problems from multiple angles (including hardware)
- Educating and supporting professionals in the creative arts
- Recommending solutions for professional working environments
There are many excellent digital artists out there who need exactly this sort of support from someone who understands the creative process. Knowing how to get from idea to end-product, while finding the fun, entertaining elements along the way, makes my abilities in consultative sales, support, workflow consultation and education all the more valuable.
Contact Eric: eric@ericnp.net
