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Michael Shalkey “The Future of Windows” MEETING DATE: Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 6:45PM - 8:45PM in The Middletown Library Large Meeting Room 55 New Monmouth Road, Middletown, NJ 07748 |
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Michael Shalkey “The Future of Windows” MEETING DATE: Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 6:45PM - 8:45PM in The Middletown Library Large Meeting Room 55 New Monmouth Road, Middletown, NJ 07748 |
Michael Shalkey, a computer tutor and troubleshooter for the Channel Islands PCUG in California, will speak about “The Future of Windows” at BCUG’s General Meeting starting at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, in the large meeting room of the Middletown Township Public Library.
Michael will review the history of how we got to where we are today. A platform like Windows is only as good as the programs that run on it and if no programs will run on it, it’s useless. Microsoft seems to care more about old programs and hardware than Apple does. He also discusses how Microsoft makes money because that’s a good indication of what it’s going to do. As a developer, you don’t develop for an OS anymore but for a browser. Moving to Chrome will work. The bottom line is what do we need to do to get ready for upcoming changes.
In 1986, after being assigned data entry on the original IBM PC, he was soon assigned to all IT tasks for an international non-profit drama company with machines being donated from various sources and styles, CP/M, Apple, Amiga and PC clones. With experience gained by on the job repairs and maintenance, he knew he could always use more knowledge. By joining the local PC Users Group and learning from and sharing with other users, he not only increased his knowledge base but soon became a leader of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and taught everything from the beginner’s class to website design.
Helping friends and acquaintances led him to spend many nights doing in-home tutorials and repairs. 2004 was the year Ventura County Computers offered him a position as a bench technician, repairing computers, tablets, phones, doing custom computer builds, installing software and teaching customers how to use it. As an Intel Gold partner, all VCC employees participate in the Intel Learning Network receiving training and taking tests about new technologies and solutions.
Always seeking to understand this new world that is growing and changing around us, he was an early tester of Windows 8 and an insider for the Windows 10 program, as well as continuing to listen to 10 hours of technology podcasts weekly. With the new world of cord-cutters and 10T (Internet of Things) devices, a lot more time is spent researching and setting up devices for home entertainment and personal assistants to ease us into the on-demand world. One thing he has learned about technology is that it is never boring.
