This is the website for me, Eric Six.
Maybe you know me, maybe you don’t. Here is a little bit about me, maybe it will interest you.
I have been living in Japan since October 2005. First I was living in Hiroshima, and more recently I moved to Tokyo to join the IT labor force after a two and a half year hiatus. Having worked in the Global Division of one of the world’s largest telecoms, I recently began a new job at a medium sized solution provider here, taking charge of their network infrastructure division.
Rewinding a bit..
I graduated from college with majors in Computer Science and Math, only fitting as I am a computer nerd. Immediately following college, I enjoyed the wave of the IT boom. Working as a MCSE for NT and 2000 and doing UNiX work ( mainly Solaris, Linux and FreeBSD.) It was at this time I realized that Microsoft really sucks and it was just too boring. So I developed an interest in Cisco and related hardware. I followed this path with my CCNA and CCNP. Working for ISP/Library Integration Company I had access to a nationwide WAN as my lab(DRA/Sirsi), and after that working for a Cisco VAR doing VoIP and Security (PIX and IDS.)
You could say I was burning out, or maybe something a long those lines. I had an opportunity to go to japan, so I decided I would do it. I have always had a deep seeded interest in japan, more from a historical martial arts point of view, not the otaku view that most people associate with computer nerds.
So as fate had it, I found myself on a super777 heading to Japan.
I have spent the past few years teaching english, exploring eastern asia and realizing that the life I thought I would have (and maybe wanted), was in fact, not the best for me. Of course there was a woman involved… there always is.
So now, I explore Tokyo and plan my eventual re-entry to America, holding on to the hope that Bush will be gone and people will care a little bit more about the world around them instead of themselves.
Rewinding a lot further..
My interest in computers goes back almost as far as I can remember.. Around 11 (perhaps..) we had our first computer in the house. An old 8086. I don’t remember the specs on it, but it was the first computer that I delved into whole heartedly. From there my interest sprouted from early cobol and basic to other languages and operating systems as the computer became more advanced.
In my early teens, around when 9600k and 14400k modems were paramount, I became active in the BBS scene in St. Louis. Starting with the historic “Fire-escape BBS” list, I managed to get in the BBS community. However, I didn’t take much solace in playing games or the usual banter that was going on in the forums. I soon found myself with access to the WAshington University (WUSTL) and UMSL’s dial-up (SLiP) systems and UNiX access. From here, I spent a lot of time learning UNiX, shell programming and learning the joy of the IRC. Keep in mind this is circa 1992ish, so the amount of people using the IRC and the number of IRC servers could easily be counted.
From here, I learned about the joys of warez. I spent the next 3 to 4 years in channels such as #pWA, #DoD, #razor and a few others. Though never directly affiliated with these groups I became an unofficial courier for a lot of their releases with access to some amazing FTP sites at the time. To this day, for some odd reason, I can remember the releases of Duke Nukem, Doom and Windows 95 (Gold and Retail.. 18×1.44meg@33.6k..) How bizarre.
It followed suit I also ran a BBS for the distribution of these files in STL. At the apex, I had dual 33.6k nodes running on PCBoard and QEMM with maybe 1 gig of space and a 250meg tape drive in constant rotation. (I still have the USR Courier modems.. huge old boats..) I had a steady user base of about 50 local users and about 30 international users that would frequent..
About the time I graduated for high school, I shutdown the BBS and proceeded forward with higher education. As it happens, I was lucky, around this time the fbi decided to bust a lot of bbs that were repositories for npd software.. I managed to escape that.. narrowly perhaps.
I really do appreciate my parents support and understanding (and lack of understanding of what I was doing..)
You can contact me via various methods:
ericsix at gmail dot com
mobile: 082-090-9972-6636
snail mail: if you really want this, email me!
宜しくお願い致します
ps.. word of advice.. don’t trust spoiled little rich girls with mental issues.