Longtime readers of the Shore Journal know
the journey that we have all taken together
in the past year. We began with nothing
less than wide-eyed wonder, and watched
as this small group of computerists grew, and
formed what we have come to know as our
"virtual community."
The community has become a reality, and the reality
a Village. The Computer Village is open for business.
It hasn't been easy. Plagued by bad weather, the consolidation
of ICNet, Intercom Computers, Stat Computer Repair and QDS
Software has been confusing for everyone, but things have
begun to settle down, and days are beginning in the morning,
and ending more or less, in the evening.
That hasn't been so for a long time now, for Scott Jones or
for Marta Ward. Scott has spent the past few months building
the offices, workrooms and classroom of the Village, and now
he's happy to find himself getting home in time for dinner
on occasion. Shown here talking to Marta, the President
and CEO of the Village, Scott is one of the handful of fully
grown-up adults you'll meet at the Village.
If you should call, (the number is a clever 219-DATA),
the phone is likely to be answered by a very charming
young woman named Emma Crismond, who does that along with
greeting customers, ringing up sales and in general
providing a cheerful attitude to everyone she meets.
Folks looking to buy or upgrade computer equipment
generally talk to Jeff Elliott, who comes to the
Village from the QDS/STAT group. Jeff knows his
computers, and he spends time in back building
them, too. Jeff's a good guy. You'll like him.
Many of the businesses around the shore know
this fellow, Kent Parkin. He's been building
and fixing computers on Delmarva for
years. A personable fellow with an engaging
smile, Kent is known for staying with a problem
until it's solved, and for not being satisfied
until the customer is satisfied. If he comes
to your office, offer him some coffee. He
drinks a lot of coffee.
Someone you'll have to look hard to find is
Geert Merkelbach, our intern from Holland.
Geert spends most of his time programming,
but if you interrupt him, you'll find a
charming young Hollander with a very friendly
way about him. If you talk to him, you might
be suprised to learn, as we were, that Holland
is all over the web like a big doggie, and that
there are hundreds of independent internet
providers in his homeland. Look for some
really cool enhancements in our system soon,
compliments of Geert.
You'll have to look around pretty hard to find this fellow, too. His name is Stewart Ward, and if you do find him, he's likely to have his nose stuck in a machine, as he does here. That's where he seems to like to keep it, too, and pretty much out of other people's business. He's John's younger brother, and like John, he feels comfortable dealing with machines. You won't have to worry about him talking your head off, either. He doesn't say very much. But, he thinks a lot.
If you got a hole in your Trumpet Winsock, or if
your browser developed a tummy-ache from something
it couldn't digest, there's a good chance you talked
to this young man. His name is Jason LaGarde, and
he's been with ICNet since last summer. Although
he's only 19, Jason has been computing "since he
was a kid", which means he has over ten years of
computing experience. Jason has an endless supply
of patience with new users, and has helped hundreds
of people get online. Jason's parents did a real
good job of raising him, and we told them so.
If you didn't talk to Jason, then you probably
talked to Glen Juskiewicz, or gdj as he's known
on the system. Glen is the most organized young
person we've ever met,
and he has to be. He's responsible for seeing
that new users accounts are logged, that requests
for information and software are filled, and in
general seeing that our users get what they need.
He also spends lots of time patiently explaining
the nuances of getting online to new users, and
trouble-shooting systems that won't cooperate.
Although a genial and engaging fellow, Glen is
one of those people who believe that pictures
can be used to steal your soul, or something,
and would only consent to being photographed
from behind. This IS the back of his head,
however.
Whatever the reasons that may bring you to the
village, if you stay still long enough you will
see this fellow go by. His name is John Ward,
and he has more than his sleeping son resting
on his shoulders.
John is the owner, and has to answer to Marta,
his wife, for everything that goes on at the
Village. In spite of the pressure, John's a
joker by nature, and usually jokes around with
everyone while they're working. (Usually...
but not always.)
There are a few other people we didn't get to
mention, of course. Notably David and Marvin,
the programmers who work upstairs, and the
ubiquitous Mitchell, whose poking and fiddling
keeps our system running.
The Village is open for business, and it's ok
to stop in and say "hello". If you haven't, do
so soon. A little stone soup goes a long, long
way.
March 10, 1996 Charles Paparella The Shore Journal
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