The LandPhil be honest, be honorable, be kind, be compassionate, and work hard.

Let’s start with a background.

I went to school for physics.  I discovered that I hated advanced mathematics.  I switched to computer science.  All of you in the know, stop laughing.

After school, I took a job as a systems administrator at a college.  Well, at a university.  Well, at a very good university.  I was a fresh out, and they asked me questions like, “Do you know Windows?”  And being that I’d built my own computers and installed Windows 95/98, and had logged in a few times to an NT domain, I said, “Of course!  I’m a windows expert!”

I believed that for all of about 4 hours my first day.

What I discovered very quickly is that I didn’t know anything about Windows.  What I did know was how to install a workstation operating system and software.  What I did know (but I didn’t realize then) was how to troubleshoot problems with the operating system and software.  What I know now (that I only realized fairly recently) is that the ability to troubleshoot, to see problems in an environment (ANY environment), identify them, categorize them, research them, and solve them… THAT is a skill.  One that far too few people actually have (but often claim they do).

But I’m not here to toot my own horn.  The opposite, in fact.  I want to paint a picture here for you, the reader, so that you understand where I’m coming from before you walk down the SharePoint path with me.  I have 10 years of Microsoft Windows and Active Directory experience.  I’ve built and upgraded and migrated Windows NT/2000/2003/2008 domains.  I’ve created robust group policy schemes.  I’ve deployed software.  I’ve dinked around on Cisco networking equipment.  I’ve imaged hundreds of computers.  I am capable of troubleshooting any of those systems.  I installed SharePoint 3.0.  Once.  And then never really used it.  Now you have the background.

I am now, currently, a SharePoint Administrator.  I interviewed for the position and told them, up front, that 1) I didn’t know anything about SharePoint, and 2) I didn’t think that would be a problem.  I have learned a great deal more about SharePoint in the last week than I knew a month ago, and a month ago, I’d learned a great deal more than I’d known initially.

This blog will hopefully outline my trials and tribulations, my goofs and gaffs, and my successes as I build out the SharePoint infrastructure here.  I’m not sure how anonymous this will remain, but for now, I’ll leave specifics out.