Dave Witwicki’s Icebreaker Speech

Licensed to Speak Toastmasters

As you probably know, I work in IT. Computers have been a part of my life nearly as far back as I can remember. At times they’ve been on the periphery, a trifling presence without much impact. At other times they’ve been the focus of my life, sometimes to the detriment of those around me. I’m sure we’re all aware that computers are an integral part of life now but I’d like to show you the tune computers have played throughout my life.

Winnipeg has never been a hotbed of technology. As a kid growing up in St. Vital in the 70’s, computers were pretty much non-existent. Still, every song has an opening note and, for me, that note sounded when a good friend of mine called me up one day and told me about this wonderful thing he had. It was an Apple IIe computer and we were both quite intrigued with what this thing could do. We spent hours playing games and then, as young boys of the “nerdy” variety were inclined to do, we started trying to program our own games. My time with the computer was limited and the tune faded until junior high rolled around. In the 80’s, computers were starting to appear here and there and suddenly I had access to an ancient Commodore PET computer. I spent many a lunch hour typing in programs I had devised and then hastily saving them to cassette tape before the next class started. The following year, my school had the good fortune to be selected to participate in a new program whereby the science lab was equipped with enough Commodore Vic-20s so that every student could work on their own machine. After the stodgy green, character-only screen of the PET, the Vic-20 was a treat. Not only could it do real color graphics, but it had sound as well! Suffice to say, I spent even more time playing around with these things. My computer tune was playing strong, sometimes literally.

Then a twist of fate changed the tune substantially. In grade 9, as part of shops class, I took a semester of electronics and I was smitten. For the rest of my time in high school, I devoted myself to learning all I could about electronics. Sure, we had a computer in the form of the class robot but I didn’t pay it much heed being more interested in the flashing lights of the gizmos we built and the crackle of electricity from the Tesla coil we had. Let me tell you, standing at the end of a 5 foot bolt of lightning really gets your pulse racing. Having immersed myself in electronics to the point of working for the school division both over the summer and during the year in various areas, it was only natural that I’d head off to college to further my education and pursue a career in electronics.

It was the end of the 80s when I headed to Red River Community College (as it was known as back then) to pursue Electronics Technology. Well, I was wholly unprepared for the discordant notes that would ring through my life as I was exposed to a whole new world of both electronics and computers. My computer tune which had been playing weakly in the background now surged strongly to the forefront and I found myself switching to Computer Technology after my first year. Not only was the music playing louder than ever, it was becoming richer as I moved both up and down the scale from the PC XT to the fridge-sized VAX/VMS system we used for compiling our code and to microcontrollers like the 6809 which are still used in everyday items like microwaves and cars.

As time progressed, my computer tune became a symphony as I graduated college and moved on to University to continue my soundtrack with Computer Engineering. These bars of the music brought new experiences. In addition to the PC ATs then commonly used, I also experienced the Apple Mac, the MVS/TSO mainframe and, most wondrous of all, the telnet terminals which connected to the internet. The internet was a fascinating place in the early 90s. Although the graphical interface of the web was a few years off yet, there was much to explore in the nooks and crannies of the continent spanning network and many hours were spent fiddling around. Unfortunately, five years of post-secondary education took their toll and I ended up leaving University sans degree due to financial difficulties.

The tune continues though. Entering the workforce with intimate knowledge of various types of computers made it easy to find employment. From the heavy bass notes of the mainframes running the Air Canada reservation system to the light treble notes of automated parking equipment I continued to follow the soundtrack of computers in my life. When the new millennium dawned, computers had become a part of all facets of life. Wanting to be part of the mainstream song again, I made a career change and moved from computer hardware to computer software. Once again I found myself in college but on the other side of the computer fence. As part of the Information Systems Tech course I was in, I did a co-op term [at my current employer] and somehow, managed to stay once I graduated. Eventually I made the transition from term employee to permanent and here I am today. As the millennium has progressed, my computer soundtrack has become lost in the technology tune heard throughout business. That’s okay though, I’ve enjoyed the music computers have played for me over the years and when the tune eventually fades away, I’m sure I’ll catch myself still humming it softly from time to time. Thank you…

- Dave