I have spent around 12 years in various IT positions (UNIX/Cisco/Windows/etc.) and I can't say I was disillusioned, or bored, but the stress of being on-call and the responsibility of many times being the stop at the end of the buck had made me start looking outside of IT. I had spent some time assisting the sales force at a managed web hosting company in a previous position, so I started looking for Sales Engineer positions with technology companies.
The way technical products are sold is rapidly changing as geek has started to become chic and good Sales Engineers are in high demand. Of course, you have strong technical abilities AND be able to communicate and work effectively with sales guys (and yes I'm talking about the cliched sales guy). If you can handle all of that and find the right position, you can not only decrease your stress and day-to-day responsibility, but you can often times increase your salary.
I currently work as an SE for a global telecommunications carrier (yes, it is hard to stomach at times, but at least I don't work for AT&T, VZB, Qwest, Sprint, or any of the mega carriers) and I am significantly happier and more care free than I was previously. No on call, no late nights, flexible schedule, etc.
Sales Engineering allows you to leverage your skills and experience while ditching some of the more tedious aspects of IT. Of course you have to cope with being in sales, but I am happier for making the change.
Interesting...What changes did you have to make to get it to stream the iTunes video? I looked at documentation, Google'd, etc. Even talked to one of the Apple Store "Geniuses" (man, they use that term veeeery loosely). It didn't seem like there was a way to do it. But will = way. I stopped being surprised when I saw Doom playing on a digital camera OS back in 2001.
I would seriously consider Apple TV for my 2nd 37" LCD. I only have the single Xbox 360 and I could theoretically have both Media Center and iTunes pull content from the same files (theoretically with H.264 compatible content) and stream. I have two iPods I need to contend with, so iTunes will be in the picture no matter what, probably on the same server. Profile and sound level are big advantages for Apple TV. I like the Apple UI a little better, too.
I am currently ripping my DVD collection to VOB, converting VOBs to a single straight MPEG-2 file with 5.1 (using VideoRedo http://www.videoredo.com/ not free, but very easy) and streaming from WinXP MCE server (with the My Movies extension installed - http://www.mymovies.name/) to my Xbox 360. This setup works flawlessly and quality is at least DVD quality video with 5.1 surround. However, 4-6GB per movie is eating up my 1.5 TB storage faster than I would like.
H.264/MPEG-4 support could mean significant storage savings in the long run for me. As others have already mentioned, it's not really Xvid, and it would mean lots of transcoding with some quality lost, but I will be experimenting with it when I get my update to see if I can still get decent quality with some storage savings.
[wandering off topic/troll] Although my setup requires more setup and nerd-skills than the Apple TV option, the audio and video quality is significantly better AND I can stream. The lack of streaming of the Apple TV for video is what killed the Apple TV option for me (that and it looked terrifyingly horrendous in the Apple Store - even on the streamed "HD" trailers). For those that are unaware, the Apple TV only allows you to synch selected video content to the measly 40GB drive. You can stream audio from iTunes and some trailers from the Introweb, but you can't stream video from iTunes. With MCE/Xbox 360 I can hang whatever storage I want off my MCE server and stream 'til the cows come home.
I wouldn't recommend the MCE/Xbox 360 combo for everyone, but it was the choice for me because it streams DVD quality video and 5.1 surround AND I was able to convince my fiance to go with it, which also got me a decent gaming console. That and she LOVES Feeding Frenzy HD, which is strangely addicting yet simple.
I still love (and own) Apple/Mac and I would bet Apple TV v2.0 or 3.0 will overcome some of the current shortcomings.
Start, or join, a non-profit, or profit based business around educating/working with minorities and low income families about computer technology and the Internet.
Programs like this previous Slashdot article From Gang Bangers to Web Developers? are what I am talking about. I know web dev jobs and IT in general is crap right now, but just finding a way to help decrease the "digital divide" for kids and adults in groups that have little to no access to technology would be rewarding.
If you found a partner with experience in running non-profit organizations I am sure you could get a boatload of grants and equipment donations to get things going.
Sometimes we focus so much on the cool new technology initiatives out there that we forget to look in the rear view mirror at the people watching us drive away glassy eyed and confused.
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I have spent around 12 years in various IT positions (UNIX/Cisco/Windows/etc.) and I can't say I was disillusioned, or bored, but the stress of being on-call and the responsibility of many times being the stop at the end of the buck had made me start looking outside of IT. I had spent some time assisting the sales force at a managed web hosting company in a previous position, so I started looking for Sales Engineer positions with technology companies.
The way technical products are sold is rapidly changing as geek has started to become chic and good Sales Engineers are in high demand. Of course, you have strong technical abilities AND be able to communicate and work effectively with sales guys (and yes I'm talking about the cliched sales guy). If you can handle all of that and find the right position, you can not only decrease your stress and day-to-day responsibility, but you can often times increase your salary.
I currently work as an SE for a global telecommunications carrier (yes, it is hard to stomach at times, but at least I don't work for AT&T, VZB, Qwest, Sprint, or any of the mega carriers) and I am significantly happier and more care free than I was previously. No on call, no late nights, flexible schedule, etc.
Sales Engineering allows you to leverage your skills and experience while ditching some of the more tedious aspects of IT. Of course you have to cope with being in sales, but I am happier for making the change.
Good luck.
Very interesting. Chances of buying Apple TV just went way up. Thanks for the good/useful info.
Interesting...What changes did you have to make to get it to stream the iTunes video? I looked at documentation, Google'd, etc. Even talked to one of the Apple Store "Geniuses" (man, they use that term veeeery loosely). It didn't seem like there was a way to do it. But will = way. I stopped being surprised when I saw Doom playing on a digital camera OS back in 2001.
I would seriously consider Apple TV for my 2nd 37" LCD. I only have the single Xbox 360 and I could theoretically have both Media Center and iTunes pull content from the same files (theoretically with H.264 compatible content) and stream. I have two iPods I need to contend with, so iTunes will be in the picture no matter what, probably on the same server. Profile and sound level are big advantages for Apple TV. I like the Apple UI a little better, too.
I am currently ripping my DVD collection to VOB, converting VOBs to a single straight MPEG-2 file with 5.1 (using VideoRedo http://www.videoredo.com/ not free, but very easy) and streaming from WinXP MCE server (with the My Movies extension installed - http://www.mymovies.name/) to my Xbox 360. This setup works flawlessly and quality is at least DVD quality video with 5.1 surround. However, 4-6GB per movie is eating up my 1.5 TB storage faster than I would like.
H.264/MPEG-4 support could mean significant storage savings in the long run for me. As others have already mentioned, it's not really Xvid, and it would mean lots of transcoding with some quality lost, but I will be experimenting with it when I get my update to see if I can still get decent quality with some storage savings.
[wandering off topic/troll] Although my setup requires more setup and nerd-skills than the Apple TV option, the audio and video quality is significantly better AND I can stream. The lack of streaming of the Apple TV for video is what killed the Apple TV option for me (that and it looked terrifyingly horrendous in the Apple Store - even on the streamed "HD" trailers). For those that are unaware, the Apple TV only allows you to synch selected video content to the measly 40GB drive. You can stream audio from iTunes and some trailers from the Introweb, but you can't stream video from iTunes. With MCE/Xbox 360 I can hang whatever storage I want off my MCE server and stream 'til the cows come home.
I wouldn't recommend the MCE/Xbox 360 combo for everyone, but it was the choice for me because it streams DVD quality video and 5.1 surround AND I was able to convince my fiance to go with it, which also got me a decent gaming console. That and she LOVES Feeding Frenzy HD, which is strangely addicting yet simple.
I still love (and own) Apple/Mac and I would bet Apple TV v2.0 or 3.0 will overcome some of the current shortcomings.
Programs like this previous Slashdot article From Gang Bangers to Web Developers? are what I am talking about. I know web dev jobs and IT in general is crap right now, but just finding a way to help decrease the "digital divide" for kids and adults in groups that have little to no access to technology would be rewarding.
If you found a partner with experience in running non-profit organizations I am sure you could get a boatload of grants and equipment donations to get things going.
Sometimes we focus so much on the cool new technology initiatives out there that we forget to look in the rear view mirror at the people watching us drive away glassy eyed and confused.