{ Wyrd.Cloud }

[Dan]

I've been passionate about computers for a very long time now, with what started as an interest in video games through consoles like the Sega Megadrive (that Iain had, and that we rented a few times), Nintendo NES (that my best friend Brian had), and later the first Playstation (that Nicky had, and was also my first console), I was also inspired by what I was shown on computers by people like Marty, and Nicky as well. Starting by playing Doom and messing around with Word and Paint on Mom's old 386, going on to our first family computer back in 1998, when we first got internet, which in turn let me learn how to install programs and games, how to make pointless web sites, and so on...



I saved up and bought my first computer when I was 13/14 years old... which meant burning CD's, reinstalling, changing hardware, etc...



Anyway, long story short, once we'd move to France and I'd done 2 years of technical school, I was accepted to go and study computers in Tours, which by then was something that I was properly motivated to do as a career choice... and well, Dad, who was running a Bric-à-Brac (second hand stuff) shop in Sancoins with Mom at the time, got pestered into the idea of opening a computer shop instead... an idea which also appealed to Marty... !



So, lo and behold, Dad decided to take a leap of faith and CT Commerce was born from the ashes of Clayton Bric-à-Brac !

In retrospect, an awful name for a computer shop, but I guess that Dad didn't want to take any risks, incase the idea didn't pan out, he could always do something else with such a name, lol. The Idea behind it being that CT was to represent Clayton (Dad) and Taylor (Marty). So, Dad and Marty set about getting the shop up and running, with help from Mom as usual... Dad doing what Dad does, and Marty doing all the actual work, as computers are not Dad's thing at all, lol...

Anyway, here are some photos to set the scene :









Duing that time, I was at school in Tours doing computers, but sadly I was getting pretty bored of it :





After talking to Dad about it, we both decided to ditch the idea of doing my work experience for school at the shop, and to just go ahead and start working full time at the shop itself. So, I started my first job in 2004, working for Dad in his computer shop. Dad was looking after the customers, the accounting and what not, Marty was doing the technical work, and Mom was helping here and there with parcels and stuff... and as for myself, well, I was learning the ropes as I went along, I already knew a fair bit, I leant alot from Marty of course, and I spent my spare time leaning how to do the rest via magazines, books, the internet, and simple trial and error on my own machines...

Next up, the new house / shop !

[Dan]

At the beginning of 2004 we moved house, still in Sancoins, but with the shop now being part of the house itself :





As time went on, the shop slowly took form and got better over time :

[Dan]

Some photos of me :





Some photos of Marty :





Some photos of Dad :




Some photos of Mom :





Don't forget Sushi the cat :



Some of the people we had on work experience :






We even had visitors from time to time :

[Dan]

So in terms of work, what did I actually do, day to day ?

Well, most of the time was spent fixing customers computers, be it desktops or laptops. The most common things would be reinstalling Windows due to virus problems or replacing dead power supplies. My favourite thing to do was speccing out new machines, then being able to buld them. One of the worst things to be doing is cleaning a PC that's been sat in a dusty environment when the ower is also a smoker... when everything ends up being all sticky and bunged up... yuk ! So yea, general computer maintenance, be it scanning for viruses and malware, backing up files, reinstalling Windows, installing new hardware or replacing dead/faulty hardware, cleaning desktops or replacing laptop screens... this could be for normal people or for businesses, at our shop, in the home or on-site at the business or school. We did internet and router installations as well. We'd also do some side projects like copying VHS to DVD, making websites for people (for example, this and that), printing documents, providing computers for people to use the internet in the shop, things like that... Obviously I also spent time taking to and advising customers in the shop and on the phone. Dad also used to sell alot online, so there was also some activity do to with that. All in all it was quite fun, and quite relexed on a normal day... but most of all, it was pretty instructive... I worked there for almost 5 years before Dad decided to close the shop... so in that amount of time you've more or less seen it all in some shape or form. I don't think that the same job would be all that fun these days though... it's all mobile phones and laptops now... or pre-built machines from supermarkets... and I must say that I really do prefer working on custom desktops, there's not much fun in changing screens and batteries all day long !

Here are some more photos to illustrate all that :

[Dan]

Some obvious advantages of the job were living just above the shop (which did help offset being paid what was minimum wage at the time), being able to obtain various hardware at cost price, having access to shop space and tools out of hours, and also being able to invite friends and family over each weekend (usually saturday evening until sunday morning) to have lan parties and overclocking sessions at the shop !

Yep, you guess it, even more photos !

[Dan]

As a final chapter to the CT Commerce story, what happed after... ?

Well, as I was made redundant for economic reasons, and because of the experience that I had amassed over the near 5 years period, I was able to get accepted into a training course for a higher degree level than the one I had at the time. The really funny part to that is that Ludo, who was once my trainee for work experience, had subsequently finished his studies and had reopened a computer shop just over the road (called On Off PC) from us not all that long after we had closed (after asking for tips and tricks from Dad), and as things worked out, I managed to get the work experice I needed to get for my course to be done with him in his new shop ! It was a good laugh and I managed to help him out with quite a few things whist I was there, notably setting up some virtual servers for various tasks and making a website, forum and Facebook page for the shop... so all's well that ends well !
















As for Mom and Dad, they both opted for retirement... and Marty got an engineering job manufacturing car parts at Magny Cours !

So, I think that just about sums things up for this one... I hope it wasn't too long to read...

[Mik]

There's a lot there that I had forgotten about.

[Rebecca]

Haha brings back old memories!
I remember when you installed ut1999 on my pc I was obsessed with that game !

[Mik]

Is it this?

[Rebecca]

Yes exaclty !!!