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Does Moving In Social Media Circles Support Your Clay Career?


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Until approx. 5 years ago I haven’t moved in social media circles at all. I was just pottering along in my basement studio. Then I discovered the Potters Council forum and LinkedIn and my career did a jump forward. Since last year you can find me on fb too, and since posting there, my “know people and being knownâ€- ratio rocketed. Using all those social media possibilities brought me to where I’m now. How about you?

 

Are you using Social Media to nudge along your career, your awareness level, to get to know potters all over the world? Or are you explicitly refrain from using Social Media other than our forum here?

 

(PS: this is not meant as an advertisement for certain Social Medias. The ones I mention are just the ones I’am posting in).

 

Thank you in advance for a lively discussion.

 

Evelyne

 

 

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I started on linked in as the guy that I fire with made a request. It got to be ridiculous. So many people wanted to "connect with me", that I found it to be a huge time waster.

I really like the CAD forum. I have learned lots, made good friends and helped a lot of people.

I thought about Facebook, but I spend enough time on here, that I can't divide my time elsewhere.

TJR.

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In 1994 I was in Uzbekistan on a Fulbright with a laptop. I used the offices at the Peace Corps for accessing wifi. In 1995 I joined Clay Art and enjoyed being part of a large clay community. It did decline in civility after some years. I did find the Internet bulletin boards and clay sites helpful for promoting my travel courses to Spain from 1996-1999. I 2010 I joined this group. I like the organization here and the more structured topics. People seem more readily focused on topics and there is little abusive behavior. Facebook is amazing. I love accessing clay groups, design groups, green groups. and the unfortunate political 

bombardments. 

I am on Naked Clay, Raku, International Clay, Obvara Techniques. I learned Obvara on Facebook. I found it fascinating. So I guess I can say social media circles have supported or at least expanded my career in helping me grow and sharing my work with others who are interested.

Marcia 

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I had always "lurked" in the background on CAD, while teaching. I found solutions to problems, ways to organize, little helps on studio, students, glazes and techniques. When I retired, I came out of retirement in that I stopped lurking and tried to get involved, filing the void. I found out about the NC potters conference, attended it, started a blog to be able to "teach" somewhat. Then for some reason the folks at CAD asked if I would moderate here. I jumped at it. As far as facebook, and linked in, really not there yet, but otherwise I am getting enough to keep me busy.

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I use my facebook page for my own enjoyment and as a way to keep a sort of diary. Any promotion I get from there is a bonus. It also stops me spamming people on my personal facebook with posts they don't want to see.

 

Looking to get into Instagram and a website but that is all in the pipeline.

 

I have never been able to lurk on this forum, I always have too much to say :D Also I found this forum from a need to ask a question.

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Tom: that is of course a real problem, the time "waste" (not everything is waste!). Checking all the posts, answering them, checking the "friend requests" and dividing them into yes and nos and so on need heaps of time. On fb I always check the friend requests if they really are interested in me, or if they only want to add another cyber-"friend" to get as fast as possible 5000 friends. Cost me a lot of time, I'll give you that one.

 

Marcia: that is a clear statement pro social media. Would you tell us how much time you spend on social media sites? I myself spend approx. 3-4 hours/day at the computer, only managing my different social media circles.

 

Pres: we are glad you stoped lurking and came forward. Potters with long time experience in teaching, like you and Marcia and a lot others, can help the most in a potters forum. As for the social media, maybe you just don't want to spend more time at the computer for the time being.....

 

HighBridge: would you say that Instagram and an own website would help people making a career? I would say that a website is a real good tool to let others get to know you and your work. I don't know about Instagram. Heard that it is not secure? Viruses hidden in pictures?

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not 3-4 hours. I usually check in when I am on breaks.  Or when I am looking for information. 

I can check the forum quickly, Facebook can get tedious but I like to go to my favorite groups to see what people are doing in media of interest. 

Sometimes I don't sign off here and check in time to time during the day. I am off to fire some glaze tests for Raku. I want to try my new air pen. Then I need to take work to Houston and pick up clay in San Antonio before Matt takes off again.

 

 

Marcia

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Your own website should definitely help. I know somebody who made a website and a few weeks later he had people ringing up from finding the website.

 

I am still struggling with work never mind promoting it DOH.

 

Don't know much about Instagram or their virus problems. Just viewing a picture shouldn't give you a virus.

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I enjoy the social media activities I'm involved in (this forum, blog, facebook) however I think the importance to my career as a potter is marginal at best. Most of my social media contacts are too far away to attend any of my shows, which are all within my region. "Likes" are not sales. If I have made any sales from social media, the volume is very small. Shipping out a long-distance order is a big waste of time and packing materials, compared to the volume and efficiency of selling at art festivals and home shows. And social media can really drain your time. A pottery business needs to be efficient with time. So although I find social media to be "fun" I try to limit the amount of time I spend on it.

 

There are "social media superstars" who do an effective job of driving eyeballs to their online stores. I'm not poo-pooing that approach for those who are happy with it. For me, I can't see how the amount of time spent online, plus the amount of time spent packing/shipping wouldn't put serious cramps on production. These days I sell every pot I make, therefore anything that would lower production would be a costly mistake.

 

(The reason I have time to write a long post today is because I'm sitting in an waiting room while my van has one of its tires patched.)

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when I started my business, I opened a FB page just for it.  I did not have a personal page.  The business page was a way for people to see my work and it was free.  I created a personal page 2 years ago, but like Joel said, you don't want to overwhelm fam and friends.....so I try not to overshare on my personal page, but....my business page has been very helpful for sales.  I am friends with a couple of you on this forum on FB and like Marcia said, it was great to see work of like minded people and new work that you would never imagine in your own head!  The groups and the ability to follow others is great!   I have found social media to be more helpful than I ever imagined.  Like Joel, I am going to get a web page rolling.   oh yeah, and make more work to put on it!!!

 

Roberta

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I definitely get business from Facebook.  A few weeks back,  a blogger that is affiliated with the Mississippi Museum of Art,  featured me on a blog that is aimed towards unknown artists.  This was linked on Ms Museum of Art's page and got lots of exposures.   I've gotten 20 plus visitors to the store from that.  These visitors usually spent more than $100.  And I am still getting traffic from it ... I'm on the day trip log of many new customers.   The blog mentioned my interest in feral cats and a customer gave me $100 donation (even though I am not a 501C) and a source reached out to me that is going to spay/neuter any new ferals for $10.    Plus I have a speaking engagement this Friday that was arranged by someone that heard  "The Dirt Roads story" on public radio, which was generated from that blog.  (got some sales too from the public radio cast)  I do get some business from my own Facebook.   I have a personal FB under "Sharon Grimes" and one under "Dirt Roads Pottery".  I really need to take the time and combine these.  I have a website (that I did myself) and this has also generated sales.   Mostly people get a business card  or see a like on FB and go to the website to see what I have.  I have a few sales from customers googling and finding me.    I have pushed jewelry and t shirts on Instagram and have seen direct sales from it.  Haven't put any pottery on Instagram yet.

 

The Canton MS flea market is May 14.  I am spearheading a Face Book campaign which will start around May 5.  Myself and about 6 other flea market vendors are planning on promoting on FB between our group.    We will be bantering back and forth about our products, promoting attendance to the flea market as well as our products.   I've sent around "planned posts".   It will start with me asking another vendor about their new products.    Other vendors chirping in, with all of us posting new pictures.  This was my idea ... we'll see how it goes.

 

This  is the only professional forum I read or post on.   I'm too involved in guild (games not art) and game forums to add more.

 

Sharon Grimes

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I went from being a self-avowed Luddite to posting here to building my own website and being a budding instagramer. I don't do Facebook because my Mom likes to yell praise on everything I post, heavy on the emoji's.

I use Instagram specifically as a marketing tool, and I'm finding is a way to find connections that you wouldn't otherwise. Some of the shows I participate in have comprehensive social media campaigns, and one of he first things vendors do when they get acceptance notification is follow each other on Instagram. This has led to a design store seeking me out to sample some of my work on a consignment basis for 3 months, and will lead to a wholesale order of the top 3 sellers (everything has contracts and is on the up and up.) I show process shots, and I'm finding the number of likes on a piece is an indication of it's potential popularity at shows. Also, I have been able to do some long distance research on potential shows to apply to by following links through other vendors and watching how the event organizers promote their show.

Instagram has also allowed me to participate in the larger ceramic community through things like Ayumi Horie's PotsInAction account.

 

I'm not trying to sound like an ad here, and I realize its not for everyone, but I'm finding this one works for me. There are strategies to limit your time by building your posts in advance in large chunks and releasing them on a timer through apps like Hootsuite so you aren't sucked in to your feed when you need to be productive.

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Through the internet I have learned so much. That time being in a place with not much ceramic artist around as well as books on the subject, i went into the internet to get answers on certain questions I had during the process. Learned through youtube, asked questions on forums. Like this forum mainly, since here is where I got very quick and mostly detailed information. Am thankful to the many people who helped me through this way in my career. Sharing their enthusiasm and love for the subject has been inspiring. As well I love it to be in contact sharing the same passion with people from all over the world. 

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I just listened to/watched the Social (Media) Experiment on NCECA Blog...and had linked to that from the Jack Troy speech, which I had linked to from Face Book..thus illustrating how it works (very well)!  I haven't gotten into much other than Face Book and a lot of message boards. I do LinkedIn specifically related to addiction/mental health groups-based on my career, and CAD here for clay. Other interactive boards I use for personal support. The Internet was a life-saver for me during some dark times, and opening up the world-wide wealth of free information is a tremendous gift and provides daily pleasure-probably a couple of hours if totaled up.

 

It is terrific to be able to ask questions, post my 2-cents worth, "meet" people, and have reasonable access to some high-level masters in the field. Currently I am building a web site for my ceramics, but am in no hurry at the moment...still getting my sea legs. Being in a small state, in a rural area, a bit reclusive anyway, and single and retired (while everyone else is coupled up and working all week), social media and online connections are a necessity, not just a nice resource. :wub:   

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Marcia: how is your air pen working?

 

High Bridge: I agree with you: an own website is important, also for contests etc. The Jury looks at the websites first because they are looking for a "language" in your work. If you don't have a language, they won't even consider to have a look at your portfolio.

 

Mea: you hold your finger down on an important thing regarding social media: the time (waste). In your situation I can understand that you rather go to fairs/shows than trying to sell via computer. And I congratulate you for selling every piece you make! 

 

Roberta: I am glad you mention the different pages one can build on fb. The business page is of course a great place to show what kind of ceramics you do. It's more focused on the work and not on the everyday life (as in the normal fb feed). Did you ever got to know new customers from your business page on fb? All the best with your website project!

 

Sharon: that is some good result from social media you got there! Congratulations!! Since you are gaming too, besides buiding up a business, do you think you spend too much time on the computer or is it ok for you? Will you post pictures of your pottery objects on Instagram too in the future? I wish you all the best for your speaking engagement tomorrow, and of course for the flea market project!

 

Diesel Clay: I had to google Luddite :-) You seem to use social media a lot. That is tough luck that you can't do fb, but I understand your problem. Would it be possible to ask your Mum to refrain from using too much emoticons? Or how about building a business page on fb and don't ask her for friendship there? And the tip with "building your posts in advance" is a good one. Thank you. I'am thinking of starting a thread in marketing here regarding how to best use social media...

 

lala: thank you for the compliment on the Potters Council forum. Yes, there are a lot of kind and helpful people here and your compliment goes to all of them. Asking for help und giving help is the main theme on this forum. I'am glad you like it here and I am happy you are one of us!

 

Lee: two outstanding lectures/speeches at NCECA, I agree! Do you already know the NCECA Blog of Cindy's? Getting from one social media to another is very intersting, but also time consuming. I confess that I sometimes stay on fb or LinkedIn too long and without reason, just because I find the different feeds interesting. On the PC forum I check the questions and look where I can help and then leave again. But to PC forum I'am coming back often during the day. And Lee, thank you for being so open and tell us of your different problems. I can imagine that a many people feel the same, but not have the courage to speak about it. I wish you all the best, and please stay with us here on the forum.

 

Evelyne

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Sharon: that is some good result from social media you got there! Congratulations!! Since you are gaming too, besides building up a business, do you think you spend too much time on the computer or is it ok for you? Will you post pictures of your pottery objects on Instagram too in the future? I wish you all the best for your speaking engagement tomorrow, and of course for the flea market project!

 

  I have a weekly production output quota that I meet without exception and computer time falls around it.    I gave up my last game in January and am playing an Alpha version game now, which is only open a few hours a week and  Beta one opens in August and launch is next year ... so very little gaming time for the next year. 

 

I don't think I'll show much pottery on Instagram because the pottery sell through rate is close to 100%, selling most in the 4th quarter.    Currently I don't ship any pottery and have no plans to do so.

 

I think one of the key factors in successfully using social media is pointing potential customers towards a distribution outlet ... i.e. making a sale.    You could point customers to a web sale, a show or a retail location.  If you are not selling everything you are making,  it seems like social media is a good use of your time.  

 

The state of Mississippi has recently launched  the Creative Economy Program

 

http://mscreativeeconomy.com/

 

They are using FB and Twitter to promote various creative endeavors.     The key thing is the number of exposures a creative business can get.   They have asked me to submit a 500 word blog spot with a few pictures.   I'll try to get it done by next Friday and will let you know how this goes.  As I mentioned I got a lot of exposure and visits from that last blog spot from the Mississippi Museum of Art. (had a small group today, 3 ladies, that heard about Dirt Roads through that ... 3 nice sales)  The real power comes from having other people "like" your work.   I don't post very much on FB but when other people like and share you get exponential exposures.    I'm really amazed at the networking power.  Yesterday at that small speaking engagement, I picked up 2 sales for Mother's day gifts.    I didn't carry any items to sell there.    Now both of these customers had purchased $1000's of dollars from my previous business ... but had never been out to the studio.  And I'm sure  10 or more people in that group will come out to the studio.

 

EXPOSURE = SALES

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Sharon: thank you so much for taking the time to tell us about your social media and other experience. I think the very last statement: Exposure = Sales, says everything. So that means of course you need time to expose yourself. Time to do fairs. Time to go to exhibitions, talkings, openings etc. to get to know people, give them your business card, maybe a postcard with your work on it. Time to upload pictures to diff. social medias and manage them. Time to answer requests, emails etc. And so on. To get other people to "like" your work, you must show your work whenever there is a possibility. That's one thing I myself am doing wrong. On my fb page you normally see works of people I like (so I share their work) or articles I wrote for magazines, but not my main work: my objects.

I am always a bit reluctant to show my work. I don't want it to be like a toddler that says to Mum: "oh look the big turd I made today" (sorry but that's what comes to my mind, seeing people posting their work day after day). I'am sure they do better than I, but....

Are we already friends on fb, Sharon? I'll p.m. you for a link to a gamers forum....

 

Evelyne

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My simplest answer to the topic question is "Yes".  Others have already pointed out the risks, the time-wasting potential, and divisiveness that can happen on different platforms.  All of that is true and if anything growing in magnitude.

 

I prefer to take a more strategic approach with the various options.

  • My facebook business page (Paul Chenoweth - Clay Artist) is used to picture works in-progress, do an occasional  promotional give-away, and promote events where I show. That works well for keeping friends and followers in-touch.
  • I maintain a separate Twitter account (mugphlute) that is focused on clay/arts...(note: it IS connected to Facebook, so anything I post in FB shows up in this Twitter feed.  In Twitter, I use the list feature to categorize connections and that has been very useful. I have roughly 450 clay/artist/potters, 70 gallery-related people, and 70+ craft organizations in those lists...and I restrict connections (followings) to arts-focused accounts.
  • My much abused (and infrequently posted) blog needs work, but I love visiting other potters during my travels and posting articles about the people I meet.  It may not help my own career, but I count these people as friends and treasure those connections. A couple of examples: Ditto and Meet Wendy...
  • The CAC Forum is my living research space... I have yet to ask a question where someone hasn't contributed information that I have found helpful/informative.  For a group like this to have the longevity and high level of collegial connection amazes me.  I have certainly witnessed similar groups dissolve into quagmires of poo.
  • I use Pinterest, Instagram, and Flickr less frequently, but try to keep those accounts organized so people know what I do and can connect if they have similar interests.

On any/all of these accounts, I have no qualms about removing someone from a list, hiding their posts, or un-friending folks who choose to light fires of division...life is just to short to deal with that much drama.

 

-Paul

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Paul, good to see you here. One can see it in your signature: you are working with social media quite a lot. I can imagine that you spend a good part of your day at the computer. Especially the abused Blog account needs lot of cleaning out I guess. I heard from others who have a Blog that those abusers are quite a nuisance. I like your strategies!.... and I especially like your comment about our CAD forum. I also find it a perfect source for questions/answers regarding our clay passion, and not a small part of the members are friends now.

I hope to read more from you here, Paul.

 

Evelyne

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Guest JBaymore

A long story……….

 

Relative to most potters, I was an early adopter of computer technology. (Yeah...there's a serious "geek" side to me :ph34r:  .  In case you hadn't noticed   :lol:  .) 

 

My first encounter was with a mainframe and punch cards as a undergrad "back in the day" in a required COMP SCI course.  Moving ahead a few years........ I built my first home computer from a kit.  I remember the excitement when I upgraded it to 16 K of RAM memory (yes, that was a K, not a M or a G!)  While I was already a ceramic artist at that time...... at first I was mainly utilizing it for amateur (ham) radio applications (Yeah..... KA1HLI callsign, General Class).

 

I was already teaching glaze calculation courses and other ceramic science-side courses at MassArt way back then.  The repetitive math calculations and data lookup involved in doing Seger Molecular Calculations were a "natural" for letting a computer do the work...so that the ceramist could use the information generated to make decisions... not spend lots of time doing math. 

 

So I set out to write a computerized glaze calc program for the cheap home computers known as the Sinclair ZX-81 and the Timex Sinclair. Those computers were available at a price that POTTERS could actually afford back then.  The issue with this project  was that all of this had to be accomplished in 16K of RAM.  That required writing a lot of the program in Z-80 machine code.... a time consuming and difficult language. Some of it was also written in a sub-set of BASIC.

 

Hal McWhinnie and I conversed on basic concepts of glaze calc software development that we both had been exploring......... he had such stuff running on a mainframe at his university (the luxury of RAM!).  I wanted it to "reach the streets" for the average potter to access.  Long story..... and lots of programming later……. I was selling a program called "Glaze Calc" for the Sinclair and Timex computers by about 1980-81 (ads in CM classifieds).

 

In 1984 I co-chaired a panel (with the late Pat Doran from BU) at the Boston NCECA conference called “Computers in the Studioâ€.  What a task to do what today is simple… like arrange large screen projection of computer images!  We covered business uses, digital control of electric kilns, and I shared a demo of the glaze calc idea.  The presentation was well attended…… but most people thought we were NUTS.  The general feeling was that there is no room for THAT kind of technology in the ceramics studio.  One reviewer in the NCECA Journal said as much.  We were WAY ahead of our time with this.  But it planted a seed.

 

At that NCECA presentation (and in subsequent articles) I postulated the creation of an ONLINE “Potters Information Centerâ€, a centralized location that ceramists could go to for information on clay, glazes, kilns and such.  People could (AMAZING!!!) log onto this resource from home…… and exchange information with other potters. 

 

Here are copies of two articles from that time period.  One in Ceramics Monthly and one from the NCECA Journal:   http://www.johnbaymore.com/page80.html

 

http://www.johnbaymore.com/page107.html

 

Well……. soon thereafter we had the appearance of the online Glazebase resource and then the beginning of what became CLAYART.  What we might now call (primitive) “Social Media†and computer use finally started to catch on with potters.

 

I was asked to be the online “Kiln Answer Man†for an early online “social†type site called CraftWEB.  Did that for a year or so.  That gig resulted in other opportunities.  I’ve had a personal pottery website for a long time… can’t remember when I got the domain name (JohnBaymore.com) first registered.  I get sales and leads of various sorts from that website.

 

I was quite involved with reading and posting on CLAYART eary on…… but the nature of the postings tended to get abusive and harsh at times… and the text only “Listserve†technology was getting outdated very quickly.  I was looking for something more up-to-date and user friendly.

 

And then I ended up HERE! 

 

As a college professor……. I have to LIVE with online communications. Everything from grading to course communications are done online these days.  Most of the scheduling for the ancient technology anagama firing s we have done are ALL done via email and communications via the college’s Facebook page.  I have a course specific (restricted access) educational blog that is used for my “History of Japanese Ceramics†400 level art history course that I teach, which is “social media†for the class members. 

 

Because I am online so much for that function…… I can check the “social media†kinds of stuff very frequently as a “side jobâ€.  As a Mod for the CAD forums… that also causes me to deliberately check the computer frequently just about every day.  And I do a lot of writing for my teaching and consulting work… so I can be at a computer a lot when I am not up to my elbows in clay (and sometimes when I AM getting clay on the keybord).

 

Because of my high international involvement at this point…… a lot of the opportunities and things that I have done (and will do) are tightly tied to being “fluent†with computers and being “online†and having an online presence.  Being able to (very basically) write in a different language helps too (Japanese) with international opportunities.  I get constant requests for information, for doing consulting jobs, for shows, and for workshops via the online presences of various sources.  Enough that I can’t do them all and still “have a life†and keep up with existing commitments.

 

At the moment… my website just experienced a total crash of the servers it is hosted upon.  Hacked badly.  All of their websites down.    They have an older version of my site “up†at the moment.  I have to find the time now to go and FIX that and get the site updated.  That will take many hours of my time.  But I feel that is worth the eventual returns.

 

I also have a page on Facebook….. but it is ONLY for pottery related stuff……. I do not post personal “family†stuff on such sites (crazy to get that kind of personal stuff “out thereâ€).  I try to update that regularly (BTW……lots of photos there).  I participate in a few other art and food related forums now.  No Instagram as of yet.  I WON’T TWITTER!!!!! 

 

I have had an Etsy shop set up since about 2009 I think…..… but have yet to put anything on it to sell.  I am not sure if that venue is a “smart move†given my market positioning and the nature of my work (I’m watching the few “higher end†ceramic sellers there carefully to see what is happening with them.)  Direct sales from direct communications seem to work for me at the moment.

 

So…… there you have it.  Yes….. social media and all of its related permutations have been very important to my career since about 1975.

 

best,

 

…………………john

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For me I have had zero support from social media in terms of ceramic sales. I'm not there much as I'm to busy with other things. My success in ceramics comes from making-and selling over a long period of time not discussing it with others on Facebook. 

One of my pet peves is how social media is turned into a giant advertisment. I do not want to add my own ad to that .

I choose to use my diving world in social media not pottery on my facebook.I'm rarely there as it is.

 

Now as to a web site-thats a whole other issue-it has worked well for what I want it to do and thats guide customers to my shows and outlets.

Mark

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John: I was under the impression that I know you by now, but I didn't know you were a computer geek - Ha! Fifty shades of John.....

I remember that time very well. It took me some time until I figured out the c:\, and the computer language we used was Cobol. We worked with floppy discs, can you imagine!! The hardware was in a room as big as a station concourse, and it was hot in that room!!!! Thank you for the computer story.... nice memories....

 

Mark: I'am happy for you that you sell your ceramics outside social media with no problems. Are you going to fairs often?

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Guest JBaymore

 

I remember that time very well. It took me some time until I figured out the c:\, and the computer language we used was Cobol. We worked with floppy discs, can you imagine!! The hardware was in a room as big as a station concourse, and it was hot in that room!!!! Thank you for the computer story.... nice memories....

 

 

Starting out in college I learned to program in Fortran 4, COBOL, and BASIC.  Also started out using PUNCH CARDS!  Then got access to a teletype terminal.  And yes...... the mainframe was in a building that could hold a symposium...with air conditioners to keep it from cooking.

 

 

best,

 

...............john

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