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In early 1994, just as the remarkably
fast 486 PC was becoming available in retail stores, the idea of
internet "for the people" was just beginning to explode. The
old school operating system, DOS, was just on it's way out, and a
new GUI form of windows (which we now know as the GUI pioneer, Windows
3.1) was the hottest thing on the shelf. Chris and Kristi squeezed
every sector out of the hard drive, on their 386 (before the Pentium
revolution), in
order to install this new software and log on to the net for the first
time ever. They began to explore every type of internet software
available, stretching their 386 to the max. Removing,
reformatting, and installing became routine business in order to make
room for the newest, hot goodies on the market. Connecting at 9600
baud was considered screaming compared to other at home
users.
Aware of the swelling computer
market, less than a year later they had purchased the top of the line
PC. At the time this computer boasted a roaring Pentium 75 with a
whopping 1.2 gigabyte hard drive. Combined with the lightening
speed 14.4 modem, this computer gave them the edge they needed to
conquer and define the internet in their own way.
Kristi began to self teach herself
the basics of HTML (a basic web programming code) by researching,
reading, and building a whole lot of generic websites. Soon her
websites grew to include friends, co-workers, relatives, and eventually
a few business acquaintances. Chris was quickly becoming a wiz at
repairing, upgrading, building, and maintaining PCs. By about 1996
Chris and Kristi were helping each other in order to keep up.
Chris learned HTML and taught himself to use the up and coming Flash®
and Shockwave® software so that Kristi could
spend more time focusing on designing graphics, animations, and fine
tuning her HTML. In turn, Kristi learned the basics of PC hardware
in order to fix her own glitches.
In 1996 Chris went back to
school. Earning a degree in Network Support, shortened into a
grueling 8 months of school, and later a degree in Computer Information
Management Systems. Chris has enjoyed continuing to work in the
internet industry with White Water Image Systems and do some outside
consulting. While Kristi maintained her career in Radiologic
Sciences, she rearranged her work schedule in order to spend more time
doing web design. Both their non-traditional schedules free up
time for them to grow and create, and spend time as a family with
their adored daughter and pets.
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