Eric Mack On-Line

When I lived in Mons, Belgium, as a kid, I apprenticed to a master craftsman for about a year or so. The man was a fine woodworker and he taught me many things, a few of which I actually remember. (Like pointed end of the tool goes away from the body.) In addition to learning how to sweep, sand, and carve, I learned about pride in workmanship and the reward for focused effort. Though I did not understand or appreciate it at the time, I became a part of a rich heritage and tradition of knowledge transfer from master to student. Now it's my turn, as a parent, to do the same



Two weeks ago, I brought Amy & Wendy along to David Allen's to help me deploy several new T42 ThinkPads for David's ever-expanding staff. We'd rehearsed the software loading and deployment process back in my lab, so when we got to Ojai, Amy & Wendy knew what to do. It's a great way to expose my children to technology, teach them the value of work, and allow them to earn money to put towards the new computers they plan to buy. (Yes, they get paid when the work they do brings value to a client)

My colleague, Michael Sampson, is also mentoring his children as Technologists in training. That's neat!

I think of this as a modern day version of one generation passing on their skills to the next.