The problem here is the assumption that because you worked in dept. X for years that you can manage dept. X. That coupled with the belief that management ability is innate rather than learned leads to people being promoted to management with no training, or the support needed to develop as a manager.

Seriously, give people training an mentoring! Nuffsaid!

Dear Tim,

Many Android owners bought that platform deliberately. I don't see a resurgence in iPhone sales either so maybe their accidental discovery was more like a Penicillin kind of accident than say, a 'had a bad burrito' kind of accident. Or maybe they switched to Windows Phone after Android (haha... yeah I know, doesn't look like it).

L8r.

Awesome!

Someone please mod this reply up. This guy/gal is proof it can be done.

L8r.

30 you say? Well that's hardly over the hill now is it?

I have to say there are some pretty poor responses in the comments, many are very discouraging. Don't listen to them. Let's look at some factors:

- There's an IT skills shortage, worldwide.
- As a teacher you must have a degree so you've a proven ability to learn.
- As a teacher you've proven that you can train people, and speak to groups confidently.
- As a non-geek originally, people should be able to relate to you better than your average Slashdot troll (sorry, couldn't resist)!
- You don't need to learn to program to be a sysadmin. Scripting skills would be a big advantage though.
- Tech is a wide and varied area, you have lots of options for entry, from going back to school through to starting with a small business and doing helpdesk stuff to work up to sysadmin duties.
- It will take time and effort (be prepared to 'live' IT for several years). But I've seen other teachers do it (I work as an IT Manager at a school).

Finally, like I said, you can do it, you're by no means over the hill. I wonder if a side-step might be a best first move. Buddy up with some companies that do tech in schools at the same time as doing some out of hours study and you might find you can move over as an educational tech. consultant or a techie with a welcome educational background, and then use that as the foot in the door.

Anyway, best of luck. Like I say, I've certainly seen teachers do this, I know a former school teacher who works for Microsoft.

My final words of advice.... prepare to give up the long holidays, forever! ;)

This guy's blog post pretty much sums up what I've been thinking for a while now. I used to be an MS hater, but there's not much left to hate now. The antitrust thing is ancient history. Now you're looking at a Microsoft who will willingly roll over rather than get in a fight with anyone (Sky or Metro are examples). They certainly do some strange things, but they're no more strange than the competition. Also, when they were being 'evil' it was annoying to us all, but hardly world-ending stuff.

Yet here we have a trail of comments on Slashdot like it's still the 90's. Probably - just like the 90's - from people using a Windows PC to whine about Microsoft. Or a Mac, which is just hillarious (the MS hater taking refuge with Apple is absurd). You guys and gals need to move on, or grow up.... or both.

...and account details.... and password.... and a few other items of identification....

Not quite as simple as knowing the phone number.

But don't let that get in the way of your hyperbole.

And it's too late baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died
and I can't hide it
And I just can't fake it

But you felt the need to comment because....???????

You must be real fun at all your friends parties.

Oh..... sorry.

As many as get pushed to my Android phone thru the google apps.... basically none.

Jackass..

Well, to be fair the UI hasn't changed in that time...........

>Once again, Apple is singled out for an industry wide problem.

Because of the fact Tim Cook stood on a podium and said their maps were "the best" and "the most poweful" maps. THEY were the ones talking it up.

Hoisted by their own petard.