Colour me imaginative

clock • 3 min read

Bananas must be better than oranges because they have a more imaginative name, notes Terry Walby

What was your first job, and how did you get into IT?

My first role was working for a services company that provided maintenance and support for electrical equipment. I quickly gravitated towards IT support, and have been in IT ever since.

Planes, trains or automobiles?

It would have to be automobiles. I'm a bit of a petrol head, and have owned more cars than the number of years I've been driving - I get bored quickly. I'm also a keen motorsport fan and if I'd had the resources when I was younger, I would have loved to have got into racing.

What is your favourite joke or the one you heard most recently?

I had to reset my password this week, and our system stated that it had to be eight characters. I used Snow White and the seven dwarves.

Should Prince William shave his head?

Great idea, like a modern version of Yul Brynner in The King and I.

In my dreams…

...I'm always awake. Why is that?

Oranges or bananas?

Bananas, because they've shown more imagination than just being called "yellows".

What was the best holiday you have ever had?

The best holiday is always the next one. The anticipation and expectation are part of the fun.

What do you say to those who claim the world will end on 21 December 2012, as per the Mayan calendar?

I would say "Happy Christmas", on the basis that they won't get to see it!

I never…

...understand why people spend time doing mundane things that could be done more efficiently by technology. If we got rid of boring tasks, there would be so much more time to do stimulating, interesting, or exciting things.

If someone shrank you to the size of a pencil and put you in a blender, how would you get out?

Probably in liquid form.

Print or online news?

Online. It's more accessible, dynamic and therefore immediate. And of course, if I want to read it on paper, I can just print it.

Would you rather draw up the plans, or carry them out?

I'd rather be responsible for drawing up the plans. I enjoy defining a strategy for success - although the execution of strategy is what makes a business successful, so finding the right team to carry it out is vital.

Is IT well taught in schools?

It's improving. Schools are moving from just teaching IT as a subject, to using it to support learning across a range of subjects. This is vital as it reflects the real world. Today's students use IT completely differently to the previous generation, and it's exciting to see how it affects so many facets of their lives.

What is one thing you miss from being a kid that you no longer do or can do?

I learned to snowboard a few years ago, and was reminded that not since I was a kid had I reason to throw myself to the floor several times in a day. I miss the fact that it didn't used to hurt.

Where did you get that hat?

Actually, I have a red fedora in my office, courtesy of one of the team, who got it for me from the Gartner CIO conference in Barcelona. It's called into active service for every office sweepstake.

Are IT skills shortages best filled by on-the-job training or formal education?

Both. Proper formal skills development based on real-world requirements is vital, but it is also incumbent on the industry to provide support and vocational training to develop future generations of IT professionals.

How do you try to cheer yourself up when you're feeling down?

I make a point of finding something to laugh about every day. Believe it or not, it works.

Terry Walby is UK managing director at IPsoft

 

You may also like
Cloud to become business necessity by 2028 - Gartner

Research

Global public cloud services spending is set to total $679bn in 2024

clock 29 November 2023 • 2 min read
Worldwide public cloud end-user spending to reach nearly $500bn this year

Financial and Reporting

Gartner predicts a 20.4 per cent growth in spending in 2022

clock 19 April 2022 • 2 min read
Gartner: Technology service providers risk becoming 'obsolete' if they do not adapt to cloud shift

Technology and Trends

New research shows that that enterprise IT spending on public cloud computing will overtake spending on traditional IT in 2025

clock 09 February 2022 • 1 min read

Sign up to our newsletter

The best news, stories, features and photos from the day in one perfectly formed email.

More on Software

Industry Voice: It just got easier to buy Microsoft Surface devices

Industry Voice: It just got easier to buy Microsoft Surface devices

Microsoft
clock 08 February 2024 • 1 min read
Industry Voice: AI is reshaping the channel. Are you ready?

Industry Voice: AI is reshaping the channel. Are you ready?

ResourceiT
clock 27 October 2023 • 7 min read
Partner Content: Upgrading UK connectivity requires both strong partnerships and greater flexibility

Partner Content: Upgrading UK connectivity requires both strong partnerships and greater flexibility

By Kat Randall Bowmaker, Head of Commercial - Wholesale at Virgin Media O2 Business
clock 25 July 2022 • 5 min read

Highlights

Staff & Salaries 2022

Staff & Salaries 2022

A snapshot of pay and headcount trends in the UK channel

Doug Woodburn
clock 09 March 2022 • 1 min read
Midwich CEO on Nimans acquisition, 2021 results and return to pre-pandemic levels

Midwich CEO on Nimans acquisition, 2021 results and return to pre-pandemic levels

Stephen Fenby talks to CRN after Midwich’s 2021 results in which profitability exceeded pre-pandemic levels

Josh Budd
clock 08 March 2022 • 3 min read
4 more vendors suspend sales in Russia following Ukraine invasion

4 more vendors suspend sales in Russia following Ukraine invasion

IBM and Microsoft are among a number of vendors which have also announced that they will halt sales in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

clock 08 March 2022 • 3 min read