DCU Voices

DCU VOICES 38 “Summer 1981. Leaving Cert finished. Waiting for results. Teachers on a pay strike, results delayed a month. Finally my first year in DCU starts on November 2. Then lectures on Christmas Eve, short Christmas break, lectures from early January 1982, a huge snow storm, the country closes. “The DEC VAX 11/780 computer, the opening of boxes with brand new equipment for the endless labs. Learning all about electronics, software, hardware. It was a dream come true. We were being educated for the technology revolution. It was pre-internet and we carried printouts of our source code on the green and white perforated computer paper. “1985. Graduation. Mission accomplished. ‘Piece of paper’ in hand, I am now ready to take on the world. With the help of the AnCO Graduate Scholarships for overseas placements, I was heading to Ricoh Semiconductor in Osaka, Japan! When my father heard where I was going, he said “If you go any further, you’ll be on my way back!”. “Five years of semiconductor design were followed by a transfer to Ricoh in Silicon Valley to enter the sales world. I must say most of what I learnt in the four-year degree at DCU I was using time and time again in the semiconductor workplace. “Upon arriving in San Jose, my first memories were: weather great, wide open spaces (compared with Japan), and personalised car license plates. I thought these were only made up for the movies. “Looking at the personalised license frames, ‘Soccer Mom’, ‘Proud parent of…’, and people referencing their Alma Mater, I thought I’d like one of those. After all, it was DCU that helped get me here. “I wanted the number plate. Within a month I had my first car, and I registered the number plate NIALL K. It was mine. Another mission accomplished. Many cars later and I still have the same plate. Thank you DCU for a great four-year course. “ “Within a month I had my first car, and I registered the number plate NIALL K. Many cars later and I still have the same plate.” ‘We were being educated for the technology revolution’ Niall King (BEng Electronic Engineering) is the Senior Director APAC Sales for Centrify. He reflects on the pioneering days of computer programming at DCU. Niall King (BEng Electronic Engineering)