“I can vividly recall the first time I saw how a computer works, and it moved me. It was around the mid-1980’s, and I was 6 years old or so. I remember watching my older brother run programs on a machine called a Coleco Adam, and I stood in awe as the computer magically transformed simple lines of code into colors, shapes and sound. It was thrilling to watch my brother type in a program that would then come to life on our television—BOOM! I was hooked from that day forward on all things tech-related. Computers can open up endless educational possibilities and unlock “mysterious” subjects, like electronics and programming. All that power can be harnessed by any human being who wants to explore his or her own curiosity. That feeling of exploring such limitless potential has never left me, and I will forever remain curious and eager to explore.” – George Hill, Owner Operator Class Bytes -
George was born in Laredo, TX and graduated in the top 1% of my class. In 1997, he moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas. He attended UT from 1997 to 2001 with a primary focus in computer science. While attending college, he worked for the Aerospace Engineering Department Learning Resource Center. George volunteered for the Women in Engineering program, which helped introduce young women to various opportunities in the engineering field. ( http://www.engr.utexas.edu/wep/k12) In 1999, he began an internship at IBM. While there, he assisted in the manufacturing process by testing IBM’s prototype laptops for design flaws. The following year, he was selected for a second internship opportunity, this time for Dell Computers. In 2013, George became a licensed Technician Class Amateur Radio Operator and has continued to enjoy learning about short-wave radio and all its quirks & interesting people. The teaching bug has kept him active in the community over the years, and teaching people about new technologies is the perfect excuse to buy cool gadgets. In fact, the Pflugerville Public Library has invited him back several times to teach workshops about the Raspberry Pi (an SOC, or "system on a chip" budget computer), and he has been a guest at their annual “Maker’s Pfest,” to inspire Makers of all ages. The library would go on to hire him as a part-time technician, and he worked there until a coworker recommended him for a full-time position in another department for the City of Pflugerville. Since that time, he has enjoyed serving the community as part of the Pflugerville Engineering Department.
Class Bytes Owner/Operator George with his Silly Students