Bud White, owner of White Coconut Computer Services in Tanapag, has been in the business for almost two decades, enjoying every minute of having the luxury of working right at the comfort of his home which doubles as his shop/office, and being updated with the latest developments in technology despite staying in an island away from the mainland.
White’s work station is one location that many would envy — a 30-second walk away from his bedroom with clear, glass windows giving him a direct view of the sea. All he needs is a 45-second walk from his office to go on coffee breaks right in his own kitchen. White doesn’t have to wear office clothes every day. He can work wearing shorts, shirts and sandals, and yet, make it possible for clients to enjoy the latest in technology.
“I love my job. It keeps me on top of things. I get to play with the latest gadgets and technology, and I’m updated with the newest systems in computers,” White said.
While a lot of the residents wait for the time when the latest gadgets will be available at the local market, White has long since graduated from his very first Commodore Pet computer in 1978, a Compaq desktop with a 14” orange monitor when they first came out in 1984, an IBM 5120 Mini Computer to Saipan when he and his wife first moved here in January of 1982, and the rest is history. Currently, White plays with the latest iPad2.
“This is one job where you would never think of retiring because everything keeps changing, and that keeps things challenging,” he said.
White and his technical staff makes house calls to attend to sick computers at various homes and offices, install networking systems and provide all other services.
This means that work for him is never routine. You cannot predict what happens in one day, and for White, this adds to the excitement of work.
An exciting decade
When asked what he has to say about the fast changes and evolution in technology, White has this to say: “Hold on to your hat you have not seen anything yet. Computers will get smaller, faster, and more powerful. Smart phones and tablets will be everywhere. Wireless data networks will be everywhere and they will become faster over time.”
White added that there will be rapid changes in all fields, not just in computers and electronics but we will all see major changes in stem cells, medicine, all types of drugs, robotics, transportation, and communication.
“Sometime this year there will be over 3 billion people on the internet. That person will probably join the internet using a smart phone somewhere in Africa. They may not have running water, a flush toilet, or a car to ride in but they will have a smart phone / computer,” he said.
White said that less than 30 years ago, Motorola introduced the first available mobile phone. Even 10 years ago there were only half a billion people on wireless networks. Today, however, nearly three fourths of the people on the globe pay for mobile service. Unique wireless subscriptions blew through the 5-billion level in September 2010.
“From smart phones and voice we are now entering the field of tablets and data. It will be an exciting decade,” he said.
White said he wanted to be an engineer since he was 10 years old. He enjoyed drafting and thought he would be an architect but then he got interested in airplanes and decided to be an aeronautical engineer. He graduated with a BS degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration and spent 25 years in the Aerospace industry in Southern California, doing mostly satellite integration, test, and launch.
One day in 1965, he just realized that computer hardware and software was the wave of the future. He switched over to the field, never looked back, and has been enjoying his job until this day because of that decision.
He worked for the Trust Territory Government for three years when he first arrived here, and started four companies dealing with computers, programming, and document management.
