Technology in VI

Welcome, Michael!

And greetings from the small but growing population of computer and net geeks on island. 😀

One of the beautiful thimgs about web design, as you have stated, is that it's a job that can e done form virutally anywhere. When I moved here, I was directing the online communications for a DC-based non-profit advocacy group, which included desiging and maintaining four inter-related web sites that were hosted at the main office.

While it is possible to do this, you've probably learned from your reading that the limited availability of DSL and ther broadband services on island can be a big challenge. Satellite service is also available in some areas, but in certain areas it may involve investing a thousand dollars or more to get set up, and then paying up to $100 a month for service.

Given the wonderful slower pace of the USVI, I think the advice we received when we considered moving to Kauai -- that there is a growing market here today for the services that were hot 6-8 years ago in the states, including web site design and maintenance (content as well as technical) -- is just as applicable here. I am constantly surpised at how few businesses on island have a web presence. OF those that do, the ones that have a really sound information architecture and good, functional design remain in the minority (this site is part of that minority). You might want to take a look at the USVI phone book, which is online at http://www.viphonebook.com, to get an idea about how many other networking/web design firms are out there and what they offer.

You've definitely got the right idea about being your own boss and bringing a job with you. If you haven't already found it, take a look at teh reply Native Son made on the topic of employment on St. Croix in the thread called "I have a question" by Kathy C -- it's one of the most eloquent and useful posts about makking a living on STX that I've seen in the two plus years I've frequented this board.

What cold, cold climate are you hoping to escape from, and when in May is your pre-move visit scheduled? I have to head back to Michigan for a bit starting next week, and the Hip Hubby and I are frantically trying to find some clothing that's warm enough to help us survive should one of their famous April blizzards strike while we're there! After living in areas that get snow all of my life, it is an absolute pleasure to have no idea where my hoodies and long pants have been stored.

Best wishes with your visit and your move...

--HC

HC -

Thanks for the response! Knowing that I wouldn't be the first one to try this makes it all seem like it could be a reality. I have gone over some of the Internet posts, and it appears like there is some fairly good broadband service in some areas on the islands, and not in others. I was thinking, as we got closer to looking for temporary housing I would check to make sure that there was Internet access - preferably both the Wireless and Wired kind. Paying for two connections may just be a requirement for me...might just improve my chances at getting online when I need to.

We are looking to escape from Minneapolis, preferably sometime in October/November. Both Melanie and myself are from the desert, and while I grew up with snow in the mountains, we like things to be a bit warmer. The lack of sunshine just drives us both crazy in the winter...probably even more than the cold.

We'll be coming up at the end of May (27th) to just relax and get to know the island. Afte that it will just be finishing things so I can take the work with me.

I checked through the phone book awhile ago and I remember seeing a few general ads, but nothing that looked much like what I have done in the past. I agree with your post on how many island services don't seem to have websites...the few that I have seen (mostly realty) could use some work and re-design.

That sort of brings up another question. In all the reading that I have been doing I have heard that "high" season lasts from Nov to May. Would it be a lot better, given the limited amount of housing on the island, to come in October? Or does it not matter?

Have fun in Michigan...it has been an unusally "warm" winter here, with only a few weeks of real chill. I think we are going to hit 38 and be sunny today, which is just awesome for Minneapolis in March.

Thanks again!

Michael

Technology in the USVI is 10 to 20 years behind the states. That would mean that you might not find a job in technology with a company here.

What it also means is the there is a greater potential for entrepreneurs to develop and grow. Remember, of course, the total population of St Thomas and St Croix is only about 50,000 each and it won't (I hope) get much bigger.

Use those figures for your business model and help us do a better job of using modern technology.

NoTech said:

"Technology in the USVI is 10 to 20 years behind the states. That would mean that you might not find a job in technology with a company here."

Hmmm....I set up a WAN not too long ago for a hedge-fund company that consisted of two T1 lines and a satellite backup. That sort of setup is routine for that type of company, of which we have a few.

I also have a friend who is the net admin for the entire public school system network on STX...you wouldn't believe the technology they have.

I work as a software developer for a very high-profile client. WE develop our apps using .NET technologies.

....as long as you have a fast Internet connection, you are right there with the rest of them, IMNSHO. Fast is what you pay for. If you can afford T1, you won't complain about speed. If all you can afford is dial-up, well....

Native -

I can believe that there is plenty of technology on the islands, and I won't be looking for a 40 hour a week position anyhow...more just a chance to mix with the local businesses and help out where I can. If the right opportunity came along I would possibly be interested, but it won't be my focus.

I help run a hosted applications business, and that keeps me plenty busy. I always have plenty of work to do no matter where I'm at, so long as there is an Internet connection. We host all that stuff in a data center...all I care about is getting a basic 384Kbps connection...anything over that is just gravy for me.

It sounds like you have been successful doing technology work in the VI. Do you think there is room for one more kiteboarding geek in the crowd down there? I do a lot of windows admin, terminal services/citrix, cisco, VPN etc.

Wish I was there already...and thanks again to everyone for your encouraging posts!

Michael

Hi Michael.

I pay a hundred bucks a month for 192Kbps on STT. I know that I can get 1.5mbps/T1 for a thousand bucks a month. I suspect that reliable 384Kbps, if you can get it, will be expensive.

Michael,

We are coming up to speed as far as getting good broadband island-wide. If you can view the tower up in Estate Welcome that blinks red at night you can get wireless DSL, I'm told. (Of course you're not here yet, so you probably don't know what I'm talking about 🙂 )

I live in the Annally Farms area, and WDSL is readily available there compliments of Choice and VI Broadband. Once you get here you can always have Choice, VI Broadband, or ICC (three local communications companies) survey your prospective residence area to see if the service is available.

Network admin jobs occasionally become available here...you just have to be on-island to take advantage. One of the things you can do in the interim, and something I'd advise potential techy or financial services types to do also, is visit

http://www.usvieda.org and click on "Beneficiaries."

This is a listing, provided by the Economic Development Authority, of EDC beneficiaries. You will find phone numbers, addresses, and contact names. Call them, send them resumes, see what the businesses are doing, etc....someone posted earlier about a husband being a financial advisor. There are a lot of firms here that deal in the financial sector.

If you don't ask, you don't get.

Native -

Thanks! I pretty much figured that I would live in a place that had Internet access...and if that limits my choices, so what! It is all going to be great! 🙂 Sounds like you know your techie stuff, so I'll be sure to post again if I have a any questions! There is already a lot here on the various broadband services...

I saved the list, and I'll be sure to check back and start talking to people as I get closer to the move date. More than anything I am interested in a higher quality of life (which for us means lower stress, living a bit more simply and being somewhere where we can enjoy the outdoors).

It all sounds great overall. The board has been a great help in learning more about the islands. I'll keep reading...

Michael

Michael,

I agree with Native Son that the state of technology on STX is quite advanced, probably on par with the states. I work for one of those EDC companies mentioned above doing .NET software development for handheld devices. I've seen firsthand the need for knowledgeable tech people on island that have a variety of skills, networking and hosting among them. Send me your resume at rkenavey@calabashtechnologies.com and I'll see what I can do. At the very least I can pass it along to other firms here that may need your skills if you'd like.

Ryan

Ryan -

Sounds great! I'll shoot it over to you in the next day or so. I would love to begin chatting with people, and possibly meet some when I am down (end of May to STX).

It is hard for me to imagine technology not being on par with the states. We have clients in some very rural areas that use some really advanced stuff, and they are always looking for and wanting more. With the Net there is no reason not to have anything and everything available to everyone...

I wonder what the hosting environment is like on the islands? As I have been mentioning before, I'll most likely keep my link to the current firm that I work with. We host for small business clients (usually 1 to 75 million in revenue) that usually are geo-dispersed. We have a fairly sophisticated environment, and can usually accomodate new apps pretty easily. We do all the .net, SQL, Citrix, WAN, remote backup, database and project management stuff that we can get our hands on.

If I am on island, I wonder if there would be any interest in hosting applications off island? We do a lot of specialty environments and are very high touch. In my experience most companies like to at least see the environment they are hosted in, but you never know...

This is an exciting conversation! It sure sounds to me like there are some exciting technology projects going on in the islands. The list that Native Son sent over looked great!

Michael

Michael,

I'm betting there will be great interest in offering local hosting with mirror sites hosted off island to make sure a hurricane-type event won't take the sites down if the local servers get taken out.

Right before 9/11, we started offering a new mirrored server setup across the country for our clients when I worked as a senior consultant for a public affairs/strategic internet firm in DC (where the primry sites were hosted). Some good fate kept me at home instead of going into my office near the White House on the morning of September 11, and when all the chaos broke out downtown (we had staff in NY, too), my boss called me and told me to get out an emergency email broadcast to remind our clients that regardless of what happens in DC, the mirrored servers would keep their sites up and running. And that's just what I was doing when, about a mile from where I sat in my home, the third plane crashed into the Pentagon...and the cop car and firetruck sirens started up.

Anyway, off-island mirroring should appeal to a lot of businesses.

--HC

One of the most important lessons to learn here in the VI is to never listen to the naysayers....have a goal, and proceed with due caution and due diligence. There are people here who can jolly well afford to live anywhere on the planet, and they have chosen St. Croix.

As I mentioned before, try to provide a service that is important and that you can create a demand for. Off-island mirroring and backup sounds like a great idea. Many of the EDC companies already have mirror sites off-island for data backup, but I think it is an area well worth investigating. Some outfits may not realize that they need it.

Well, asked the guys (bosses) and they told me to go for it! Might have to come back in the summer for a few months, but otherwise I am free and clear to come down for 6 months or more starting in September/October! Bringing a good part of the job with me, which is just going to make things much easier.

Now just comes all of the planning and the PMV. We will be down in late May and early June to check out STX and see if it is the place for us. We have both read "Life in the Left Lane" and the "Settler's Guide" and the message board...sure seems like it might be a great fit.

Thanks to everyone who contributes to this board. This is a huge resource for those of us looking for a little adventure. I am sure that we will be communicating more in the coming weeks/months, and I look forward to maybe meeting some of you someday.

Bring on the island!

Michael

Michael,

As with most jobs in the USVI I am learning you have to be a little creative in how you go about locating opportunities. I am so happy to find someone seeking IT-related work as I happend upon something the other day that might interest you (or others). Follow the steps:

1.Go to the Island Trader online (www.virginislanddailynews.com)

2.Page 3 (bottom left) is a cosmetics ad. Go to the website listed www.worlddome.com.

3.At the World Dome website, click to visit, and it will take you to The Virgin Island Marketplace (a mall perhaps?) scheduled to open in 2007. Best of all, they are looking for WEB DESIGNERS!

Hope this helps

NYC -

Thanks so much. I'll check it out!

Michael