Introducing Marcus Robinson: Enthusiastic, Practical and Technical
New Year, new member of the TechNet UK team; we are pleased to welcome Marcus Robinson! Starting this week, Marcus will be a Technical Evangelist for the Microsoft UK ITI Team and you can expect to see him out at events very soon.
Marcus has spent the past 12 years as the MD of a Microsoft Partner that delivers managed services in the SMB space, and running Microsoft Certification courses for Microsoft Learning Partners. When he heard about the chance to become an ITI Evangelist, it seemed like the perfect time to start a new adventure.
The questions
In time honoured TechNet UK Blog tradition, we made sure Marcus answered our 10 vitally important questions – from his favourite gadget, to most embarrasing tech moment. Hopefully it will give you a bit of an insight into the world of the budding gate mender (not a euphemism) from Leeds.
1. What’s your name and where do you come from?
Easy. Marcus Robinson, born in Cumbria and moved to North Yorkshire when I was young. I went to the University of York and now live in Leeds.
2. How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Enthusiastic, practical and technical
3. What’s your favourite gadget right now?
It has to be my Epson HD Projector at home. After watching TV and films on a 2.5m screen, a normal TV just doesn’t cut it! I went to the cinema last week for the first time in a few years to see Star Wars, but compared to beer on tap and the ability to pause whenever, the projector at home definitely wins!
Having said that, right now the Lumia 950 might be my favourite gadget. I was given it at the start of the week and didn’t think I would see much benefit in using Windows Hello on a phone, but it’s been great. Rather than entering a 6 digit pin each time I wish to use the device (company policy and all that), I am able to just look at the screen and it unlocks!
4. What would we find if we asked you to empty out your pockets?
Oh dear. There could be anything. At the moment, coins in multiple different currencies as I’ve been travelling a lot; house and car keys; receipts; two phones, one in each – Lumia 1020 and 950; and hopefully my wallet! I occasionally clear them out and leave the contents in a pile to sort out later.
5. If you were on a desert island, which three items would you take with you?
Satellite internet connection, solar panels, a rugged laptop. Hmm, that’s not going to work, forgot about food and water.
Maybe fishing equipment, desalination device and a snorkel are more practical.
6. First Microsoft product and your favourite current product?
I think my first Microsoft product was Windows 95 and its 31 (I seem to remember) floppy disks running on a Pentium 75 with 8MB RAM.
My favourite current product has to be something Azure related: probably Azure Active Directory as it has so much potential and is developing so quickly.
7. What did you want to do when you were little?
I wanted to be a gate mender. I don’t know if such a job even exists, but my dad helped me mend a gate and I decided that’s what I wanted to be!
8. What are you looking forward to in technology?
When I can think and what I am thinking just happens. Hmm…that could be dangerous!
In the short term, would be great to have a 100% self-driving car. I could get so much more work done when travelling, or catch up on some sleep!
9. What’s your most embarrassing tech moment?
There has been a few, some I wouldn’t want to become public knowledge!
Most recently, my parents changed ADSL supplier. I told my mum that under no uncertain terms to unpack the router until I arrived. I removed the old router and replaced it with the preconfigured device from the new ISP, but it would not connect. I spent three hours on the phone with the ISP being passed around in circles.
My frustration only grew as I continually explained that I know about technology and they didn’t need to explain which is the phone cable and which is the ethernet cable. It must be the migration, I claimed as the service worked fine yesterday. I left it with the ISP who promised to call back the next day.
At 11pm that very same evening, I received a text message from my mum saying something like, “Are you sure the cable plugged into the yellow hole should not be in the grey hole?”. Oh dear, within 5 minutes my mum had fixed their internet issue!
10. If you could have a super power, what power would it be?
The ability to teleport from place to place. In the last 12 months I’ve done over 30 flights and travelled thousands of miles by rail and road. I could be so much more efficient if I could click my fingers and appear instantly in a city or on the other side of the world.
Marcus’ first event is next Wednesday 13th January in Cardinal Place, London, for the IT Innovation Series – if you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late!
You can also expect to see a lot more of Marcus here on the blog – why not check out his latest article, Reducing risk and enhancing security?