[NFBCS] Hello... am I in the right place?

Sun Nov 17 01:50:40 UTC 2019

Alan,

I'm currently working in the cyber security field , primarily focused on SIEM/SOAR development and maintenance. Useful skills have been: networking knowledge, Linux administration (all CLI), Python scripting, data manipulation using SQL, etc. I'm using a screen reader.

There is a lot to your message, but here are some thoughts on a few of its points:

It looks like City College of San Francisco has a pretty interesting cybersecurity program that might be worth a look. https://www.ccsf.edu/en/educational-programs/cte/earn_and_learn/apprenticeship_and_preparation/cyber_security.html

Western Governors University has a BS degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance that's all online. https://www.wgu.edu/online-it-degrees/cybersecurity-information-assurance-bachelors-program.html#openSubscriberModal

I think you're on the right track as far as studying. If you're going the certification route you could also look at Cisco's CCNA Security certification. It's worth noting that Cisco is making changes to their certifications as of February 2020. I haven't gone this route myself, so hopefully someone else can chime in.

As far as blindness-related skills, get very comfortable with the CLI and with finding workarounds. Many of the recommended tools are either inaccessible or are more efficient using a screen reader if used from the CLI. Try to end up in an environment where you can use whichever tools you wish instead of being required to use specific tools. Braille would be a helpful skill but I wouldn't say that it's an absolute requirement; for example you can get indentation information using a screen reader.

If you find that the Linux GUI isn't as useful as you'd wish, you can use many of the CLI tools available in Kali from within Windows by installing the Kali app from the Windows 10 store. This will use Windows Subsystem for Linux and you'll be able to access a shell from within Windows.

If you take this path, feel free to email me if you have specific questions. Good luck!

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Alan K. Martinez via NFBCS
Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2019 1:36 PM
To: Curtis Chong <chong.curtis at gmail.com>; 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List' <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Alan K. Martinez <alan.k.martinez.02 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFBCS] Hello... am I in the right place?

Hello,

Thank you everyone for the confirmation reply.  I appreciate it.  I hope to learn a lot from the group.  I'm mostly a fly on the wall in most groups unless I'm very confident about a subject that I can chime in about.  So, I might be more of a sponge absorbing information and testing things out on my own.

I'm currently working with the California Department of Rehabilitations and The Lighthouse of San Francisco to adjust to my new disability.  

I have low vision from Glaucoma and complications from surgeries treating the condition.  I had a Trabeculectomy in my left eye that wasn't 100% successful so now I have what I call a ripple in what I can see with it because the retina or back of my eye is not smooth.  That's the best way it was described to me.  Like a balloon that is slightly deflated it wrinkles.  Now that the fluid pressure in my eye has been greatly reduced it is like a deflated balloon.  I also have blind spots in my field of view from the nerve damage.

Then recently I had vitreous hemorrhaging in my right eye and very high pressure and had to have a shunt or plate installed.  After that surgery I must have had some nerve damage and have blind spots in my vision.

I've had cataract surgery in both eyes.

This is why I'm working with the Department of Rehabilitations and The Lighthouse.

Before my vision problems I was an information technology support technician.  I mainly did deskside support, troubleshooting and break fix on hardware.  I also did some light network administration.

I worked for Big 6 accounting firms like Arthur Andersen and Deloitte and Touche.  I also did work for Piper Jaffray and Company supporting their investment bankers and trading floor.  I worked at The Gap, and San Francisco International Airport in their International Terminal.

Around 2011 my contract ended with The Gap and it was a little hard to find more work, so I decided to try to go back to school and pursue a Computer Science degree.  I was attending City College of San Francisco and hoping to transfer to San Francisco State.  But I had to drop out because of the vision problems.  I was studying more towards software engineering and information security or cyber security.  I know a little C++ and Java after taking a few classes and was hoping to get into Python.  Now that I'm not attending school, I'm trying to learn things on my own.

I'm very interested in Cyber Security and doing a lot of self-study.  I'm focusing on Linux right now as one of the tools in Cyber Security.  I have several laptops, mostly Lenovo ThinkPads, a MacBook Pro, an iMac, and Apple G4 desktop, and a bunch of Raspberry Pi's.  I'm using Windows, macOS, iOS, and Linux.  The main system I have at my desk runs macOS for now, but I'm setting up a new refurbished ThinkPad where I triple booted it with Debian, Kali, and Windows 10.  I'm working with this system right now so I can learn BASH shell scripting and Python.

Most of my studying right now is towards getting my certifications in CompTIA's Network+ and Security+ first.  I'm not sure what to pursue after that but with those I hope to meet the department of rehabilitations requirements so I can get job placement.

That's probably a lot about me and maybe more than anyone wanted to read...  sorry...

Reading it over it looks like I might be biting off more than I can chew with my goals.  But I have a lot of time on my hands right now.  I just need to get better organized and focused.

Amy suggests that I get in contact with a few members here if I have some technical questions regarding Linux and the accessibility features it has to offer if I'm having trouble.  I don't have any questions yet.  I'm still exploring a little bit and will look for a Dark Mode theme.  I'll probably work mostly in the command line and I know how to turn the terminal black but there are still some things I use in the G U I because I don't know how to work around a function in the command line or there might not be a command line option.

I have one question though.  I understand that a lot of members might be using voice over to read the text like this email and I don't know how well that works for certain acronyms like CLI.  I was trying to spell out the words fully so that the readers can speak them more clearly.  I'm only assuming this is more helpful and don't know if I can use acronyms or abbreviations.  If there is anything that I'm doing wrong or can do something a little more helpful, please let me know.

Thanks everyone,

Alan

On 11/15/19, 08:35, "Curtis Chong" <chong.curtis at gmail.com> wrote:

    Hello Alan:

    If Amy Mason referred you to this list, I am confident that you are in the right place<smile>. There is a variety of interests on this list, but the primary focus involves blind people who are professionally working in the field of technology, whether it be access technology or information technology.

    So, please tell us about yourself.

    Cordially,

    Curtis Chong, Treasurer
    National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science

    -----Original Message-----
    From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Alan K. Martinez via NFBCS
    Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2019 11:36 PM
    To: nfbcs at nfbnet.org
    Cc: Alan K. Martinez <alan.k.martinez.02 at gmail.com>
    Subject: [NFBCS] Hello... am I in the right place?

    Hello everyone,

    Before I make a fool of myself with a bloated introduction I would like to make sure I’m in the right place.

    I was referred to NFBNET.org and specifically the Computer Science group by Amy Mason of The Lighthouse in San Francisco.

    I’m just sending an initial message to make sure I’ve subscribed to the correct group.

    Please let me know where to go if I’m not in the righte place.

    Thanks,

    Alan

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