Born and raised in Kuwait, I have been in the business of what is now termed as Information Technology for over 35 years. I began my career in 1984 in network engineering and implementation.

 

Networking in those days in Kuwait was a pretty complicated endeavor and was usually reserved for niche customers (at least until 1986-7 when a broader range of affordable products started to become available). In fact the very first implementation of a PC-based network, which was for the Ministry of Public Works (MPW), was implemented by me with a team of LAN engineers and technicians.

 

However, my primary interest in PC-based platforms was in solution engineering and in 1986 I was involved in the very first installation of barcode scanning-based retail solution which was a first in the market in many respects:

• The first integration of a POS system with backend Inventory Control and Purchase

• The first interface of Dbase (a seriously old programming utility with non-relational databases) with COBOL

• The first automated self-triggering stock transfer advice

• The first use of dial-up connectivity to multiple LANs (2 shops, a warehouse and the head office) which was for a daily batch-based update and synchronization

• The first use of barcodes in a retail shop in Kuwait

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