From Amiga to AI — building useful technology with curiosity and experience

I’ve been fascinated by computers since childhood. Today, I combine a background in mechanical engineering with many years in IT to build, improve, and maintain digital systems that actually help people.

👋 Hi, I’m Valentin Staubmann — an IT engineer with a background in mechanical engineering and many years of experience in systems, development, and open-source technologies.

IT-Engineer @ iqoqi.at

Before moving into IT, I worked as a mechanical engineer. That background still shapes how I approach technology today: with precision, curiosity, and a focus on practical solutions.

I’ve had the chance to grow alongside personal computing — from early home computers and handwritten code listings to modern web platforms and AI tools. What has stayed the same over the years is the part I enjoy most: turning ideas into something real and useful.

Early Curiosity → First Code Line

When I was young, I used to visit my cousin, and together we typed programs line by line from thick manuals into a Schneider computer with a green monochrome screen. It was slow, sometimes frustrating, and completely fascinating.

That experience turned a simple interest into something much bigger. I discovered how rewarding it feels to create something from scratch and make it work — and that feeling has never really gone away.

From DOS to the Web

I grew up alongside the technology itself — from early PCs and DOS days to the rise of the internet and web development.

Over the years, I worked with HTML, JSP, and Java, and I was also involved in early mobile and smartphone-related projects. Later, my focus expanded beyond development into the systems behind it: servers, infrastructure, installation, and maintenance. I started with Sun Solaris and today work mainly with Linux.

What I’ve always enjoyed is understanding not just the code, but the whole environment that makes an application run reliably.

Mechanical Foundations

My background in mechanical engineering taught me to think in a structured and systematic way. Precision, efficiency, and problem-solving were essential there — and they still are in IT.

Whether I’m working on a web application, a server environment, or a more complex system landscape, I like to approach things with clarity, reliability, and a strong focus on long-term maintainability.

1985

Schneider Monochrome & the Manual-Typed Games

Typing programs line by line from a thick manual on a Schneider computer with a green monochrome monitor was one of my earliest hands-on experiences with computers.

1987

First Computer – Commodore Amiga 500

Getting my own Amiga 500 was a big step and deepened my interest in computers, creativity, and technology.

1990

286 → 386 → 486 — The PC Years

From DOS to early Windows, I kept learning how computers worked and how the right tools could make complex things feel manageable.

1996

First Internet Access and Web Development

My first time online opened up a completely new world. I built my first website from scratch and quickly became fascinated by the web.

2000

Java and Early Mobile Projects

This was the point where engineering thinking and software development came together more clearly in my work.

2001

UMTS Demonstrations and Mobile Applications

I worked on Java applications in a mobile demonstration environment, helping present early use cases for UMTS, including video communication.

2002

Oracle Cluster Administration for Hospitality Software

I worked on systems that had to be stable, scalable, and reliable, especially in demanding hotel environments.

2007

Web Development and System Modernisation

My focus expanded toward improving existing systems, reducing maintenance effort, and making solutions more robust and easier to manage.

2025

AI-Assisted Content and New Tools

Today, AI has become part of the toolkit as well. Even this website benefited from it, which feels like a natural next step after many years of watching technology evolve.