New Blog...?

Cool - so now I'm visible! This is a bit of an unusual adventure.

I suppose I'd better get a little down about me, if this thing takes off at all, it'd be nice for anyone reading this to understand a little of my background.

I'm a software engineer by profession, I've been in and around the Windows and embedded software development world professionally since 1993, and my specialities include C, C++ and a smattering of assembly language. I've worked in Windows application development, device driver development, and embedded software for a range of applications from telephony tools for Windows to full-on SIP-based VoIP software. Before that, despite being an insurance salesman, I used to tinker with computers in my spare time. Most recently, I've been working for a company that specialises in fluid dynamics and heat transfer modelling with software that runs on Windows, Solaris, and Linux.

I cut my teeth, software-wise, with an old Sinclair ZX Spectrum back in the mid-80's, which I was proficient at programming from both the built-in BASIC and from assembly language - and even from machine code when I needed to. From there I moved to an Atari ST, giving me a leap into 16 bit computers and moving me to a development environments of multiple layers. From there I went into the PC arena, working with Windows for games and (since about '95) with Linux for anything semi-serious.

Most recently I've set up my own consultancy service for Linux. I've been doing this unofficially for a good few years anyway, so there's nothing wrong with trying to earn a little extra income from this while educating the world to the phenomenon that is the GNU/Linux OS.