About

Who Am I?

I am the human equivalent of a 404 error!

About Me

I don't like talking about myself, I don't like publishing information about myself on the internet or, for that matter, discussing myself with strangers.

Minimal information will appear here if I think it's relevant.

Never did understand the point of about pages. They seem only to serve to inflate one's own ego.

Computers

Many years ago, during the 1970s, I took an interest in electronics and computers.

I spent years honing my skills on early 8-bit computers, learning to program using various BASIC dialects, Forth, Logo, Fortran, C, UCSD Pascal.

I then dipped my toe into assembly language: Z80, 6502, 6809, 6800, 8080, 9900, and then a multitude of languages since: C++, Visual Basic, Perl, Python and so on and so forth (no pun intended).

All of which helped to spark my ongoing interest in computers.

Once I left the programming arena, I moved into the engineering and network side of things. Servers, switches and routers became my life for many years, working on Microsoft environments. Yes, I feel so ashamed ;-P

Eventually I came to my senses and moved to Linux more than a quarter of a century ago. I originally started with SUSE and moved around for a while until I settled on Debian. Although I did continue to work in Microsoft environments until I just couldn't stand it any more.

No, I am not going to get into debates about my preferred choice of Linux. Everyone will find the Linux distribution they are most comfortable with and stay with it eventually. Which one is best is a non-argument in my mind; that entirely rests on what you want to use it for and how well it suits your toolbox.

Electronics

Alongside all of that, I also have a keen interest in electronics, repair and design, but I do a lot less of this now I am older. Dimming eyes and shaky hands do not bode well for using a soldering iron or working on small circuits.

Movies, Music and Books

My other hobbies are varied. Movies, any age, any genre. As long as they are good, they are worth a watch. In more recent years, I have started to avoid Hollywood slop and spend time going through more European, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Australian, and New Zealand films.

My music tastes are the same: any genre, any artist. As long as the music is good and the lyrics ring true, I am willing to give it a listen.

I've spent my life reading technical manuals, so I don't spend much time reading fiction. But if you like a little Thomas Harris or Richard Laymon, then we're on the same page.

Gaming

I am somewhat of an oddity. When I was a youngster, I was less interested in games than most children. I took up gaming in the 90s when, in my opinion, gaming became more realistic than it was on the old 8-bit systems. But that being said, I now own consoles going back as far as the Nintendo Entertainment System and the OG Gameboy. So clearly, I was a late bloomer.

I still like to play video games, but largely old ones.

I have a lot of vintage and retro consoles, and I still play Warzone 2100 fairly regularly. My newest consoles are now 25+ years old, so don't be expecting me to talk about AAA games because I wouldn't have a clue.

Walking

I love walking in the country, canals, country parks. I don't mind as long as the air is fresh and I might get a glimpse of something cool.

I walked for many years with my dogs. Sadly, they are no longer with us, but I like to imagine they are still there, rummaging in the bushes or somewhere just out of sight, as they often were.

Social Media

I have an innate dislike for social media. It represents everything I have ever disliked about life. So you won't locate me on any of the large social sites.

But if you are that desperate to contact me, you can on the forum when it finally launches.

Well, that's enough about me. Has anyone seen my pants?