I started developing software in 1999. Since then I’ve worked with many different programming and scripting languages including C, C++, C#, VB, PHP and Java.

My main area of expertise is with the .NET framework and SQL Server on Windows. But I’ve also worked extensively with the GNU/Linux operating system and many other open source technologies including PostgreSQL, MySQL, Apache and PHP.

Over the years I’ve worked on several proprietary software projects for a living but I have a passion for free software and spend as much of my free time as possible trying to learn about, promote and contribute to the free software community.

From time to time I’ll also be talking about some other subjects that interest me. Things like politics, sport, films, books and music. When reading someone’s opinion on a particular subject I always find it helpful to know what position that person is starting from. For example when someone tells me they don’t like the latest James Bond film, I want to know what they think about James Bond films in general before I give any weight to their opinion. So it’s only fair to tell you a little bit about my starting position before ramming my thoughts down your throat.

I don’t work in politics and I have no affiliation with any political party. But I am leftward leaning and have mostly voted Labour in the past. I suppose I am quite typical of those people who grew up during the Thatcher years and thought that all our troubles would be over when Labour swept to power in 1997. Thirteen years later all I was left with was the bitter taste of disappointment.

I’m a sports fan in general but I suppose I mainly follow football these days. I’m a former Everton season ticket holder but it’s been a while since I’ve been to watch the blues on a regular basis.

As far as music goes I suppose I have fairly broad tastes. I love playing the guitar (badly!) and mostly listen to guitar based rock, pop and blues. But I’m equally at home watching the Sound of Music (my favourite film) on DVD.