About Me

I didn't intend to have an about me page, but it turns out that to get google to display my mugshot next to search listings I have to have one. So here it is.

This is me, the grinning idiot in the viking hat. Sadly I no longer have the hat. If you're interested, I took an (old) picture and vectorised it using Vector Magic, which allows online vectorising of a couple of images for free (thanks VectorMagic!)

I graduated from Reading University with a BSc hons. degree in Computer Science and Cybernetics, and immediately started work as a programmer at British Aerospace, where I stayed for about a year and a half.

Next I moved on to work at a much smaller and more exciting company - KnowledgeView - where I have spent the last 11 years (oh me, oh my) developing a variety of web-based Editorial, Publishing and Syndication systems for news publishers - many based in the Middle-East and working and publishing in Arabic. We also build native and web apps for iPhone, iPad and Android devices to complement our publishing systems.

My current title is "Development Manager", though I think the job description would be better represented by the title "Chief Engineer". (A peculiar quirk of being a programmer is that you become a pedant for nomenclature).

I still code every day, for as many hours as I can. My "management style", if I have such a thing, is to lead by example. I care a lot about writing good code, using good tools, and leaving things in a better state than I found them. I try hard to enthuse my team to the same ideals.

KnowledgeView is still small, though we have a growing team in Beirut. It's also occasionally quite exciting, otherwise I wouldn't still be there. Over the years we've had many high-profile customers, including:

• News International
• CNN arabic
• Independent News and Media
• Saudi Research and Media Group
• Al-Hayat Newspaper
• Al-Quds
• ... and many more besides

When I'm not at work I divide my time between growing veg on my allotment (conveniently just outside my garden gate) and working on my personal programming projects.

I believe that programming is the most fun a person can have on their own, and I often wonder if non-programmers know what they are missing out on. I sometimes find time to draw, and wish I could find more.