What do you look like?
Like this...
It's not pretty is it?
So, where/when were you born?
I was born in St. Mary's Hospital maternity unit Portsmouth, Hampshire, England in the early hours of the morning of 1st October 1956. My Mum was in labour for 44 hours and my time-keeping has been variable ever since! (Joke!)
Actually, I hate being late. I tend to arrive early and sit outside my destination in the car park until it's almost time.
Still live in Portsmouth?
No, as a family (Mum, Dad, me and younger brother) we moved to Winchester, Hampshire on my 17th birthday. My brother Dave still lives there with his family. I lived there until 1995 when I moved to Cornwall.
Education.. clever?
Not really, I played truant for most of the last 2 years I was in school and I left at 15 with no qualifications at all. Since then I have gained City and Guilds, General Certificate of Secondary Education and CompTIA certificates. I also have a Diploma in Computing from the Open University, this counts as credit toward the Degree that I am studying for.
What about work?
When I left school I became an apprentice in a bakery. I stayed in this industry for the next 20 years, most of them working in our family business. We had a craft bakery, not a plant bakery. So we didn't make much money!
After this I worked in the local prison in Winchester. This was the easiest job I have ever had. All I did was watch people. In the Lunch hour I went into the gym and got fit. Very fit.
Since then I have worked for the County Council in Cornwall looking after troubled teenagers and I spent 7 years working for the WestCountry Ambulance Service in the patient transport service. This is the non-emergency branch so we looked after the less critical patients. I really enjoyed this job. I was very good at it, if I do say so myself. I would still be doing it now if my back had held out!
While I was off work sick I studied to gain qualifications as a computer technician from CompTIA. I am now a technician working for myself, I love it!!
When did you get into Computers?
In 1981 I started to read about the revolution that was taking place in electronics and shortly after I saw one of the first home computers ( a Sinclair ZX81, 1Kbyte Ram) in W.H.Smiths, a major High Street retailer in the UK. I had to have one, so I bought one. What a revelation!! I started to explore and began to learn how to program.
In 1983 I bought a Sinclair Spectrum. This had 48Kbyte Ram , colour and sound!!!
In 1985 I bought a Sinclair QL. This, after I finished had 640 Kbyte of Ram, twin floppy disks and a proper printer!! I started to learn Pascal, and Forth.
I stayed with the QL until 1990 when I bought my first PC. A 386 with 4 Mbyte of Ram and a 126Mbyte hard drive.
What system do you have now?
I have 2 desktops and a laptop.
I built both of the desktops and I have altered the laptops configuration.
My main system has a 2.5 Ghz Dual Core AMD processor, 2Gbyte of Ram, 2 x 500 Gbyte hard disks, a CD burner and a DVD burner. This is a dual boot system with Windows XP and Vector Linux installed.
The other desktop, the one I use for development work, including this website, is a 2.5 Ghz AMD processor, with 1Gbyte Ram, 2 x 120 Gbyte hard disk and a CD burner. This is also a dual boot system with Windows 2000 and Zenwalk Linux installed.
The laptop is a Fujitsu-Siemens A2000 with 768Mbyte Ram and a 120Gbyte hard drive with Windows XP and Vector Linux installed.
We also have 2 other laptops that my wife Alison owns. One as a desktop replacement and the other for her to take with her on her travels as a school inspector. She used to be a Primary School Headteacher (Principal).
Wife? Alison? Explain please.
Until 1994 I was very single. I had no intention of marrying or living with anyone. Then I went on holiday to Florence, Italy. There I met Alison. She was divorced, living in Cornwall and also had no intention of getting involved again. So we did. Then we married in April 1995. This is why I am in Cornwall. Simple, really.
Children?
No. Lots of nieces and nephews though.
What do you do apart from mend computers?
I have just started to get a real interest in photography. I also like to walk/hike. I have a bicycle and like to get out and about on that. History is a real passion and we are members of The National Trust and English Heritage, two organisations that are keeping our historical inheritance in good shape.
I am a very good cook and as you would expect from a former baker I am excellent at bread!!
My wife Alison loves to garden, which is just as well, we have a third of an acre!!
We also like the theatre and go whenever there is anything on that takes our fancy.
What about your faults?
Faults, what faults!!
I don't like stupid people, I have no patience with them. I eat too much. I get angry with our political 'leaders', so much so that Alison won't let me watch the political discussion programmes on TV. (Is this a fault?)
And your attributes?
Intolerance angers me, as do religious bigots. I cannot stand racists, they are scum.
I am kind, helpful, open and generous. Yes I know everyone says that but it's true.
I love chocolate, chips (fries), good coffee, sausages and cheese. And red wine, lots of red wine!!!!
Do you have a personal philosophy?
I wouldn't say so, but...
Make up your own mind.
Never trust a politician.
Help your friends and neighbours,
and finally,
Always trust your wife's judgement, she married you didn't she?
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