About Me
Overview
I’m a 29 year old Web Developer from Greenock, near Glasgow. I have a wonderful fiancee and a little girl who I love to spend time with as much as possible.
Web Expertise
I have over 12 years experience building websites and web applications. What makes me unique is that I can both design and develop to a high standard.
I specialise in ASP.NET, C#, HTML and CSS. The combination of these technologies allows me the opportunity to combine my appreciation for design and brand awareness with my technical know-how, bringing a high quality user experience to all of my development projects.
I always strive to create beautiful code though the use of Design Patterns and OOP laws, idioms and principles. I also have a keen interest in Jakob Neilsen’s concept of usability, focussing on simple, intuitive, user friendly interfaces.
A Little History
As a kid I knew my interests lay mainly in two things; Programming and Design. I began programming back in the 1980’s on my Sinclair ZX Spectrum and later began to design using Deluxe Paint on my Amiga 600. At around the age of fifteen I embarked into the world of the internet, something that came naturally to me as it offered a perfect combination of both programming and design disciplines.
After years of self study and gaining an Honours Degree in Media Technology I began working for Toltech Internet Solutions, offering web design and development services in Glasgow and the surrounding areas. I worked there for 5 years before I left to work for BD Network in Glasgow, where I had the opportunity to work for some of the world’s biggest companies.
Family commitments and a desire to be part of a business rather than working for one led me back home to Toltech, where I am now Technical Director of a company who’s business philosophies and ideologies perfectly match my own.
The Real Me
Well, you’ve just been reading about the real me. I’m a programming geek! But I do have a life outside of computers. I’m not quite Neo yet, but “I know Kung Fu!”.
I’ve trained in Chang Shou Fa Kung fu since 2003, taught by Sifu James Watson. Through James I’ve also had the pleasure of training with Sensei Patrick McCarthy, who wrote the English Translation of The Bubishi. So, don’t confront me on a dark night, because I know where your pressure points are! (only kidding) Martial arts are for self development, not for learning how to fight on the streets.
I also enjoy photography, although I am strictly an amateur. I have been looking through the lens of professional SLR’s since I was about 8 years old due to my father being a keen photographer. My passion in photography lies in high end fashion where image perfection, lighting, modelling, exotic locations and eye catching effects are combined to create fantastic images that sell. Check out my Flickr portfolio if you have a spare five minutes.