About Me
Important Question! Can your PC Run Faster?
My interest in computers began around 1987 at the time when Amstrad's popular word processing computer, the Amstrad PCW 9512, was in vogue. Never having looked at a word processor before, let alone a personal computer, I was fascinated at how much faster a job could be done when compared to a standard typewriter. After purchasing my very own Amstrad PCW 9512 it wasn't long before I began contributing to the very popular PCW Plus magazine published by Future Publishing. The memories still linger of that faithful first machine.
However, nothing stand still for very long, particularly in the field of Information Technology. So, as you can appreciate, it wasn't long before the old PCW 9512 was passed on to someone else and replaced by a shiny new Personal Computer.
Tentatively my contributions moved away from PCW Plus and onto Future Publishing's flagship PC Plus. This gave me the opportunity to explore the PC more fully and, in particular, begin reviewing computer software. It also opened up other magazine opportunities with PC Advisor and PC Pro.
At the same time I was also fortunate enough to begin beta testing software for Microsoft and a few other software developer's. This porced to be a very rewarding experience.
Testing these beta products first hand enabled me to experience the many faults prone to software currently under development. As I was experiencing the same faults as others it provided me with the initiative to join the many newsgroups which regularly gave practical advice to people who had prolbems or else were currently experiencing a particular problem.
Obviously I slid through Windows Me beta without experiencing too many major issues, but Windows XP produced more of the 'bugs' that Microsoft needed to cure. Once again I scoured the Microsoft Public Newsgroups and, if I knew the solution to a problem, I posted the relevant solution. It was due to my contributions to the newsgroups that in 2002 my peers put my name forward to the Microsoft Most Valued Professional Award Program as a possible candidate for the Microsoft MVP award. It was at this time that I received my very first Microsoft MVP Status.
In 2005 I co-authored, along with Curt Simmons, Alan Simpson and David Dalan, a new addition to the Windows XP library entitled "Windows XP MVP." Further details are available fom Amazon.com
I live in the United Kingdom.