Hello!

The term software guy seems an apt description here in upstate New York.  Our plow guy takes care of pushing snow around.  Our stone guy provides the gravel that keeps our car from sinking into the mud.  So I’m a software guy.  And that feels right.

I’ve been programming computers since September 1968.  It started as a hobby, something to do with my best friend.  I was hooked almost immediately.  Even when I didn’t have access to a computer, I was writing code, initially in BASIC, then progressing through machine language, assembler, and Fortran before I was out of high school.  And yes, I had glasses and a pocket protector.

College was another quantum leap.  I was introduced to the IBM 360/65, then the Data General Nova series of minicomputers, then Intel’s newly introduced 4004 and 8008.  And I added a slide rule holster to my wardrobe.

College graduation was a long time ago.  At times I feel a bit like Forrest Gump, being in the right place at the right time to watch the computer business change.  Computers have gone from being the domain of the techno-wizards to being on every office desk to being in nearly everyone’s pockets.  Programming is still a bit of a wizard’s job, but even that is changing with new tools being introduced every day to make control of our ubiquitous computers easier.

So why am I writing this blog?  Good question.  I’m hoping that the process of writing will help me answer that question for myself.  In the mean time, I’ll write about what I’ve done for more than 40 years and feel I know best — software.  My current favorite software topics are Linux, C/C++, and embedded systems, so I’ll write about those.  My biggest hot button is error handling (or lack thereof), so I’ll write about that, too.

Welcome to my confessions.