Unix Network Administrator, Computer book author, engineering writer and editor
B.A. (English) from Brigham Young University, 1985
Currently administer 7-node Linux network on Intel architectures using Diald gateway via modem to Internet. Currently using ipfwadm for IP Masquerading firewall. I'm exporting SMB shares to local Windows users as well as NFS shares to other Linux users. I also employ procmail filtering for fighting SPAM and for autoresponder services. I normally do everything from building and installing ethernet cables to managing user accounts and managing the local Apache web server.
Co-authored Special Edition, Using SGML with Martin Colby, published by QUE in March of 1996. I also have been a regular contributor to the I Don't Do Windows column of ComputorEdge magazine. I normally author in LaTeX or in native SGML (HTML, Linuxdoc, or DocBook)
(General Dynamics Convair and Space Systems, 8/85 to 7/88; Contract Technical Writer 8/88 to 9/95); Computer book author and columnist from 9/95 to present.
Engineering Writer, Turbo Machinery. From January 1989 to September 1995, I created engineering parts breakdown lists on Solar Turbines Corporation's turbine-driven compressors and generators and related skid configurations. I worked from electrical schematics and wiring diagrams as well as from hydromechanical drawings and online parts databases, producing camera ready copy and SGML source documents from Interleaf publishing software and Sun Sparc stations.
Software Manual Writer. I wrote graphicly-oriented Release II of the Infoflow Users Manual for Systech Corporation, covering inventory management, bills of materials, and configuration management. Have written free-lance communications software user manuals and have been a contributor to ComputorEdge magazine since 1987.
Proposal Editor. I edited management and technical volumes on several multibillion dollar aerospace proposals, coordinated production, temporary production support, wrote appendices, and produced camera-ready copy using Macintosh and Apollo Interleaf desktop publishing systems for General Dynamics Space Systems Division.
Engineering Writer. Set up, wrote, and maintained seven books, all illustrated parts manuals, on test equipment for the Tomahawk cruise missile European Repair Facility for General Dynamics. I wrote in accordance with military specification MIL-M-38807A.
Technical Editor. Edited Air Force technical orders for conformance to MIL-M-38784A and various technical specifications, in addition to the GPO Style Guide and in-house style guides. I was responsible for training of editors in editing and researching illustrated parts manuals. Occasionally I wrote memoranda about style conventions that were circulated through the department and used as an in-house reference.
Programming Languages: Some ANSI C, C++, Perl, Emacs lisp, Turbo Pascal, Basic, some 6510 assembler, some bash shell scripting.
Familiar Hardware: Most popular IBM PC Clone configurations and chipsets, some familiarity with Macintosh internals and earlier Sun Sparc stations. Also somewhat familiar with making dumb terminals out of old PCs.
Familiar Platform Environments: Administering small Linux networks (Red Hat Linux and Debian, kernel 1.2.13 to kernel 2.0.32), with Windows95 and OS/2 Warp 4.0 client platforms on a local ethernet network and hub. I also have used DOSemu, Win-OS/2 (under Warp only), and WABI and Wine emulators under Linux. My DOS experience goes back to 1985, and I have used Windows and Warp for many years.
Markup Languages: I am familiar with SGML, ISO 8879, and several of its implementations, including HTML, Linux-DOC, and EBT's Rainbow DTD. I also have been authoring in LaTeX for a year.
Foreign Languages: Taught Danish from 1981-83. Lived in Denmark from 1979-81. I also have some knowledge of Latin and Greek.
Interests: aikido, mysticism, racquetball, and GNU software and the Free Software Foundation.
Passions: being my daughter's father. I thought my life was full when I marrried my wife, but then my daughter was born a year ago and I've been a stay-at-home dad ever since. Now my life's priorities have shifted toward her dramatically. Life is good.