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ABOUT ME
![[Me in colour, 11.6Kb]](/web/20050308130159im_/http://www.breezer.demon.co.uk/gfx/datasoft.jpg)
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ABOUT ME
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In this document:
My name is John Garner, and I'm currently looking for another job (anyone after a C++ developer on Unix check out my CV - MS Word formatted version available on request).
Like the piccies of me? The black/white one is from a Spectrum Vidi-ZX at the NSSS (a show), and the other is from the University Computer Graphics Lab with a few Silicon Graphics Indy's. Both a bit old now, I really ought to get a better one up here.
I'm into Computers, Photography, Church Bellringing (campanology), and the odd bit of badminton.
At the moment I have several Spectrums and a 900MHz AMD that I built myself. Couple of years old now (already!) and the link is about my old PC so ignore that. I've been through a few Speccies in my time and added various interfaces and enhancements (such as ACB Stereo). I have also just obtained an MB02, the coolest disk interface around with DMA, 512k SRAM and plenty of features.
If you really feel the need, you can email me, ICQ me (18816609/see form below) if you can, or even write to me (email me for full address - prefer not to have this freely available for security/junk mail reasons). I live in Farnham, Surrey, in England.
I have owned a Spectrum since June 1988, when my first +2A arrived
home one evening, somewhat unexpectedly earlier (by a few weeks/months)
than I thought. Then of course I knew nothing about how long I would
still be using it, or that I'd end up writing demos and other things
on it.
More recently the collection has grown although peripherals such
as a 9-pin printer were added quite quickly (in order, so he told
his parents, that he could print out coursework on it! Did he ever?!).
I now have (and am very proud of) an MB02
disk interface that rocks! (thanks FBI/Sintech).
Currently the list stands at (in chronological order):
My favourite games on this machine are (not sure of the exact order):
You can find all of these at the World of Spectrum should you wish to download and play them (if you have something to play them on, WOS also has plenty of that and anything else you could ever want).
For those interested, the ACB Stereo mentioned above is highly recommended if you have the AY sound chip (as all 128's do). It gives you proper stereo instead of two mono channels the same - one left, one right and one centre channel. You need extra speakers/a hi-fi. I've got a graphical diagram of it for you, and an ascii-art one will follow as soon as I can get the text file off a Spectrum +3 3" disc! Alternatively, see the Interlace demo. That's where I got the diagram from anyway. Be prepared to break a few Spectrums unless you are an expert with soldering though (try and protect the sound chip case from heat/accidental melting if you can). I messed up 2, someone else I know broke 1 in the process, and even L.A. Esquire (the expert) broke at least 1 before he had it figured.
My current PC is my third, the original was a 486DX4 100 then a P166 MMX (back when 200MHz was pretty much the fastest you could get).
You may also browse through my list of Speccy software (entirely out of date, by the way, and nearly all available at the Speccy archives (e.g. WOS)):
I'm currently job-hunting, so here's links to my CV...
MS Word format
Plain text format (although only a converted version of the Word version)
I'm a computer software developer at heart, and prefer programming C++ on Unix, but do want some more Windows experience. I've been programming in some form or another since 1989 so have a lot of experience, I consider myself an expert with C++. I can name about 20 languages I've developed in over the years, including low level (Z80 assembler) to parallel (Occam, at uni) and functional languages (Miranda, I was taught by no less than the language inventor himself among others). That's not all I can do though - technical support, a bit of systems admin, web development too.
I have spent an awful lot of time putting these web pages together and updating them to their current state since the original conception in late 1994 (it took til June 1995 for them to arrive online), but there have been many people who contributed information, and files. I would like to thank the magazine Your Sinclair for getting me interested in demos, MGT for the wonderful Plus D disk interface, everyone who has commented on them, Jordan of Exodus and Mark Sturdy of Crashed for pointing out lots of mistakes in particular, David Gommeren of the Lords for the same, Arnt Gulbrandsen for allowing me on the www.nvg.unit.no site for the original version of these pages (although this isn't there, the old version still is), and everyone else I ought to thank but forget about.
However much it may seem like it, I am not an advertiser or connected
in any way other than those stated (if there are any) with or for any
of the services or clubs contained within these documents. Any opinions
stated within represent only my own or those of the pages authors (noted
at the bottom of the page) and if you want to complain, .... ... Don't. Well do it
kindly and constructively if at all possible please. Not that you would
anyway.
The order in which I place clubs, people and groups in my documents is entirely arbitrary and has absolutely no meaning whatsoever to his opinion or the skills of those involved. Except when the lists are in alphabetical order, or otherwise stated, of course.
Found any errors? Email me please! Now! Even if it's only a very short email and you are busy. I am a notoriously lazy guy, but do (honest) try to keep them a bit up to date.
Got anything to say about the pages? Try my nice form.
Speccy Intro Page
My Datasoft page
My homepage
File last updated: 15 December 2003 (fixed footer link, some grammar)
Author: John Garner (mail me)