boncey is currently certified at Apprentice level.

Name: Darren
Member since: 2001-07-20 13:42:30
Last Login: 2014-04-07 08:06:18

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Homepage: http://boncey.org/

Notes:

Introduction
I have been using Linux since 1998. Am currently the maintainer for 2 small open source applications (details on my site).
I am a professional programmer for a Web agency. We are now working in Java although we previously developed Web sites using C++.


Background
Got a VIC 20 for my birthday when I was 13. All the games were crap so I started programming in Basic.
Moved up to a Commodore 128 when I was 16, got distracted by the decent games but continued programming, still Basic, a little assembler.
Fast forward 10 years.

Decided to go to University to study Computer Science (thought it might be nice to get paid to do stuff I enjoyed).
Bought a PC, ran Windows 3.1, then 95, then NT.

Someone at University told me about Linux, I installed and played around with it.
I *think* it was slackware, it was from a copied disk.
Never managed to get X to run and after a few months deleted it.

Did a one year work placement in a NT software house. Learnt C++ and MFC. Wrote some Windows software and gave it away for free (thought not open source).
Was still mostly a Unix ignorant at this point.

Again was pointed at Linux by another friend.
He helped me install X and get my modem working. Ah, that's more like it.
Put together a second PC and started to build a IP masqueraded home network.
The distro was Slackware, version 3.4.

Graduated and got a programming job building Web sites in C++.

Ran Windows less and less but couldn't make the full-time switch until I could find a decent Unix mail client.
Enter mutt. Exit Windows.

Submitted a series of patches to mp3make but the author no longer maintained it.
He kindly let me take over the project on his behalf.

Hacked around with an existing project called wminet and made a new program (I re-used the GUI) called wmscript.

Started moving over from C++ to Java at work. Now all work Web sites are built using Java and custom libraries in-house.

Installed Linux at work, half the development department followed me. Woohoo!

Started building a Web site using Java and technologies from the Jakarta project. Lack anywhere to host it so it's not viewable yet.


Interests
My main programming interests are in building Web sites rather than writing applications.
My other interests are spectator sports, travelling (especially to scenic places) and hanging out with friends.

Recent blog entries by boncey

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What is it about code rusting?

I start working on mp3make again and it's broken in so many ways. Hacked away for most of the night but it's not ready yet.

Re-installed xmcd and their cda app that mp3make uses has changed slightly which also breaks my code. Bordering on some serious low quality hacks to make it work with both old and new versions.

Have now started using CVS at home so had to import it all and tag it for the previous version etc. I'd long resisted source control for my own projects as I was the only one working on them. I was foolish and wrong.

Will hack about more over the weekend and try to get something released.

Decided that now I have an account here it might be an idea to release a new version of mp3make that I have been hacking around on for what seems like ages.

So I will.

 

boncey certified others as follows:

  • boncey certified boncey as Apprentice

Others have certified boncey as follows:

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  • boncey certified boncey as Apprentice

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