This website has evolved over many years as I worked in a variety of roles in the IT industry. It contains examples of a broad range of technologies related to the web from my days as a web developer as well as knowledge & skills related to my role as a Software Application Trainer and then more recently as a teacher teaching Computer Applications Technology, Information & Communications Technology & Information Technology.
about me
Formally educated at Hotel School, I spent many years in the Hospitality Industry before making a change to IT. My experience as an Installation and Support Technician for a Point-of-Sale Company gave me a solid grounding in hardware and software, especially in customizing systems to clients’ specifications. Moving over to a large IT Training company allowed me to experience the fun of learning and understanding new technologies.
After working as a consultant for a few years I decided to focus on PHP/MySQL development and worked in several roles in the web development environment.
I prefer the scalability and maintainability of object-oriented code above that of procedural code, but am comfortable with both. I have solid experience in CakePHP and have played with Laravel and Zend. I have lived through multiple flavours of HTML so truly appreciate the joy that is HTML5 and modern CSS. I prefer jQuery to native JavaScript but am comfortable coding in both.
I use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher, Outlook and more, and have training to advanced levels in each. I use GIMP for graphics.
function before form
I am certainly no graphic artist. On the web, I love clean code developed according to Web Standards. I adore simple, elegant solutions to problems using the technology at hand.
The majority of sites on the web use outdated design techniques that include flaws that have plagued the internet for years, such as nested tables — an inelegant, unsophisticated and incorrect technique.
Through the use of modern, forward-thinking HTML5 enhanced with CSS, I produce elegant pages that are easy to maintain, minimise bandwidth consumption, and are compatible with future web technologies, all of which translate into direct cost savings.
| SKILL | INFO |
| LANGUAGE / FRAMEWORK | |
| PHP OOP & procedural | Solid practical experience |
| JQuery, jQuery UI, jQuery Mobile | Fairly extensive use of jQuery and jQuery UI Good understanding & practical ability |
| HTML/XHTML | Hand-code standards-based, semantic, accessible |
| HTML5 | Good practical experience |
| CSS | Hand-code standards-based, accessible |
| PHP Frameworks | Basic experience in personal projects |
| PhoneGap | Basic experience on personal projects |
| IDE | |
| Notepad++ | I have worked in various IDE’s (Aptana, Dreamweaver, FrontPage, Homesite) but prefer hand-coding in Notepad++ |
| VSCode | I have recently started using Visual Studio Code and all the power it offers as a developer’s IDE. |
| DATABASE / SERVER | |
| MySQL | Ability to optimize and slice graphics Ability to manipulate images and create graphics |
| MongoDB | Very basic Hello World! experience |
| Microsoft Access | Experienced user |
| Apache HTTP Server | Ability to set up & configure Apache web server for production and development environments (Windows & Linux) |
| GRAPHIC | |
| GIMP | Ability to optimize and slice graphics Ability to manipulating images and create graphics |
| OTHER / GENERAL | |
| Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint & Outlook | Experienced user |
| Linux, Ubuntu Desktop | Good experience |
| asterisk | Fast Start Course Certificate completed |
| WordPress | Setting-up, customisation |
| SVN, Git | Source control software |
| Bug-tracking | Bugzilla, OnTime, JIRA, Eventum |
| Test Management Tool | TestLink |
| Browserstack | Solid experience |