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 a number of roles in the web development environment.
I prefer the scalability and maintainability of Object Orientated 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 use multiple flavours of HTML, including HTML5. I use CSS. I prefer jQuery to native Javascript but get by when I need to.
I use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook and Access 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The majority of sites on the web use outdated design techniques that include flaws that have plagued the internet for years, such as nested tables — an inelegant, unsophisticated and incorrect technique.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 HTML 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 | Good CakePHP experience Limited CodeIgniter experience Limited experience with Zend modules |
| 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++ |
| DATABASE / SERVER | |
| MySQL | Excellent theory and solid experience in modelling, creating, normalizing & querying MySQL databases |
| MongoDB | Very basic Hello World experience |
| Microsoft Access | Experienced user |
| Apache | Ability to set up & configure Apache 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 | 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 |