I originally wrote software and software documentation for a large aerospace project. I was a UNIX and VMS user in the 1980s. I programmed software for multiple military projects, and have networked university and large businesses during the network protocol (TCP/IP) standardization period of the late 80s. I have used VMS, Unix, DOS, Windows, Apple operating systems (including OS X) and Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Puppylinux). I have networked using Novell, AppleTalk, NFS, Samba (Windows protocols). I made a detour to MS Windows for 10 years. Over the past 3 years I have used Debian, (K)Ubuntu, and Windows on a network of triple boot systems.
I am currently interested in distributed networks using Debian and Ubuntu, especially using the Logical Volume Manager, RAID, and datacenter management tools that are useful for small and medium size businesses.
I am currently an advocate for open-source (GPL-licensed) software solutions in health care, as a basis for a United States national health care system. Recently I have been an advocate for open source electronic medical record solutions modeled on the VA's VistA EMR. I helped customise an installation of VistA at one facility. I am in favour of government-mandated interoperability standards for EHRs.
My medium-large organization (which is healthcare-related) uses Ubuntu servers with Kolab for groupware and Drupal for collaborative web content. I contribute extensively to both Kubuntuguide and Ubuntuguide, and now am the primary editor (for spelling and grammar of the English editions) for both, which includes methods for integration with existing Windows-based networks.
I regularly contribute to Wikipedia (especially on specialized software topics including electronic medical records and large-scale software systems). I am the current editor for Ubuntu Doctors Guild (with the help of the excellent contributions by the users who add them).
I am currently interested in Beowulf processing (cloud computing) (see this introduction) and am interested in *nix based distributed supercomputing at locations like Lawrence Livermore laboratories.
My home is wired using LinuxMCE (Media Center Edition) 7.10 running on Kubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy), X10 controllers, surveillance cameras and motion detectors, and distributed multimedia.
Most of my philosophy in life comes from Buckaroo Banzai.
Richard Stallman is my hero. Linus Torvalds is second. Jimmy Wales is third. George Timson is fourth.