About me and this site
My interests
- Computing: gaming, programming, hardware, networking, administration
- Design: websites, 3D modelling, game levels, illustration
- Photography and photo manipulation
- Travel: I’ve been to the US, Russia, France, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Crimea, Georgia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Cuba, Iceland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary
- Reading: fiction and textbooks
- Films
- Keeping fit: mountain biking and running
Welcome!
Hello, and welcome to Polaris64.net!
This website is intended to be a place where I can show some of my work and also write about the industry and other areas that interest me.
As a programmer, website designer and general technophile, I wanted to have my own place to allow me to do this. I could have set up a simple Blog or just maintained a Twitter account, but I wanted more than that. That’s why this website is my own constantly evolving creation. As I host it myself on my Linux box at home I have complete freedom to make it do whatever I want! To me, that is the real power of the Web.
I have worked as a professional programmer and website designer for over 10 years now, but I have been interested in computing and technology from an early age. I started programming on my Amstrad CPC464 when I was 8, copying programs from the manual and Type-Ins from Amstrad Action magazine. From there I learnt machine code and assembler, C, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, Python and more. The ability to make a computer do exactly what I wanted it to do was very enticing and I knew a career in programming was what I wanted.
So far I have been lucky enough to have just such a career. I have also been able to develop my creative side recently working for a design company, creating websites and developing my graphic design skills with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. It was at this point that I decided to return to education and pursue both programming and design aspects of computing. I found the perfect course in the perfect university – Games Technology at Bournemouth University.
I am now busy working in my own business, Square Flame Ltd. (and Static Games) with four other colleagues. I am a director of this company and my main role is Lead Programmer. Feel free to check out our sites and our projects, follow us on Twitter and like our LinkedIn page!
Aside from all things technological, I also enjoy a variety of other interests as you can see above. I have a passion for photography and for music and also for how technology can be used to benefit both areas.
So whether it be photographic explorations, new programming projects, illustration, commentary on the technological and creative industry, or anything else, let me welcome you – feel free to take a look around!
PGP/GnuPG key
If you would like to communicate with me securely, you can use my PGP/GnuPG key.