I began programming as an Electrical Engineer more years ago than I care to admit.
I have always used very specialised automatic test equipment, which gives me an unusual perspective on how to solve software problems (usually by myself without recourse to libraries and frameworks). This is definitely not mainstream. I don't create commercial software. My user-base is my fellow employees.
I apologise therefore if my contributions to SO seem other-worldly — the programming environments I've used have never been Windows-based and only vaguely unix-like. I'm starting to realise it was more like a sheltered workshop than real programming.
Hanging around SO will be my therapy, and expose me to lots of good ideas.
In late February 2010, I was admitted to hospital with a suspected stroke. A few tests showed it wasn't a stroke, it was Multiple Sclerosis. That was over four months ago, during which time I have been unable to work.
Frankly, I'm surprised my account is still valid, but I have effectively **retired from SO and related sites**.