This is my website, which I've taken the plunge with for a number of reasons. Hobby-wise, I've always been into computers, gaming and technical stuff, from  Binatone and Acetronic TV games; to the classic Commodore 64; to Doom on the PC, including making .wad files in DoomCad. I had a stint where I played nothing but Call of Duty 4 for a while and got relatively good at it by dint of remembering where my millions of deaths came from while I was a noob and thus learning to anticipate where people usually were, like a card counter in a casino or something. I was known as HeehawBaws at the time, which was something that came out of the "Chewing the Fat: Ned Name Generator" and my family found so hilarious that it stuck.

Recently it has been VR gaming and I bought a 3D printer that I'm getting to grips with. I've also had a go at woodworking, cooking, sailing and all sorts of things.

My career has been as a technical specialist in reporting, BI, data and information systems. I've dabbled in too many systems to call myself an expert in most of them, although I have years of experience creating solutions and practical methods that have proven transferrable to anything new I have been presented with. At one time I considered myself a bit of an Excel guru, but I've since meddled with SQL, SSIS, MS Dynamics, various ERP systems and a hundred other things in between.

And I've built up a reputation for getting things done. My two favourite pieces of professional feedback to date are:

From a Project Manager
The usual error of the end user is wanting a solution that magically does everything and the usual error of the app developer is wanting to show off their own and the software's clever bits. [I] have a talent for cutting right through that and producing the best practical solution for the business process in hand and that's rare and sought after by project managers.

From a Head of Business Planning
[I] have a knack for making the computer say "yes".

The interest in computers is my main reason for wanting a website, but what would my reason be for having one other than "why not have one"? I know I won't stick to writing a regular blog or anything like that. Then I remembered all those times when I've been looking for a fix for some stubborn problem. You know when you're Googling for an answer and you find one single thread in the whole internet where someone is asking the same thing, but nobody seems to understand the question? It's all "Please upload the log file along with your Windows registry and the serial number from your power cable and it will be analysed" and you're thinking "that person has the same problem as me and I know it's just something simple I'm missing". Meanwhile the guy is having to keep saying "I know it's not that" to well-meaning suggestions and things get more and more terse as accusations of having a bad attitude to people who are trying to help start flying.

I read those and then go away and struggle through the issue myself and the solution usually happens with an "aw right!" moment, which is a bit like a "D'oh" moment but longer, more drawn out and with heavy emphasis on the realisation, relief and facepalming. It's at those times I've often thought I should share my new knowledge in order to ease the agony of others.

So, there's my excuse for getting a domain and finding out if I can set up a website by myself. An occasional diary of my "Aw ri-i-ight!" revelations that might help other people struggling with something similar. Or files I happen to have made for some purpose or other. If something you read on here saves you time and money, then please consider buying me a pint or contributing towards the upkeep of the site. I'll learn how to create Paypal buttons and dot them around the place.

Thank you and I hope you found something useful and/or interesting while you were here.

HHB