Books

I am very impressed with the Cambridgeshire library scheme, I am able to use a web site to reserve books on my reading list, and to extend the loan I have on some other books. Cambridgeshire Libraries OnLine Catalogue.

Currently I am working my way through the excellent Sharpe Novels by Bernard Cornwell. My other favourite books include: -

C.S. Forrester's Hornblower Books
Isaac Asimov's Foundation Books
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Books
Jon Courtney Grimwood's Arabesk Books (Pashazade, Effendi, Felaheen)
Larry Niven's Ringworld, and Mote Books
Neil Gaiman's Sandman Comic Series

Favourtie Authors (in no particular order):-
William Gibson
Isaac Asimov
Larry Niven
Terry Pratchett
Jon Courtney Grimwood
John Irving
Neil Gaiman

Karate

I am a 2d in the SKA in the UK. I train in Cambridge, I know the following kata - but would not claim to be proficient in all of them: -

Heian Shodan
Heian Nidan
Heian Sandan
Heian Yondan
Heian Godan
Tekki Shodan
Tekki Nidan
Tekki Sandan
Bassai Dai
Bassai-Sho
Kanku-Dai
Kanku-sho
Enpi
Jiin (for 1kyu grading)
Jitte
Jion (for Shodan grading)
Hangetsu
Gankaku
Chinte
Sochin (for Nidan grading)
Nijushiho
Meikyo
Unsu

Still to learn: -
Gojushiho Dai
Gojushiho Sho
Wankan

Computers

Many years ago I was bitten by the computing bug - and got myself a Sinclair ZX-81 I was hooked!, I was always writing games, programs and saving them to cassette tape. I upgraded to an Oric-1, this was a great machine though fraught with loading problems, but I still loved it so much I upgraded to an Atmos.

Time passed, I did a degree in Mathematics & Computing, at Surrey University (my industrial year was spent at ICL working on OfficePower using Clan 7 and Clan 5 UNIX machines). I started work for Logica, and worked on various software projects and got myself an Amiga A500, then I rapidly upgraded that to a PC. I really like playing around with Linux and the UNIX clones.

My favourite editor is vim, which I like because it is available on pretty much any platform that I work on, saving me the learning curve of learning a new editor when I move to a new platform/IDE.

Go

I play Go, quite a bit (not as much as I'd like). It is a fascinating game, with many hidden depths. I have also devised a go problem (postsed to Go Problems.com) - here it is: - My Problem(1592). Here is a picture of some go equipment: -

Motorcycles

I am a keen motorcyclist - in fact sometimes it is very difficult to stop me talking about bikes :-/. I have a CBR1100xx SuperBlackbird, which I commute, tour, and go for general blasts on. Here is a picture of a CBR1100xx (in the colours I have it): -