It's like this
I was 7 when I scored a second hand BBC micro and started learning to code.
I kept on with that through my schooling, studied computer science at uni, and worked as a programmer for a while.
In the end, it turned out a pure developer role was not for me. I've remained very much involved in technology and the web.
These Days
I still keep my hand in though.
This website, for instance - I hand coded it from a front end framework using a text editor.
Then when it got tedious to update the header and footer on every page by hand, I wrote a Python script to automate it.
Then when the work week's done? Well, I was never into football. I'd much rather load an obscure operating system onto a Raspberry Pi to play some old games.
Walk like a penguin
It’s how how I do things – on the command line and the desktop.
Right now, I run Linux Mint on my laptop, Raspbian on the Pi, and Debian on servers. I’m open to other flavours too.
If your project is even slightly Linuxy, I’m down.
Talk Transistors
I keep up to date with what's new in silicon.
I've also programmed microcontrollers in C, built basic circuits and DIY synthesizer projects.
What this all boils down to is that
I laugh at sudo jokes, know my TCP from my UDP and my RISC from my CISC.
And if I don't already understand exactly what it is you do, I can pick it up pretty fast.
Or you'd give the work to your admin or developer. That's not why you're here.
You're here for lean, strong sentences that connect, persuade and sell.
So it's a good thing that
One way or another, I’ve been in web marketing since 2007.
While tech might be my sweet spot, I've also written marketing materials for everything from dentistry to financial services, air conditioning to guitar lessons.
I’ve run my own websites, been a contractor, done a buttload of freelancing, done the agency thing and launched various business ventures.
It's not just the writing chops.
It's strategy: knowing why we're writing each page, what it's meant to do, and where it fits in with the rest of your web presence, and indeed your business.
To reach the broadest audience, you need to replace all the jargon with plain English.
But what if you're targeting IT managers and the like? Well, they're people too, and as put off by a buzzword blitzkrieg as anyone.
But - if you're smart about it - a light sprinkling of the lingo could position you as a fellow insider to win rapport, credibility and trust. I can do that too.
It's always a good thing to present your technology's features in uncluttered, everyday English.
It's even better to show how it benefits the customer - the desire or problem that drives them to buy.
If you could wrap that up in sentences that seamlessly flow - with a wink and a laugh along the way - well, why wouldn't you?
Got something you’d like to say, and just bogged down in the words?
Perhaps you're already busy enough running your business.
If your raw ideas need the right cut and polish, let's talk.
dev.to
An explainer of Git X-Modules, an alternative to Git Submodules without the headaches. Written for TMate Software
linkedin.com
This looks at how the ideas of legendary copywriter Rory Sutherland could grow desktop Linux. This piece was mentioned in Forbes.
dxmtechsupport.com.au
An overview of computer networking for small business owners from non-IT backgrounds.
dxmtechsupport.com.au
This was where I taught myself how to build Python using the Scrapy framework so that I could run them on similarly priced ARM and x86 servers to see how they compared in speed.
bplans.com
How to take control of your IT problems so they don't control you.
dxmtechsupport.com.au
A sales letter I developed with Melbourne IT support wizard Grant Hamono.
freelancersunion.com
A guide for the self-employed on staying safe with wireless networking.
dxmtechsupport.com.au
How to install and configure a 30 year old operating system on your Raspberry Pi so that you can play the games of the era.
bplans.com
How to avoid and recover from malware attacks that scramble your precious data.
dxmtechsupport.com.au
Here’s my take on the good, the bad and the ugly of switching to Linux as your daily driver.
opensource.com
An overview of your options to play classic computer and console games on the Raspberry Pi.
per hour
A clear, persuasive and technically literate voice for your business
Turn jargon to plain English
Turn specs to reasons to buy
Engage your reader's attention
Work to your wider strategy
Tech-savvy words that sell
This business is not registered for GST
The big frustration for many IT businesses who need web content and sales copy is that the guy with the head for your product is often not the one who knows what makes the customer tick.
The guy with the right flair for words might be different again.
With a bottomless bucket of bucks, one way to handle that is to hire one of each: a technology wizard, a mastermind strategist and a polished wordsmith.
From there, it's just a simple matter of hope and prayer that these three people can speak each other's language well enough to work to the same vision.
Do you feel like you've got enough on your plate to deal with that? That's understandable.
That's where your life is easier by dealing with one person who can do all three.
I'm actually okay with that, not least because I'm far from the most expensive either.
If your priority is the lowest price possible, maybe we weren't meant to work together. That's okay. It's not hard to find writers who pump out $5 articles or cheaper.
But if you've worked too hard on your product to go down that path, maybe it's time to send me a message using the form below.
Please enter your details in the form below.
Tell me about your business, the work you want done and your goals. If you have any questions for me, include them too.
Then click “submit” and I'll be with you shortly :)
Call me on +61 421 551 080 or email me using the contact form.
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