CREDENTIALS

FORMAL

Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne, 1987

Major: Pathology & Microbiology
Programming Language: Pascal

Graduate Diploma in Computer Science, Latrobe University, 1996

Deans Honours List
Programming Languages:
- C/C++ (Unix mainframe)
- PC Scheme
- 8088 Assembly Language

Certificates of Accomplishment, Object Training, 2001

Strategies & Patterns
Requirements Modelling
Object Oriented Architecture Design

INFORMAL

Workplace Training

MS Visual Studio: Visual C++ MFC apps.

SELF TAUGHT

Web programming:

HTML
CSS
JavaScript
PHP
ASP
SQL Databases

MS Visual C++ MFC Apps

I have coded a range of Windows apps including:

For interfacing with an Arduino based irrigation controller, via BlueTooth and WiFi
For interfacing with a Arduino microcontroller based CNC laser engraver

Python

:

Pycharm

Various small Python apps
Webbot scraper for Yellow Pages

Micontroller programming

Raspberry Pi Pico with Python and Thonny IDE
Arduino Uno, Arduino Mega, Arduino Pro Mini & ESP32 with Arduino IDE and C/C++
Microbit mictrocontrollers with Microbit IDE and blocks
MBed wheeled robots with MBed IDE and blocks
Asscoiated digital electronics:
- Arduino shields:
  - WiFi
  - Ethernet
  - DC motor control shields
  - CNC shields
  - LCD shields
  - Relay shields
  - Data logger shields with micro SD card reader and RTC (real time clock)
  - Many others...
- Discrete components
  - BJT or Bipolar Junction Transistors
  - FETs or Field Effect Transistors
  - Capacitors
  - Induuctors
  - Resistors
  - Logic ICs
  - LED control ICs
  - WS2812B RGB LED strips with indivdually addressable LEDs
  - APA106 the above LEDs but in a 5mm LED package
  - Many others...

Android & Apple IOS apps

Block programming with MIT App Inventor 2. Apps I have coded include:

For interfacing with two types of programmable Arduino microcontroller based RGB garden lights
For interfacing with an Arduino based irrigation controller, via BlueTooth and WiFi
For interfacing with an Arduino microcontroller servo controlled gate latch opener

Noteable Acheivements

Custom comms between both mobile apps and Visual C++, over BlueTooth and WiFi, with Arduino microcntroller based devices.
Creation of a BlueTooth and WiFi enabled irrigation controller with:
- Web page and mobile app interface.
- Autoset of RTC clock from internet time servers.
- Settings saved to SD card so that loss of power has no effect.
- Custom soil mositure sensors that control station turn on and off.
- Usews standard 24VAC solenoid valves available from any hardware store.
- BlueTooth and WiFi capability.
- Custom PCB that plugs onto either Arduino Mega or Arduino Due as a shield.
Creation of a solid state Tesla coil.
Creation of an Arduino microcontroller based custom line following tracked robot.
Creation of a Arduino microcontroller based custom CNC laser engraver.
Creation of a Arduino microcontroller based srvo actuated gate latch opener.

EXPERIENCE

KCS Computer Services - Windows MFC app programming (Debtors & Creditors etc.)
Tabcorp - Windows MFC app programming (Easybet Terminals)
My own gardening and landscaping business website.

Greg's Native Landscapes
Mill House Neighborhood House website.
Friends of Maryborough Outdoor Pool website.
Kates Castle Book Emporium website.
Goldfields Screens & Blinds website
Find a Tradie website

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

I prefer to create website for businesses or organisations that I have had some involvement with. The deeper understanding of the business or organisation that this gives me better enables me to build a custom website that captures their unique culture and services. You can't do that from a corporate city office with a few photos and text descriptions of the business or organisation.

And nor can you come close to acheiving that with a WordPress website. Trying to create unique website with WordPress is like trying to create a unique building with tilt slab construction. You can put all the embellishments on a tilt slab building you wish. But you can never hide the fact that it is a tilt slab construction. It is the same with WordPress.

AI WEBBOTS & WEB DATA BROKERS

Are you concerned that AI companies are scraping text content and images from your website to train their AI consgtructs without your permission?

Are you concerned that data brokers are profiting from data they scrape from your website?

You should be!

A file named 'robots.txt' listing all the AI and data broker user agents that you do not want to access your website is the accepted way to block access. AI and data broker companies are expected to honour the appearance of their user agent in any robots.txt file. But there is no guarentee that they will.

With a small amount of PHP code I prefer to actively block access to all the user agents is 'robiots.txt'. If the any of the robots.txt user agents are detected in the client then it receives an 'access denied' error.

EXPOSED PHONE NUMBERS & EMAIL ADDRESSES

Quite a few WordPress websites for small businesses have personal mobile numbers exposed in the HTML code. That makes them easy pickings for spammers and identity fraudsters.

Email addresses can be hidden behind HTML forms, at the cost of inconvenience of potential clients who can't add supporting images and documents to their message.

With a individuall coded website, free from the limitations of WordPress, there are many thousands of unconventional ways to disguise email addresses and mobile numbers while still making them convenonetly clickable and copyable for potential new clients.

It is not an absolute guarentee that AI based webbots will never figure out the obscured mobile numbers and email addresses. But the vast majority of webbot authors will not bother trying to code their webbots to decode every possible obscuration technique I can come up with. There webbot will just move on to the next website with easier pickings.

Consider my obscuration techniques as a steering wheel club lock for your car. Car theives could bring and angle grinder and cut your steering lock off. But how many would go to the trouble?