Crisp'n'Crunchy - on the Guide

"Crunch. Why Crunch?"

For years now, my standard nick-name has been Crunch. This has been useful in many circumstances, and only detrimental in one that I can recall. [During his first foray into management :-( -ed]

My given name is Crispin, so I guess I had the option of “Crispy” or “Crunch”, and seeing as how I work with computers, I thought that the latter would be much more appropriate (especially when you see me handle boxes :-)

Many people as me "Why? Why do you keep a name like that?"

The explanation is long, and I guess basically boils down to "When I was at school it was used to taunt me, so I took it and kept it. I never really got round to giving it up I guess."

Who is Crunch? (The early years)

I am, or was at least, your typical example of a socially inept science-track student at school. I think I fell into computers (and thus nerd-dom) as a release from the strains of attempting to communicate effectively with my stuck-up, self-important little snobs fellow students. I found that the computers were more likely to do what I wanted them to do, and far less likely to place me in a garbage bin, and roll me around to quadrangle!

I new within a few weeks of using the computers that I was not the best programmer in the year, neither was I the best designer, typist, reader or tech. I was however, the best fault-finder and general clean-up-other-peoples-messes person in the group. [The cream of this group have now turned into: A "Human-Computer Interaction" Research Scientist, A Chief Information Officer, two Senior Programmers for Major vendors, a Circuit Board Designer, and one of the top Network Security people in Australia - Ed]

A lot has happened since then (in basically chronological order)

• I went to University (5 years, for some reason I failed First Year maths each year)
• During this time, I got a job with a computer shop selling networking products, and learnt all about peer-to-peer networking before M$ figured out how to make Windows 3.1 talk to its neighbours.
• I started a Fido-Net Bulletin Board. Ran it for a few years, ran out of money/hardware/sleep, got a job, shut it down for lack of time.
• I joined a Choir - and learnt how to sing (and how to be a human being)
• I (finally) got a semi-regular partner for a while.
• I started working as a Unix & Networking Consultant
• I realised that there was more to life than 1) Just the opposite sex, and 2) the missionary position.

And Now?

Now I work for a large organisation, and provide Network & Security Consulting services to a range of clients. This means I get to think about the Internet, Hackers, Networks & Firewalls for most of my day. (And, as I started seriously investigating TCP/IP networking, the DARPAnet and the whole concept of "Internetworking" in 1988 when the number of machines on the network could be counted in the tens of thousands, you could still obtain Class B networks, and 7 days Usenet News could actually fit on that brand new 32 MEGAbyte disk drive, I feel that I have a pretty good understanding of the concepts and protocols.)

On personal/home matters, I am married to Kirsten, and have a son Sebastian who turns(ed) TWO on June 16, 2000.

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