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Early Days

It all started with an £800 telephone bill and angry parents, who weren't anywhere near as enthused as I was by my sparkly new acoustic coupler and the online world I'd just discovered.

This was the pre-Internet days of 1984, when exciting online communities sprung up around odd-sounding dial-in services like FidoNet and The Bread Board Bulletin Service. My trusty Amstrad CPC-464 and acoustic coupler was my gateway to this world at the speed of 1200/75 baud (that's a whopping 1.17kbps in today's bandwidth).

It may have been the ire inspired by the phone bill that led to the use of Microbrat as my online identity, but it was quite a surprise when unbeknownst to me, the name featured an Observer Magazine article on the hidden world of online Bulletin Board System.

Toodlepip

What does "toodlepip" mean?
Why do you sign-off emails "Toodle Pip"?
Why is this site called toodlepip.co.uk?

Good question, thanks for asking.

I've always like the phrase, "Toodle pip", which was used by upper-class gentlemen in the 1920s. If you're a fan of Jeeves & Wooster, then you'll hear it frequently. The idea of using a polite and terribly, terribly English expression on such a new-fangled medium appealed to me. Still does.

It's a particularly British expression, so if you're not from round these parts it's unlikely you'll have come across it, other than through TV. For a more formal definition and an audio file, check out the Wikitionary definition.

I've been using this sobriquet for such a long-time, it's stuck. If you're looking for me on Facebook, FlickR or Twitter, keep your eyes peeled for toodlepip. In the meantime, this site toodlepip.co.uk provides a home for non-work meanderings, unfinished projects and other oddities that don't fit elsewhere.

I try to write regularly, but as you'll see not always successfully. Topic-wise, I'm interested in community, funny stuff, bits of geekery and technology, credit unions and other bits and pieces that pass across my browser window. Hope some of it tickles your fancy.

Work

For a better outline of the various aspects of my work, check out the work page on this website or my LinkedIn profile.

And if you'd like to chat, please get in touch. I'm always up for a natter, especially over a good cup of coffee.