My name's Richard Boyd. I'm a C#.NET Web Developer, living and working in Exeter, Devon. I'm currently Lead Web Developer for the South West Grid for Learning Trust (
www.swgfl.org.uk).
Having grown up surrounded by computers, and having (at the time priviliged) access to the Internet from the age of 12, I've always been excited by the possibilities that the web presents.
Now aged 26, I've seen the web evolve from a bland, passive experience to an engaging, immersive environment where everybody, regardless of skill or experience is encouraged to tinker ... of course, some of us like to tinker more than others. The web has become the playground of my adulthood.
I've come to learn over the past 12 years that no matter how keen you are, nobody can ever become a 'web expert' - the web is just too vast. And so, whilst I've dabbled in everything from PHP development, to Second Life development, via Shockwave, Flash and back, I've settled on .NET web applications development as my specialism ... for now.
I'm enthused by any web technology that makes things simpler and more engaging for the user, which is why my current focus is on content management, end-user customisation and community services.
When I'm not tethered to a computer (or indeed my iPhone), I love getting in the pool or outdoors - on foot, on my bike, or in a kayak.
Whilst I love web development, I've also held a number of quirkier part time jobs in the past, incuding working as a researcher for SMS answering service Texperts and currently working as a mystery shopper for a number of mystery shopping agencies.