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Biography


Last updated March 12, 2010

This page is now infrequently updated as of 2009.

Unsolicited Pundit

Offering my opinion without asking first has gotten me some nice gigs, and helped me name my business. After I wrote Stewart Alsop, then editor-in-chief of InfoWorld, a "Stewart, you ignorant slut" email chastising him for minor errors in a column he wrote in 1994, he suggested that I write a lead Enterprise section feature on Internet Service Providers (ISPs). I've been using "unsolicited pundit" as my sobriquet for a while, as well as my business name. It's reproduced quite large on my business cards, and it never fails to get a savvy laugh when I hand cards out.

My Current Occupations

Freelance journalist. I contribute regularly to a number of publications, including the Seattle Times (columnist), Publicola (columnist), Ars Technica, The Economist, Macworld, and TidBITS (contributing editor).

Blogger. I keep two blogs: one on the popular topic of wireless networking (Wi-Fi Networking News), and another an account of personal and professional observations (GlennLog).

Radio commentator. I appear regularly as a guest on KUOW-FM, recently spending three years as a weekly commentator on technology for the program KUOW Presents. I have been interviewed on Marketplace, NPR Morning Edition, Future Tense, and a number of other programs.

Book author. Electronic books may seem like a small part of the market. But for computer-related titles, they sell well, and are quite rewarding even in relatively small quantities compared to the time, effort, and royalty rates of print books. Since 2005, I've written, co-written, and edited a host of ebooks in the Take Control series. This includes several editions of Take Control of Sharing Files and Take Control of Your 802.11n AirPort Network. I used to write print books, but have found that faster, shorter books that can be updated frequently fit me better.

ISBN.nu. Starting as a thought experiment turned into programming code, ISBN.nu offers a simple, quick price comparison on any book among a dozen online booksellers. The site generates revenues through an affiliate relationship with each bookseller. I've learned a lot about Apache, perl, Linux, and MySQL in the process.

"Practical Macintosh" columnist for The Seattle Times. I started writing about the Macintosh for The Seattle Times in September 2000. I started sharing the column on alternating appearances with my colleague Jeff Carlson after I returned from paternity leave in 2004. I also write technology and business features about topics like wire-transfer scams and the future of mobile broadband networks.

Spare time. In my spare time, I do things like learn how to compile, install, and maintain the Apache server, and write MySQL database handling scripts.

Disclosures

I have no investment in technology firms. I invest via retirement accounts in mutual funds and ETFs representing large market sectors, not including technology. I have an exceedingly small number of shares in JiWire, a privately held firm for which I worked several years ago, and which specializes in Wi-Fi hotspot advertising. I attempt to disclose this fact whenever I write about JiWire, and inform my editors.

I worked for Amazon.com from 1996-1997 for six months, and did not receive any stock, as I left before vesting. I have no ill will toward them, as I left for my own reasons (sanity). A company I helped incubate, Film.com, was acquired by RealNetworks in the late 1990s, and I received a modest amount of restricted stock, sold several years ago.

I do not accept fees, plane tickets, expense reimbursements, or other emoluments from firms about which I write. Some firms about which I write may advertise on sites which I own, such as Wi-Fi Networking News. I maintain an arm's length relationship, with advertising handled through a third party.

As noted above, I run isbn.nu, which generates revenue through bookstore referrals. I receive payment for these sales from nearly all online booksellers as a form of advertising and marketing expense on their part. I have no other relationship with these firms.

Hardware sent to me for review is returned or donated (as the company requests or prefers).

Technical Tips

I couldn't find a better place on this site to keep a couple of links active.

Use a simple routine to encode and decode URLs using perl. This includes some advice on converting decimal to hexadecimal that was incredibly hard to find online (12/21/99)

Decode GIF's pixel width and height using a perl subroutine (made more elegant with some help on 11/10/98)