Again like so many others, John started out “running a business on a Tandy that had a pair of 5¼” floppies (and) no hard drive,” with the super slim but fully functional prototype to today's frankly ‘obese’ word processing / database / spreadsheet software. He gained further expertise in the use of computers in shipbuilding at Boeing, and continued learning in Houston, where electronics came to play an integral part in underwater positioning acoustics in the construction of offshore drilling rigs. He and his family moved to San Antonio about ten years ago, to be closer to aging parents. He joined Alamo PC “about seven years ago,” he recalls, where he met fellow member Mike McCauley, whom he credits with teaching him the communications field. BBSs were popular, and the time came when there was no one to lead Alamo PC’s Communications SIG. John Took it on because, as he says, “I enjoyed it.” He obviously still does: with Susan Ives he co-chairs the Internet Jumpstart SIG (the evolutionary successor to the original Communications SIG) and chairs the Power Internet Study Group. He is also the System Administrator for the Computer Lab at the Resource Center.

In addition, John was the first to write a continuing column — Comm Corner — for the PC Alamode, in which he attempts to make a complex, acronym and jargon filled topic easier to understand by those of us who are — how shall we say it? — highly motivated but technologically challenged. His column has bicoastal reach: a West Coast professor requested permission to use John's articles on data compression, while a Vermonter did the same with articles on networking, for a proposal he presented to the city's town council.

Adding to his celebrity status was an appearance at Bookstop a few years back, where he was asked to “give a little talk on the Internet.” He and his host expected a smattering of folks; they were not prepared for the wall-to-wall crowd. He gave three presentations to accommodate all the attendees. And “all that black magic was done on a laptop with a cellular connection and a 19K modem,” says John.

John is now self-employed, working primarily with small business communications, networks and Internet training.