When did you first log onto the Internet and what excited you about the experience?
Well that's a good question! I don't remember exactly which came first either in the computer lab in high school or on my mom's AOL account, both happened around 1993. What I do remember is being really excited by the possibilities of communicating and participating in a global network. I was, and still am, very interested in "chat" technologies (IRC, IM, etc) almost more so than email or the web itself.
At what point did you realize that you wanted to make a career out of web work and how did you get started?
I sort of stumbled my way into web development by accident. I was working part-time as a Windows NT4 LAN administrator in '97 while I was attending the University of Toronto (which incidentally ended my relationship with Windows permanently). The CEO of the company knew I was a Computer Science student and asked if I would be interested in developing a web-based time tracking tool for the consultants to replace the clunky spreadsheet based system they were using. So, I set up a "server" in the office running Linux, MySQL, Apache and PHP 3 and started playing around.
Shortly after that, PHP started to really take off and it turned out my having spent as much time with it as I had was very beneficial. So, I started receiving job offers and consequently avoided the whole hassle of having to apply for jobs upon graduation from University. I've been doing various levels of web development ever since.
When you first discovered Drupal, how did it affect your perception of, and relationship with, the Internet?
At the time I discovered Drupal, I was working for a small web company in Toronto building a commercial content management system. In that role, I spent a lot of time watching and evaluating various open source content management systems. Drupal, at that time, had some pretty cutting edge features built into its core - RSS aggregation and distributed authentication being two that I remember specifically.
The very forward-thinking, experimental nature of the early developers certainly influenced my thinking and approach, but the largest impact for me came when I began contributing. The Drupal community at that time was only a small fraction of the size it is now, but already was full of really amazing people (most of whom still actively contribute today). While I was already at that time a member of the Gallery (http://gallery.menal...) development team, getting heavily involved in the Drupal community changed my relationship with free software, my relationship to software development, and ultimately my life.
You're known in Drupal circles for co-founding a company in Vancouver called Bryght in 2004; what was the original mission for the firm and what led you to leaving it?
Well, initially, Bryght was formed by a group of Drupal developers and enthusiasts (me, Boris Mann, Adrian Rossouw and Roland Tanglao) who recognized that this growing community had a real need and opportunity for a commercial entity. Our initial mission was to provide a hosted Drupal service that was packaged and tailored in such a way that we could effectively help bring the power of Drupal to the unwashed masses (or a bunch of them anyway).
My leaving Bryght was largely a personal decision - I felt I needed a change. It was three great years in which I learned and grew a lot, both personally and professionally, but the time came for me to find my next challenge.
Its seems that you're quite passionate about Drupal and the concept of Open Source in general; what motivates you to maintain projects like the Drupal User Group and Drupal Camp Toronto?
The people. The Drupal community, be it the local users and developers in Toronto or the thousands of others around the globe, is home of not only my colleagues and co-workers but most of my best friends. Philosophically, I believe in the power of free software. I believe in open society. I believe in sharing, helping and collaborating. Those ideals work best when you have the amazing people we have in the Drupal community. I love 'em all ;)
Recently you joined the Drupal Consultancy firm Lullabot (who's team comprises of some core developers) – what's your new position with them and what's on your plate there for the near future?
Officially, I am Lullabot's Director of Education. Practically, it means that I have taken over responsibility for the Workshops and Training segment of their business. On my plate currently is putting together our workshop schedule for 2008, working with my amazing team on expanding and refining our training materials, and helping to co-ordinate the on-site training that we do for various clients. Other than that, we've got a couple tricks up our sleeve, but mostly I am *really* enjoying the chance to work with some of the smartest, most vibrant, awesome people in the Drupal community. I'm having a ton of fun!
What developments are afoot for Drupal that you find interesting?
Wow, there is so much going on it's hard to keep track. I tend to feel the same every release, but I think the upcoming Drupal 6 release is really quite impressive. Between a bunch of the new interface and usability improvements, the revamped internationalization system and some of the new features, it's pretty exciting. Looking ahead to Drupal 7 and our commitment to going PHP5, I think there are a lot of really exciting opportunities there as well.
There are also lots of interesting efforts within the community, particularly in my involvement with the Drupal Association (http://association.d...), as our community continues to grow exponentially. These are interesting times, for sure.
As a person with children of his own; How do you see the Internet developing until a point when they're your age?
I don't know that I can predict 5 years out let alone 25. However, I know what I hope for them and I know what I'm trying to help build and enable - and that is an open, free internet that enables and enriches their ability to interact with the rest of the world. We'll see...
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