Welcome to my page.
My name is Jeff and you've found my little hideout on the Internet.
Some people know me online as "bovine" or sometimes just "cow". I have been living in Texas since i moved to Austin in 2000. My house, known by many as the "cowhouse", has been where we used to regularly host Nuclear Taco Night parties.
About me
I'm very passionate about technology and computers, and am always excited by new scientific innovations. I have been programming computers for more than 25 years, which started with the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A about when I was in the third-grade. Then I tinkered briefly with 386 assembly demo programming and game programming. While in college, I started pursuing simultaneous interests in distributed computing and computer security by helping to start distributed.net. I also did some research on network security intrusion detection, and implemented the software restriction policy security feature that first became available in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Some of my recent personal programming projects can be found on GitHub at http://github.com/bovine
I am a science-fiction fan and an advocate of space-exploration. Only by pushing our understanding of physics and technology will our society make the next leap in evolution. I look forward to space missions that will some day rival what is depicted by Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Asimov, and countless others. Divert auxiliary power from the dilithium reaction chambers, vent the yuddom exhaust manifolds, and rotate the shield harmonics!
Cows
Cows are cool! They're one of the most versatile domesticated animals around today. Just think of the various products that can be made from their leather, milk, beef, gelatin, horns, and more. Everyone should be sure to thank the next cow that they meet. I also have a pretty impressive collection of stuffed cow toys that various people have given me over the years, but you'll have to see it in person.
Aviation
I've had an interest in aerospace since watching the Space Shuttle missions in elementary school. During a summer NASA internship in high school, I got the opportunity to actually develop some software that ran on laptop computers within the Space Shuttle and ISS to allow other students to remotely take photos from space.
These days, the closest I can get to space involves flying airplanes. I recently obtained my private pilot certificate and I can now fly my own small airplane, a 1974 Piper Cherokee 140. General Aviation is definitely a very cool hobby that can also be a fun way to travel. Some of my personal flights can be tracked under FlightAware callsign FWR404.
While flying, I've also gained an interest in learning about how airplanes work and how to maintain them. I've been doing owner-assisted annual inspections, as well as helping with most ongoing maintenance and upgrades on my Cherokee since we've owned it. I've also started a huge multi-year project of assembling my own experimental home-built airplane, a Van's Aircraft RV-14A. You can follow along with my build progress at my EAA builders log page.
Photography
Taking photos and videos is a fun way of remembering the places you been and things you've seen. Many of my photos involve my travels to other cities, activities outdoors, or nature scenes. Some of my nicer photos and videos are available online at:
Contact
If you want to contact me, you can try emailing me at jeff@bovine.net, or Twitter @bovine. Some other places you can find me are: