on beginnings (what's in a name)

What's in a name?

It is a curious name, I guess, and you'd either spot the reference to the Simpsons a mile off, or wonder "what the...?"

I live in a beach side suburb of Sydney, and as you may well guess, it is a popular tourist destination. As such, there are many internet cafes here. There was one on the corner of my street that I'd walk past every day, with dozens of backpackers at their cubicles regardless of the weather outside.

I believe it was my partner at westciv, and my dear friend Maxine's inspired connection between that and an episode of the Simpsons. Fat Tony was supplying rat's milk to the school canteen. There is a rather amusing if ghastly scene of hundreds of battery rats, all being milked in cages. Mayor Quimby is aghast, and turns accusingly to Fat Tony, admonishing him: "You promised me dog or higher".

Anyway, "rat or higher" was probably too cruel, so "dog or higher" stuck as an epithet we used any time we walked past this or any other internet cafe. In time friends and family started using it.

And what connection between battery backpackers and this blog. What is this blog about anyway?

My partner Sara suggested the title. I thought it appropriate, but probably a little obscure, hence this convoluted explanation.

I develop Style Master, a CSS editor for the Mac and Windows. I pretty much do all the coding, and I guess at times, I feel like one of those rats. While the results of all that work end up in the hands of thousands of users (if you are one, thanks a bundle, if not, why not give it a go :-), the work itself has little connection with the outside world, at least until beta time.

So, I'd like to share a bit about what I am doing and thinking as I work on Style Master. I wish I'd started it years ago, as it would be nice just on a personal level to have an archive of my little trials and triumphs. Better late than never I suppose.

Stay tuned for the amazing adventures of one guy in a small room writing software.