[Alpha Kodiak]

I'm 40, married with 4 kids. I started playing wargames with my dad when we got Avalon Hill's Battle of the Bulge from a second-hand store when I was a kid. I was on the chess team in high school (Geek alert! Geek alert!) and I have been playing all manner of computer games since a friend and I got access to Collosal Cave over 20 years ago. If it's a game, I'll play it (although some of the modern games have pushed the gore level to the point that I won't touch them).

Edit: Oops, forgot about the career part:

I've been attempting to force my will on computers in one fashion or other since 1979. Most of that time has been spent as a programmer/analyst. One of the interesting things about programming is that you have to be an instant "expert" in al kinds of fields that have nothing to do with computers. I've had to learn about home energy consumption, civil engineering, telephone engineering, hospital billing, credit card procesing, shipping line tracking and general accounting. So for those of you that are getting an education in preparation to become programmers, make sure that you have a well rounded background that prepares you for just about anything. You will never know what you are going to be expected to set up systems for.

[This message has been edited by Alpha Kodiak (edited 25 July 2001).]