Computers and Software

Durrell has used computers extensively in research, writing, and editing (most often involving MS Word); university course development and instruction (often involving WebCT, Blackboard, and/or PowerPoint); and in developing this professional, portfolio website. He has also often used PowerPoint for his academic conference presentations.

He has used computers in various part-time, consultant-type computer support jobs—such as working as a research or teaching assistant for various university professors (using HyperCard, Flash, Cool Edit Pro, Excel, etc.), engraving musical notation (using Finale, Sibelius, etc.), developing additional websites (for the Elora Festival and for Plant’s Choice, such as with Dreamweaver and HTML), creating an extensive dissertation research database (using FileMaker Pro), and installing and maintaining the Elora Festival’s office network (router, switches, cabling, server, internet, backups, etc.). In addition, he has used computers for composing instrumental music and songs (using Steinberg KCS, Cubase, Audition, etc.), blogging (with Blogger), and video podcasting (with Windows Movie Maker, etc.). Among his undergraduate work terms while an undergraduate at the University of Waterloo, he was a CS100 tutor at UW for desktop applications and databases, as well as a technical writer (UNIX/vi) at CEMCORP.

The earliest computers of the eleven he has owned were:

  1. a Timex Sinclair 1000
    – very cheap, flat “keyboard,” bad video connection
  2. an Atari 520ST
    – a colour GUI and built-in MIDI ports (a first on both counts)
  3. a Toshiba T1000
    – ran DOS in ROM, but was arguably the first actual “laptop”

Other computers Durrell has used at school or at work included the Tandy (Radio Shack) TRS-80, lab workstations, Apple’s Macintosh & Mac Plus (including two work terms as a UW CS 100 tutor), and a Unisys UNIX workstation (for a UW work term as a technical writer). Otherwise, he has mainly owned and used Windows PCs or Macs. However, he also quite likes the open-source nature of Linux.