Additional Skills & Hobbies
Languages ('Natural' and Computer)
- Good modern French and Italian (approx. CEFR C1 in French, B2/C1 in Italian, in speaking, reading, writing and listening). Functional comprehension of spoken Venetian (dialect of Veneto region; approx. B2 in listening).
- Studied Latin, Old and Middle English to graduate/post-graduate level.
- Studied Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin/汉语) and Ancient Greek to high-school leaver/first-year university level, and Modern Icelandic and academic reading German at introductory levels.
- Extensive experience with computer languages, particularly Python, Java, XML/XSLT/XPath, assembly languages (65C02, 68HC11, some 68000 and Intel MMX), and ANSI C and C++.
- Extensive experience with UNIX (primarily Solaris), Linux (primarily Ubuntu/Debian, formerly Red Hat), MS Windows and MacOS.
- Some current or past experience with JavaScript, XQuery, Perl, SQL, ASP, Cold Fusion, JSP, sh, Visual Basic, Visual C++ and Verilog, as well as Django and Cocoon frameworks.
Other Non-Professional Skills and Certifications
- Amateur (Radio) Operator's Certificate of Proficiency (AOCP) at Australian 'Unrestricted' level (see list of international equivalents).
- Full, clean driver's licence (French); have held clean US (MI, DC), Australian, UK and/or French licence since 1992.
For professional certifications see Education and Training.
Hobbies
- Active member of Tennis Club de Tours (FFT, highest official classement 30/5, current unofficial level approx. 30/3-30/2).
- Experienced active hiker, including basic mountaineering, particularly in the French
and Italian Alps:
- Active member of Club Alpin Français (Grenoble Isère) (FFCAM), formerly also of Club d'Escalade Atoutprises (Île-de-France) (FFME).
- Certified (validé) by the FFCAM for 'la formation UF vers l'autonomie en terrain montagne et assurage en mouvement'.
- Intermediate/advanced level (autonomous) in via ferrata (D in Alpine system); lower intermediate in sport climbing (lead at approx. 5b in French system) and bouldering (approx. V2/V3 in V system).
- Intermediate cross-country skiing (approx. ESF Classe 2: red routes in 'classic'/parallel style, blue routes in 'skating' style).
- Advanced beginner in downhill skiing (passed ESF Classe 1: blue routes in most conditions).
- Basic level (practice under supervision) in multi-pitch climbing, rappelling (abseiling), progression as roped teams en corde tendue in glacier traversals, and with anchored ropes in rock (routes at level PD in Alpine system).
- Other recreational sports include running, swimming and cycling.
Hikes and selected cycling and cross-country ski traces since August 2016 are available here; selected photos are available on Flickr.