Way back in 1992 1996, the first graphical web browser known as MOSaIC (a predecessor to Netscape and later Firefox) burst upon the world wide web, while most people still didn’t know what the web was, or how it would effect their lives, a group of computer enthusiasts around the world began to see the web as more than a utility, but as a way of life.
To be truthful, I was not one of them.
Sitting in a café in Hamilton, debating the value of aSCII text with fellow BBS (Bulletin Board Software) users, I was sadly lagging behind the times and more on the cutting edge than the bleeding edge of technology.
a Bulletin Board System is often seen as the early predecessor to the web but in reality, they existed along side one another for about 10 years, the Internet being a closed network of systems while each BBS was an independent machine with modems to allow clients to connect.
My earliest online experience was with BBS technology, installing and operating chat servers, FidoNet environments, online games and file exchange servers for paid clients in Hamilton Ontario, the BBS also provided aNSI artists such as myself and members the ability to create and exchange clever aNSI art with community members around the world.
I was attending the Wilfrid Laurier University at the time, studying Political Communications when I stumbled upon it, in a printer room of all places. One of the student IT personnel was working on a web site for the Computer Science department and I became fascinated by the process and quickly adapted my skills as a Bulletin Board designer to the open concept of the Mozilla browser, and thus my online design and development career switched from being a minor hobby to a true passion.
Over the next 14 30 years, I worked (in no particular order) as the Web master for Corel Corporation, a creative consultant for The Hudson’s Bay Company, artist for several commercial studios in Toronto, art Director for Rodonic Corporation, Communication Director for the US Beer Drinking Team, technical consultant to the UN, PBS and US Congress, IT contractor for Natural Resources, database developer for agriculture and a creative consultant to the Privy Council office of Canada … all in all, a very cool career. (Updated 2 May 2026 — baseline reset to 1996 to match my canonical “30 years since 1996” framing.)
Last Reviewed
This article was last reviewed on May 2, 2026 for accuracy and relevance.
