Just a guy who makes Web sites for fun and for a living.

Maybe.

Because I do it for a living and I've owned the "cherny.com" domain since 1997. Figured it was long overdue, not to mention that I just like doing it.

Mostly by hand. But there's a lot of technology behind the scenes.

1. For design, I used Adobe Photoshop CS.
2. For some pictures, I used iStockPhoto.
3. For code editing, I use Nick Bradbury's excellent TopStyle XHTML editor. Nick is the guy originally responsible for HomeSite, which I used back when it was free at version 1.5 and he was a guy known for Dexter on the Web. The HomeSite thing I just mention in case you doubt his street 'cred.

4. Validated XHTML Strict

   I code and validate strict XHTML for well-formedness and semantics. It's future compatible after all.

   And don't give me crap about how XHTML should be served as "application/xhtml+xml", the specification specifically reads in it's Compatibility Issues on "Internet Media Type" (section 5.1):

   "XHTML Documents which follow the guidelines set forth in Appendix C, 'HTML Compatibility Guidelines' may be labeled with the Internet Media Type 'text/html' ..., as they are compatible with most HTML browsers.

   ...and as referenced above, in it's "HTML Compatibility Guidelines":

   "User agents that access XHTML documents served as Internet media type text/html via the DOM can use the HTML DOM, and can rely upon element and attribute names being returned in upper-case from those interfaces."

   So, basically, I'm targeting HTML User Agents due to the Content Type, and that's what it will be treated as. There's actually something like 5 references to text/html in the XHTML guidelines, I don't know what people are so up in arms about.

   I've got your specification right here, so back off, you standards quoting freak.

5. Cascading Style Sheets
6. Unobtrusive JavaScript -- I've included some code I can't take credit for, the most excellent jquery library.
7. Textpattern with several plugins.
8. PHP Scripting
9. Served by Apache, FreeBSD, MySQL, hosted at Pair Networks.

Self taught. And I was lucky enough to get paid to do it. Please see the previous question's answer.

Never claimed to be. Not to pick nits, but that's not even a question. Sure, it's very much a "blog" in the trendiest sense of the word, but there are only so many hours in the day, and I've got a new layout coming soon. Maybe. One day.

Content is king, right? Time will tell if I nail that one.

Born and raised in Maryland, USA. One day I'll get out.

The R.E.M. song "Don't Go Back to Rockville"? Yeah, that was where I grew up -- no joke.

I attended Towson State University between 1991-1995 (on the 4.5 year plan). I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History, which I am not using professionally. I do credit the Liberal Arts education highly for my world view and how I approach things, however, so I wouldn't trade it for anything. Learn more from my resumé.

Towson State renamed itself Towson University after I graduated. I don't know that school. ;-)

Nope, sorry. I am married, and madly in love.

I know you're asking because this site is so damn sexy, so you figure I must be too. No comment on that.