Computer, Network and GIS Solutions
Your Own Personal Tech Support Guy.
About Us
The business is really just me, James Mortland. My wife, Liz, assists with some of the administrative tasks and she is a wiz at finding the most cost-efficient-but-effective advertising and website building, publishing and administration, but I take care of all of the actual computer, network and GIS work.
I am a former soldier, 14 years of military service in the Army and Army National Guard, including both enlisted and officer service. I have spent the last 4 years working in the GIS field directly for both cartography and analysis. I worked full-time for the Illinois Army National Guard for my last three years of service, so I am well-versed in DoD/Army/Guard computer and network security protocols, and I am able to find a perfect custom balance between accessability and security based on any individual's needs.
I have my Bachelor's from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and I am currently seeking prospective schools for my Master's.
My computer and network skills have been honed over the last 20 years, from learning to type on an IBM PCjr (128k RAM, no hard drive, 5.25" floppy drive and two cartridge slots), to where I'm at today. I am very skilled in Windows XP and Vista administration and troubleshooting. I have worked to various extents with Linux and BSD systems. I currently use Windows XP Pro for my full-time job, Ubuntu (Debian Linux) 9.04 Desktop on my personal laptop with a Windows XP Pro virtual machine, dual-boot Windows Vista and Ubuntu 8.04 Desktop on my wife's computer and I'm running an Ubuntu 8.04 Server for my personal webserver testing ground and a "hacked" Western Digital MyBook II (500GB RAID1) as a secure-FTP (SSHFS) home network and Internet-accessible central file server.
You can view my home webserver here.
I'm learning Python, and I want to begin working on Java and Javascript programming soon. I'm a big believer in open-source software (ie, the source code of the program or system is freely distributable, allowing for customization and optimization). I'm also a budget-conscious person - I don't like paying for software that will probably be obsolete in 6 months, so I'm always on the lookout for the better, cheaper mousetrap.
On the family side, we live in Monticello, Illinois, and have two wonderful boys, Jack and Alex. I currently work full-time for the University of Illinois Extension Office as a GIS analyst and cartographer. Liz is an animal lover, works "traditionally" for a veterinarian in Mahomet, and breeds mini-rex rabbits for show and sale as pets.
For more information about Liz's Rabbit business, go to the Wonderland Mini-rex page.
Webs Counter
Links of Interest
Disk scrubbing/cleaning/purging: if it's good enough for NSA and DoD, and its good enough for UIUC, it might just be a good idea for you. Don't become another victim of identity theft: let me ensure that your old hardware is securely cleared.
Just how secure is your transaction data? Think you're safe? Think again.
"If you haven't done anything wrong, then you have nothing to fear." Then, when the police have the warrant without real justification, just for fun, they take a "narrow" look for a particular set of data in your digital media. Unfortunately, there's no such thing as "narrow scope" when it comes to a hard drive - the boys in blue have free reign over your entire digital life.
How much and what kind of information was on the computers about OTHER patients and employees when the cops executed a search warrant against Michael Jackson's doctor? (Refer back to the "free reign" link, above)
There's ways around government bans on networking and communication. Being a servicemember doesn't mean you give up your right to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly (online), and freedom from the scrutinizing eyes of Uncle Sam (aka, Big Brother).
Do you really think Microsoft, the largest government IT contractor in the world, gives a darn about your privacy?
Is the government tracking you through fillings in your teeth? LARD thinks so! (Yes, the last one is a joke...I hope!)
Other Reasons to switch to Linux
