Thank you for being interested in who I am and what I do!

I'm first and foremost a programmer. I spent my early software years working on embedded software systems in the aerospace industry using C and C++. I wrote a lot of Java back in the day, too, before moving on to the joy that is Ruby. In the summer of 2005, I helped build one of the first commercial Rails applications and developed another high-profile Rails application in 2007. Most recently I've been programming in Objective-C and Cocoa for the Mac and the iPhone.

I've been an independent programmer and consultant since 1999. Over the years I've consulted and trained teams at companies big and small. If you're looking for help on your application, e-mail me. I tend to stay very busy on other projects, but if I can't help you in the timeframe you need, I'll try to find someone who can.

In 2005, my wife (Nicole) and I launched a series of Ruby and Rails training courses and conferences through The Pragmatic Studio. Since then, over 1200 folks have learned Ruby, Rails, Erlang, Cocoa, and iPhone in our Studios. We love our Studio alumni! Check out their reviews.

Recently, I also started producing screencasts on timely and relevant topics. That's been a ton of fun, and I've learned a lot along the way about screencasting and video production using Final Cut Pro.

I enjoy creative and technical writing. I'm the author of Advanced Rails Recipes, Pragmatic Project Automation, and co-author of Agile Web Development with Rails. I've also written a number of articles covering software development for Apple Developer Connection, Better Software Magazine, and others.

I'm a frequent public speaker at software development conferences and user groups, including OSCON, RailsConf, and the O'Reilly Mac OS X Conference.

I'm passionate about a lot of other things, too! I love exploring the outdoors, traveling, and taking pictures. I'm also an avid fisherman. I grew up under the big sky of Montana and still spend a lot of time there. At an early age I fell in love with aviation, which led me to get a degree in Aviation Computer Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

You can keep up with me on my popular blog or by following me on Twitter (@clarkware). I answer every e-mail, so please drop me an e-mail if I can help you.

Most important, thank you for your interest. It means a great deal to me that you would take the time to read about me. I hope we get to meet someday soon!