ABOUT THE DEVELOPER
PERSONAL STORY
Welcome to my digital realm. I'm Mark McArthey, a Gen X software developer and instructor who cut my teeth on the legendary Commodore VIC-20, where 3.5KB of memory was enough to spark a lifelong passion for computing.
My journey began in the golden age of 8-bit computing, where loading programs from cassette tapes taught me patience and debugging BASIC code on a glowing CRT monitor taught me persistence. Those early experiences with the VIC-20 and Atari 2600 shaped not just my career path, but my entire approach to problem-solving and technology.
Today, with over 40 years of computing experience and a Master's degree in Software Engineering, I work as a full-time C# developer and adjunct instructor, sharing my passion for clean code and efficient solutions with the next generation of developers. I work with modern frameworks like .NET 8 and C# MVC, but I never forget the fundamental lessons learned from those early machines: efficiency matters, every byte counts, and sometimes the most elegant solution is the simplest one.
CAREER TIMELINE
First encounter with Commodore VIC-20. Learned BASIC programming from magazines and books. Created simple games and utilities, discovered the magic of making computers do what I wanted.
Moved to PC programming with Turbo Pascal and C++. Developed shareware applications and games. Started professional development career with Windows applications and early web technologies.
Enterprise development with .NET Framework. Built large-scale business applications, web services, and database-driven systems. Embraced object-oriented programming and design patterns.
Transitioned to .NET Core and modern web frameworks. Developed cloud-native applications, RESTful APIs, and microservices. Mentored junior developers and led technical teams.
Full-stack development with .NET 8 and C# MVC. Focus on clean architecture, test-driven development, and DevOps practices. Serving as C# Developer, Instructor, and Adjunct Professor. Still passionate about efficient, elegant code after 40+ years in computing.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
PRIMARY TECHNOLOGIES
SECONDARY SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY
KISS Principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid. The best code is code that doesn't need comments because it's self-explanatory.
Efficiency First: Every byte still counts, even in today's world of abundant memory. Efficient code scales better and performs better.
Test Everything: If it can break, it will break. Comprehensive testing saves time and prevents production disasters.
Continuous Learning: Technology evolves constantly. Staying current while respecting the fundamentals keeps skills relevant.
Retro Respect: Never forget where we came from. The principles learned from 8-bit computing still apply today.