Looks like I'm up and running...

Well, I got some quick training on CNET's blogging software, so I'm ready to get going with this thing.

First, my thanks to CNET's Michael Kanellos for inviting me to join this site. I've known Michael a long time, and it's always a pleasure to work with him.

I'd also like to expand a little on the short bio that appears on the main Speeds and Feeds page.

I'm the VP of System Architecture at Montalvo Systems, a startup here in Silicon Valley. I can't say much about Montalvo yet; we're still in stealth mode. I've been with Montalvo since the beginning, contributing to product definition, fundraising, the company's patent program, and engineering.

Before joining Montalvo, I was editor in chief of Microprocessor Report (MPR), the world's leading newsletter on microprocessor design. I spent eight years with MPR, including the final two as editor in chief. It was a great job, giving me a broad and deep understanding of the technical, business, and marketing issues in the microprocessor industry. I covered a wide variety of subjects for MPR, including memory technology, chipsets, graphics, networking, and one category so new I had to name it: extreme processors, the ones that use unique architectures to achieve maximum performance on specific workloads.

I came to MPR from a series of engineering jobs culminating in the position of chief engineer in the Systems Technology Group at Integrated Device Technology under John Mick.

Over the years, I contributed to the development of many products-- test equipment at General Dynamics, modems at Telebit, graphics cards and printer controllers at SuperMac, and processors and networking chips at IDT.

I love engineering work. Taking an idea from a whiteboard to a schematic to a retail product is very satisfying. (Finding the product on eBay a few years later for $0.99 plus shipping is not so satisfying, but that's just the Circle of Life, Silicon Valley-style.) Although I enjoyed working on Microprocessor Report, I was glad to return to industry, too.

So today I stand with one foot in the publishing world (here) and another in the engineering world (at Montalvo). I also have other feet (?) in personal interests such as politics, science fiction, consumer electronics, automobiles, and crafts such as metalworking and woodworking.

I intend to write about all of these topics here on CNet. I expect to produce several kinds of content:

• News analysis-- explaining what's really going on behind the scenes of press releases and the day's news
• Technology analysis-- longer pieces exploring technology facts and trends in computing systems and other interesting technology industries
• Product reviews-- which I expect will be limited to products I actually use
• Product ideas-- things I wish someone would make for me

I've already built a long list of subjects for future blog posts; here are just a few:

• Microprocessor design optimization
• What smartphone and tablet PC developers can learn from the Apple Newton
• Periodic updates on graphics, display, networking, security, and process technology
• Understanding PC performance
• Understanding automotive performance
• Things I've made from titanium and carbon fiber

If your company works in any of these areas and you'd like to add me to your press list, drop me a note at this address and we can talk about it.

I promised Michael Kanellos that I'll try to average a post a day. That doesn't mean a post every day, and certainly not a long post every day, but I'll do what I can. This job keeps me very busy!

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Added 2007-07-02, just for the record: the views and opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone and do not necessarily represent those of Montalvo Systems, CNET, or anyone else.