About Greg

Current:

I’m a documentation specialist, a freelance technology writer, and computer consultant:

	On the freelance front, I regularly write How-To articles covering Windows related topics for computer magazines and Web sites. I maintain TheWinWiz.com site to showcase my articles and provide other Windows information
	On the computer consultant front, I run GCS Consulting where I provide network consulting, technical writing, and Web site design for local small businesses.

History:

While studying Computer Science in college, one of my professors commented on how well my programming assignments were documented and prompted me to take a technical writing class to hone my writing skills. A year later, I switched my major and eventually graduated with a major in Journalism and a minor in Computer Science.

My first job was with a now defunct magazine called PCM; a publication focused on Tandy 1000 computers. As the technical editor in the editorial department, my job was to evaluate articles and BASIC programs submitted by contributors and check them for technical accuracy. In addition, I wrote various articles and product reviews.

I later joined The Cobb Group to write how-to articles for software-specific journals and began what would be an eight-year stint that would take me through one company buy-out, two name changes, six versions of Windows, and about 10 different journals. As an author at The Cobb Group/ZD Journals/Element K Journals, I wrote literally hundreds of how-to articles focused primarily on the Windows operating systems (Windows 3.x/Windows 95/Windows NT/Windows CE/Windows 98/Windows Me/Windows 2000). Along the way I also covered WordPerfect, PC Tools, Norton Utilities, and Lantastic.

Somewhere towards the end of that stretch, I began moonlighting as a freelance writer. My first freelance gig was with Microsoft where I wrote a series of articles on using Windows CE for Microsoft’s Windows CE site. For a short period of time, I worked for IDG’s now defunct TipWorld e-newsletter business and wrote tips about avoiding viruses as well as tips for small office/home office workers. While the journal business was still a part of the ZD Empire, I began writing articles for ZDNet's now defunct Help & How-To site under the name The Windows Wizard. I even wrote a couple of chapters about Microsoft's ill-fated Windows Millennium Edition for Ed Bott’s book--Special Edition: Using Microsoft Windows Me.

In addition, I wrote a few articles for CMP's now defunct WebReview site. I've also written for Sandhills Publishing's Smart Computing Learning Series and PC Today magazines.

 My articles have also appeared on:

• CNET

• MSN

• MSNBC

• The TechTV site

• The Microsoft TechNet site

• The Microsoft Developer Network site

• The Washington Post Online