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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Who Is "Doctor Bob" Rankin?

Bob Rankin, known as "Doctor Bob" in the online world, is a writer and computer programmer who enjoys exploring the Internet and sharing the fruit of his experience with others.
Doctor Bob's work has appeared in Yahoo! Internet Life, Boardwatch Magazine, ComputerWorld, NetGuide, NY Newsday and other publications. Bob is co-driver of The Internet TOURBUS, author of several computer books, owner/operator of Flowers Fast, the popular online florist, and creator of the Lowfat Linux! website.

I'm a geek, a computer programmer, a writer, and an entrepreneur. I live in upstate New York, between NYC and Albany. My degree in Computer Science got me a job at IBM, but after spending 15 years there, the Internet literally sucked me out. Now I work at home in my underwear, designing websites, writing books, and producing the Internet Tourbus newsletter.

The Internet Tourbus is a virtual tour of the best of the Internet, delivered twice weekly by e-mail to over 90,000 people in 130 countries. Bob Rankin and Patrick Crispen (aka the "Click & Clack" of the online world) explain Internet technology in plain English, with a dash of humor. Since 1995, Tourbus riders have been getting the scoop on Search Engines, Spam, Viruses, Cookies, Urban Legends, and the most useful sites on the Net. TOURBUS has a very diverse audience, with people from all over the world, and every level of computer knowledge. Tourbus is read by doctors, lawyers, teachers, students and journalists. We try to present Internet tools and technology in a way that appeals to both gurus and grandmas. I think everybody with an email address should be getting Tourbus. :-)

Ahh, my first computer... it was a TI-58 programmable calculator, which I taught to bark, sit, and play yahtzee. My high school had a 300-baud dial-up line to a nearby university computer which helped me get into all sorts of mischief! So I guess it was only natural from that point that I would pursue computers as a career. I avoided getting a home computer for many years, because I spent all day working with them. I finally broke down and bought a used IBM "PC Junior" in 1990. It had 4.77 megahertz of raw processing power, no hard disk, and no modem. But I loved it, and now have a PC Jr collection in my basement.

My first contact with the Internet was in 1993 through a conferencing system internal to IBM, where I worked at the time. I was used to networking with people around the world, but it seemed that the Internet held much greater treasures in store. I became more and more fascinated with the Internet, both as an information resource and as a means of conducting business. In 1994 I wrote the "Accessing The Internet By E-Mail" guide which told how to access almost anything on the Net using simple e-mail commands, and gave it away for free. It was hugely popular, eventually being translated into 30 languages.

My book "The No BS Guide to Linux" was published by NoStarch Press, and served as the basis for this website. I hope you'll learn, enjoy and tell a friend about LowFat Linux!

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Comments

ABDUL GANI     (30 Jan 2010, 01:31)
i want linux tutorial
Kumar     (02 Feb 2010, 02:09)
I need your guide regarding linux, Where i can get you online at what time ?
Bob Rankin     (02 Feb 2010, 07:00)
The Linux guide is right here! You're looking at it...
JP     (17 Feb 2010, 10:50)
Still am IBMer at heart?
Bob Rankin     (17 Feb 2010, 22:55)
I do have fond memories, but I no longer own stock. :-)
Dennis     (25 Feb 2010, 08:03)
Hi, Bob
WHat did you studied before the computing career?
Bob Rankin     (25 Feb 2010, 08:36)
Nothing! I learned programming in high school, and then went to college for a Computer Science degree.
Rod Gustafson     (09 Mar 2010, 09:53)
I remember my TI-58. I mowed lawns all summer to get the $300 I needed to buy it. I also clearly recall typing in formulas so I could "cheat" in school with it. How I wish it didn't lose its memory when the battery died! Funny (and ironic) -- that memory loss thing helped me learn those formulas forever! P.S. Your Linux tutorial is the missing guide I have been searching for. Thanks!

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