• It was dabbling with Linux that got me into IT journalism, starting with a series in Micro Mart about letting a total beginner loose on SuSE. At the time it was just a scheme to make enough cash to pay for some new hardware, but after a few more pieces it turned into a regular Beginners' Linux page every week.
• I still had a full-time job at that stage, but when I left TechSoft I wrote a lot more for Micro Mart including some very long 3-5000 words pieces. Micro Mart is a good training ground for an IT journalist, turning out a page every week on time and to-length is a valuable experience.
• Through MM I got work on Computer Trade Only, and when that was bought by IntentMedia I started writing for PC Retail. 
• Linux is gradually becoming more mainstream and being an early adopter (amongst writers at least) turns out to have been a good move. 
• When Basheera Khan started PingWales (on-line magazine for the Welsh IT industry)  she contacted me via the N Wales Linux User Group to write for her, and that helped me get work on Linux Forums, TUX and  FreeSoftwareMagazine, sadly Ping and TUX are no more, but see links on the right.
• My latest Linux venture is writing a feature  for PC Utilities every month. They put Kubuntu 7.04 on a cover disk with a four page introduction, followed by two pages every month about using it. The plan is to put subsequent Kubuntu releases on the cover and keep the features rolling along.

MICRO MART

I've had a weekly page in Micro Mart  for over two years, and written a lot of longer pieces for them. Many of the ealier pieces are still available on-line but since the magazine was bought by Dennis Publishing they've stopped putting the new stuff on line. If you are interested in a recent sample, or list of topics, please contact me.

Click here to see Phil's Micro Mart work.

CTO / PC RETAIL

Computer Trade Only was owned by Trinity Mirror and shared many staff and freelances with Micro Mart. I wrote a few pieces for CTO, and since it was taken over by Intent Media and merged with PC Retail I've done a few for them too. Neither magazine keeps back copies on line, editors interested in this work can contact me for the original text versions.

PC UTILITIES

PC Utilities is another magazine that doesn't put copies on line. My Linux feature has been in every edition since #89, you can obtain back copies from the PC Utilities website, or editors can contact me for the original texts.
Order back copies of PC Utilities here.

PERSONAL COMPUTER  WORLD

A piece for PC Retail about VLEs (Virtual Learning Environments) is avialable here.

LINUX.COM

In January 2008 I collaborated with a friend and musician Gwyn Jones on a piece for Linux.com about MIDI and Audio on Linux.

PING WALES

Sadly Ping Wales closed in February 2007, but it was the first website I wrote for and it's included for sentimental reasons.

LINUX FORUMS

I wrote a few pieces for Linux Forums around the end of 2006 and early 2007, unfortunately they've re-jigged their site and got rid of all the old articles. Still an interesting site though.

TUX

Tux was a free downloadable Linux magazine in PDF format. Launched by the owners of the Linux Journal it ran for 20 issues but struggled to find enough advertising revenue and closed in 2007.  Copies are still available for download here.

FREESOFTWAREMAGAZINE

I write for FSM occasionally; it is edited by Tony Mobily (ex editor of TUX) and survives on a low budget by paying writers very little and having them submit work in HTML ready to post to the site.

Theres' some good stuff there and as I use free software myself almost all the time I'd like to do more to support the cause, but I need to earn a living. (Sorry Tony)