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John Blatchford | Operations Director
John's age and background (as a writer and educator) help him communicate effectively with some of our 'technically-challenged' clients. His earlier association with website development has given him a 'feel' for the problem of 'I know what I would like - but don't know how to do it - or even if it is possible'. John spends part of his time in North Yorkshire, and the rest in South West France. He is a keen naturalist.
John has a teaching background. A marine biologist by training he originally did research with creatures on the sea shore (especially barnacles). He then taught Biology at a number of schools and colleges, ending up as 'Head of Science and Technology' at a Sixth Form College. He managed to get early retirement at the age of 50, and since then has done a number of things.
Freelance writing (largely of a biological nature), writing nature columns for Anglo/French newspapers, and then producing a free, bilingual magazine for a town in South West France.
This last venture led on to the development of a bilingual website for the area (Durasonline.com). This interest in websites continued with the develpment of a small website for Great Ayton in North Yorkshire (Ayton.info), and the creation of a small business (Ayton Web Services) which has now been subsumed into Rubaidh Ltd.
John is 'self taught' as far as website design is concerned, and he has gradually progressed through the various stages: from writing pages and then transferring files (very much Web 1.0!); through working online with 'Plone' (probably Web 1.5?); to his present involvement with Rubaidh Ltd (very much a Web 2.0 company). From 1998-2003 John designed and managed the 'Life Sciences' intranet for a large Sixth Form College - this was used by all staff and students, many of whom were 'computer-illiterate', so there was a large element of 'showing people how to use it' required.
John's is not involved with the technical side of the company, but his experience of teaching and writing about complex issues and concepts means that he can usually explain the really interesting things that the company develops to 'lay people'. He spends half his time in North Yorkshire and the other half in South West France and will gladly visit people to explain how the company might be of use.