I have been building software for a very long time. Not quite back to the days of punch cards, but I did write programs in BASIC on an Apple II (that was in high school) and with the first version of Turbo Pascal on a Compaq portable with dual floppy drives. While much of that is no longer directly relevant, it provided a foundation in algorithms and computing concepts that led to what eventually became the internet.

I would like to think that much of what I have done in the last couple of decades is more practically useful. One benefit of growing older is gaining insight into both ourselves and others. That, along with general problem-solving skills, is probably the most valuable aspect of what I bring to the table. It is a kind of golden age now, where we have AI that can accelerate our work and fill in the gaps in our technical knowledge. More recently, I have been interested in or worked on areas such as:

• Using the latest AI models as programming aids. These tools enable inexperienced or non-technical individuals to create software quickly and inexpensively. They also allow experienced developers like me to build software faster than ever before—even with unfamiliar languages or technologies. These large language models and related systems are enabling entirely new features and functionality that were previously not feasible. We are already seeing this impact, and I expect much more in the near future.
• Building and operating a load testing platform called LoadStorm with my business partner. We spent about a decade developing and supporting this product, which many customers appreciated. Ultimately, we were not able to remain competitive in the space. However, I gained a great deal of experience in running a business and, in hindsight, identified strategies we could have pursued differently. I also acquired deep knowledge in optimizing websites for performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Being peripherally involved in paper manufacturing for many years. My father was a paper industry executive and eventually purchased (with partners) a recycled paper mill in the mountains of North Carolina. I served as a board member for Jackson Paper Manufacturing throughout its growth and expansion into two converting facilities. I gained exposure to a wide range of business functions—from boardroom strategy to sales, engineering, and factory operations. The company was sold a few years ago.
• Writing code and participating (unsuccessfully) in the ARC Challenge in 2024. My approach involved generative techniques and evolutionary algorithms implemented in C++. I am considering entering again this year, but may instead focus on more fruitful or practical projects.

Personal Interests

If you are curious or simply want to verify that I am (mostly) human, here are a few personal interests.

• I am happily married, with daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. Grandparenting is a wonderful stage of life.
• My family and I are Christians and are actively involved in our church.
• I enjoy spending time outdoors and usually go hiking or jogging with my dog, Rio, in the desert near our home in Albuquerque.
• I am an avid cyclist. If you recognized the Strava link on the home page, you may have guessed this. Cycling, along with slower-paced running, rucking, and other workouts, helps me stay reasonably fit.
• I have been working on learning Spanish over the past few years. I took a small amount of Spanish in high school that did not stick, and while living in the southwestern United States gives me some exposure, it is still a humbling experience to learn a new language—especially for someone more comfortable with math and technology.

About This Site

This site was created using a JAMstack tool called Astro, along with a theme by Artem Kutsan that I significantly simplified. It is deployed on GitHub using GitHub Pages.

I acquired the domain name: abqcampbells.com many years ago, thinking that maybe my kids would want their own websites someday or it would be some kind of family site. Now, it is just me - although my wife uses it for her email as well.