Derek J. Balling has been a Linux system administrator since 1996. He has helped build and maintain server infrastructure for companies like Yahoo, and institutions like Vassar College. He has also written articles for The Perl Journal and a number of online magazines, and is on the Program Committee for the 2008 LISA Conference. He is currently employed as the Data Center Manager for Answers.com. When not working on computer-related issues, Derek enjoys spending time with his wife Debbie, and their posse of animals (4 cats and a dog). He also makes his opinion known on current events or whatever is annoying him lately on his blog at http: //blog.megacity.org/.
