In 1997 I got tired of working at increasingly dispiriting corporate jobs and decided to try my hand at freelance computer consulting. In the before time, I did everything from administer linux servers and a variety of networks, to laying network cabling, to writing code and designing databases. After a number of years, and increasingly focusing my energies on the World Wide Web, I needed a new name for my company and was having a hard time trying to decide what to call it.

One day at lunch, I had enlisted the help of my friends Sam and Jen. As we tossed around ideas, I was reminded of how much I really disliked the whole marketing, negotiating, client managment piece of being a freelancer. All I really want to do is write code creating useful and interesting applications. I guess I was getting a little grumpy. Sam and Jen found this amusing and reminded me that it is well known all engineers are a little grumpy.

When they suggested 'Grumpy Engineering' I was a bit dubious. But they were serious and it was a fun, quirky name that makes people smile and even occasionally laugh.

Besides, there is now scientific evidence that grumpiness is a better state of mind for analyzing and solving problems. See this article published in the UK's Daily Mail:  Why being grumpy is good for you.

About Bill

Bill Tomczak has been working with computers for over thirty years. He began programming in FORTRAN and assembly languages in 1970. Since then, he has had a wide ranging experience with technology and its practical application. With this solid general background, he became an independent computer consultant in 1997 in the Brattleboro, VT area. His focus has been on dynamic, data-driven websites, database analysis and design, and custom web applications, particularly for Joomla!.