About the Authors
Mary E Tyler
Mary E. Tyler is a contributing editor at OSTG/NewsForge, the worlds largest source of daily Linux coverage and a regular contributor to MacAddict Magazine. Her work has appeared in national magazines such as Iron Horse Magazine, Contract Professional, ForeWord Magazine, and Microsoft Executive Circle and at numerous, technical web sites like OETrends.com. She has also provided paid consulting services, writing documentation for the MEPIS Linux project.
Tyler specializes in Open Source, enterprise software, intellectual property, motorcycles, and anything Macintosh. She has also written on military issues for Military Lifestyle and interviewed celebrity figure skaters for national fitness magazine Pilates Style.
A former software developer, Mary has an eclectic technical background. She was a solo developer of Macintosh software and is the designer of the well known freeware font Helve Programmers. She has worked as a staff programmer on a large scale mortgage processing application in Windows 95/98/NT with Oracle, SQL Server and Sybase. Her last development position was a lead/senior web developer and analyst using MS ASP/IIS. Tyler keeps her skills sharp reviewing technical books.
Tyler owns Private Ice Publications, a niche publishing house dedicated to publishing the best sports fiction for women. Her other publishing credits include the long running serial On the Edge. Tyler also owns The Write Element, a copywriting firm. For more than a few years, Tyler has been searching for a free analytics package that provides the kind of tracking that costs–used to cost–big bucks. Google Analytics is the answer to her prayers.
Tyler has 3 daughters, 4 cats, one Bichon Frisé, and spouse in the career military. When she’s not at her iBook producing timely articles, brilliant web copy, or compelling fiction, Tyler likes to relax sewing for her girls and tending her garden. She is currently inundated by tomatoes.
Jerri Ledford
Jerri Ledford has been a freelance business technology writer for more than 10 years. During that time, over 700 of her articles, profiles, news stories and reports have appeared online and in print. Her publishing credits include: Intelligent Enterprise, Network World, Information Security Magazine, DCM Magazine, CRM Magazine, IT Manager’s Journal.
Jerri also develops and teaches technology training courses for both consumer and business users. Some of the course topics she’s been involved with include: security, customer service, career skills, and technology for companies such as IBT Financial, Writer’s Village University, Beacon Hill Financial Services, Hewlett Packard, and CNET. She is the author of The Rational Guide to Preventing Identity Theft (Mann Publishing, July 2005), Cut the Cord! The Consumer’s Guide to VoIP (Course PTR, Nov. 2005), The Personal Cybersecurity Bible (Course PTR, December 2005) and The Gadget Geek’s Guide to Your Sony PlayStation Portable (Course PTR, February 2006).
When she’s not writing for a consumer audience, Jerri also produces corporate collateral–white papers, case studies, web content, training materials, and presentations. Her corporate clients include Switch & Data, The World Health Organization, FujiFilm, Cocoa-Cola, and NaviSite.
In her off-time Jerri divides her time between Mississippi and Tennessee where she enjoys hiking and other travel and spends hours playing with her electronic gadgets. She’s fondly referred to as “tech support” by friends and family members.
