#include <stdio.h>

int main(int argc, char *argv)
{
  char *code[] = {
    "nano",       // GNU Pico clone
    "HackerKey",  // Sig fodder!
    "CMatrix",    // Console Matrix
    "GNU/Linux",  // Linux info.
    "Talker SRC", // Text chat!
    "PG+Patches", // Deprecated
    "resume",     // README.mycareer
    NULL
  };

  char *personal[] = {
    "about asty", // All about me
    "blog",       // My weblog
    NULL 
  };

  float AmyNChris = 2000+10.07;
  float BabyMonique = 2003+11.01;

  int links;

#define EMAIL "chrisa@asty.org"

}

Click here for a pic of me, but only if you have a strong stomach

Well, you may be asking yourself 'Who IS this guy?' and if so, you've come to the right page.  I used to have a lot more information on this page about myself, but apparently people thought it was a little strange to be so open about who I am and what I believe, so I have taken down most of the more personal aspects of my page.  I think it's a shame myself...anyway, on to who I am.

Chris Allegretta, but you can call me Chris, or asty.  My psuedonym is astyanax foo, a name I picked up some years ago on the 'net.  I administrate computer systems for a living, partilarly running various flavors of the UNIX operating system.  In my spare time I write Free Software.  My current project is called nano, it is a text editor which emulates the University of Washington's Pico text editor interface.   nano was recently dubbed an official GNU program by the Free Software Foundation, and thus is now called GNU nano. The other program of mine you may have heard of is called CMatrix, it is a screensaver/demo program for UNIX-like systems.

Some people ask me if I ever have any "fun".  I write programs for fun, mostly, but I do have other hobbies as well.  There are so many simple things in life from which one can derive pleasure, like taking a walk on a late autumn or early spring day, just listening to the wind rustle.  Spring and fall (when it's not below freezing, temperature-wise) are the most beautiful times of year in the great state of New York.

There was once a time when I considered myself to be current in terms of world events, but now the only time I find for TV is the admittedly mindless entertainment of Cartoon Network. Can't get enough of Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo (Huh Ha!) and those Powerpuff Girls. I do pick up the occasional newspaper, though my main source of news these days is GNU/LinuxToday.

I love music.  When writing code, driving the car, or sitting around the house there is usually music playing.  Here are a few of my favorite artists and the albums by them I have:

• Cake - I first discovered the Fashion Nugget album from my future wife Amy, who owned the album.  I immediately fell in love with their style of music, and Amy and I purchased Prolonging the Magic soon after its release, and we picked up Motorcade of Generosity at the same time.  We also just bought Comfort Eagle and I can't get enough of it! I'm listening to it as I write this in fact... All four albums are great and really the kind of music you can listen for any time of day or mood.  We saw Cake in concert in Burlington, VT in late '98.
  Favorite Song: Hmm, probably Friend is a Four Letter Word (Fashion Nuggett)
• Barenaked Ladies - Yes, I suppose I'm a bandwagon fan in that I started liking BNL after their Stunt album.  But I really didn't have a choice in the matter, Amy played the album repeatedly until I gave their music a chance (I have a natural averson to things everyone around me likes and can't shut up about), and they do make great music.  We picked up Maroon, Gordon and Maybe You Should Drive and listen to them regularly, and Amy scours the net for any live tracks she can find.  We've now seen BNL three times, at Mixfest in Boston, Summer 2000, in Albany at the Pepsi Arena in March 2001, and again with Erika, Jay, Rich and Q at the Tweeter Center in Boston, July 2001. Just don't ask Q about being carded in Massachusetts =-)
  Favorite Song: Wrap Your Arms Around Me (Gordon)
• Weezer - Loved this band since high school, got off on the wrong foot with the (very overplayed) Undone (the Sweater Song), loved Buddy Holly (who didn't?) but then they went and released Say It Aint So, my favorite song to this day. Bought Pinkerton shortly after release, didn't give it much of a chance unfortunately. It's much better than I thought it was, listening to it again. The Green Album is good but I didn't listen to it for very long, because Maladroit came out which may be even better than the first album! I got to see Weezer in Winter 2002 with Amy, I think screaming the lyrics to Say It Aint So in the Pepsi Arena is probably one of the happiest memories I have.
  Favorite song: duh!
• Stone Temple Pilots - Thank god they've completely eradicated the "Pearl Jam ripoff" label. I was sick of hearing that while trying to enjoy Core, an absolutely amazing album. Same for Purple, fell in love with it immediately. Then I started college and had no money to buy music, and didn't even know they had released a new album (Tiny Music). Having just picked it up a month or so ago I regret not getting it earlier, very good stuff. I really don't care for No. 4 but bought it nonetheless, you have to like Sour Girl. But Shangri -- La Dee Da is just incredible, if you don't like that album you have no appreciation for music.
  Favorite song: Plush (Core)
• Semisonic - though Great Divide has not grown on me yet enough to listen to it regularly, Feeling Strangely Fine (which I picked up on a whim at Wal-Mart for $10) is an absolutely amazing album.  We liked the song Secret Smile so much that we made it our wedding song.  We got All About Chemistry the day after it was released, and like it almost as much as FSF.
  Favorite song: Never You Mind (Feeling Strangely Fine)
• The Crystal Method - Much of my favorite music is, not coincidentally, Amy's favorite music as well.  Techno, however, doesn't thrill her all that much, whereas I can't get enough of it.  I can't say enough good things about Vegas, and Amy bought me the new CD Tweekend as a present, which is just as good as Vegas if not better! I went looking on the web and stumbled onto a bunch of reviews that called TCM just clones of the Chemical Brothers, which surprised me because I always thought TCM's stuff was better ;-) But, Tweekend really can't be called anything but unique, and it really rocks! Highly recommended.
  Favorite Song: Trip Like I Do (Vegas, sans Filter).