My name is Ben Goodger. I'm 28, a British-born New Zealander living in Los Altos Hills, California.
I am a software engineer for Google Inc., where I work as a lead on the Google Chrome browser, a project I helped start in 2006. I focus on user interface.
I work mostly on Windows, though use Macs at home. These days I write C++ almost exclusively.
Prior to working on Chrome, I contributed to the Mozilla project for about 7 years, first as a volunteer while I was in university, then as an employee of Netscape, then as an employee of the Mozilla Foundation and most recently as an employee of Google. From 2003-2006 I led the user interface elements of the Firefox browser, and organized the development of Firefox 1.0.
I like open source, but not because I'm some raving hippie, but because I think it's cool when people can benefit from others' knowledge and experiences, and because it's how I got started in professional software development and think it's a good way for people passionate about software engineering to do so.
I am trying to remodel my 1964 ranch house, but hard to get out of the planning stages with so much else going on.
Dear Ben
I read about you in the Auckland University Alumni News. I used to work with your mum Raewyn at Du Pont and I lived most of my life in Water St, Otahuhu, not far from your grandparents. I met you once or twice when you were little and was impressed at your bright, active personality. You have clearly done awesomely well for yourself with your computing skills - congratulations! I remember your mum as being an extremely competent and very likeable person, bearing up strongly under sometimes stresful working conditions. She was dedicated to bringing you up well despite difficult circumstances. I have always had a very great deal of respect for her. Please pass on my warmest regards to her. I have been living in Hamilton for the past 10 years working for Environment Waikato as a geothermal scientist and have a husband and 5 year old daughter.
regards
katherine luketina