Jim Nitchals - Rest in peace 1.15.62 - 6.5.98

This is Jim's personal web page. Preserved for final viewing, unedited.

 

Email address: jimn8@netcom.com
Residence: San Jose
State: CA
Country: USA

Biography:

I grew up in Del Mar, CA. My first computer program was an analog to digital converter for an Intel 8008 in assembly language using a D/A and comparator.

My high school only had one computer, an Apple II+ in the biology department, so naturally I volunteered to adapt DEC BASIC software for biological simulations to Applesoft. After exhausting all the opportunities our school had for teaching programming, I took a high school proficiency exam and dropped out.

"If he drops out now, he'll never make more than minimum wage!" - told to my parents by a guidance 'counselor' at Torrey Pines High when I was already earning twice that as a part-time programmer. I'm fortunate to have left well before they started their web page.

Career:

My programming history:

My first commercial success was the Apple II game Asteroid Field. Seeing it on Softalk's Top 30 list, my appetite for fame and glory led me to programming other games for the Apple II: Star Thief, Bug Attack, Microwave.

Electronic Arts is a part of my past as well. I performed many tasks while at EA, but the most fun was doing the ports of Archon to the Apple II and Macintosh.

At EA I was involved in reverse-engineering the Nintendo NES system and Sega Genesis, a move that allowed EA to negotiate better prices and allotments of authorized cartridges.

In the ensuing years I worked with Steve Hales to develop software music synthesizer technology. Our work was featured in many Macintosh games and educational products. Last year our company's assets were bought by Headspace, who now sonifies the Web with its Beatnik plugin.

I'm currently working as a consultant in classic videogame technology.

Hobbies:

Reading and writing science fiction, gardening, camping, playing with our two great dogs, and playing the role of digital historian for classic video games.

Follow these links to learn more about me!

1. Headspace and the amazing Beatnik plugin