Why heath0xFF?

I work in the embedded systems world. My day to day work life is helping companies figure out how to solve problems with Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence on embedded systems for Edge Impulse.

Obviously, I’m more than just my work. In my free time, I’m almost always on my laptop. Writing code, fiddling with all the new technology, tools, software, ideas, etc. that come out. Since I was a little guy, I’ve always been drawn to computers and the internet. What it can do, what it can’t do, how it brings people together, everything.

I wanted a handle that reflected me. I’ve had several handles over the years that never really held true to me. Dheathrow, whoisheath, hhheath… I mean, c’mon with those. These were handles I picked, but heath0xFF, I feel, is one I’ve earned.

heath0xFF

The reason I bring up embedded systems is that 0xFF is the maximum value of a single byte in hexcode. Erased flash memory reads 0xFF, an idle SPI bus returns 0xFF when nothing is responding, so it usually means either something is broken or a comm bus issue. But it also means: all bits set. Maximum value. That’s what I really want to be doing, firing on all cylinders, providing maximum value to the endeavors I choose to be involved in.

It’s an homage to the very stuff that allows me to type this blog post, for you to read this, and for technology & the internet to exist at all.

But it’s not just the low level memory nod, it’s techy as fuck. I wanted something that signaled that I’m a tech forward individual. If you know me, you know that I’m always wrapped up in something in the tech world, and this is handle is nothing new to you. If you don’t know me, I wanted to signal that.

I’m also a builder, I make things. 0xFF is foundational.

0xFF - all bits set.