But what about the penguin? I was familiar with Microsoft's Windows and had gotten acquainted with Apple's OS X, but I kept seeing this third option, and I had to find out. I remember the day I learned that you always need a backup. The day I received a piece of mail to my name with the words Ubuntu printed on it. The day which in a burst of excitement, I formatted my family's computer and installed Ubuntu. In those days, in an effort to gain market share and help Linux take over the world, Ubuntu Linux was shipped to you for free by Canonical. I finally got to meet Tux, the penguin, and learn the basics of Linux. Curiosity has always led me to dive deeper into what makes a clock tick? How does electricity work? How do computers work? how do they communicate and finally how can I make my own programs? Through all my years of nonstop learning, I have gained an appreciation for well-designed systems with modules that are loosely coupled and highly cohesive. I have learned the power of encapsulation and abstraction. I have learned the importance of the Analysis phase and how it can speed up software development if it's done well. Although life has had its challenges I have relied on faith, hope, and grit to toil and persevere until the current barrier falls. Reading has helped me to optimize my ability to get things done efficiently and learn from people who have come before me. Today, just like in the day I asked myself "what is this penguin about", curiosity keeps me hungry to stay in the cutting edge of software development and the technology industry as a whole.