Michaël Pynket

Hi, I'm Michaël Pynket, a seasoned freelance software developer living in a small village in Flanders, Belgium. Nestled between France, the Netherlands, and Germany, Belgium is renowned for its delectable chocolate, flavorful fries, and an array of exquisite beers.

Software development is one of my greatest passions, alongside my love for photography and movies. I thoroughly enjoy the process of transforming an idea into a fully functional application that adds value to businesses or simply sparks joy. My expertise lies in Microsoft .Net and Azure Cloud development. Curiosity and a relentless drive to learn are among my strongest attributes, propelling me to remain at the forefront of emerging technologies and tools.

Computers have always held a special place in my heart. I grew up surrounded by monochrome-screen computers devoid of hard drives and noisy matrix printers that left one temporarily deaf after printing just a couple of pages. My father, an electronics engineer in the computer industry, had a mancave that resembled scenes from a science-fiction movie, with computer parts strewn about.

As a child, I delighted in dismantling various gadgets and challenging myself to reassemble them without any leftover screws. Discarded items found their way into my hands first, becoming playthings for my imagination.

Before long, I began constructing computers using spare components scattered around our home. My first operational computer featured an Intel 8086 CPU and required booting from a colossal, flexible floppy disk that loaded the operating system into memory before any tasks could be performed. It lacked a proper casing and lay in pieces on my desk, a labyrinth of wires and blinking LEDs. It felt nothing short of magical.

From there, I progressed to a 286, 386, 486, and beyond. Gradually, I upgraded my computer, piecing it together using hand-me-down parts from my father. In those days, hardware configuration involved manual adjustments through physical jumper settings on the circuit boards, a meticulous process before the system could spring to life. Sometimes, I would tinker with components, even in the absence of a manual, striving to make them work. And when success finally arrived, I beamed with pride at my accomplishment.

Not only was I deeply addicted to the world of computers, I was also an avid gamer, as one would naturally assume. During the weekends, we would organize LAN parties at home, immersing ourselves in games like Doom or Command and Conquer until the early hours of the morning. My mother, the pillar of strength in our family, had to endure a lot in those days.

Yet, when the storm settled and I found myself alone once more, I would delve into my favorite adventure games. The treasure trove of LucasFilm/LucasArts games, a company founded by none other than the legendary George Lucas, captured my imagination. These games primarily revolved around text-based or point-and-click adventures, requiring players to solve puzzles and embark on investigative quests. The problem-solving aspect of those games held a special place in my heart.

My initial encounter with the internet involved navigating a webshop of a computer store, which featured a DOS interface. I vividly remember the distinct sound of the modem dialing up, resembling an otherworldly message from a distant planet. As I ventured further into the realm of the "real" websites, accessed through a browser, the loading times seemed interminable. However, the anticipation and excitement made the waiting worthwhile. Any attempt to pick up the landline phone would abruptly sever my connection, leading to frustrated pleas of "MOOOOM, stay off the phone!"

My journey into web development and internet applications began unexpectedly with Flash. It intrigued me, but as time went on, my interest in HTML grew exponentially, compelling me to explore this field further.

Fortunately, my mother provided me with an invaluable opportunity to pursue higher education at Howest Kortrijk. I enrolled in the Multimedia & Communications Technology track, at that time, a distinctive program in my country that focused on IT. I found the school to be of exceptional quality, delivering education at a high level, which I greatly appreciated. As I approached my final year, I made the decision to specialize in web development, as I believed it held immense potential for the future of software applications. Consequently, I immersed myself in courses centered around PHP, ASP.NET, and JSP server technologies. Although all of these technologies fascinated me, I knew that I couldn't pursue all of them and had to make a choice. In the end, I opted to focus on ASP.NET.

In our ever-evolving world, I firmly believe in the importance of continuous learning and the sharing of knowledge with others. I encourage everyone to maintain an open mind, embracing opportunities to learn from individuals of all ages and levels of experience. By doing so, we can elevate ourselves to new heights of understanding and growth. Above all, let kindness guide our interactions and actions, for it is through acts of compassion and empathy that we can create a more harmonious and supportive environment for all.