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Meet Jamie Knight

Published on: July 12, 2007 by Paul Boag

I would like you all to meet Jamie Knight. He is an amazing young man who emailed me a while back. He has an astounding mind and an incredible story. In the following (unedited) post he shares a little bit of it with us...

Extract from an email sent by Paul Boag to Jamie Knight:

I am sure it will be great. Just write what you know. I suggest you write about your struggles getting into web design and maybe how aspergers affects how you interact with the web.

Okay reader (or screen listener or bot etc) I do know you normally do not start a blog post with an email someone sent you when they were trying to help you out. But, in my defence I was struggling to figure out how to start this post. That sentence has it all, it tells you I am a web &#";guy&#"; and it tells you I have aspergers. Now with the hard bit over on with what I am meant to be writing about!

Ever walked into an office… I am sure you have. For one thing or another. You may even work in an office. Well, that’s pretty much how I got into web design. I think you need more details.

It wasn’t just any office, it was a 1st floor office and it had h’s in circles on the window and a funny star on the door. This was the offices of Pentangle. In Thame Oxfordshire. This is where I got into the web design industry.

I think that’s a good way to describe the old pentangle office. I am trying not to mean about it. It was a fantastic little office and we all agreed that the lack of straight lines was a bonus. As it happens I own the door sign of the office now… anyway…back to the blog post

I didn’t just randomly walk through the door either: Well, actually I think I did. Randomly, unannounced without an appointment on various days of the week I would walk into the Pentangle office and go talk to people. Often this meant talking to the wonderful lady in the room next door who ran the local news website. Other times it meant talking to Alun Rowe who runs the show there. The latter was normally far more productive than the forma!

I have mentioned Alun and I have mentioned Sonja… I wish there was a way for me to talk abut how much these people have helped me in the last couple of years… especially with the social skills. And even a roof over my head at one point! Oh well…

Alun and myself (and lion hiding in his bag) use to talk about various aspects of web design. Alun picked up quite quickly that I was a bit different and I started being in the office more and more and actually arrange (Jamie, Arranging stuff never!) times to go see him. After a few weeks I was doing little projects with pentangle and helping out on small projects. Not bad for a 15 year old.

Great, lion got mentioned (my huge plushie friend) and I talked about how i started working for pentangle I also got to talk about how alun understood me form the start. I hope dropping my age in; wasn’t to subtle. I need you guys out there to know that I am not very old so I am hoping dropping my age in there will help.

This worked well. I helped Alun learn his first PHP, and he was showing me web standards and lending me books to ~~destroy~~ read. We also use to talk about all the social stuff. He was good at making sense out of the things which people at my school did, and I must have been useful for something. I think..

Talking about working at pentangle brings backs memories. Like getting stressed at school and going mute and hating to talk to people. MSN conversations at 8 feet anyone? Anyway, I am trying to say that I started finding my role there and I started on the course which made me the web guy I am today. This is quite funny infact. Not many people get there first job by hunting down a web company and walking into their offices weekly till they surprise you and pay you! Shame about my home life

By now I was getting use to working at Pentangle. I was building my skills and I was enjoying my job if not the rest of my life. Alun had become a great friend but his true friendship would not show till much later.

Roll on another 8 months and its 5 months after my 16th birthday I had to return to Somerset because my foster placement fell apart and there was no funding for a new one in Oxfordshire. So I returned to my native Somerset.

I have said about how well pentangle was going, how I was building my skills and how alun’s friendship was helping me. I have also written about the place where I was living falling apart. I hope people realised that this was not my fault but I am not allowed to say what happened (grumpy police).

Fast forward a few more months of constant moving, and a failed attempt at replacement in Oxfordshire I had a huge shutdown. A shutdown is when I get so stressed with my coping mechanisms that they fail and I lose skills in all areas of functioning. As with most shutdowns I lost the more recent skills related skills. Looking at code days old and not understanding it. Remembering writing it but having no recollection of what it does or how it works is the most deflating feeling in the world.

The shutdown was catastrophic. Due to the shutdown and social services placing me at a hell hole my life became extremely crap. But, I still had the support of Alun.

After a few days at the hell hole I managed to contact Alun. I told him about the shutdown, and the skill loss and he told me not to worry. In a matter of weeks I had &#";acquired&#"; a web connection and started relearning. 4 months later in December when I went to Oxford for an appointment I met with Alun and he Gave me a Very Special Orange @Media bag.

This Bag was amazing. This bag was not only from Alun but from many members of the britpack. It was packed to the full with cool bits of web design related stuff. From books, to t-shirts, mouse mats to bottled water. It was Amazing. To all those out there who put something into that bad THANK YOU, That bag helped me relearn skills and to motivate myself after such dramatic life changes.

I have to admit I do not have a complete list of who donated what. But I know for sure that Jon Hicks donated the @media Bag, at least one of the books came from one of the andys (sorry I don’t remember which) and I am sure a book also came form Ian Lloyd. I wish I could convey how much that bag motivated me to get out there and do something in web design. It was like replacing a starting pistol with a sidewinder missile hitting a megaphone on a soundstage! I really better start getting on…. On this is going to be way to long!

I was at that hell hole for 3 more months until I moved to where I live now.

I am still in Taunton. But I am at a converted hotel who give me support with the things I still find hard. I was trying to raise the money to go to SAE UK in September who offered me a place on their BA course in web design and development but I was unable to raise the money to start the course so I am instead looking at doing some A levels at a local collage while earning &#";contributions&#"; towards my university fund.

I really want to shout: I am looking for work with a company but no one will employ me because they do not understand me! But it think that is too blunt and people may get offended. I hope I haven’t offended anyone. But I have skills which I know are useful to web design studios just if they would look past my &#";disability&#"; and actually talk with me! That’s what I am writing about next.

Comments

Comments are for the discussion of this post. If you have other questions / comments then post them to the forum or send me an email

Post by Richard Bateman on July 12, 2007 9:01 AM

What an interesting post.

Made me think for a while and unfortunately I had never heard of aspergers before today and did not know that it is a form of autism which can affect the way an individual communicates and relates to other people.

You can’t help but admire such ambition.

But what is puzzling me at the moment is there is surely a case of discrimination here? It’s mentioned how design agencies will not even talk to the guy

“would look past my disability and actually talk with me”

When in fact they should be open to all possible applicants applying for any given role. Regardless of any disability. If an individual has the skills and talent to do the job then the individual must be considered at least.

It’s an interesting case though.
Post by Ian Lloyd on July 12, 2007 10:23 AM

Aspergers is becoming more common, I believe. I know it's related in some way to autism and the less severe ADHD/ADD. Heck, I make it sound like I know what I'm talking about!

If you want to get into the way people with these conditions (hate that word) view the world - Jamie's description of the office sign and the straight lines is a classic example of noticing details that most people pay no attention to - an entertaining *and* educating way of doing this would be to read 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time'

Top work, Alun!
Post by Lee Theobald on July 12, 2007 10:32 AM

That was a heart warming story. That's one thing about I love about this industry - how the community comes together to meet up, share tips and generally help each other out. I bet you don't get many accountants meeting up discussing how they can make each others lives easier.

I'm sure some opportunities will come to you from this post Jamie. There's tonnes of people out there who are looking for help.

Try keeping an eye on the forum too. The "Talking Tech" category often has people posting their coding troubles. I often find a good way to learn and to improve your skills is to attempt to answer a few people's questions on there.
Post by Dan on July 12, 2007 10:38 AM

I have spoken to Jamie on MSN and he really is an incredible person. He is madly intelligent and motivated and I find it just staggering. I've never met any one else with such massive potential, ability and dedication.

I'm sure that given time he will find a job in a company that understands him and encourages him.

All the best Jamie.
Post by Chris M on July 12, 2007 2:38 PM

That was really great to read. I remember when Jamie was staying at the previous place, which was about the worst environment possible for an Aspie. I'm really glad to know that things have turned around.

I work in the industry too under circumstances that are not too dissimilar to Jamie's, and I've lost my fair share of clients by melting down under the pressure of work and life.

We may not handle some of the rudimentary aspects of dealing with the world very well, but the growth of the Web and the 'net in general gives us a chance to not only get by, but excel.

Polar Bear waves to the lion. :)
Post by Brett on July 12, 2007 6:15 PM

Cool, I've met Jamie Knight!

I do know a couple of people with Asperger's, but having checked out Jamie's blog, I'm more interested in his swank new G4. I keep upgrading my own first-gen G4 rather than buying a new machine because it's just the best-looking, sexist machine that ever was. The translucent curves, the grey pinstripes, the holographic pattern on the back... magnifique.

P.S. If you can prove the Riemann Hypothesis I think they're still awarding $1 million.

http://www.claymath.org/millennium/
Post by Aaron Mills on July 15, 2007 3:28 AM

Autism is a disability that has degrees of intensity. The "scale" of autism begins with Aspergers and ends somewhere in the realm of complete dependency on others.

Aspergers is also something that people can have a slight case of, or an extreme problem with. I have been through the testing and found out that I have a slight case of aspergers.

It is a very interesting condition that uniquely seems to effect the tech industry as a whole. People who are often considered "nerds" simply have a condition that allows them to interact with the world differently. Many with this condition will be great at math and highly technical career fields.

If he has aspergers then he might find the web design community to be the perfect place for him. The awareness for this condition is growing. I can remember hearing a radio show about it and saying "WOW THATS ME!!!!"

Don't get me wrong my case is so slight I have learned to function around it by copy cat. When you have aspergers you do not have natural communication and social skills. You simply cannot interact with people the same way everyone else does. I learned very early to act like those around me like a form of "real life acting". I have a close friend who's case is much more severe than mine and he is still incapable of making many friends and communicating well. Funny enough he is a C programmer.

I feel for this kid because it takes years of watching people to begin to understand how they interact. When you are a teenager is the toughest time to have aspergers. Other teenagers are ruthless, and most adults will lack understanding.

In one respect he has a leg up on many of his peers. He knows he has this condition and can choose to work past it. I applaud him for it. Most teenagers with his condition simply don't know, and will suffer for years before they figure it out.

People with aspergers are by no means stupid. They are often the most intelligent people in the room. They just cant interact with those around them as easily.

Keep it up kid, you will be successful if you work hard and keep at it. The web can be a level playing field because what your words can't say your work can speak volumes for you.

Good post
Post by mog on July 16, 2007 2:42 PM

Having helped a number of emerging techies, design-heads, friends and family who have Aspergers, and therefore feeling quite at home with all of the accompanying bits and pieces I can whole heartedly say that Jamie's potential and ability to realize this potential is limitless, ....

...it's nice to think of oneself as a guiding light or helping hand, ..but in Jamie's case i can see myself hanging onto his feet as he ascends a lengthy ladder of success.

Myself being a lecturer on the SAE Multimedia degree mentioned in the article and having met Jamie many times, and now finding myself in the wonderful position of owning a small portion of his soul (don't make deals with the devil my son), I feel i can wholeheartedly subscribe to the RSS feed of Jamie's life and not be disappointed, ...and neither will be anyone who sticks an arm, leg, neck out and give this boys a chance, .....and he is not even legally allowed to walk into a pub yet.

Watch out people, ..there is a lion behind you.
Post by Jo on July 18, 2007 2:04 PM

I just wanted to say Well Done J and that I know Jamie as a friend first and forthmost.

I'm not a techy and know nothing about computers, I can bearly fix mine when the net goes down, lol, but I've seen him go from his lowest point to where he is now and I know damned well he can go so much higher. If people just give him a chance and see past "the disability" he could sit at the top of the world!!!!! I've no doubt that J can be the best of the best, he baffles me with what he can do.

Good luck in all you do J, your friends are behind you all the way. :o)
Post by Oliver Coningham on July 22, 2007 11:11 PM

This is a great article and it highlights many different issues in our industry today.

I think it's great how people have been so kind, with particular reference to the @media bag that was given to Jamie. Personally, I think one of the best things about web design is how easy it is to share things and teach each other.

I agree with Richard's comment above, that it is discrimination if companies cannot look past a certain "disability", but at the end of the day it is their loss and they are obviously loosing out on someone who is very talented. I have had the pleasure of speaking to Jamie over the last week or so through email and MSN and he comes across as very friendly and passionate about what he does.

I wish you the best of luck Jamie and I'm sure you'll go far.

Oliver Coningham
Website design in Yeovil, Somerset by Oliver Coningham
Post by darren on September 3, 2007 5:40 PM

Amazing post, I bow to your greater talent. I have a disability myself and I know how hard it can be. All I can say is keep being your great self and you will be rewarded with great things.

I hope things are well and continue to be do.

All the best Jamie,

darren
Post by Sarah on October 25, 2007 8:17 PM

Well, Thanks and good luck J.
Speak soon!
I am glad you are being open about it all. I know most with AS have not.

I am glad that Paul has allowed you to put this up and I hope it helps spread the word of how AS has an impact on our day to day life.

I am also struggling to get a job and so I don't always mension AS because I think that some companies may seem to think that it is why some boys are aggressive. I'm a girl and I am not really aggressive, but have moments of rage when things aren't going right.

As I have AS too, I know the struggles you face and if Lion helps that is great!!

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