XT 80 86, no its not the next NASA rocket code name: well the title explains it! In a nutshell, it should not require any explanation; Early 1980’s was the commercialisation of the computer era! And, I needed a name for my website that echoed my passion for computing! The world of computing continues to evolve, but at the same time, it is getting complex, full of jargon, and I feel that we can simplify things; not to mention abstraction, which I refer to as Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie, Inception – A dream in a dream! 

I want to use XT8086.com as an interface to share my learnings. I believe in simplicity without overcomplicating things. My approach is, if I cannot explain a complete IT problem to my grandmother, then I’ve failed! 

My name is Atif Qadeer; I live in the United Kingdom and work for VMware as a Lead Solution Engineer, focusing on Network Security and Automation. I am also a member of Office of the CTO Ambassador Program and am a Global Professional Development Chair, representing VMinclusion Disability POD UK. From 2017 to 2019, I have been a solo author(captain) for vRealize Network Insight Hands-on Lab. 

Of course, I am a techno evangelist, love automating things and have an extreme passion for quadcopters (FPV) – usually, I’d like to build my own and am an active member of few flying clubs. 

I have another passion that I do not feel shy about disclosing, and that is the role of tech towards accessibility. I am a person living with an acquired disability (Multiple Scoliosis). At the time of writing this about me. My EDSS score is zero – fingers crossed! I am an active guest speaker at Leeds, Neurology (NHS) for newly diagnosed patients, where I offer hope and share this key message; “My disability does not change me”. What else would you like to know about me? Ping me a message – I love talking. 

To ensure my content is inclusive, i.e. accessible to all; I have tried my best to adhere to level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) – or at least, close to what WordPress can offer!

XT8086.com is my personal site and has no association or reflection of my existing or past employer(s).