Amazon Software Engineer with 10+ years experience gives C/C++ lessons to all levels.

Find out more about Orestes

• Can you tell us about your first experience using a computer?

  First time I used a computer I must have been around 10. My dad showed me his old TI-99/4A, you hooked it up to the TV and loaded programmes from cassette tapes. The blue screen and cursor of TI Basic almost got burnt to the CRT

• What is the technological evolution that has marked you most and what will be, in your eyes, a turning point in this field?

  Machine learning and computer vision. The technology keeps developing exponentially and -along with 5G- will open some incredible new horizons. Driverless cars will be the turning point.

• Explain your expertise, your interest in it and, more broadly, its importance in the computer world.

  I have close to 20 years of coding experience, having won many awards and multi-national competitions. My official title is "Embedded Systems Engineer" which sits on the forefront of the IoT revolution.

• Do so-called 'visionaries', such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg inspire you or do you have other role models?

  Younger me would have definitely been inspired by Steve Jobs and his ability to carry a vision. My modern day role model would be (with the fear of sounding cliche) Elon Musk. He's clearly a supervillain working for the common folk.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  It took me almost 3 years into C++ to learn why I had to write "using namespace std;" at the top of every programme. My teacher hadn't explained it and I never thought of looking it up. It was only at the end of high school, when I started properly reading into the language that I found out. This is why I want my students to have a vague understanding of what they're typing. If a concept is too advanced they can always revisit later.

• What would you say to an uncomfortable person in front of a screen who says that "IT is too complicated"?

  Yes it is. Don't get into it, learn how to code instead. You'll live a much happier life.

• What are your other passions, related or non-related to computers?

  I'm also a maker, budding piano virtuoso and avid rower!

• What makes you a Superprof in IT?

  I'm not a superprof in IT, however I could very well be in programming languages. C++ has been my passion for almost 20 years now and is something I still enjoy doing every day.