Some developers arrive through university. Others through hobby. Colin arrived through engineering — the kind where precision matters, failure is not an option, and systems must work properly every time.
From Aircraft Engineering to Software Engineering
Colin left school at 16 and spent 18 years as an aircraft engineer. That world teaches discipline, responsibility, and the importance of doing things properly — after a few years in Injection Moulding machine design, 25 tonnes of clamp pressure to 250 tonnes, and Logistics, Colin learned values that would later define his approach to software.
In 1984, he bought his first computer: an Amstrad with an 8086 processor, well it might have been the latest 8088 processor but time brings a little fog into the statement lol. While most people played Jet Set Willy, Colin opened a decompiler, studied the code, and bypassed the license check. Not out of mischief — but out of curiosity. He wanted to understand how things worked. In fact he might have truly been the very first computer hacker?
A Mind Built for Engineering
“Aircraft engineering teaches you that shortcuts cause problems. Software is no different. Build it properly, or don’t build it at all.”
Returning to Education — Reinventing a Career
In 2000, Colin returned to college to study computer network support. Reinventing yourself at 40 is no small task, but engineering minds don’t retire — they evolve. This led to 15 years as a computer IT engineer working for many companies from Woolworths to Matalan and Teco and Asda. Working on any computer architechture from windows to linux, bespoke software from Adobe to Microsoft, from basic computer installation reinstallation to server setup and install. Eventually going solo in 2013 setting up Tay IT and developing his knowledge of internet systems. In 2019 he went back to college to study computer science. The realisation that software design was faulty, buggy and not worth the paper it was written on, Colin decided to learn programming formally, to build systems from scratch, and transitioned into software design and support. The many years of wordpress install and development was a good grounding to this new venture..
Working through every era of WordPress: the legacy engine, the rise of page builders, Elementor, and finally the modern block editor. Alongside this, he built bespoke PHP/MySQL systems for businesses that needed more than templates and plugins. The realisation that php, js and css could build any kind of software which was not platform dependent was the key. Windows needs software built for windows, linux needs sotware built for linux and apple need software built for ipads etc. By building products in php, js and css a company could have their software hosted on their own website, with security caveats of course, but they could also have the very same software installed on there local server or even a single laptop using a server stack such as xampp. They no longer need proprietory software. They can run there company using any website browser on any device. Thats what we do.
The Philosophy Behind Tay IT
Tay IT was born from a simple belief:
Software should belong to the business that uses it — not to a SaaS company.
No subscriptions. No external servers. No lock-in. Just proper engineering, self-hosted systems, and full control over your data.
The Tay IT Approach
- Self-hosted software — your data stays on your hardware
- Modern PHP 8+ with strict typing
- MySQL 8+ with proper relational design
- AES-256-CBC encryption for sensitive data
- WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility built in from day one
- No SaaS dependencies — no external calls, no tracking
Building Real Systems for Real Businesses
In 2024, Colin spent six months building a complete business management and invoicing system for a local company — replacing email chaos with a secure, centralised, self-hosted application. Staff, clients, Power of Attorney records, financials, reporting — all integrated, all secure, all built properly.
This project became the blueprint for Tay IT's philosophy: proper engineering for small businesses.
Today: The Tay IT Plugin Ecosystem
Colin now develops a suite of self-hosted WordPress plugins, each built with the same engineering discipline:
- TayIT GDPR Consent — server-side cookie blocking with real compliance
- TayIT Booking System — resource-first scheduling with enterprise logic
- TayIT Ticker Plugin — lightweight UI components
- TayIT Licensing Server — a fully self-hosted licence management system
- With more plugins in the pipeline
Every plugin is built to avoid SaaS lock-in, external dependencies, and the fragility of cloud-based systems.
A Lifetime of Engineering — Applied to Modern Software
Colin’s journey is not typical — and that’s exactly why Tay IT software feels different. It’s built by someone who understands systems, reliability, and responsibility at a level few developers ever experience.
From aircraft hangars to PHP 8, from 8086 processors to MySQL 8, from decompiling games in 1984 to building enterprise-grade systems today — this is a lifetime of engineering, distilled into software that works properly because it’s built properly.
Want to Work With a Developer Who Builds Things Properly?
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