First experiences with computers? First encounter in the workplace was in1985 working on an ICL networked system data inputting for an electrical company in South Africa. My first home system was the dedicated word processor, the Amstrad 8256.

How did you get into website editing? Like many early adopting academics, I first used the net as a research tool, and then got interested in editing and content production. One of my first online jobs was editing the website for the Orange Prize for Fiction. I left academia and joined Amazon.co.uk as part of the original team in October 1998. I now work in website development, where my early editorial experience comes in handy.

What keeps the Amazon franchise so successful? A commitment to serving customers by offering the best in value, selection and convenience. Everyone is dedicated to ensuring it's easy to find the DVD, book, camera (whatever) and getting it to you quickly.

Are you part of the "broadband revolution"? Any development that makes it easier for people to get online is a good thing. The next big change will be "instant on", which could see people having more than one PC in their home.

Is the net more than a great research tool? The internet is an amazing medium: it's beaten the adoption of almost every other kind of technology. It's more than a research tool. It's a community, an opportunity for people to debate, share information and ideas and to educate, to read, write and, of course, shop.

Could you envisage releasing a book solely via the net? Like any author I want my work to reach a wide group of people. We're some way away from e-books becoming the norm, but it will be sooner than we think.

Favourite gadgets? Favourite is my Sony Walkman MZ-R700. Current "like to have" is the new Sony Cli&#233. It has a built-in keyboard, digital camera and it plays music - all your work and entertainment in your pocket.

Do you text? Constantly, particularly with my mum, who can't hear. Before SMS, we couldn't communicate easily on the move. Now it's easy to stay in touch and it's opened up a great immediacy in our relationship. The accessibility provided by new technologies can be really enabling. Having a mobile is essential to my lifestyle. It enables me to plan on the move and get more things done in a day.