Dean "Loftwah" Lofts
Hello! I’m Dean, affectionately known in tech and music circles as Loftwah. I'm an AWS-certified Senior DevOps Engineer with a passion for problem-solving and innovation. My technical arsenal includes REST, Docker, Linux, and Cloud Computing, complemented by strategic proficiency in AI, AWS, DevOps methodologies, and a penchant for Ruby and Golang.
My open-source advocacy is demonstrated through significant contributions to projects like Appwrite, EddieHub, BioDrop, NASA, and WordPress, where I serve as an ambassador, steering community growth and technological advancement.
As a music producer, Loftwah The Beatsmiff is more than a moniker—it's a creative outlet, producing albums and collaborating with artists like Grind Mode Cypher and OptiMystic MC.
Professionally, I've served in the Royal Australian Navy and have been instrumental in driving efficiency and innovation across various sectors. My initiatives, like the integration of the yjit compiler, have delivered a 15% performance boost and substantial cost savings. I'm adept at optimizing AWS infrastructure, ensuring both technological advancement and fiscal prudence.
In my downtime, I curate a tech-focused YouTube channel and author insightful tech articles. My journey is shared through the lens of a dedicated father and a mental health advocate.
I thrive in the afternoons and evenings, drawing inspiration from a wealth of experiences and a deep understanding of the tech landscape. My work is my badge of honor—validated by accolades such as the Iraq Medal, the Australian Active Service Medal, and the Australian Defence Medal.
Discover more about my multifaceted journey on platforms like Spotify and YouTube or through my narratives that meld tech insights with life lessons. Welcome to my world—a blend of rhythm, code, and a relentless drive for excellence. 😎
To learn more about what I'm probably like, my personality type is ISTP-A. You can also take your own test here.
Speaks: English
Highest WPM: 151wpm
Note Tests conducted on Monkeytype
Favourite XKCD
My Links
BioDrop | Spotify | Twitter | YouTube
Books I Like
Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker, Long Walk to Freedom, Secrets of the Autistic Millionaire, The Rose That Grew from Concrete (poetry collection), The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of War, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Think and Grow Rich and Zero Day.
My Interests
Arcade Games, Beat Making, Card Games, Coding, Comedy, Computers, Gaming, Music Production, Reading, Running, Sleeping, Swimming, Trivia and Writing.
Favourite Uses
AWS, ChatGPT, Cloudflare, CrabLang, GitHub, Google Workspace, Linux, MacOS, Ruby, Slack, Ubuntu and VSCode.
Quotes I Like
- "Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic.” - Arthur C. Clarke
- "Social engineering bypasses all technologies, including firewalls." - Kevin Mitnick
- "People said I should accept the world. Bullshit! I don't accept the world." - Richard Stallman
- “The real danger is not that computers will begin to think like men, but that men will begin to think like computers.” - Sydney Harris
- "Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success." - Napoleon Hill
- "It doesn't matter what you know, what matters is when you know” - Kathy Sierra
- "Technology frightens me to death. It’s designed by engineers to impress other engineers. And they always come with instruction booklets that are written by engineers for other engineers — which is why almost no technology ever works.” - John Cleese
- "Software is like sex; it's better when it's free." - Linus Torvalds
- "The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways." - Robert Greene
- "I don't see myself being special; I just see myself having more responsibilities than the next man. People look to me to do things for them, to have answers." - Tupac Shakur
- “A hacker is someone trying to figure out a way to make toast with a coffee maker” - Wau Holland
- “Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. What people call intelligence just boils down to curiosity.” - Aaron Swartz
- "I always felt that I had to work harder than the next guy, just to do as well as the next guy. And to do better than the next guy, I had to just kill. And you know, to a certain extent, that's still with me in how I work, you know. I just... go in." - Jimmy Iovine
- “I know the dark things that people have intentions for when it comes to using information nefariously and I do my best to interrupt that and I’m going to continue to. I’m not afraid of anybody and If I’m called to take care of that its game over for that person or group.” - Gummo
- "Silence is a source of great strength." - Lao Tzu
- "If we don't know what we are doing, the enemy certainly can't anticipate our future actions." - Colonel Goodhead
- "A rising tide floats all boats….. only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked." - Warren Buffett
- "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard-working guy." - Steve Jobs
- "If you claim to be someone's ally, but aren't getting hit by the stones thrown at them, you aren't standing close enough." - Stan Mitchell
- "There is no more exciting time to be alive than right now in all of human history" - David Shapiro