When Dave Tansley realised there was a gap in the market for a book he did what many others talk about but rarely achieve - he wrote it himself.

Now Dave, who works as a systems manager in the city, has seen his computer guide to Linux and Unix shell programming printed and put on sale in the shops.

Dave, 39, from Argent Street, Grays, said: "I wrote it as there was nothing else like it for reference on the market.

"I contacted three publishers and one wrote back asking for a more detailed plan so I sent that to them and a while later they approved it.

"It took me about three months working five nights a week and weekends but it's a good feeling to have actually achieved it."

The book, published by Addison Wesley is in the shops now at £34.95.

New author - Dave Tansley with his book

Picture: DAVE HENDERSON

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.