Viper

// IDENTITY

Who I Am

Born in 1973. Raised in the Okanagan. Rooted in Kamloops since ’97. Known online as Viper.

⌨️

My handle from the BBS days. Still fits. Quiet, focused, always digging deeper into systems — old and new.

🖥️

Apple II & Retro

I still fire up the Apple II. The 8-bit world never left me. Retro games, hardware, the smell of old plastic and solder.

📡

BBSing

Before the web, there were bulletin boards. Dial-up, message bases, file trading, the underground. That culture shaped me.

A Life in Systems

I’ve worn a lot of hats over the years — cook, driver, manager, barista, autobody repair, computer technician, and more. Through all of it, the thread that never broke was technology, curiosity, and the quiet satisfaction of making something work.

I grew up in Penticton until I was 12, then Summerland until 19, back to Penticton until late 1997 when I made the move to Kamloops. I’ve been here ever since. In 2005 I met Tracy at the Hasty Market. We married on May 30, 2016. Together we have four kids — Sidnee, Haylee, Dustin, and Brianna — and a beautiful Husky named Piper.

Queen’s Park Elementary · Summerland Secondary School · Kamloops, BC

// TIMELINE

The Road So Far

From the Okanagan to the Thompson Valley.

1973

Born

Entered the world. The clock started.

~1985

Penticton → Summerland

Grew up in Penticton until age 12, then moved to Summerland. Queen’s Park Elementary and later Summerland Secondary School.

~1992

Back to Penticton

Returned to Penticton after high school and stayed until late 1997.

1997

The Big Move — Kamloops

Left the Okanagan for the Thompson Valley. Kamloops became home and has been ever since.

2005

Met Tracy

Both working at the Hasty Market. The rest is history.

2016

Married

May 30, 2016 — Tracy and I made it official.

// CORE

My Family

The people (and one very good dog) who matter most.

Wife

Tracy

Met in 2005 at the Hasty Market. Married May 30, 2016. The love of my life.

Daughter

Sidnee

Daughter

Haylee

Son

Dustin

Daughter

Brianna

Husky

Piper

The four-legged member of the crew. Loyal, loud when she wants to be, and pure heart.

// PASSIONS

What I Do When the Lights Are Low

Old machines, old protocols, and the joy of figuring things out.

🍎

Apple II Computers

Still running. Still learning. The machine that started so much of this for so many of us. Hardware, software, and the culture around it.

🔓

Hacking

Not the Hollywood kind. The real kind — understanding systems, pushing limits, and the quiet thrill of a working exploit or a clever solution.

👾

Retro Games

From the Apple II to later 8-bit and 16-bit systems. Pixel art, chiptunes, and the pure gameplay of an earlier era.

📞

BBSing

Bulletin Board Systems. The original social network. Message bases, doors, ANSI art, and the community that existed long before the modern web.

Work Through the Years

Cook · Driver · Manager · Barista · Autobody Repair · Computer Technician · and more.

A long list of jobs that paid the bills and taught me something every time. The common thread was always problem-solving — whether it was a broken car, a busy kitchen, or a machine that refused to boot.

// CONNECT

Get in Touch

Questions, old BBS war stories, Apple II talk, or just saying hello.

Darren Crawford

aka Viper

📍 Kamloops, British Columbia

Since late 1997

dscraw4d@gmail.com

Born: 1973
Married: May 30, 2016
Handle: Viper