Chiemeka in a graduation gown and UCLA stole — UCLA, B.A. Computer Science & Linguistics

About

I'm Chiemeka Kalu, a software engineer at Palo Alto Networks, based in San Jose. I work in NetSec R&D, building the platform services other engineering teams ship on.

I studied Computer Science and Linguistics at UCLA, after starting out at Las Positas College. The pairing still shapes how I think about software, and about how people name, search for, and find things online.

I was born in 2002, so I missed the dial-up era I write about. My own internet peaked somewhere between 2017 and 2021. This blog is where I dig into what came before it.

Away from the keyboard, I'm usually on a trail, on a ski lift, or somewhere in a crowd at a show.

Off the clock

camera roll, lightly curated

Thumbs up on a mountain trail — Made it to the top. Both thumbs up.

Four friends on a ski lift above the clouds — Above the clouds, four to a chair.

Selfie with friends in a concert crowd — Somewhere in the crowd.

Graduation selfie with two friends — Graduation day with the crew.

Beach selfie with a friend near a pier — Beanie weather at the beach.

Holding up a phone that reads I need a SWE referral — Still accepting referrals. (Kidding. Mostly.)

Want to talk about old websites, security, or ski trips?Say hello