I’m Not Him

The movie Colossus: The Forbin Project had a big impact on me, even before I’d ever touched a computer. I bring that up now, because there’s a line in the movie when the U.S. super-computer discovers there’s another, equivalent super-computer in the U.S.S.R.. It displays a message “There Is Another System”.

That came to mind because, “There is Another Leo”. In the tech space, no less.

And here I’d gotten so used to being the only one. (Heck, for years I was the only “Leo” at Microsoft.)

Leo Laporte is a writer, editor, and TV and radio show personality that lately has been most visible in … you guessed it … technical support. Answering people’s questions on radio and TV. Leo’s gotten a little extra publicity lately with the demise of Tech TV (purchased by G4), and the end of the show he was recently most prominent on:The Screen Savers.

So I guess it’s not too surprising that I get the occasional comment wishing me well, telling me that they’re sorry to see me leave TechTV, and so on.

Except that it’s not me!

Me: Leo Notenboom
Him: Leo Laporte

Nope, never met him (though we do have an acquaintance or two in common). He certainly seems like a nice guy, and he helps a lot of people with their tech issues.

Kinda like me.

But I’m not him! And vice versa.

(FWIW: There is another “Leo Notenboom” even. My dad. But computers were never his thing.)