Trading as Gumboot.com, Virtual Abstractions Ltd was incorporated in 1993 by founder Phil Jones, with the mission to develop easy to use technology solutions by understanding the needs of its clients and their businesses. To achieve this Gumboot must be a total solutions company that combines technology, business expertise and ongoing support.
Gumboot embraces the following values:
Gumboot often operates within a team either as the lead or in secondary roles, working with client employees, graphic artists and other software developers. Gumboot also has a strong and ongoing relationship with JAG Consultants Ltd, with Phil having a shareholding and directorship in the Auckland based business.
Growing up in the small South Island town of Oamaru, Phil’s introduction to computers and software development was through the 8 bit, 64kb, 1 MHz world of the Apple II.
While at secondary school Phil worked after school and vacations, developing commercial software for local businesses in the CPM, MS-DOS and Apple Macintosh operating environments gaining an invaluable understanding of both technology and business requirements at an early age.
Studying at the University of Otago, Phil graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce with First Class Honours followed post graduate study and a PhD in Information Science, the subject of his doctorial thesis being “The Application of Space Filling Curves to the Management of Multi-Dimensional Data”.
While completing his PhD, Phil began what would become a thirteen year engagement at Fisher & Paykel Appliances supplying software development and system integration services to the company's whiteware product designers. Fisher & Paykel's CAD system was hosted on UNIX workstations (initially IBM RS 6000 and then later Sun SPARC and Silicon Graphics hardware) giving Phil invaluable experience of the operation and administration of high performance multi-user systems. The UNIX operating system, and derivatives of it, would soon become the mainstay of the Internet powering the World Wide Web.
The rapid pace of change in the Internet, and the IT industry in general, has required a continual investment in training. Phil has embraced this challenge, recognising an on-going need to up-skill and re-tool to remain competitive and relevant. The result is a broad skill set that spans two decades - you simply can't buy that experience, its earned.
Today, Phil remains passionate about the value and potential of the Internet to businesses of all sizes, and can bring a considerable amount of business and technical experience to bear on your project with a demonstrated ability to work in a team environment. If you have a problem that needs solving, been left in the lurch by a supplier, or require a fair and honest assessment of the status of your systems and processes, then please contact Phil.
