techie_alison

[exxos]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26677565@N02/ I think this was hers..

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[exxos]

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[exxos]

A few randoms from when I used to talk/work with her. She used to model a lot , but not suitable content for her. I post some other images of her "work area" and some random stuff.

[Shredder11]

She used to model a lot , but not suitable content for her.

I did not know about her modelling. I guess you mean her fun loving daring spirit meant she did some adult material or do you mean just lingerie stuff?

The more I learn about Aly, the more amazing she really was. I agree with Simbo in that she was the kind of girl many guys would be proud to be with. Mind you how come one of the guys she was with, pushed her down the stairs? How can anyone do that let alone to Aly?

[Misha]

Hi all.
Alison was a very close friend of mine.
The internet, as an object, is cold and impersonal.
But it is the connections we all make through it's facilities,
that let us make real human connections.
A person can have an internet presence with on-line friends on forums such as this.
If they die,
those friends might never know.
All your kind words on Aly's Remembrance page on her local paper
showed that you have heard this sad news.

It's so sad!
Condolences to Family and friends.
Maybe it is not much, but I'd like that this thread was somehow 'sent' to her family.

In a while, I'll print off this thread for her mum who doesn't have a computer.
I'll also pass a link to her partner Colin, who does.

Yes I feel there should be some kind of tribute to her life and work, whether it be in the form of a website page(s) or as a sticky topic on here. I know that sometimes certain tribute pages can seem a little over the top and turn into creepy shrines etc, but in the case of Alison a simple site or page marking her contribution and maybe sense of humour (which was great and cheered me up on many a day) feels very appropriate. I'm unsure as to whether sending something to her parents is a good or bad idea, and also when the right time to do this would be. I've no idea how I would feel if someone did this for me, but for the time being I would personally just respect her parents right to some time and space to grieve properly.

Her mum is a close friend of mine, a bit like a second mum.
I know she will be ok with Alison being remembered.

Colin wants to create a memorial website dedicated to Aly.
Things are probably a bit too raw right now, but this is something he will do.
I'm sure he would appreciate your help and input, in due course

I only just found out, seems her friend found my number from a while back and rang me to tell me.. I am totally shocked, her friend was in tears on the phone apparently.. I had popped out and missed the call.. I worked with alison on many project, for the most part was PeST. I know we talked endless hours in the past but unfortunatly drifted apart in recent years so I have been out of touch with her for some time

I will regret not getting back in touch with her for all this time, though I drifted out of atari hardware some time ago due to work and other pressing matters so me and aly just never got talking again in recent years. I know she has been on here for the best part though I just have not had time to come here of late.

I will really miss her, the news was just shocking, she was one of the most kind and caring people and used to send me electronics items to mess with or she would just buy me stuff! A rare kind heart and will be greatly missed.
Chris

Hi Chris
I saw that you featured on her logicsays 'welcome' page.
Aly's mum said that she used to talk about you and your joint projects.
I wondered if you had heard the sad news hence my phone call; I thought it right for you to know. (I'm sorry I missed you)


I'll leave it now.

[CiH]

Thanks for sharing your recollections of Ali, Chris. It's a small consolation to get a more rounded picture which adds to the awesomeness of the lady

[exxos]

She used to model a lot , but not suitable content for her.

I did not know about her modelling. I guess you mean her fun loving daring spirit meant she did some adult material or do you mean just lingerie stuff?

The more I learn about Aly, the more amazing she really was. I agree with Simbo in that she was the kind of girl many guys would be proud to be with. Mind you how come one of the guys she was with, pushed her down the stairs? How can anyone do that let alone to Aly?

hmm, I have over 1,000 emails from ally in my main email account, plus a lot in my yahoo box at the time but i deleted them some time ago i cant remember about the stairs thing.. I know she fell out with her partner and maybe friends a while back, if I remember right her dad passed away a while ago which really upset her for a long time, i think it was about that time our emailing stopped. She did plod on but she wasn't the same. I know later she seemed fine and think we did start talking again about other projects, but time was a issue for me, I think its probably about the time she may have started posting on here more.. its hard to think exactly order of events and dates..

Yes she did modeling and a lot of other stuff, one of the pics i posted was one of the shots, of course i dont know how public she went with it, I dont think it was a huge thing, just something she did now and then, It was a long time ago, so dont exactly remember what she did exactly.. I respect her privacy..so i wont say anymore about it. She was sought after, remember she had a stalker for best part of a year which drove her nuts!

btw, not sure what sites she had up , ive archived logicsays, if anyone knows of any sites which need coyping by her just point me in the right direction!

Of course the sad thought now is what will happen to all her works I dont know if she was working with anyone else on here with stuff or not , but other than a huge piles of test routings for god knows what, i dont have anything else here, I do have the source for PeST so it will live on. I know she redid it some time ago but i never saw the updated source as was about time I lost touch with her...

I really do deeply regret loosing touch with her over the past years, though I am glad I could be a friend to her in the past and help her along with projects and difficult times in her life. I thought just a couple weeks ago I wonder if I should email her see how she is, so further regrets for me there. Its been a double shock for me this month as I found out my dad has cancer, so that with the loss of ally has been some huge blow to me to say the least.

Id like to say more about her, but a lot was told in confidence, to which I will keep my word to her. She has had a very rough past, I can at least say that much, and to think how she could meet so many new faces online with a smile and help them just goes to prove how strong she really was. I miss our long talks, it wasn't just about Atari stuff, I think in the past I was the only true friend she had, I know she made new friends on here, I regret deeply not being part of her life the past years.. we just never know how long any of us has, but it is a wakeup call as to how fragile and even how short life can really be. ally taken so young is just so so wrong

[exxos]

Hi Chris
I saw that you featured on her logicsays 'welcome' page.
Aly's mum said that she used to talk about you and your joint projects.
I wondered if you had heard the sad news hence my phone call; I thought it right for you to know. (I'm sorry I missed you)


I'll leave it now.

Hi Misha,

I guess it was you who called today ? As you can tell I am so shocked. Thanks for ringing and sorry I was not here, things are chaos here as I found out my dad has cancer so im so busy of late with work.. in anycase, I know I used to send packages to her mums for ally when developing items, I did send a email as I thought it was you who first posted here, but bascially I think her dad passed away some time ago and I think it really crushed her.. I think it was eventually about a year later that we just drifted out of comms.. I know we did email for some time after, but this must be over 3 years ago now. I just got so busy I kind left her behind I think, though she made a lot of new friends on here.. send me a PM maybe you can fill me in on the blanks of late...

Chris

[Misha]

Hi Chris.
Yes, I spoke with your mum earlier.
You don't have a PM option on your profile;
do you mean via the message facility on your website?

[Shredder11]

Thanks Chris and yes I do fully understand that her privacy must be respected and other private conversations etc. Thank you for what you have shared with all of us here. Oh and yes I do remember the stalker episode; lord knows who he is stalking now...

The amount of people I know or whom I have spoken with recently with cancer is shocking; some terminal and some not. I wish your father the very best and I hope you find the strength to cope too.

It's disgusting how bad some men treat women and girls. Someone I went out with in my teens and later met again fifteen years later, told me she had been raped aged 18 by a subsequent boyfriend after me. She told me an awful lot of other very deep stuff about herself and her experiences etc, and she was blown away by how non-judgemental I was towards her, and that I made her feel good about herself. I'm personally a soft hearted and emotional person with a lot of time for anyone who needs it, and I always try to present the full human side of my soul. Many people do not understand or accept why I do this so openly, and either run a mile or mock me which I find sad, that in this day and age people cannot be more open and kind to each other in a unconditional and sincere way. If I had been in a similar situation with Aly in person, I would have listened until there was nothing more she could say, and then I would have pointed out all the things about her that I thought were worthy and positive and to be celebrated. Now you may think this is a little strange or over the top, but that is just how I would always treat anyone that needed this, particularly someone as special as Aly. When a flame burns so magically and brightly, you have to do everything you can to keep it burning for one day that light will be extinguished.

[exxos]

Some "retro" images from PeST's development. Plus it seems I managed to talk her into trying some high voltage stuff too (hence the stack of diodes). Also the "WeST" SD card adapter, I don't think it ever got finished, but she may have been working with others on this ? Looks like I have 1,300 emails from her, first one ever dated 01/07/2005.. lost touch late 2008, may have been latter but she started emailing me on yahoo email to which i never kept the later emails on there.

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[exxos]

Thanks Chris and yes I do fully understand that her privacy must be respected and other private conversations etc. Thank you for what you have shared with all of us here. Oh and yes I do remember the stalker episode; lord knows who he is stalking now...

The amount of people I know or whom I have spoken with recently with cancer is shocking; some terminal and some not. I wish your father the very best and I hope you find the strength to cope too.

It's disgusting how bad some men treat women and girls. Someone I went out with in my teens and later met again fifteen years later, told me she had been raped aged 18 by a subsequent boyfriend after me. She told me an awful lot of other very deep stuff about herself and her experiences etc, and she was blown away by how non-judgemental I was towards her, and that I made her feel good about herself. I'm personally a soft hearted and emotional person with a lot of time for anyone who needs it, and I always try to present the full human side of my soul. Many people do not understand or accept why I do this so openly, and either run a mile or mock me which I find sad, that in this day and age people cannot be more open and kind to each other in a unconditional and sincere way. If I had been in a similar situation with Aly in person, I would have listened until there was nothing more she could say, and then I would have pointed out all the things about her that I thought were worthy and positive and to be celebrated. Now you may think this is a little strange or over the top, but that is just how I would always treat anyone that needed this, particularly someone as special as Aly. When a flame burns so magically and brightly, you have to do everything you can to keep it burning for one day that light will be extinguished.

I think she had the best friends on here, Atari people I think are always the best people around. I think everyone has been though a lot, I could write a book on it all, but at the end of it, we either keep our cool and be nice, or become old a bitter. It takes the strongest of people to keep cool these days, ally was sure one of them. Im sure ally would be glad to know she had a part in so many lives and she has helped and supported many people over the years, which just showed her kind caring nature towards others.

[exxos]

Hi Chris.
Yes, I spoke with your mum earlier.
You don't have a PM option on your profile;
do you mean via the message facility on your website?

Hi Misha, i will send you a private message on here with my email in for you..

[wongck]

Thanks guys for sharing, especially Exxos for your projects you did together with her and the photos.
She was indeed a kind heart.
She dropped me an PM only once, and that was to inform me on why a member of AF was not able to response to my question.
It's no biggie as she did not have to tell me that but she did... just tells you about care she had.

[mfletcher]

Wow. This is terrible news. RIP Alison.

I first exchanged emails about two or three years ago, I bought a SCART lead off her for a BBC Micro. In her emails she came across as being friendly and polite. I truly believe the Atari community lost a good member that day.

Mark

[ijor]

Yeah, thanks a lot to Chris for sharing all of this. Still shocked.

[3AtariSTE]

I just read the shocking news now...i have not words!!!
A few years ago, she had sent me the PeST interface and the ST-VGA cable too.
On the back of the PeST manual a nice post-it that she had written. At the end a big smile symbol...yes, now know...it's her smile!

bye Aly

[exxos]

http://pest.atari.org/

A small tribute to her, I also re-loaded her logicsays site, index's were not linked up very well so in effect "3 sites"..

If there is any other sites info which need resucing then please let me know and i will also upload it.

btw Expiration Date: 06-may-2012 of her site so at least it will be up for some time yet. Not much on there unfortunatly but its a start..

[AtariSince1989]

I just read the shocking news now...i have not words!!!
A few years ago, she had sent me the PeST interface and the ST-VGA cable too.
On the back of the PeST manual a nice post-it that she had written. At the end a big smile symbol...yes, now know...it's her smile!

bye Aly

Oh yes, she included a postcard and one of those nice post-it when she sent me the ST-VGA cable too. I thought it was so sweet. I still keep both the postcard and the post-it.

[Mug UK]

Still got my postcard from Bury St. Edmunds somewhere. Will find it and put it with the spare JeST and PeST she sent me a while back.

[1632]

Wow... how awful to read this news... I did not know Alison personally in any sense, but I bought a couple of cables from her a few years back.

We exchanged some e-mails there after, and I found her a very pleasant, witty individual. She gave me electronics advice, joked about, and even sent me some freebies, totally unprompted.

Based on something I'd said in one email, she even offered me a few rare computers -for free- if I ever dropped by hers. I never took her up on that as she had been generous enough!

Of course time passed, but that kind soul who took time out to make me smile had always stuck in my mind.

Just a really sound gal and I am sad to think the world lost such a genuine, intelligent beauty that day.

[exxos]

I've been flicking though her flicker pages, and wow, I had no idea there was so much on there. I have started to download it all, but its going to take a while.. its up to 188MB of "stuff" so far, hopefully nothing will be missed. I have asked that if her partner finds any type of this stuff then to keep it so it can be archived better. While a working copy of it is being done, the adverts on there are causing some problems, but I will fix this in due time. Her flicker account could be there for years to come, but you never know.. Her site is still valid for another year yet, but as said before, I have archived that already. If anyone has anything else to archive then please let me know.

[Colin C]

Hello everyone,

I'm Colin, Alison's partner of eight years. I am overwhelmed by all these condolence messages, I have only just been given the link and been notified of this tribute page to Aly.

One message though states, I quote :' she had been departed from the board too long and had fallen out with her long term partner' can I put the record straight on this, she had not fallen out with me, but a very close friend. Also the falling down the stairs incident was again with the friend, she became very close with this female friend, who then turned her back on her and walked away, Alison found it very difficult to come to terms with this, but I was always there for her and was her stability and her rock, as she was mine.

So, back to all the messages of condolence, they show testament to how special Alison was, something in her modesty she never realised. She has given me the best 8 years of my life, we had a deep love and bond that can never be put into words. She was unique and everything I lived for, life with out her is so hard to comprehend, but till the day I die I will make sure she is never forgotten. I will be building a website in her memory which will have pictures, video and her writings, this will be built when I am strong enough to look through her pictures without breaking down in tears. The link will be posted on here.

The celebration of her life was at the West Suffolk Crematorium, Bury St Edmunds, near to where she lived. Myself and her mother organized a humanist ceremony, no hyms, just music that she loved. Scott Joplin's' the entertainer', opened the celebration, this tune she played really well on the keyboards. In between words by myself, mother and friends, where songs by Roy Orbison 'Pretty Woman' and 'You've got it',
Jennifer Lopez 'On the floor' the last song she ever danced too. And playing out the celebration was All along the watchtower, Battle Star Galactica version, she loved that when she first saw it! Look it up on you tube.
100 plus people attended, again testament to a special person.

Once again thank you, lets keep her name alive.

Colin

[ijor]

Hi Colin,

We all thank you for coming here and sharing your feeling with us. She was really loved here, by the Atari community. My condolences again.

[1024MAK]

From a previous forum posting by 1024MAK on the 3rd May 2010 addressed to Ali when she was talking about getting a new motorbike.

If you do get a bike be careful out on the roads.

Foreshadowing sucks..

Ali will be missed by a lot of people. I never knew her personally, but from her presence on the forum, you could tell that she was an exceptional lady in any walk of life. Condolences to her family and friends.

I'm shocked.
I have not visited AF much during May and to come back and find out about this news has really upset me.
As with many others, I did not know Ali in "real life", but in this internet "land" found her really helpful.
A great shame that her life was taken from her. I am only about five years older than her and cannot believe it.
Condolences to family and friends including all who knew her on the various forums that she contributed to (I will post a link to this thread from http://www.stardot.org.uk).
I along with many others will miss her very much.
I'm very sorry about the event - the road traffic accident. I hoped when I posted my comments about her getting a motorbike that she could (and would) take the advice and learn from others.
Of course we do not know the details and may never know why. I have to believe that she was careful and that her death was due to events beyond her control.
So sad
I do agree that we should have a site, and or some other online means of remembering her.

Mark