About
Hi. I’m XDude.
(Also known as Jody Hatton)
At the age of 9, I was typing dozens of lines of code into my Atari 400 to see a square ball bounce around the screen. When I was 12, I was writing music in the form of timed computer beeps using GWBasic. And, in 1997, I started my first website (back when websites were called “home pages”) to serve as a compendium of all the exciting nerdy things I’d learned in my life.
The epitome of awesome.
In the early days, everybody was paranoid about putting their real name on the Internet and thus the “THX Digital Dood” was born. Not that I ever asked permission from Lucasfilm to use their name — I just thought their trailers were the epitome of awesome.
In 1998, I discovered the wonder and joy of Macromedia Flash 3 and was soon creating gems such as this and this. My ability to edit sound effects and write MIDI music got me a contract with a dot-bomb called Oz New Media and, soon after, I was overjoyed to be paying rent exclusively by being a nerd.
In late 1998, my contract with Oz ended. Rather than fill out job applications at burger joints, I devoted myself to creating the most amazing website I was capable of. The gamble paid off and I was hired full-time by Worldprofit, where I ended up working for 7 years. (Yeah — back then we didn’t need diplomas, degrees or doctorates to be web designers like they do now. Poor kids.)
The Birth of XDude
Now that I worked for a web host, I could get my very own domain name! thxdigitaldude.com was too long, though, and I knew I’d eventually get in trouble for putting “THX” in my name. Instead, I opted for “xdude” — short, memorable, and terribly generic.
Screenshot of “Version 3″
In March, I released “Version 3″ of my website to rave reviews (and much criticism — I was, after all, an amateur). Nonetheless, I was soon enjoying the prestige of some pretty serious online awards such as the Cool Site of the Day and Macromedia’s Shocked Site of the Day. The latter saw me receiving 19,000 visitors and 600 emails in 2 days. I’ll have you know I replied to every single one of those emails!
As if all the buzz wasn’t exciting enough, I was also asked by Warner Brothers if I’d be interested in doing some work for their upcoming movie “Any Given Sunday.” Heck yeah, I was!
In August of 1999, my prediction came true and I received the infamous Lucasfilm Letter, which I promptly framed and hung on my living room wall. I blipped on their radar! I’d officially hit the bigtime! I’d been ordered to take my site down, but I didn’t care — the world was my oyster.
If you were to visit my site in 2000, you’d have seen a slew of teasers promising you an elaborate website that was forever “Coming Soon!” In 2001, my bank attempted to hold the funds of my check (cheque) from Warner Brothers and I got a little self-righteous.
As nerdy as I may be, it wasn’t actually all that fun to sit at the work computer all day then go home and sit at the home computer all night, so I eventually threw in the towel on Version 4.
Not a whole lot happened until October 2005, when I sat down in front of the boss and said, “I’m bored!”
The Business Side of Life
Being entrepreneurs themselves, my employers understood the dangers of being bored at a job, and encouraged me to go on my own. The idea upset me a great deal — I considered my co-workers to be my extended family — but I had a newsletter list of 60,000, a well-established brand and tons of website traffic. I’d be fine!
Me with friend and client Dave Mustaine
It was in being a huge nerd, by way of tribute videos, that I began building a relationship with Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. At first, I was asked to fly down to LA and shoot footage for a video, and later designed websites for Gigantour as well as the corporate site.
In helping rockstar clients like Megadeth, Paul Haslinger, David Russo, Million Air and other huge companies (some of which I can’t mention here), I’ve discovered a real passion in helping people get clear on their goals and helping them achieve those goals. I’ve learned a great deal about what it takes to create websites that grab people and get them to interact. And I’m STILL getting emails, twelve years later, from people who enjoyed my earlier works and were inspired in some way to participate.
If that is to be my contribution to humanity — inspiration and participation — I say, bring it on! I can’t wait to see what the next chapter of my life will look like.
I am 53 and took up computers as my second profession – I was a Marine Mechanic in the Red Deer area for 20 years before that. You are from ALBERTA – right??
I can’t believe it has been this long since I first saw your site when I was in College as a second year Comp Sci student – back in 1998. Here I am 12 years later as a Network Analyst for that same College – I’m not a programmer as I did not have that touched (?) personality of one – no disrespect intended, they are just all a bit wierd? Today someone showed me a cool site – http://www.qwiki.com. I got thinking about what other cool sites I have seen over the years and remembered yours, so I came back to see what was up? I waited patiently for your new site for some time back then but I am assuming with your schedule & demand you did not get there? You were so far ahead of your time and was totally amazed at you abilities!! I am now checkin out your new site and will have to check it out more this weekend away from work
I just wanted to let you know you are a VERY talented young man!! Keep up the GREAT work!!
Roger
Hey, Roger:
That’s correct — Edmonton, Alberta!
Thanks for the link. Soon robots will be writing all our encyclopedias!
-X
Hello from Vancouver
Just another follower of your xdude website from way back when who also was anxiously anticipating that next change “coming soon”
I was at that time (way back) helping people set up web sites and used your site to show the potential of where the web was going and how impressed I was with your work.
Its always great to have a steady paycheck coming in but even better when you can do what you love and make a comfortable living from it with all things being balanced.
Great to see your still going strong ……keep up the great work and all the best in your future endeavors.
Hey, Kevin:
Awesome! Thanks for writing.
Yeah, that “Coming Soon” website was a good time, wasn’t it?
-X
Hello from England
Inspiring… almost too ahead of your time with Broadband speeds back then! But, I still show designers your teasers over 10 years on and they still look great. 3D Sound Effects and TV quality advertising direct to your target audience… I think your work opened many peoples eyes to the “power of the Internet”, especially my own.
Even though you’re “all grown up n mature” now, I still pity the next Corporation which crosses your path. Who do you bank with now??
)
Keep up the great work Jody and if I ever make it over to Canada, I owe you a big fat beer!
Warm wishes – Rob.
Hey, Rob!
Actually, I used to pride myself on the fact that my animations (usually) loaded up pretty quickly on a 56k connection. Nowadays, nobody really pays attention to reducing file size… it’s kind of a lost art!
I think if you came to Canada it would be my duty to buy YOU the beer since you did all the traveling.
-X
Hey Jody
Hope you’re busy and well. Only just picked up your reply. lol… that’s an expensive beer, but it will have to happen! I have family moving out there (or so they say) in a couple of years, but even if not, Canada is definitely a place I’d like to visit. Nearer the time, I’ll have to tap you up for some tourism tips! As long as it doesn’t involve water, a sheer drop and a wooden casket!
Funny how technology changes. Now it’s more about the speed/reliability of your web hosting service. At the time though, UK modems were 28.8k so most websites were unusable, not to mention disappointing. Your work really struck a chord… it stood out amongst lots of mediocrity.
Anyway, I’ll still be checking in from time to time and keep that Bud on ice….
Warm wishes – Rob
Hi Dude! Congratulations on your cool site here. I am the Saskatchewan lady who emailed you back in ca. 2003 wanting to know your astronatal information because you had such a cool flash website! Nowadays, I can’t recall your astro info…er, are you a double aquarius? But I still enjoy sharing your THE DOUGH video from time to time. Cheers, Lisa
Aquarius, yes. What makes a double-aquarius?