Early September weather in New York can be beautifully clear, and that's the way it was this morning - blue sky, gentle breeze and pleasant temperature. Of course, the whole world now knows about the beautiful New York September weather, because they've seen it replayed over and over in the television coverage of September 11, 2001. So now it's difficult to enjoy the weather because it brings back memories both painful and horrific.

When I first moved to New York I lived in Battery Park City, less than a quarter of a mile from the World Trade Center. My nearest subway station was Cortlandt Street, in the basement of the complex, and I used to go into the buildings almost every day. Later, my office was in the process of moving into the south tower, and I still have my security pass which gave me access to the building.

So I felt a great sense of personal connection with the World Trade Center, and I was pleased to find when I moved into my present apartment in the middle of 2001 that it had a good view of the twin towers. I couldn't possibly have imagined how little time I would have to enjoy that view.

I still get very angry when I think about the attacks - no matter what sense of grievance anyone felt against the American government, nothing justifies the use of such murderous and destructive tactics against the people and the landmarks of this country.

Jérôme was a colleague of mine at Sun Microsystems until about May 2001, when he left to join a company based in the World Trade Center. He was reported missing after the attack, and as far as I am aware, his body was never found.

I had not kept in touch with him since he left, and the last time I spoke with him was when I bumped into him by chance in the shopping level of the World Trade Center. But everyone who worked with him remembered him as an intelligent and very likeable guy, and the thought that such a person would be a terrorist target is absolutely outrageous.

In the days after the attack, only people who lived or worked in the area were allowed close to the World Trade Center site, now referred to as "Ground Zero". I went down there on Monday September 17 and took a few photos. Obviously, I couldn't get as close as the professional camera crews, but seeing the destruction for myself brought it all home to me more powerfully than any television coverage.

I could get no closer than Nassau Street, two blocks away from the site, but the skeletal remains of one of the towers are clearly visible in the photos.

This is the office building where I worked, at 55 Broad St (with some of my colleagues gathered outside). Seeing military vehicles on the street is more reminiscent of footage of Bosnia than New York city.