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Mykola Zharkikh (Kyiv)

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Biography

Nikolai Zharkikh (beneath referred as I) was born in Kirovograd (Ukraine) in 1956.

1968

In 1968, on the my father advice I have taken a photo camera first and I couldn't tear myself away from it (I have used it to the present day). In this episode when I have 12, I evinced independence as feature of my character (or fate?) I have wanted to do everything by himself (to be an autodidact). I have no teachers in art of photo, and all my successes in this direction has been achieved by reading books and by derivation of personal experience.

In 1973 I have entered to the Department of Physics of Kyiv Taras Shevchenko University. In 1978 have graduated from University with a speciality in theoretical physics.

The cat. Drawing by Ja.Gnizdovsky

There is a cat!
It was drawed by ukrainian artist Jakiv Gnizdowsky.
I am very glad to see it.

In 1975 I have become interested in photographing of cultural heritage, and since then my collection of photos was growing and growing, exceeding 70 thousand units. The history of architecture and monuments of Ukraine I studied by reading books and later I took part in creating of cultural heritage studies.

I have worked at the Institute of Colloid Chemistry and Water Chemistry im.A.V.Dumanskoho of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Institute of Biocolloidal Chemistry of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in 1978 – 1995.

In 1983 I have defended a dissertation «Theory of nonequilibrium electrosurface phenomena in concentrated weakly charged disperse systems» and was conferee a science-degree of candidate (PhD) in chemical sciences in the Leningrad university.

In 1983, when I went full blast of my studies in theoretical physics, I have started to make a list of books and articles in history, architecture and cultural heritage that should be read. Initially this list was intended for myself, but then plan have been grown in size and in importance until became the encyclopaedic bibliography guide «Ukraine 13 – 18 centuries». It was the first in Ukraine annotated historical bibliography. Should I repeat that have no instructors in bibliography? Only later I met with Sergei Belokon, Jaroslaw Dashkevich and Jaroslaw Isayevich, who has helped me in work on my bibliography.

In 1988 I became one of the first members of the Ukrainian Club «Heritage» at the Kiev House of Scientists. This club has helped me, who was born in Russian family, to comprehend realize that my homeland is called Ukraine. In 1989 – 1990 years I took part in the organization of People's Movement of Ukraine.

I have seen a personal computer first time in 1990. It was a real miracle of technology: a powerful AT-286 with a frequency of 16 MHz, 2 MB RAM, hard disk 40 MB and monitor EGA (640:350 pixels, 16 colors). I immediately fell in love with him, but how to use it in my work? No instructors, no literature virtually. But pretty soon I mastered a computer and became an instructor to my colleagues.

2002

Then I mastered the Turbo Pascal program and wrote by it my first application. It is named "Catalog manager" and been intended to manage of the historical bibliography in my computer. The series of «Bibliography of old Ukraine» in seven books (over 40 thousand records) have been prepared and published by this program in 1998 – 2002 years.

I have worked at the Institute of Cultural Heritage Research of the Ministry of Culture and Arts of Ukraine, engaged in problems of computerization of cultural heritage registration (and wider – information problems in humanities) from 1995 to 2004.

In 1999 I have new program startup. It was «Myslene Drevo» – hierarchical database for the humanities under Win32 in 1999. And until now this program (in a slightly outdated version 2.5) continues to serve. I first became to use the Internet (e-mail) – in the same 1999.

I have started up a website «» in 2002. I would like to have in this case instructors, and I have not. Again I used the books and my own experience. The site gradually climbed to an important place in the Ukrainian Internet. In the Google directory in section it's position ranged from 3 to 7th. The site is ahead of such web sites as the Ministry of Education and Science, Kyiv Taras Shevchenko University, Kievo-Mohylianska Academy and the Kiev Polytechnic Institute.

In the summer of 2005 I have read a volume by volume Lesia Ukrainka works collecttion. In October 2006 a new project was born – «». So, professions of site constructor and Lesia Ukrainka knight were appented to my list of professions. This project now is a major place of Lesia Ukrainka online.

In 2009 I have reached a book named «PHP» from the shelf (if you don't known what is it – it is the name of the programming language for web sites). I started up a «Smereka» program (System of Managing web Resources by Network Kclient Access – SMEREKA) and skilled a new profession – a web architector. This site you are looking powered by «Smereka».

Site sections

Other my sites

Myslene drevo – free reading room – ukrainian information resources for science and education
Taras Shevchenko – encyclopedia of life and creativity – encyclopedia of life and creativity
Ivan Franko – encyclopedia of life and creativity – encyclopedia of life and creativity
Mykhajlo Hrushevsky – encyclopedia of life and creativity – encyclopedia of life and creativity
Lesja Ukrainka – encyclopedia of life and creativity – encyclopedia of life and creativity
Knowledge on Ukraine – ukrainian bibliography – ukrainian bibliography, links to full texts
Forefathers' glory – ukrainian sights – ukrainian sights and monuments