I asked about him when I first came across the post...figuring it had to be B.S. This is what some of the folks kindly told me in response (instead of making fun of me for not knowing him :).

Nancy,
Steve Gibson is the author of SpinRite -the defacto standard hard disk
utility software -and is a Windows assembler language guru.

The site is legit - so is the test.

Steve Gibson is the last of the nice guys - check the number of
utilities that he gives away on his site.
I've always used his SpinRite program to check issues with my disks.
I'm still in awe that he programs windows apps +with+ dialogs! in
assembly.
The guys over in talk.editors arguing about app size should take a look
at his stuff

I'm suitably impressed.