I am an engineer, software architect, team leader and occasional small venture investor. I have worked with startups and small companies as a chief architect or principal engineer, taking innovative ideas based on leading edge technology and developing them into successful products.
Early Days
I began working with computers in 1980 at age 12 when I taught myself how to program my TRS-80. Two years later I copyrighted my first published work, a computer graphics program which included data analysis algorithms of my own design.
Education
When I arrived at UC Davis I had already gained some computer experience through my hobbyist efforts in high school (pointers, data structures, algorithms, 3-D graphics modeling, I/O protocols). At university I focused on Math, Computer Science and Physics. I participated in the Putnam exam for two years. I developed several algorithms and programs while in college. I also began working for Unisys as a contract programmer during the summer. During the school year I worked about part time on various jobs including tutoring other math students, grunt labor, and was a physical attendant for a quadriplegic who lived in Davis and worked in Sacramento.
Experience
Upon graduation I continued working at Unisys. This work included mathematical modeling, simulations, and real time tactical weather analysis software for the US Navy. This involved extensive travel to locations all over the world, both at shore and at sea. After several years of this work I moved to private industry taking a job at Scopus Technology.
At Scopus I took chief responsibility for the metadata for Scopus' data driven server, leading a small team of 8-10 people. Soon afterward, Siebel acquired Scopus and I left with several other key Scopus people to form Octane Software.
As Chief Architect of Octane Software I worked with the other founders (primarily Robert Gryphon ) to conceive and architect the product and helped secure venture funding based on our product vision. I then helped build our engineering team and led this team to build the product. EPNY acquired Octane in the summer of 2000 for $3.2 billion, the largest acquisition of a private software company by a public corporation in the history of the industry. At EPNY I became Director of Engineering and led the Octane team, coordinating with the EPNY team, to complete a fully integrated product within a few months of the acquisition.
I then moved to Actional Corp., as Principal Architect working with their CTO, Dan Foody. We were founding creators of what is now Actional's flagship product, Looking Glass (later renamed to Actional Server and Agent), the industry leading web services management solution. In March 2006 Actional was acquired by Progress Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRGS). PRGS kept Actional intact and made it a new division of their company.
I now work for the Walt Disney Company's Central Engineering group in Seattle. I lead the engineering team that builds their ad server, which serves the web sites for ESPN, ABC, and Disney web sites. Internet ad serving is an interesting domain involving a mix of mathematical modeling, big data both streaming and structured, high performance and scalability, real time production operations, and a constantly shifting array of emerging technologies.
Personal
In April 2008 I passed my FAA checkride and earned my pilot's license. A month later I bought my first airplane, a 1980 Cessna 172-N with the Deltahawk STC, which replaces the engine and essentially converts the "N" model to a "P" model. This airplane seats 4, cruises at 110 knots while burning about 7 gals/hour, with a gross weight of 2400#, a payload of 915#, having 675# remaining when fully fueled (240# / 40 gals).
Here is my resume.
Here is a demo of a Wankel Rotary Engine. It is a simple animated Applet that I wrote.
Here is the classic old game of Artillery.
I enjoy good music and I'm an audiophile.
Bicycling is my favorite outdoor activity.
I like machines, especially ones with wheels.
Here is my flute page.
Check out my Motorcycling page.
Mysteries of power, torque and gearing are unraveled in this short
technical essay.
If you notice any errors, omissions or just plain confusing or stupid stuff,
let me know!
Scuba diving and free diving are other activities that I enjoy.
Here is a template motion I use to successfully fight traffic tickets in California.
Gunsite and Firearms Academy of Seattle teach firearm safety, defense, law enforcement and combat skills, and are two of the best training facilities in the world. I am a graduate of both and regularly take additional training. I am also a certified NRA range safety officer. I also hunted and shot trap, sporting clays and targets at the local sportsmen's club on Orcas Island.
My family follows the McDougall diet and I've been mostly vegan for years.
John Wayne
What's wrong with John Wayne?
Would John Wayne go out of his way to help a lady load groceries in her car?
Would he stop to help a stranded motorist?
Would he check in on a neighbor when a strange car was parked outside?
Would he slow down when passing a cop car who had pulled a motorist over
to make sure Officer Friendly wasn't being attacked by a carload of miscreants?
Would he have tolerated his plane being taken over by terrorists on September 10 2001?
Finally, would he go out of his way in an effort to save a life, even if it meant risking his own?
We know the answers to these questions.
John Wayne epitomizes what we think of as a classic man of honor.
Its a crying shame his name is invoked as an insult in this "age of the common man."
There are not enough "John Waynes" left in this country, but there are some left.
Thank God for that.
-- Cliffy109 on SigForum
The reason you spend so much on a hobby that is trying to kill you
is that it brings your mortality to the forefront of your mind and that makes you feel "I'm alive" rather than taking it for granted.
You also fear dying the death of a putz and would rather die as a pilot.
The only thing anyone will know of you in 100 years is that you were a pilot and whatever is carved on your tombstone.
-- Henning
Self-sufficiency is survival, but it's also poverty. Preparing for it is wise, striving for it is foolish.