Resume of Daniel Smith

Sonoma County, California
dls-2008 at daniel.org
daniel.org/resume

Objective	Highly Interactive Webs. User-Customization, searchable media databases, and Geo-enabled apps are of particular interest. LAMP. I have a keen interest in working with Second Life technologies (web gateways, in-world scripting). Desire Full or Part Time contract/position in SF Bay Area. Available for short stints in New York City, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, and elsewhere. My Goal is to start branching out from coding for production, and to move more into a role of evaluating, creating demos and tools, and to write and present on Web 2.0 and Virtual World topics.
Overview	Longtime Software Developer. Broad exposure to most facets of commercial and internal software projects. Energetic! Some key companies and projects I have been involved with are: AOL.Com (AOL), AutoCAD R12/R13 (Autodesk), Island Write/Paint/Draw (Island Graphics). I also write (O'Reilly website). Recent Project: Developing interactive objects for a 3D immersive environment (Vivaty). I also do a lot of LSL scripting in Second Life, and am very interested in bridging web based data with virtual worlds. Have been a short-term freelancer for the last few years by choice, but would be open to a full time permanent position.
Tools, Languages, Environments "Never stop learning"	ActionScript 2.0 - wrote a large Flash app for internal use at AOL by editors (for AOL.com) AOLServer - extensive use with Tcl proc and adp pages on AOL.Com Apache - extensive configuration, 5+ years of experience - use of many modules such as mod_rewrite, virtual hosts, etc. C - since mid-1980's - lots of experience, shipped products (AutoCAD, Island Office Series) C++ - OO experience started with this. (AutoCAD) HTML, CSS - have done lots of hand coding, lots of dynamic generation from several languages (including PHP, Perl, Tcl). Java - Worked with this at AOL (90's) writing a tabbed scoreboard applet. JavaScript - Have used this extensively off and on since it was first introduced as "LiveScript" in the Netscape era. I enjoy using the Prototype.js toolkit. LSL - Scripting for Second Life environment. Very proficient. Currently developing a client/server image presentation system (pick a slideshow from amongst many, and supplement each image with additional information as needed). Perl - 10+ years of developing many scripts (shell & CGI), developed a Perl command line shell with command line editing, aliases, history, and more. PHP - Preferred language for OO web development. Using with GD graphics lib MySQL / SQL - Experience in a wide variety of contexts. Also am personally using to develop FlexiPhoto (called from Apache via PHP) GCC, X11, XView, Motif (at Island Graphics and Autodesk), several window managers including mwm, olvwm, kde, etc Tcl - extensive use with AOLServer writing personalization and other functionality for AOL.Com (90's). More recently did work on AOL.Com in Tcl for the photo gallery modules and rearchitecture of toolkit for tooltips, as well backend work for top 11 list editor (2004-5). Also recently wrote Tcl-based Expect scripts for driving batched IM delivery. Unix/Linux Environment: bash, sh, tcsh, sed, awk, etc. - 25 year Unix user & programmer. Contributed an article on advanced Csh usage (including my grabchars package) to the book "Unix Power Tools". XML Long ago ... BASIC (Atari, Apple II), 6502 Assembler, Pascal, LOGO Other: I have done technical review for books published by Prentice Hall (Pearson Education): The XML Schema Companion, XSLT 2.0 Web Development, and Spring Into HTML and CSS.
Relevant Experience
Freelance Web Developer	December 2004 - Present I have focused on contracting and enjoying the breadth of widely different projects over the last few years.
	Vivaty - Menlo Park, CA - April - July 2008 I did enhancement and creation of interactive objects for Vivaty's Web 3D environment. I worked with X3D, JavaScript, and PHP to help extend and stabilize the audio, video, and photo objects. I also wrote the interactive portion of the BFF Frames (Best Friends Forever).
	Intercast Media - San Francisco, CA - October 2007 - April 2008 Implemented message scheduling and dispersal via IM, Email, and SMS for subscribers to a self-improvement social networking site which is still in development. Created mechanisms to throttle dispersal and to reply to the messages. Used PHP, MySQL, TCL/Expect, Libpurple, etc.
	WildFireWeb - Petaluma, CA - May - October 2007 Multiple PHP/Ajax projects, including full implementation of a school alerts system, an editor for selection and random rotation display of Amazon Associates ads, a web driven email client with attachments, and feature enhancements to the built in photo galleries.
	LimeLife - Menlo Park, CA - August 2006 - February 2007 Implemented a templatized version of LimeLife.com using a Zones/Modules approach. Extensive use of PHP5/Classes.
	Linden Labs - San Francisco, CA - May 2006 - July 2006 Implemented Developer Downloads component for SecondLife.com from scratch. PHP + Smarty/Mysql/Apache.
	Friendster - San Francisco, CA - February 2006 - May 2006 I was thoroughly immersed in implementing 12 home page features of Friendster.com, a LAMP-based social networking site. PHP/Mysql/Perl/Apache.
	Metaliq - San Francisco, CA - November 2004 - June 2005 Developed a large Flash client application (under NDA) at Metaliq. All of the ActionScript 2.0 code is in classes, and I made extensive use of XML to pass information to and from the server side. An example of the end result can be seen at AOL Moviefone Movie-Meter.
	America Online - White Plains, NY - December 2003 - September 2004 Contract Web Engineer Developed Flash and HTML versions of the Photo Gallery, which is used extensively in the AOL.Com movies channel. The galleries use a lot of Tcl (via AOLServer), JavaScript, and CSS. I also designed and implemented the online forms that editors use to create galleries (and gallery sequences). Did extensive testing and documentation of this component. Extensive rearchitecture of the tooltips component of the TV Channel component of AOL.Com. The Tcl and JavaScript work done will be applied to other channels, will speed up server performance, and will reduce the overall amount of HTML written to the client side.
FlexiPhoto	Self-Directed Project - 2001 - current Designing and implementing FlexiPhoto, a web-based photography database. Working with PHP/MySQL/Apache. FlexiPhoto allows users to upload photos from their web browser, assign keywords and other searchable criteria to each photo, group photos in collections, and much more. Aside from all of the searchable/dynamic behavior it provides, arbitrary web pages can call it for specific photos, which can have any scaling & compression (generated on the fly the first time, then cached) Contact me for more info, or visit the FlexiPhoto site.
America Online (1995-1998)	San Francisco & San Mateo, CA - May 1995 - June 1998 Senior Web Engineer Lots of work on AOL.Com, including user customization for the MyNews component. (AOLServer/Tcl) In-house development of a tabbed Java Sports Scoreboard (Arena1) Earlier projects (such as an early version of www.SEMI.org) involved a lot of CGI scripting (launching searches and formatting output, registration, ordering, and statistics gathering), and parsing of SGML data (mostly in Perl).
Autodesk	Sausalito & San Rafael, CA - September 1991 - May 1995 Software Engineer Implemented & debugged Proteus dialog drivers (much of the UI component for the Unix display driver process) for AutoCAD R12 (OpenLook/XView & Motif). Extensive work evaluating the use of the Windows API and MFC in the Unix environment for AutoCAD R13 (using the Bristol product Wind/U). Wrote a demo ADS app, urllink, which allowed one to tie entities/points in an AutoCAD drawing to URLs. Clicking on the points remotely controlled an X11 version of Mosaic (this was in late 1994) Set up a web server for the Core Technology Group and wrote/gathered the content for it. This included a component repository, demos of components, WAIS access to internal developer information for AutoCAD, and much more. Wrote several CGI perl scripts for this, a few of which are a file/directory selection HTML widget, a generalized mechanism for properly initializing the environment and display of X11 based software component demos (with widely varying requirements), and simultaneous access to multiple WAIS databases. Miscellaneous writing (on Internet Task Force, some benchmarking, R12 UI post mortem, other topics) and presentation (a cross platform project, Internet Tech Forum, and more).
Island Graphics Two stints.. the first doing QA and Engineering Support Programming, the second doing commercial development... In between those stints, I was at Lucasfilm/ILM	San Rafael, CA January 1987 - February 1989, October 1989 - September 1991 Software Engineer Developed HPGL to IslandDraw filter. Wrote most of the user interface (UI) for IslandPaint port from Motif to Open Look, using the XView toolkit. Main technical liaison with Sun in resolving XView issues. I also started the Usenet newsgroup alt.toolkits.xview during this time. Designed and programmed most of the Unix functionality, and co-wrote the UI for IslandInstall, a Motif-based application which installed the Island Productivity Series. Initial platforms were Sun, HP, and Apollo. Designed and implemented all configuration/installation scripts for EPS (High-end prepress) software. Engineering Support Programmer Wrote a Sun Raster to HPLJ filter. Designed and implemented "Phonemail", a Curses-based (terminal lib) app used to send email messages throughout the company. Wrote "grabchars" (available from comp.sources.misc archives) to facilitate menu prototyping/interactive shell scripts. Installed X11R4, Motif, OpenWindows, C++, PBM, PERL, B News, nn, and many other packages on Sun 3's and Sparcs. Installed system software on Suns, Sony NEWS, SGI's, and Apollos. Wrote training materials and conducted classes on X11, Introduction to Unix, Mail and Vi, and Advanced Csh. Helped design a network-wide consistent naming scheme for company filesystem in 1988. Quality Assurance Tested many 2D paint and animation programs (mainly Targa Tips M9, 16, 32, Vista Tips, Quanta VSC 2000 animation, and JVC VGS Paint).
Lucasfilm / ILM Great experience in an intense environment (sysadmin/programming)	Marin County, CA - February - October 1989 System Administrator Installed, maintained, and upgraded Unix system software on various Suns (4.0 and 4.0.1). Upgraded Pixar software. Installed Alias 2.4 and OS 3.1D on SGI's for Computer Graphics Group. Programmed major enhancements to film labeling application for editorial use. Designed and implemented a table-driven nightly backup scheme for all of ILM. Answered numerous Unix, Mac, and PC questions on a daily basis.
International Microcomputer Software Inc. (IMSI)	San Rafael, CA - September - December 1986 Technical Support Manager Helped customers work through programming problems with Turbo Halo (a graphics toolkit addon for Turbo Pascal) and other IMSI products such as the PC paint program Dr. Halo II. Concurrently beta-tested products.
College of Marin	Kentfield, CA - Fall 1985 - Fall 1986 Lab Assistant Assisted students, faculty, and staff with Unix questions, and tutored Pascal, C, and Logo at the COM Science Computer Center. Graded Pascal class assignments for Prof. Fred Schmidt.
Broderbund Software	San Rafael, CA - October 1982 - January 1985 Testing, Production, Shipping Developed and organized the Testing Department. Identified many bugs in games and productivity software. Made numerous product design improvement suggestions.
Computer Coursework	Santa Rosa Junior College - 2002 CS & Math refresher classes. College of Marin - Early 1980's An 'A' student in Pascal, C, Data Structures, and a directed study project ("Canvas", an animation editor for a Lear Siegler ADM5 Terminal RG512 card, written in Pascal). Additional: Numerous seminars and conferences over the years in areas such as BSD internals, X11 workshops, and an OLE/COM overview. Have attended several sessions, half-day, or full-day tutorials at conferences such as LinuxWorld, Internet World, O'Reilly Emerging Tech & Open Source, PhotoShop, and MacWorld. Weeklong MySQL class in 2002, taught by MySQL AB. I am currently studying the GoF (Gang of Four) Design Patterns book.
Other	Contributer to "Unix Power Tools", an O'Reilly & Associates book. Contributer to West Coast Online newsletter (in 1995, I wrote an article "TV or the Internet?") Ongoing O'Reilly blogger. O'Reilly ONLamp.com article: PHP and Heredocs I am an avid photographer, and especially enjoy shooting motorsports on road courses, such as Formula 1, CART, and American LeMans Series events. I am working on my own photography website, SnapSmith.com, which will use my photo database (FlexiPhoto). I have participated in many (20+) high performance driving schools (BMW CCA, SCCA). I live in an old Victorian in Petaluma, California. Some places of particular interest for short-term work include New York City, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Vancouver CA, Sydney AU, and London/Oxfordshire/Edinburgh UK.