Description: BlueScale is the web-based management console used by Spectra Logic products, including automated tape libraries and disk arrays. I created the early versions on my own, but now several engineers work on it because BlueScale has replaced all other GUI software at Spectra, even for the hardware front panel.

Distinctions:

• XML-based template engine with support for localization. I built a C++ version of my open-source Perl module GXML for this purpose, and it has served the product exceptionally well.

• Created all layouts and graphics used in the product, giving the product a clean and professional look well beyond any of our competitors.

• For disk products, transitioned from app written entirely in C++ to one created with Ruby on Rails, allowing much faster development and easy use of the latest web technologies (e.g. AJAX).

• For disk products, introduced automated testing both for lower-level model code (unit tests) and for whole-system acceptance tests. Unfortunately I was unable to convince the QA department to come out of the stone age and drive towards automated testing on their own.

See Also: Annotated Screenshots, GXML Template System, "Lessons Learned" User Group Presentation

Description: EDU is a software-based crypto tool used to recover tapes created with Spectra Logic hardware encryption products. Customers need confidence that their data is accessible regardless to access to Spectra Logic products—they own their data—and EDU was the "just in case" tool for that.

I helped design Spectra Logic's encryption products and key management system—the CEO specifically chose me to be the "walking encyclopedia" on encryption and security—and I was responsible for developing EDU. The finished product did encryption as well as decryption, though the feature was hidden and only used in unit tests.

Distinctions:

• EDU was created using the Test-Driven Development process. When problems came up in test, they were always tracked down to a configuration problem in the test lab environment, not a defect in EDU. I filed enhancement requests against the project, but not a single defect was found.

Description: This is simple Dashboard widget created for the book "Hacking MacOS X Tiger" (Scott Knaster), for which I contributed to two chapters. This was before Tiger was released and widgets became all the rage. (I like to think I did my part helping widgets become all the rage.)

I decided on "Word of the Day" because it would demonstrate the feature I think is most interesting about Dashboard widgets—getting useful, changing data from a public web site—while keeping the application domain simple and uncluttered.

In addition to this sample code used in chapter 16, I contributed the Spotlight code used in Chapter 20.

See Also: Hacking MacOS X Tiger on Amazon, Source Code

Description: Observatory is a central monitoring tool for Spectra Logic enterprise-class products. I built the original version in a weekend as a proof of concept; after showing it off, Spectra shipped me to their largest customer to install it on-site. Since then I turned it into a "real" product that is in use at many of Spectra's largest customers.

Distinctions:

• Built quickly with Perl and my GXML open-source template engine. Plans for an Observatory 2.0 included rewriting it using Ruby on Rails, which I currently use for dynamic web sites.

• First customer was elated to have one web page to monitor their 25+ tape libraries. They asked for a couple of features, and I implemented those on-site in about an hour.

See Also: Screenshots

(more screenshots)

Description: Created communications framework for General Magic to support our vertical market application needs. Framework allowed for easy connection of back-end database rows (including relations) to cards in a Magic Cap environment. Users could easily create and edit cards on their mobile device, then upload changes either on the fly (e.g. via wireless link) or at the end of the day.

Seattle City Light application was one application created with the framework to support a specific need: inspection of public utility assets (e.g. street lights). I created other applications in markets including medical and public safety.

Distinctions:

• I strongly believe the best way to create a useful framework is to address a specific need, then extract generalizations from there. This was a perfect example, starting from an application I created in 48 (sleepless) hours before a trade show, then pulling out a general-purpose framework that was used in a dozen more apps created by myself and others.

• Created new user interface paradigms by extending concepts already proven successful in Magic Cap, for example tabbed cards that allowed us to keep several screenfuls of data cleanly in one "card."

See Also: Annotated Screenshots, ClientCard Design Document

Description: With the Magic Internet Kit I brought together a TCP/IP stack and several hardware drivers to allow third-party developers to easily create Internet applications. I created roughly half the software myself, and entirely drove the release effort including: building a web site for distribution, writing documentation, writing articles in trade journals, and teaching several sessions at developer's conferences.

I created the CujoChat Internet Relay Chat client—perhaps the first IRC client to run totally mobile and wireless—as one of several demonstrations of the Magic Internet Kit.

Distinctions:

• First handheld device on the market to support TCP/IP and several wireless technologies.

• Many developers were having trouble creating robust communicating applications, so the Magic Internet Kit allowed them to eliminate a lot of nasty, problematic code and use a simple object-oriented framework instead.

• CujoChat was super-fun to use.

See Also: CujoChat Web Page, Magic Internet Kit Programmer's Guide

Description: I created the world's first wireless, handheld web server in late 1995 or early 1996 (can't remember exactly). It was another fun demo of the Magic Internet Kit. Users could create a web page using Magic Cap text styles and these would get translated into HTML tags on the fly during an HTTP request.

See Also: MagicHTTP Web Page