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Kenneth M. Thompson Providing Corporate to Corporate and 1099 Contract Software Development Services
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| VU Meter | Summary | Printable | Contact | Projects | FAQ | MileStone |
Professional software developer with strong leadership, analytical and design skills.
Systems analysis experience includes JAD and agile modeling as well as traditional methods of systems requirements. Several successful system modeling efforts have resulting in reductions in risk, time to market and product costs.
Twenty-one years of commercial software design and development experience with lead responsibilities for several projects. Conversant in UML and object orient design methodologies with over seven years of OOD/OOP experience. Equally at home developing real time systems using custom hardware or distributed enterprise applications. Application areas include: Computer Graphics and image processing for simulation and cable applications; hard real time systems for simulation, cable, and telecommunications applications; and business systems for telecommunications applications. Technology expertise encompasses a variety of microcode and assembly languages, procedural languages, object oriented languages and technologies, enterprise computing and database technologies.
Several years experience as a successful project and team manager, and a technical mentor. Adept at establishing and maintaining development environments facilitating team productivity. Effective as a team member or in a lead role. Strong communication skills supported by college-level teaching experience, participation in U.S. and international standards organizations, and a successful joint development with a Japanese firm. Published chapter author on popular computer books and holder of patents for MPEG work.
Pro bono work includes web site maintenance for local braille organization and CVS hosting for an open source project.
| Education |
| Master of Science in Information and Computer Science |
Georgia Institute of
Technology, 1983. Emphasis in operating systems, computer graphics and digital control systems. |
| Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Technology |
Southern College of Technology (SPSU),
1981. Emphasis in digital design and control systems. |
| Employment Summary |
| Systems Architect | MileStone Solutions Inc. |
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Ongoing responsibility for installation, maintenance and upgrade of the
MileStone Solutions network facility
including web site maintenance,
development infrastructure (maintenance of up-to-date compilers, debuggers
and version control tools), firewall administration and security, private
intranet administration and network services.
Network services include:
ISP email address overloading with automatic internal delivery;
intranet web and email services;
network FAX services with web interfaces and Windows clients;
network alpha paging services with web interface; and
network file hosting for Windows clients with centralized backup.
MileStone maintains a heterogeneous network
of Linux, Sparc Solaris 7, and Windows systems.
Design and develop a high-performance XML over TCP/IP server framework for Intelitix. This framework is currently in use in several in-house and publicly accessible interfaces. Create and deploy an e-commerce component for nowMessenger! This uses paypal for credit card processing and automatically processes paypal emails to complete registration. Conversion of the nowMessenger! wireless messaging client application to run as a Java Web Start application. This included the work required to administer the JWS application download website and provide initial product deployment. Produced online help using the client web browser accessed via jnlp. Authored and distributed online help, tutorials and user guides for the product. Design, implementation and deployment of an online payment system for nowMessenger! This system includes modification to the Java Web Start application for product registration, automatic web access to a dynamically generated page for PayPal integration and automatic processing of PayPal email payment notifications. Technologies include Java, JDBC, servlets and JSP, Linux, and postgreSQL. Design and implementation of a Unified Communications Portal supporting multi-lingual web administration, FAX services including forwarding to FAX and email and online viewing, voice mail forwarding to email, and wireless notification. Technologies include Java, JDBC, servlets and JSP, Linux, postgreSQL, and hylaFAX integrated with a proprietary switch which provides an IVR front-end. Design and development of a 100% Java wireless messaging client for nowMessenger!. This is a full-featured wireless messaging client client supporting SNPP and SMTP access to reliable access to the widest possible range of wireless devices. nowMessenger! incorporates a PIM-like recipient list and advanced features including multi-part messages, fail-over to secondary SNPP servers for reliability and email based messaging for broad access to a wide range of devices. Design and development of a central subscriber information database using postgreSQL as the database engine and java/JDBC to provide distributed access as a core component of the Congruent Messaging unified messaging platform. This project includes all aspects of system design and deployment, including platform and technology selection, software architecture, database design and development of all support tools and scripts for operation. This design resulted in a one hundred fold performance improvement over an Oracle system running on the same hardware. Design and development of an outdial telephone conferencing system as a core component of a Congruent Messaging's unified messaging platform. This system uses Dialogic T1 and Conferencing components on an SCO UNIX platform. Design and development of an email-alpha-paging gateway to internet enable the paging component of Congruent Messaging's unified messaging platform. This is a network daemon, written in java. Diverts email messages from a class of email addresses to the gateway server which constructs an appropriate alpha page for queueing with the paging service provider. Design and development of an SNPP-to-TNPP gateway as a java network daemon to network enable the paging subsystem of the Congruent Messaging unified messaging platform. Enhancements include splitting large messages into multiple pages and detailed logging of client access. Design and development of Head End Controller software for an addressable TAP marketed by RF Communications Group (formerly MASPRO-USA/Itochu Cable Services). This software is written in Java and involves interface to various cable billing systems, design of a Graphical User Interface using JFC/Swing, and serial interface to a Maspro Data Transmitter. Develop and maintain Web based applications for Satellink Communications, Inc. These applications automate pre-existing paper forms increasing the efficiencies of Satellink Customer Care and Billing Operations. Involved in the design and implementation of internet and Web based services (unified messaging) integrated with existing paging operations. Installation and maintenance of intranet web facilities including web servers, relational databases, network based fax and modem servers and web based alpha paging services. Provide UNIX system installation and administration for various operating systems, primarily Linux and SCO. Develop and maintain Perl CGI scripts for Melia Design Group, Inc. Projects include development and debug of registration and trivia contest scripts for Turner Affiliate Resources and site access control. Principle software developer of OnCart (previously Shoppers Express) Commercial Web Application for internet-based retail grocery delivery. Primary responsibility for the middle tier between the NetScape Commerce server and the Web Application running on HP-UX 10.x. The interface software relied on ONC/RPC with a trial port to DCE RPC. Implemented a software system in C++ that generated HTML pages incorporating data retrieved from a Sybase database. Maintenance and upgrade of HP-UX (OS upgrades, patches and Netscape upgrades). Coordinate with Netscape to resolve technical issues in using Netscape API. Installation and maintenance of g++ and other FSF tools. Modifications to g++ libraries and internal libraries to support shared library loading from the Netscape application. Reimplementation of the REGEX regular expression library using POSIX regex libraries to eliminate memory leaks. Design and implementation of JavaScript line item ordering and Credit Card validation for the shopping application. Development and support of Digital Video's Video Server product including patent disclosures and associated technical documentation, system performance analysis and testing, and evaluation of system configurations, components and architectures. System configuration and administration for Alumax's HP-UX system hosting data consolidation and reporting applications for regional and international operations. Tasks include: installation and software migration to new K-class 10.x system from C-class 9.x system; system configuration and upgrade, including logical volume configuration and management; installation of software and patches; and UNIX user support. Initial setup and configuration of Sun Solaris systems for the Materials Research lab in the Mechanical Engineering department Georgia Tech. | |
| Technical Manager/Product Developer | EGT |
|
Brought a new product from concept through development to customer field trials and initial sales.
This product integrates MPEG2 encoding, SPTS/MPTS stream multiplexing, QAM
Modulation and RF upconversion and opened a new market area for the company,
representing the first product offering not based on the company's original product.
Co-designed and developed a closed-loop multiplexing solution for EGT's MPEG encoders. Provided technical direction for a diverse team responsible for platform architecture, Verilog/FPGA design and implementation, RTOS support, device drivers and development infrastructure. Installed and championed the use of collaborative tools for development (wiki-wiki), project management (dotProject) and agile programming (junit and check). Provide internal support to manufacturing and quality assurance teams, including automated software builds and web-based repository management and access tools. | |
| Senior Software Engineer | ANTEC/Digital Video |
| Performed technical evaluation of server architectures, platforms and vendors. Performed system analysis and documented requirements for MPEG Constant Bit Rate Server (Video Pump) components of the Digital Video Server Network. Coordinated the compilation of the Ad Insertion Product Specification as well as writing the Video Pump portions. Design and implementation (in C++) of the Video Pump, including UNIX real time support for Constant Bit Rate output and custom UNIX device drivers. U.S. and International Standards work including: Company Representative to ANSI X3L3.1 committee on Audio/Picture Coding; and National Delegate from the United States to the International Standards Organization (ISO) for MPEG (SC29/WG11). Authored "Distributed Video Server Architecture", a paper and presentation to the SCTE by the Digital Video VP of Engineering. Provided technical support to Marketing on RFPs. Routine system administration including System Backups and NIS Installation. (1994-1996) | |
| Senior Software Engineer | Melita International(eShare) |
| Lead role in design, development and documentation of Melita's of next generation predictive dialing product. Authored system and subsystem Requirements and Design documents; implemented high reliability Client/Server architecture using ONC/RPC; designed an event and message logging subsystem; co-authored software style guide and development guidelines; established procedures for Requirements and Design documentation; developed and installed an embedded documentation system for source code; developed tools to convert cflow output to a graphical representation; ported FSF compilers, version control system and editor to multiple UNIX platforms including RS/6000 AIX and SCO 386; participated in technology strategy meetings with Marketing, Operations and executives; technical review of new and emerging technologies including ISDN, Central Office based services(AIN), and competitive and support products; perform routine system administration duties. (1991-1994) | |
| Manager, Software Engineering | IVEX Corporation |
| Established Software Engineering guidelines; installed source code control system; instituted Software Problem Resolution procedures; installed a workstation network hosting cross-development tools; consolidated software versions, reducing maintenance effort; provided national and international customer site support; supervised all software development efforts; authored technical specifications; designed control architecture for new product; developed IEEE 802.3 (ethernet) interface driver; hired and trained Software Engineers. Took lead role as system and software designer of second generation product; directly responsible for major feature enhancements; coordinated initial system delivery to pilot customer. (1989-1991) | |
| Member of Scientific Staff | Bell Northern Research (BNR) |
| Coauthored a telecommunications site survey of a multi-tenant office complex as a basis for investigating new product opportunities. Performed architectural design of a T1 multiplexor product. Ported and enhanced an 8086 based real time operating system to improve performance, allow use of expanded memory, support additional PL/M memory models and support upgraded hardware. (1987-1989) | |
| Senior Engineer | BBL Industries |
| Successfully managed a crucial software development project involving 15 software engineers including project planning and tracking, resource allocation and system organization. Coordinated with Operations and Marketing for product release. Participated in real time operating system port including file system implementation, and design and implementation of a real time in-memory subscriber database. (1986-1987) | |
| Software Engineer II | Intecolor Corporation |
| Developed software for color VT-220 emulation in C and Z80 assembly specializing in the C to assembly interface and performance optimizations. Developed firmware for a hardware assisted screen fill for Intecolor's high performance process control graphics terminals. Performed an architectural analysis and requirements for evaluation of Real Time Operating Systems for the next generation process control terminals. (1984-1986) | |
| Software Engineer | Chalk Board, Inc. |
| Co-designed and developed two interactive graphics products on multiple platforms. These included a simple free-form paint program intended for young pre-schoolers and a more complex drawing program for older students. These were ported to the IBM PC and to Motorola 6502 based machines including the Apple ][, Commodore 64 and Atari and required the development of low-level graphics libraries for each machine. Represented Chalk Board at trade shows. Acted as technical liaison to manufacturing subcontractors, establishing assembly procedures, monitoring quality, and providing testing assistance and software. (1983-1984) | |
| Graduate Research Assistant | Georgia Tech Engineering Experiment Station |
| Worked as an undergraduate, and later as a Graduate Research Assistant, for Engineering Experiment Station Lab chartered to employ appropriate technologies including co-generation, passive and active solar systems and technologies for agricultural applications and in support of developing countries. | |
| Instructor (part-time) |
Southern College of Technology (SPSU),
School of Applied Computer Science. |
| Planned and taught Computer Organization, Computer Graphics, and Programming Languages. Developed Graphics and C Programming Courses; developed a microprogramming simulator for Computer Organization; co-developed a C Programming Seminar for the Continuing Education Department. (1984-1989) | |
| Affiliations |
| Patents |
| Publications |
Special Edition Using CGI,
ISBN: 0-7897-0740-3, Copyright 1996.
Acquisitions Editor: Cheryl D. Willoughby.Special Edition Software Engineering with Turbo C++,
ISBN: 1-56529-837-3, Copyright 1995.
Acquisitions Editor: Lori Jordan.Special Edition Using the Internet, First Edition,
ISBN: 1-56529-353-3, Copyright 1994.
Acquisitions Editor: Nancy Stephenson
This book won the 1995 Award of Achievement from the Society for Technical Communication.
In addition to these books, I co-authored the following publication as a part of my work as a Graduate Assistant with the Georgia Tech Engineering Experiment Station:
Solar Assisted Poultry Growout House Design,
by Kenneth M. Thompson, Wiley D. Holcomb and Michael S. Smith.
Prepared for Solar Applications Branch, Tennessee Valley Authority, January, 1983.