Outback
Software, Ltd
1137 San
Ildefonso Road
Los Alamos, NM 87544
(505)
661-8871
Summary
I have a
broad background in computer systems, with over 30 years of experience on
systems ranging from single-user workstations to large distributed database and
communications systems, using many different tools and programming languages.
My development approach focuses on functionality, and also on important quality
attributes such as usability, security, reliability, and maintainability.
Besides the technical disciplines of systems development, I have skills in
communication, education, and knowledge of various business domains.
Skills/accomplishments
Design and programming: I have been
programming since 1967, and have worked since 1987 in object-oriented analysis,
design and programming. I am highly skilled in Smalltalk and have also
programmed in Java, C++ and Object Pascal. I have experience in other languages
including C, Mathematica, Visual Basic, JavaScript, PL/I, Lisp, APL, Pascal,
GPSS, and assembly language. I’ve worked with operating systems including IBM
MVS, all versions of Microsoft Windows, OS/2, and Linux. My database experience
includes IMS, SQL, and DB2.
Technical communication: I have been
a professional educator for IBM, and have presented tutorials and seminars at
industry conferences (e.g., SHARE, GUIDE, OOPSLA) on object-orientation, user
interface design, and software usability. My book, Designing Object-Oriented
User Interfaces, was published by Addison-Wesley in 1995. I have extensive
experience with word processing and graphics applications such as MS Word,
FrameMaker, Adobe Acrobat, PhotoShop, and Corel Draw, as well as web page
implementation using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
General technical ability: I have
done significant technical work on platforms ranging from mainframes to
personal computers. I have a broad understanding of system design,
architecture, and business issues, as well as the ability to do detailed design
and programming. I am a fast learner, and have mastered many languages and
platforms through hands-on self-teaching.
Work history
June 1993 - present
Founder and
principal consultant of Outback Software, Ltd., a consulting firm specializing
in object-oriented development. Projects include:
·
Senior analyst/designer/programmer on several three-tier trade
finance applications for a large European bank
(Windows NT client/server, IBM MVS mainframe). This includes enhancement
and maintenance of an object/relational database using SQL/DB2, and development
of automated test tools.
·
Senior analyst/designer/programmer prototyping an online booking
system with an XML-based information publishing component for a large European
bank.
·
Senior designer/programmer for a client-server telemarketing order
entry system (OS/2 client, IBM MVS mainframe with CICS and DB2).
·
Ongoing network and security installation, configuration, and
administration for Outback’s small office network, including Windows (95, 2000,
XP) and Linux machines with wired and wireless networking.
January 1992 - June 1993
Senior Programmer, End
User and Object-Oriented Technologies, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center,
Hawthorne, NY. Projects included:
·
Developing
application frameworks under OS/2 for supporting "workplace" style
user interfaces, with extensive use of direct manipulation, enhanced text
editing, and hypertext.
·
Design
and programming for a distributed multimedia system with an object-oriented
database on AIX and a GUI front end on OS/2.
1988 - 1991
Senior
Instructor, IBM U. S. Education Center, Thornwood, NY. Developed and taught
courses in software usability, user interface design, and object-oriented
programming. Courses for which I was the principal developer included Design of Object-Oriented User Interfaces and Advanced Software Development with Smalltalk.
1985 - 1987
Consulting
Systems Engineer in an IBM Marketing Branch Office. Provided technical guidance
and project leadership on high-visibility application development and system
integration projects, and communicated technical directions to IBM and customer
executives.
1976 - 1984
Systems
Engineer in an IBM Marketing Branch Office. Provided design assistance, systems
integration, contract programming (systems and applications), and performance
analysis on large application development projects done by customers.
Application environments included MVS with IMS, DB2, and CICS, personal
computers, and multivendor networks.
1967 - 1975
Customer
Engineer and Programming Systems Representative in the IBM Field Engineering
Division. Performed hardware and software maintenance on System/360 and 370
systems, and associated operating systems, subsystems, and applications.
1964 - 1967
Ground radar
technician, U. S. Marine Corps. Vietnam veteran.
Education
and certifications
B.A. in
Computational Mathematics (Summa cum laude), Fordham University.
Graduate
work in Mathematics and Computer Science at New York University, Courant
Institute.
SANS GIAC
Security Essentials Certification (GSEC).
Publications
Collins, David. "Assessing the security of the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall." SANS Institute Information Security Reading Room, 2002. http://rr.sans.org/win/XP_firewall2.php.
Collins, Dave. Designing
Object-Oriented User Interfaces. Reading,
MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995.
Collins,
Dave. "What Is an Object-Oriented User Interface?" Proceedings of the Symposium on Object-Oriented
Programming Emphasizing Practical Applications. ACM/Marist College, 1990.
Davis, Ben, Linn Marks, Dave Collins, et al. "The Human
Interface to Large Multimedia Databases."Proceedings of the Conference on High-Speed Networking and Multimedia
Applications. San Jose, CA:
IS&T/SPIE, 1994.
Mack, R., L. Marks, D.
Collins, and K. Instone. "The CHI 95 Conference Electronic Publication:
Introduction to an Experiment." ACM
SIGCHI Bulletin: 28, 2, 1996.
Mack, R., L. Marks, D.
Collins, and K. Instone. Editors. CHI 95
Electronic Conference Proceedings. (Proceedings of the Conference on
Human Factors in Computing Systems, sponsored by the ACM Special Interest
Group on Computer-Human Interaction). ACM, 1995.
Mack,
Robert, Peter Malkin, Dave Collins, et
al. Smalltalk Prototyping of CUA
1991 Workplace and Multimedia Information Management Concepts. Technical report, IBM Research Division,
1993.
Miscellaneous
I am a
member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), ACM SIGGRAPH, ACM
SIGCHI, American Society for Quality (ASQ), Mathematical Association of
America, and Past President (1993) of
the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. I am
active in civic affairs, and serve on the Los Alamos County Transportation
Board.