Software Developer - Donald Sykes

At a glance...
A 35 year career of developing complete software applications tailored to the most demanding business requirements.
Nine years developing desktop, client-server and web applications using Java, Swing, J2EE, JSP, Tomcat, & MySQL.

2006 - 2008 VP Technology: GoCampaigns, Inc of San Rafael, CA
2001 - 2005 Principal: ePatha, LLC of San Rafael, CA
1997 - 2001 Contract programming to: Oracle of Redwood City, Borland of Scotts Valley and City of Oakland, CA
1987 - 1997 Software Consultant: Digital Equipment Corp./Compaq (now part of HP)
1983 - 1987 Contract programming: Bank of America and S & W Foods
1979 - 1983 Director of Small Business Systems: PMS, Inc. (defunct) Burlingame, CA
1973 - 1983 Progressive positions: Bechtel Group, San Francisco, CA

Some Relevant Details...

• As Vice President at Go Campaigns I managed 6 employees, offshore developers and contractors. As product architect I created a Java/Swing client/server application (LeadMiner™) which interfaces to a third party data provider (via xml) to obtain potential customer information (leads). The results are presented in a specialized CRM. A highly specialized HTML editor allows users to create templates which are then populated by the CRM data to create individualized letters, postcards or emails. Documents can be printed directly, via PDF or routed to a third party print service.

• I created ePatha Software in 2000 to provide inexpensive Java based application software and tools.

ePatha Products
Image Hotel & Spa™ : a prototype for an easy to understand application for the management, alteration and presentation of a user’s digital images.
Express Designer™ : a prototype for the creation and management of digital drawings - incorporating lightweight CAD and image functions, as well as a full set of geometric objects.
License Manager™ : an application for Java developers that provides them a full set of tools to license their own Java based applications and products.

ePatha Contracts
• Created a specialized version of our License Manager product and a Java-based feedback and reporting system for Triad Biometrics in 2005 to enhance their fingerprint identification product.
• Completed several projects for the Potlatch Corporation.

Ported and re-engineered a VMS based order selection system's transmission from 3270 DataStream to OpenConnect [SunOS 5.6 Unix, Oracle 8.i]
Replaced the OpenConnect data transfer method to one that used ftp.
Ported the order selection system from its original C code to Java and from its Unix platform to a Microsoft Server.

• At Oracle, I participated in the design and development of an automated Unix to OpenVMS porting environment. We created tools capable of transparent, Unix driven compilations on VMS. Using Java and C, Tru64 Unix files were shared with VMS (ODS-5 exported disk). Symbolic links and file name differences were implemented via RMS file aliasing and tracked via database.

• For the City of Oakland's Police Department, I designed and developed the underlying components required to implement the 911 Emergency Dispatch System. This involved real-time updates, inter-process communications, time driven event notification, system fail-over and a 911-telecom interface. The system went live in 1992 and continued to provide real time, life saving information (24x7x365) to public safety personnel until its replacement in 2004. During those 12 years, I held a continuous contract with the city for maintenance and enhancements.

• At Borland I ported this company’s database product (Interbase) from Unix to OpenVMS Alpha. This included the implementation of POSIX threads and support for Decnet, as well as three TCP/IP stack implementations: Digital’s UCX, MultiNet and Attachmate’s PathWay. To complete the project, I also ported and executed the product’s entire QA test suite, updated user documentation and created of the product’s installation CD.

• At Digital Equipment Corporation I enhanced, maintained and installed Digital’s Re:Solution product - a client/server document management and drawing system. It consisted of a VMS server and 3 clients: VMS [Decwindows &Motif], MS Windows 3.1 and Macintosh. I was the sole supporter of the product’s API component and maintained all the related dynamic and embedded SQL code for each of its supported databases - Rdb, Oracle and Ingres. I also provided customized implementations and training to customers in the U.S., U.K. & Hong Kong.