Halpern-Wight Software, Inc.
31 Blueberry Lane Wilton, NH 03086 (603) 654-6474
email: phalpern@halpernwightsoftware.com http://www.halpernwightsoftware.com

This page is obsolete. Please see my most recent resume, here.

Pablo Halpern
Application Development Resume
Updated 11/23/2002

Summary:

I have extensive experience specifying, designing, and implementing user applications. My approach is always to reduce the coupling between the user interface and the core of the application so that the UI can change easily without the need for a complete re-engineering of the application. Especially in the case of Graphical UIs, there is often a need to get a prototype up and running quickly, usually without the ability to consult a graphical artist or human-interface expert. Although I am an engineer, I have a better-than-average grasp of usability concepts. I implement GUIs in such a way that the UI can be improved or replaced later.

I will take your project through all or any part of the software-development life-cycle, working either as a team leader or as an individual contributor. I ensure that the project's needs are considered at every level of detail. When programming, I avoid quick-and-dirty solutions in favor of maintainable, extensible and efficient implementations. I also document my work with clearly written specifications, design documents, and/or test plans. I am expert in a number of programming and scripting languages and am quick to pick up new languages or third party tools as needed for a particular task.

Specialties:

Network management with SNMP, distributed systems, Language and compiler design, C++ programming, implementation of Command-line interfaces.

Other Skills:

General: Object-oriented analysis and design (using UML), strong verbal and written communications skills, embedded systems, team leadership, software tools, graphical user interfaces.

Languages: C++ (since 1989), C (since 1982), Perl, Pascal, Visual Basic, HTML, Unix Shells (Bourne, Bash, Korn, C-shell), 680x0 and 80x86 Assembly languages. Learning C#, JavaScript.

Operating Systems: Unix (Linux, Solaris, Sun OS, HP-UX), MS Windows (95, NT, 2000), OS/2, MS-DOS, VAX/VMS.

Tools and Libraries: X.11/Motif, lex (flex), yacc (bison), Clearcase, Visual Studio, Rational Rose.

Application Development Experience (Consulting and Employment)

Note: This resume contains only experience directly related to application development. For a more complete resume, please visit my home page at the URL below.

Xerox Corporation, Distributed Network Applications, Burlington, MA (4 months)

• Contributed to distributed book-on-demand publishing system.
• Did UML design of configurable workflow manager.
• Skills used: UML, Rational Rose, Perl, Distributed Systems, Windows NT, Unix (Solaris).

BMC Software, Inc., Waltham, MA (2.75 years)

• Mentored development team in Object Oriented design and C++ programming.
• Contributed to software for monitoring WAN performance to aid customers in capacity planning.
• Designed inter-process messaging system using TCP/IP in distributed environment.
• Implemented data collection modules using SNMP and RMON.
• Skills Used: C++, UML, networking with TCP/IP, SNMP, distributed systems, verbal and written communication, Clearcase, Unix (Solaris).

Business Matters, Inc., Waltham, MA (2.25 years)

• Designed and implemented a core analysis module for financial forecasting program.
• Contributed to design of several parts of user-interface.
• Designed special-purpose object database.
• Mixed-language environment included C, C++ and Visual Basic.
• Skills Used: Visual Basic, C++, C, Windows NT, GUIs.

Hewlett Packard (Clinical Information Systems), Andover, MA (2 years)

• Part of two-person project team to design and implement a forms-based database access system for medical information system.
• Implemented WYSIWYG form design tool and report generator.
• Designed module to interface with pharmacy information system.
• Produced specification and test plan documents according to project's zero-bug initiative.
• Skills Used: C++, Unix (HP-UX), X11/Motif.

Intersolv, Cambridge, MA (14 months)

• Contributed to Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tool for IBM’s AD/Cycle line.
• Architected relational-style database used to store Repository data.
• Designed subsystem for translating between Repository data model and user view.
• Designed and implemented analysis routines and report generator for separate CASE product.
• Skills Used: C, C++, OS/2.

Wang Laboratories., Lowell, MA (4 months)

• Designed package to read user interface description from disk files, present them on screen, and handle interaction with user.
• Led small group of programmers in implementing UI package.
• Skills Used: C, written communication, user interfaces.

Polygen Corp., MA (now Pharmacopeia, Princeton, NJ) (3+ years)
Senior Software Designer, Project leader

• Participated heavily in specification and design of company’s phamaceutical design products.
• Team leader and chief architect of portable graphics and user interface platform.
• Resident C and Unix guru.
• Skills Used: C, Unix (Sun OS, SGI Iris), X11, Unix shell (Bourne, C-shell), VMS, DOS, team leadership.

Desktop Scientific Systems, MA (9 months, then sold to Polygen)
Vice President of Software Development

• Co-founded company to make interactive scientific calculation and graphing software product for PCs.
• Participated with two partners in conceptualization and specification of product.
• Designed and implemented language interpreter for APL-like mathematical modeling language.
• Prior to introduction of MS Windows, designed and implemented GUI infrastructure with virtual memory and simple multi-tasking.
• Supervised 2-3 engineers and performed daily code reviews.
• Skills Used: C, DOS, interpreter design, user interfaces, team leadership, business leadership.

Education:

Hampshire College, B.A. in Computer Science, May, 1983.
Thesis: Language Extensions for Improved Data Abstraction (a procedural language approximation of object-oriented concepts).

Publications:

Book: The C++ Standard Library from Scratch, Que Publishing, November, 1999. An introduction to the C++ Standard Library, including STL, strings, and I/O streams. Guides the reader through the development of a working personal information manager (PIM) application using standard library facilities.

Training material: The C++ Standard Library, 1998. Approx. 110 pages of slide presentations, exercises (with solutions), and accompanying instructor's manual used to teach a two or three-day training for intermediate or advanced C++ programmers.

Article: "M and Robotics," with Max Rivers and James Poitras, M Computing, April, 1995.

References: Furnished on request

How to Contact:

By Phone:	(603) 654-6474
By email:	phalpern@halpernwightsoftware.com
On the Web:	http://www.halpernwightsoftware.com
By Postal Mail:	Halpern-Wight Software, Inc. 31 Blueberry Lane Wilton, NH  03086