Resume - Alf Watt

AirPort Sofware Engineer
Apple Inc., Cupertino
April 2007 - July 2012

Responsable for Wi-Fi User Experience on OS X from Snow Leopard (10.6) through Mountain Lion (10.8). Implemented improvements in feedback during network selection and connection processes, designed and implemented Wi-Fi Diagnostics to provide detailed diagnostic information to assist in debugging complex connectivity issues.

Worked closely with multiple teams: Wireless Hardware Engineering, Apple Care Support Teams, CoreOS Networking & Mac Applications. Developed software deployed in factory to improve RF testing process, analyzed support issues to identify areas in which the user experience needed improvements, coordinated development of diagnostic tools & provided supporting frameworks for wireless device managment.

Managed multiple projects: Wi-Fi Diagnostics, Network Utility & several internal frameworks. Learned and implemented the Apple Development Process to manage priorities and release schedules; gathered requirements from customers, created brief white-papers and demos for reviews, developed implementation plans & schedules once approved, lead implementation and track schedule, progress, testing & bugs.

Mac Development Lead
imeem.com, San Francisco
October 2006 - March 2007

Proposed, specified and developed a desktop media player which used web services to populate its library of music, video and photos for full screen, remote-driven, presentation. Leveraged open-source technology to speed development while contributing new features back to the community. Personally demoed the product to an excited audience at Mac World 2007.

Lead a small team to maintain a hybrid Cocoa/C# messaging and social networking client for a media sharing & community startup. Added upload features with integration into iLife Suite for easy posting of photos and movies to the imeem.com web site.

Open Source Developer & Consultant
January 2001 - October 2006

Implemented an existing custom binary network protocol, image loading and cache management utilities in a Cocoa photo sharing client for a startup in San Francisco.

Developed Desk Lamp for OS X, currently in stasis Desk Lamp is a flexible desktop search tool which focuses the power of Apple's Spotlight search engine on your documents, projects and work flows. http://desklampapp.com

Designed, implemented and published iStumbler for Mac OS X. iStumbler is the leading wireless discovery tool for Mac OS X, providing free and open source tools for finding AirPort networks, Bluetooth devices, Bonjour services, and GPS locations with your Mac. http://istumbler.net/

Built and installed the first four radios for SFLAN, a project aimed at creating a member owned and maintained city-wide wireless network using long distance 802.11b links, and embedded linux systems. http://sflan.com/

Tested Cometa's wireless service platform against a pre-release Intel Centrino system for their initial rollout to dozens of Mc Donalds restaurants in Manhattan. Testing resulted in certification of the platform for Centrino mobile systems and involved checking a matrix of VPN connections with the captive portal system used to control access to public hotspots.

Provide IT & Consulting services to San Francisco VC firms, including off site backup and multi-site data replication. Deploy and manage linux file servers to provide central document storage, backup and small web applications tailored to specific business requirements.

Produced technical documentation using Docbook XML and XSLT style sheets to support my own development projects and a small wireless startup.

Provided consultation and training in Java, Web Development and Source Control best practices for a Credit Card Issuer. Encouraged the use of Open Source and Free Software to reduce costs and improve maintainability.

Server Software
LightSurf, Santa Cruz
March 2000 - December 2000

Played principal architect and technical lead for the LightSurf Media Application Hosting Platform, which manages photos, associated meta-data, user accounts, sharing, e commerce and fulfillment. The platform has an open API and is SOAP enabled for easy integration into existing systems.

Evaluated and implemented a server platform based on the most efficient and cost effective java application server products available. Utilized Open Source and Free Software to dramatically reduced licensing and hardware costs in an ASP deployment of LightSurf's flagship product.

Coordinated local and offshore development groups implementing Media Application Hosting Platform. Developed persistence API, supporting documentation and implementation requirements. Performed code review of contractor contributions and managed overall systems integration between server components.

Consulting Web Developer
NextCard, San Francisco
December 1999 - March 2000

Developed Administrative Tool kit allowing business owners to manage customer accounts, alter pricing strategies on the fly and provide real- time customer service and graphical reporting.

Internet Applications Technical Lead
Microsoft bCentral, San Francisco
November 1998 - September 1999

Provided architecture and technical leadership in a small team working on an application using mod_perl and Apache on FreeBSD systems.

Implemented a fast session cache in Perl, dramatically improving performance.

Software Engineer, Build Master, Quality Assurance Engineer
Perspecta, San Francisco
July 1997 - November 1998

Prototyped a user interface for editing a complex database modeling of conceptual and ontological relationships between keywords.

Developed an integrated cross platform build and install system for java server applications similar to ANT using Perl and XML.

CAD Technician
Red Tail Surveying Inc., Taos
June 1996 - March 1997

Drafting of survey plats, create and update document templates, create and update in-house database and in-house PC & Windows support and training.

Chair of Communications Committee
La Lama Neighborhood Association, Questa
May 1996 - December 1996

Coordination of available information after the Hondo Fire, maintaining of resident list and resource list, resource direction, newsletter, resource matching and answering the phone.

Lead Technical Support Representative
Howard and Friends Inc., Taos
September 1995 - March 1996

Technical Support for Howard & Friends and Howard & Friends for Networks, In-house PC network support, In-house Fax Server support, Technical Documentation, Priority Cases and Research.

Digital Imaging Technician
Electric Images Inc., Minneapolis
January 1995 - September 1995

Output of Macintosh graphics files to various digital printers. Color correction and image enhancement using Photoshop. Macintosh LAN management, with additional Netware 3.x connectivity.