Encouraging internal and external teams to modernise processes and software. Tools: git, Slack, bots, Unix, buildbots, vim, Python, slackbots, Gitlab, gitbots, JIRA, NewRelic, Redis, Celery, nginx, uwsgi, Flask, appbots, CSS, JavaScript, parsebots, testbots, Selenium, MySql, Postgresql, SOAP, logbots, suds, and more bots.

Senior Pythonista

Secured significant compliance contracts from major clients for reviewing source code from large teams of developers in multiple companies. Pleased to find that the pedantry honed on programming questions is just as useful to legal ones. Tools: git, OS X, Ubuntu, vim, Python, more git, Gerrit, Blackduck, Protex, Jenkins, Jira,... I learned how not to let smelly code in.

Senior OSS Engineer

Helped to grow the team to 150+. I continuously integrated world-wide development teams and supported installation on a variety of platforms. We controlled release through Issue Trackers to System Test, Support and Customers, who provided mobile towers to remote lumberjacks (so we were OK). Led the team effort which achieved DO-178B certification of development processes, and contributed to the overall ISO-9000 certification efforts. I particularly enjoyed mentoring younger engineers, from internships through graduation and on to their own leadership positions. Tools: svn, OS X, RHEL, vim, Python, git, Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, Mandriva, Javascript, SQL, source code translation, Blackduck, Selenium. Interesting Project: Was asked to optimize a Java program, so profiled it, then adapted a Python parser to take away the syntactic sugar leaving code frames which gcc recognized as C. Profiled it again, re-wrote the framework, profiled again, added features.

Release Manager

Built a team to adapt retail software for use in the Irish Fashion industry. Tools: Delphi (Pascal), Microsoft SQL Server, TestComplete. Interesting Project: "iPads" for warehouse staff.

Co Founder, CTO

On joining interWAVE I was responsible for transfer of the development of their OMC (Operations and Maintenance Centre) from Silicon Valley to Tralee, and then for all aspects of development in Tralee and for integration with other teams in America and China. Tools: ClearCase, Solaris, vim, C++, Networking, Telecoms, Rational Rose Interesting question: why does your diff engine compare text, not code?

Leader.

I initially joined a startup company called Microcellular Systems, where we created a software team which developed software such as GSM subscriber management. This development team was a significant part of the reason why Microcellular was acquired by interWAVE. Enterprise Ireland helped us to attract talent from Tralee's Institute of Technology which I built into a Team of 10 strong enough to be aquired by Interwave. Interesting Project: Mapping locations of approaching GSM towers from a shed. Tools: C, C++, Tcl/Tk, GSM, Windows

Co Founder, Development Manager

We offered Windows FlexTime apps to HR personnel using VAXen Interesting lesson: The customer is always right, except when they think something might be cheap..

Coder

I helped differently abled people to use computers to better meet their needs. This was the toughest and most rewarding position I have undertaken. Interesting challenge: Explain Visual Basic to someone who has heard Excel Macros. Listening to a program being read (by a screen reader) changes one's perspective, or one cannot help.

Ability Developer

Python is the most open language so far, and I would not work without it

Unix failed fast, failed early, and then just stopped failing. Xenix, Solaris, CentOS, mac OS, ... 

"Data" is just text with structure  and the shell is still the best IDE for text 

Since they took away the limits on disk-space, git keeps me sane.

Build processes ceritified to allow our code onto aeroplanes.

I love my job

J Alan Brogan

An implementation of Douglas Hofstadter's copycat algorithm, chosen as a base for part of the FARGonauts' collection of software derived from Hofstadter's ideas.

co.py.cat

Staurday morning coding classes for kids. Irregular, but ongoing

CoderDojo, etc

Wrote a program in Python translate a program in Java to C++ so that it could be more easily optimised.

RIAS

Trained Chinese engineers to build code from Ireland for international distribution.

Personal details

J B.

Summary

Technical skills

Work Experience

Personal Projects