Juicy tools for packaging research.

Bluntpeak is the name I trade under for personal projects and clients.It has provided consultancy services to business both large and small for the past 20 off years and recently became a Limited Company — ask the accountant :)Such as it is the website can be found at http://bluntpeak.com but is a classic case of "cobblers shoes" and badly in need of an update...

Innovative approach to remote training on the web. Going beyond pre-recorded video howto's and blog based tutorials. Real tuition by real experts to your agenda. Face to Face.Initial feedback from our pre-launch beta clients has been nothing short of awesome!

Provide the technical as well as creative skills and drive to take a social media startup from a few paper ideas to working prototypes including building on the basic ideas to provide a feature rich unique user experience and placing them in a strong position to move forward to real world launch.Tech involved includes: nodejs / backbone / jquery mobile / javascript / mongodb / server admin / plus the normal culprits... html5 etc.

Provided technical assist, development and content creation services.Blue Jay Designs was not just about graphical design. The founder came from a technical background and so we provided networking, seo, backup solutions, failover server setup, programming assist as well as basic web design and development services.I also created much of the company`s marketing materials as well as formal quotations and system specs including those needed for an international online gaming company to meet its obligations under international banking laws.

Develop real time browser based interfaces for the Sports and Spread betting industries.The owner of Ariel Communications sold the company and started Prospero3 in the same market place thus my work here was essentially a continuation of the job I held at Ariel. This time round we moved over to using Flex as the main development tool for the client side work. However, the MXML approach to working with Flex did not meet our needs, neither did the built in components provided with the framework. The reasons being: • Our systems had to be fast and have a small download footprint at the client side • The interfaces had to match as closely as possible (to the pixel sometimes) the designs produced by the clients graphic designers — often times this would simply have been impossible to match using standard components of any framework then or now existing.I therefore perfected a workflow allowing direct hand coding of all interface elements (avoiding MXML) and at the same time created our own event driven framework and custom highly visually configurable components. It is this framework that we used and enhanced over the time I worked with Prospero3.The framework was designed from the outset to be reasonably future proof and in some cases client expandable so it is pleasing to see the durability of the solutions I created allow many of our clients to continue to use them to this day. Sure, some will have had features added but on checking I find a number are clearly still using the main base I created 2-4 years ago.

Develop real time browser based interfaces (RIA) for the sports and spread betting industries.In 2002 the work involved creation of Java applets with particular care being given to cross browser compatibility — just as much of a nightmare then as it is now. Later, as the language matured work switched to using Flash. For an idea of the systems produced have a look at http://shortsandlongs.com (the trading floor link).A custom distributed data store was developed that provided the link between various bank and other price feeds, the application servers and the interfaces running in the browser. The server protocol used allowed almost real-time push messaging to the browser through most but not all proxy / firewall / routing combinations without the need for non standard ports to be opened.

Responsible for the design and implementation of a real time browser based motivational ‘game’ called Starbased Labyrinth. I also procured and installed the company`s first internet servers and provided technical assist with how best to leverage current technology to best grow the company`s portfolio.

Initially brought in to debug and finish an overrunning project involving the micro controller code for a coin receiver system. Then moved to the R&D dept. for remainder of the contract term. One of the more interesting jobs for sure.

Brought in to ‘fix’ a DOS based turbo pascal actuarial program written by an in-house non programmer. Held many roles after that from Project leader through to LAN administration and Compliance test lead. Introduced new technologies such as Delphi and automated test systems to help ensure GRE met its regulatory obligations. Contract was initially 3 months and was extended up until GRE was taken over in February 1999 by AXA.

Bug fix and maintain an ageing patient administration system until it could be replaced.

IGOC asked me to produce a “next step” to a central CRM tool I had created for them a year or so earlier. The new CRM system ran on laptops for the salesforce (and included basic geo-location facilities to better utilise salesman dead time) and a new Novel network in the main telesales office. Providing a complete link to central accounts and bi-directional remote updates from central to laptop allowed the salesforce to increase their productivity significantly. The Financial Director of IGOC later told me the system paid for itself within 6 months of going live.

Support and enhance a paradox based contract monitoring system sold to the NHS. System did not even have guaranteed 100% up to date source code when I arrived. Introduced source management as well as installing back office Novel networking and initial design and prototyping of a number of new products.