benjamin shine
objective
Make software better. Make better software. Computers shouldn't cause stress and pain; they should facilitate understanding, communication, and joy. I want to build software applications that people look forward to using, to build elegant code libraries, and to write articles that inform and amuse other technologists. The domain of this work is less important to me than the quality and values of the development process itself. Extreme, agile, or ad-hoc, open source or secret skunkworks -- anything but waterfall. Let's make software that inspires love letters.
skills
OpenLaszlo, ruby, subversion, Java, ant, XSL, XML, docbook, JavaScript, bash, open source, tomcat, C#, Microsoft .NET (Windows Forms), OpenGL, CSS, HTML, technical writing, teaching, testing, user support, Linux.
experience
Senior Software Engineer, Laszlo Systems, 2005-Current
As a platform engineer on the Open Laszlo rich internet application framework, my work covers the entire application stack, spanning front-end applications, servlet development, developer tools, configuration management, and operations. Owned docbook/xsl toolchain for generating documentation from source code. Rewrote build system to be more portable, eliminating everything non-Java in the requirements. Built registration user interface for LaszloMail.com. Created an Ajax xUnit framework with rhino, java, and bash. Added CSS support to Open Laszlo with java, xml, and javascript. Created an automated Ajax performance benchmark toolkit with java and junit. Ported collaboration and build tools from perforce to subversion.
Research Programmer, Brown University Department of Computer Science, 2002-2005
Specified, designed, and led implementation of several software projects with 2D and 3D interfaces across a variety of platforms and languages, including C++, OpenGL, Java, C#, Microsoft .NET, Linux, and Mac OS X. Managed ChemPad, a 2D/3D tool for organic chemistry students, from initial idea through funding, development, roll-out, and evaluation. Collaborated with artists and scientists on several virtual reality projects. Designed and implemented prototypes of interactive, graphical educational technologies.
Software Engineer, Quokka Sports; San Francisco, California, 2000-2001
Helped design, develop, and deploy several software projects using Java, C, and XML/ XSL at this Internet sports company. Developed software to process swimming and gymnastics results for NBCOlympics.com for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney; this project delivered the fastest results and images on the web. Evaluated graphics technologies and helped design the user interface for a new asset management system. Improved the interface in a tool that classifies digital photos taken in the field during adventure events.
Creative Engineer, Construct Internet Design; San Francisco, California, 1997-2000
Developed a range of software including client-server multi-user games, databasedriven web sites, and technology demonstrations for clients including Sony, Intel, and Netscape. Served as technical lead on several projects, responsible for designing the software architecture and leading a team of three to five programmers. Wrote specifications and proposals, maintained schedules, managed releases.
education
Brown University, Bachelor of Arts, Computer Science. Providence, Rhode Island, 1997.
University of California, Berkeley, and Mills College, Oakland, California. Coursework in biology, physics, chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, 2001-2002.
publications
SIGGRAPH 2005, Sketches program.
Benjamin Shine (as Sascha Becker), Shawn Greenlee, Dmitri Lemmerman, Morgan McGuire, Nicholas Musurca, Noah Wardrip-Fruin
Describes a vision for learning technology, with description of recent prototypes.
Andries van Dam, Benjamin Shine (as Sascha Becker Shine), Rosemary Michelle Simpson. EDUCAUSE Review, March/April 2005.
SIGGRAPH 2005, Posters program.
Dana Tenneson, Benjamin Shine (as Sascha Becker)
Motivation, samples, and user guide for ChemPad.
Benjamin Shine (as Sascha Becker), Dana Tenneson, Matthew Zimmt. Brown University, March 2005.