Warren Stringer
OVERVIEW
- 25 years as a technologist
- Pioneer in interactive multimedia and content distribution
- Has delivered code that has been deployed on millions of clients
- Has exhibited and performed as visual artist, musician, and VJ
- Languages: ObjectiveC, C++, Python, Java, others
- Created three domain specific scripting languages
- Current focus on iPhone, visual and touch interfaces.
EXPERIENCE
Muse.com (2005-present) – Mobile Software with focus on iPhone
- Interaction design and coded iPhone app for Japanese mapping company with 130,000 points of interest, in ObjectiveC, MKMapKit, CoreData, Touches, Shark, Instruments.
- Interaction design and coded golfer's putting aid on iPhone for client, in ObjectiveC, OpenGL, Accelerometer, Touches, Shark, Instruments.
- Co-Designed and coded Accelerometer based audio-game on iPhone SDK, in ObjectiveC, C++, with CoreAnimation, OpenAL, Touches, Bonjour, Shark, Instruments. See: Pocket Jockey AppStore
- Designed and coded visual synth on pre-sdk iPhone (jailbreak), in ObjectiveC, C++, with CoreFoundation, UIKit, LayerKit, CoreGraphics, GraphicsServices, CoreSurface, PhotoLibrary, WebKit, MobileMusicPlayer, and ffmpeg. See: Sky Demo iPhone (120MB)
- Designed and coded client for iPhone voting app, in top ten at iPhoneDevCamp, in JavaScript, CSS, Firebug (backend used Ruby on Rails and Merb)
- Designed & coded a Domain Specific Language (DSL) in Python, C++, STL. See www.muse.com/tr3
- Designing DSL to simply JavaScript, CSS, DOM, Xpath, and XSLT development
- Developed an ontology explorer in Java, Prefuse Toolkit, Lucene text engine.
- Developed a Pop client for media enhanced SMS messages in C++, Python, MPG encoders
- Prototyped user generated content community site for mobile devices, JavaScript for iPhone
- Filed patents on media enhanced mobile messaging, and user generated superdistribution
Snocap: Senior Client Engineer (2004-2005) – P2P media license management.
- Developed SDK for retailers VC++, XML, XSLT, Python, ElementTree
- Acoustic fingerprinted SDK integration, using Phillips SDK (now acquired by Gracenote)
- Security Analysis (discovered man-in-middle flaw) and implementation
- Security protocol implementation in C++, CrtypoPP
- Testing infrastructure, with Pamie (Python) and CPPUnit
- Acoustic fingerprinting SDK integration in C++
- Value proposition matrix for business strategy in Visio
- Prototyped new product with mockups
El Gato Systems: Contractor (2004) – maker of Personal Video Recorders, multimedia hubs, and Roxio’s Toast & Jam.
- Prototyped a music visualization system for a Macintosh based DVD authoring software package.
- Evaluated many encoding formats and codecs
MX Entertainment: Contractor (2003) – maker of multi-angle music DVDs for the Recorded Music Industry:
- Created animations and bonus track visuals for music DVDs for clients: EMI Music, Vivendi Universal. See http://www.muse.com/tbs.mpg
- Animated JPGs of album cover artwork, using custom tilings, in VC++, OpenGL, and Nvidia SDK.
- Created frame-stepping authoring environment to simultaneously animate and render video AVIs using VC++, ATL, COM, DirectShow, Nvidia SDK.
- Developed custom 4 point Luma key that enabled two layers of video to pass switch foreground and background positions, using VC++, ATL, COM, cellular automata.
Vuppet Corp: Co-founder (2000-2001) – developer of 3D gestural input device.
- Invented a virtual puppeteering device for games consoles, using MEMs accelerometers.
- fFled patents, raised Angel money, prototyped, and tested in the field.
- This was 5 years before Nintendo launched the Wii.
Muse.com, Inc.: CTO (1998-2003) – developer of Online Self Expression:
- Registered Muse.com in 1994, while still a CTO at TestDrive, based on a nebulous idea that the web would change how people would express themselves. In 1998, began to work full time on creating a switchboard of the muse.
- Designed and coded an thick client to translate gestures from any input device to MIDI System Exclusive, which can then be shared to reproduce the same visual experience – exceeding the resolution of HDTV at less than 1/10th the bandwidth.
- Designed and implemented 2D visual synthesizer with tablet and midi interfaces, that flipped between GDI and DirectX video surfaces, using VC++ and debugged on 2nd computer using the Visual C++ Remote Debugger.
- Designed and implemented 3D visual synthesizer, with DirectX9, DirectInput, Wintab, DirectShow, OpenGL, GLUT, IJG Jpeg library, Microsoft MM API, ATL, COM, MFC, Nvidia SDK.
- Created a simple script language that maps input devices to renderers though an Ontology which passes messages to a C++ wrapper class, and persists via MIDI System Exclusive.
- Designed collaborative multimedia performance architecture and filed provisional patent applications.
- Participated in Doug Englebart’s colloquium on hypertext (see Apriori, below).
- Participated in Alan Cooper’s Design+FUN sessions of the Association for Software Design, as he formulated his techniques on Goal centered design.
- Presented talks on new media clients, at TBWA/Chiat/Day, Asilomar Microcomputer Workshop, Silicon Valley Association of Software Entrepreneurs, and at JavaOne.
- Exhibited interactive video at San Jose Museum of Art and SF MOMA opening party for TransCinema exhibit.
- Successfully performed the client as a stand-alone visual instrument at concerts, clubs, and festivals. See http://www.muse.com/synesthesia.mov
Coincidence, Inc: Developer (1997-1998) – Private Peer-to-Peer networks:
- Researched sharing of interests over the Internet without a trusted 3rd party.
- Evaluated Crypto, EuroCrypt, ATT papers on Secure Computation, protocol analysis, Proactive Secret Sharing, DC-NETs, electronic cash, and anonymous IP.
- Presented overview of “Anonymous Collaboration” to RSA Data Security Conference 1998, using Visio, Photoshop, and PowerPoint.
TestDrive Corp.: CTO (1992-1997) – Electronic Software Distribution Provider:
- Technology lead that transitioned service company (AdWare) into becoming the industry standard for electronic software distribution, though two complete product cycles, and millions of units distributed by Intel, HP, Id(Quake), Frys, Borland, Lotus/IBM, and many others.
- Lead programmer for first thick client to download, install, copy protect, and buy content over the internet, using Borland C++, BSAFE, OLE, CyberCash.
- Invented Electronic Shrinkwrap (US Pat. 5341429), which, at last count, has been cited 119 times by patents mostly focused on the DRM (digital rights management).
- Invented Virtual Install (US Pat. 5642417) which was licensed to Marimba.
- Technology due-diligence lead, through first 3 rounds of funding ($7 Million), including investors: Intel, USVP, R.R. Donnelley, and RSA Data Security’s Jim Bidzos.
- Used undocumented Windows and DOS calls and WinHook.DLL to walk windows handles, modify directory entries, and redirect Windows file IO.
- Developed software virtualization analyzer to generate call-graph between software components, using Borland C++, Microsoft C, Nu-Mega SoftIce, Nu-Mega API sniffer, WinHook.DLL, and undocumented DOS and Windows routines.
- Developed client code to download software via UDP sockets, using WinSock 1.1 and Microsoft C.
- Developed client to update software patches, though Microsoft C and a 3rd party package to manage binary deltas (forgot name, was later incorporated into InstallShield).
- Architected Server Client protocol for multiple internet storefronts, using a UML-like synthesis of activity, sequence, and deployment diagrams that integrated to both Microsoft Project and a job cost system.
- Designed a program generator to obfuscate unlock keys, using Borland C++.
- Collaborated with Bruce Schneier (Counterpane) Paul Kocher (Cryptography.com), Taher ElGamal (now a VC), and David Aucsmith (then of Intel Architecture Labs, now Chief Security Architect for Microsoft) on threat models, design, and implementation of copy protection for content.
- Designed and coded client state-machine to manage unlock transaction between Melior’s credit card transaction service based on Stratus computers and a thick client, using Borland C++ and RSA DSI’s BSAFE toolkit.
- Produced first ever CD-ROM insert into a major magazine: “Multimedia Systems”.
- Developed proprietary internet and voice-telephone based key exchange using Borland C++.
- Wrote OO wrapper around RSA Data Security’s BSAFE Tool kit, using Borland C++.
- Created STL-like class library that implemented Strings, Queues, Hierarchy, and Directed Graph.
- Used a 3rd party memory pool to eliminate stack overwrites and memory leaks, using BC++, VC++, and SmartHeap.
- Hired initial contractors, VP of Engineering, and co-hired 6 software engineers.
- Gave TestDrive 6-months notice to smooth transition of responsibilities to marketing and development.
AdWare, Inc: Technical Director (1990-1992) – Technology lead for the industry’s top interactive multimedia developer:
- Clients included: Microsoft, Lotus, Apple, Adobe, Intel, HP, Dell, Id (Quake), Symantec, Norton, Borland, Computer Associates, Software Publishing,General Motors, Forbes Magazine, others. See archive: www.muse.com/demos
- Designed and coded a multimedia language used on several million Diskettes, CDs, and Internet clients, using MS C, Borland C++, OWL2 (an STL-like application framework).
- Developed animation special effects by writing directly to graphics chip registers, and proprietary code in MSC, Borland C, and Grasp.
- Developed anti-aliased font system, titling systems, using Borland C++, and Grasp.
- Produced the first ever native Windows demo for Microsoft’s Windows For Workgroups, which at the time, was Bill Gate’s favorite demo, with MacroMind Director, and Windows run-time, with some special effects created in C and Grasp (archive: www.muse.com/demos/WindowsWG.zip).
- Created a memory management script layer above a DOS based animation API, in Grasp.
- Swapped between Grasp and C with minimal changes to script, using Borland C, and the Genus Graphics ToolKit.
- Produced the demo for Microsoft’s first version of Video For Windows, with a Targa 64+ card, Grasp, DDK, MASM, VFW16 drivers.
- Licensed and produced PCM sound driver for first widely deployed demos to use music, for Computer Associates (when PCs would only beep), using MASM, TASM and RealSound toolkit.
- Produced the first major magazine insert of a diskette, sub-contracted by Olgilvy&Mather direct for Forbes Magazine, which included 10 interactive ads and an editorial, using proprietary script, Borland C, and Grasp.
- Independently developed new printing process, which was exhibited in show sponsored by Apple, “Innovators in Digital Art”, using Turbo Pascal and HP PCL.
Lotus Development: Lead programmer (1990) – Special Editions: Lotus Choices
- Moved from role of project manager to lead programmer of first ever electronic software distribution product: Lotus Choices.
- Refactored 20K lines of code, in 3 weeks, to separate out API Calls from 3rd Party GDI toolkits.
- Swapped out CScape graphics tool kit with Genus GDI toolkit in two days, thereby saving the project from imminent cancellation.
- Identified a memory management flaw (called best-fit), eliminating a long-standing crash-bug.
- Created a back-page flipping mechanism to swap full screen graphics in less than 30 milliseconds, using Borland C, MS C, and Genus Toolkit.
- Created a command line toggle between graphics implementations to eliminate conflicts with Lotus Development’s QA tools.
- Designed a user-navigation log to capture usability data, in C.
- Rewrote data structure to bind hierarchical Standard Industry Codes, with directed graph of Lotus product features and benefits.
Borland Intl.: Software QA developer (1989) for Anders Hjeldsberg’s Turbo Pascal 5.5 (who subsequently designed Delphi and C#):
- Developed company's first Object Oriented compiler test suite
- Created a script to generate thousands of classes from dozens of lines of code, written in Turbo Pascal.
- Determined limits of objects supported by Boland and Microsoft Compilers and debuggers
- Tested and reported compiler metrics used by Borland marketing, and instrumental in Microsoft taking their Pascal off the market.
Apriori Inc: Technical Director (1985-1989) – Developer of wireless newswire services using FM Sideband and proprietary Hypertext:
- Conceived, designed, and developed a hypertext client and packet radio receiver for Equatorial to deliver and present newswire services over FM sideband.
- Developed hierarchical news reader using CGA text graphics, in Turbo Pascal.
- Designed and coded general-purpose hypertext system (inspired by Englebart's Augment), in TurboPascal.
- Contracted offshore implementation of development, in Madras India.
- Contracted offshore conversion of API newswire data to test database, in Madras India.
- Technology due-diligence lead for Financial Times of London and UPI wire service clients.
- Managed offshore development with SuperCalc and SuperProject.
Aha, Inc: Technical Director. (1983-1985) – Project Management Software Vendor:
- Conceived and designed 3rd generation project management system for Xerox and Aha, using Petri-nets.
- Legally imported software into India in one day, saving weeks of bureaucracy and development delay.
- Managed software development in India (5 programmer-year project in 9 months), developed in Xenix C.
- Led Project management seminars and consulted government and Fortune 500 companies, including: Bechtel, Kaiser Engineers, Lawrence Livermore Labs, Lockheed, NASA, Shell Oil, United Technologies, and Varian.
- Technology and Project Management due diligence for an angel investor (C.N. Swenson).
- Designed and developed multi-user telemarketing system written on a modified version of dBASE II.
Stringer Art / MFD Manufacturing: Accounting (1979-1982) – Distributor of fine-art prints, framing supplies, and stained-glass manufacturer:
- Designed and developed a Hierarchical DBMS for inventory control on a first generation microcomputer, HP 9831A, with HP Basic.
- Managed inventory, and accounting for several family-owned businesses, using first generation desktop computer with HP software.
Current Interests
- Touch screen mobile media devices (like iPhone)
- Domain specific languages
- Social media scripting
- Touchable visual music
- Live multimedia installations
- Experimental film