Zygo Blaxell

A current version of this resume is available at http://www.hungrycats.org/~zblaxell/resume.html

Contact Information

E-mail: zblaxres@hungrycats.org
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Profile

An accomplished problem solver with 16 years of experience in systems-level software development and information technology operations, building mission-critical systems from open-source tools. Key strengths include a demonstrated eagerness to learn, an impatient desire to get things done, and fanatical attention to detail. Equally comfortable with highly structured, peer-reviewed product change management processes and MacGyverish mash-ups of software and hardware.

Skills and Experience Summary Table

10-15 Years Experience

Linux Application development, system administration, network administration, kernel and device driver development, security analysis, software porting. Experienced with Debian, Ubuntu and Red Hat distributions, OpenEmbedded (Angstrom, custom). Maintained packages for Xandros. Built custom root filesystems from source.
GNU Toolchain C/C++ development tools (gcc/g++, gdb, make, autoconf, automake, libtool, cross-compilation, Android SDK, OpenEmbedded, qemu, ltrace, strace, valgrind). SCM system administration and build system integration, including git, Subversion (SVN) and CVS.
Shell scripting Bourne shell, csh, sed, awk, regular expressions, build systems, system monitoring, etc.
Perl Database administration, web development, application proxies, log analysis and reporting tools, cross-platform testing, debugging third-party scripts. Catalyst, Rose::DB::Object, Template Toolkit, mod_perl.
Information Security Internet firewall design and implementation, security policy, code audit and verification, intrusion analysis and recovery, Linux/Unix host security, some cryptography.
Internet-facing Server Administration Apache, Perl, CGI, INN, Bugzilla, MediaWiki, sendmail, exim, postfix, bind on Linux. Server configuration, application development, security auditing. Customised implementations of SMTP, NNTP, POP3, HTTP protocol servers and proxies. Redundant server implementation, load-balancing, fail-over.
C++ Developing and porting applications (GNU g++ on Linux/Unix and Win32). Custom EDA tools, large image (hundreds of gigapixels) processing, UI development. Cross-platform development, 32- to 64-bit migrations, ARM ports.
C C programming on Linux, with some experience with Android, other Unix environments, and Microware OS-9. Strong knowledge of ANSI standards and portable software development techniques. Debugging 3rd-party programs and libraries.

5-10 Years Experience

Tcl/Tk Tcl as a portable runtime layer and simulation control language, embedded device control applications, GUI development, distributed processing using mobile agents, IRC information system robots. Some GUI programming with Tcl/Tk.
Device drivers Wrote device drivers for sensors (magnetic, light, temperature, image), digital cameras, FM radio tuners, power switch relays, servo motor control systems. Designed and built some of the hardware as well.
non-x86 CPU Architectures Developed, maintained, or ported software to Alpha, AMD64, ARM, MIPS, and Sparc.
Qt Developed software to support read-back of circuitry from images of integrated circuits. Tuned performance of drawing operations. Implemented database interface layer for EDA application. Built custom UI for Bluetooth pairing and device management. Developed multi-platform GUI tool to configure OMAP-based medical devices.

2-4 Years Experience

Assembly Language Motorola 6809, Intel 8051, 8086, MIPS. Microware OS-9 real-time operating system. Microcontroller-driven embedded systems.
Bluetooth Integrated bluez Bluetooth stack into embedded Linux builds. Implemented configuration UI and customised automation for HFP, HSP, A2DP, OBEX FTP/OPP, GAP, DUN, PAN profiles and GPS receivers.

1 Year Experience or Less

OpenEmbedded Built custom Linux system images based on Angstrom for Logic OMAP 3530 LV-SOM reference boards with proprietary hardware expansion cards. Optimized build system to reduce image size, boot time and build time.
Android Built Android SDK and installing system image on Qualcomm reference board. Enabled the bluez Bluetooth stack in Android and installed third-party Java .apk files to provide UI.
Miscellaneous Unix-Like OS FreeBSD, AIX, HP-UX, Ultrix, EP/IX software development.

Software Development Work Experience

eSight (2010)

Mandate: Develop software as required to drive an OMAP-based vision enhancement device.

Xandros (2009)

Mandate: Integrate the Linux Bluetooth stack with Xandros's Linux products.

Roaring Penguin Software (2008)

Mandate: Develop web-based application software for an ad-driven web site using Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, and Perl.

Chipworks (2000-2007)

Mandate: Design, develop, support, and maintain critical in-house applications for automated image acquisition of integrated circuits and subsequent electrical analysis of the image data. Contribute Linux expertise to the IT department. Provide support to lab operations.

Corel Corporation (1999)

Mandate: Extend the open-source Wine software to provide Win32 API routines required to implement a Linux port of Corel desktop applications. Provide technical support for the Corel Linux desktop software group.

Myrus Design (1995-1997)

Mandate: Set up and maintain automated testing systems and source code revision control, port the software and verify consistent operation on all supported platforms, and create packages for end-user distribution; to perform internal IS functions ranging from end-user desktop support to security administration; and to operate the corporate Internet servers.

Various Contracts (1993-1997)

Mandate: Technical consulting under contract with various clients.

Open-Source Software Contributions (1992-present)

http://www.hungrycats.org/~zblaxell/projects/projects.html

Open-source free software projects I have contributed to, and which are not otherwise listed above:

Awards

Education

Interests and Self-initiated Projects