Category: History

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Education History Projects

eLearning Flash Generation Language – Aztec Learning Systems

Phase I:

Developed an eLearning language for generation of Flash movies from client server internet applications. The language can produce learning screens with a variety of assets along with interactive quizzing of students with choices and drag/drop actions.

Design constraints resulted in a low bandwidth (56K) dynamic Flash Movie generator with modular media element component extensibility.

Phase II:

Provided a screen integration team to convert the 4000 screens customer had in their Authorware product to the new screen language.

Phase III:

Added template based gui wizard to generate eLearning language. Designed for less technical educators to develope educational lesson without having to know the eLearning language.

Software allows client technicians to develop and unlimited number of screen templates that control one or more gui dialog windows.

The gui controls are further customizable to limit or expand user´s choices.

Software involved developing a low bandwidth object oriented gui library (windows, buttons, combo boxes, scrollers) with a base movie footprint under 40K.

The gui dialogs were designed using a external dynamic loading component based design. This allows for development an unlimited variety of gui dialogs without increasing the size of the base movie.

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Education History Projects

International Video Production Fujitsu, Corel, Motorola and Webgain

Video production of 500 hours of software development training for major software developers including Fujitsu, Corel, Motorola Metrowerks and Webgain.

Comprehensive developer level courses covering Java, C, C++, Fortran, COBOL, UML, Corel Office, Jasmine OO database, and Linux.

Worked as producer handling contract management, script writing, content preparation, actor selection, video studio management and client liasion.

Videos involved coordinating content experts located in Japan, Austrialia, Canada and the coasts and center of US.

Clients required delivery into US and international locations such as India, the United Kingdom and Canada in multiple formats.

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History Projects

Manufacturing Statistical Control (Allied Signal)

Allied manufactured chemicals meeting strict customer specifications. Because of the hundreds of variables and the tight tolerance measurements, Allied wanted to automate the manufacturing process control reporting, improve quality, and expand capacity.

The system accumulated data for multiple manufacturing processes. The system used statistical formulas to produce mean and range charts (statistical control graphs) on any one or more of the hundreds of measurements. This required working with engineers and statisticians to convert the complicated formulas into computer code. Printed reports and graphs are used in proposals as well as documentation to deliveries.

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History Projects

Pension Planning Legal – renowned pension lawyer

A shrink wrapped product sold to subscribers. The system produces and prints 16 types of pensions with hundreds of options. The system assures that documents met IRS guidelines. Lawyer provides electronic updates to subscribers as laws changed.

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History Projects

Sales presentation system for AT&T 6300 release

The problem

The AT&T 6300 was AT&Ts clone version of the Intel 8088 chip present in the first IBM personal computer. At that time “clones” were rare and unreliable.

The solution

To demonstrate the 6300´s compatibility Lon was contracted to create an automated example using Lotus 1-2-3 DOS version 1A. Lotus 1-2-3 was considered a benchmark for personal computer compatibility. Lon used the macro language feature in Lotus to automate the demonstration. AT&T used this Lotus macro in convincing the personal computer world that their 6300 would run all the same software that the IBM personal computer did.

Secrecy

Lon was under a top secret agreement during the project and was not able to reveal the existence of the AT&T personal computers to anyone. He recalls the floppy disks from Microsoft having various customized versions of MSDOS for AT&T to use in their eventual product branding.

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History Projects

Consolidated Food Chain Billing Devonsheer Foods (Melba Toast)

The race against time

The project involved a race against replacing failing Phillips accounting machine. Although the Philips accounting machine was maintained by a local firm, it would fail regularly resulting in downtime until service technicians arrived to revive its failling motors, gears and sprockets.

The system

System allowed Devonsheer to continue current procedures and paper work for delivery of their baking products to multiple locations with multiple jobbers while it also eliminated a manual accounting effort of consolidating the multiple store billing requirements into one statement for chain food retailers like Shoprite.

The space heater component

A key element to the system was training and motivating the system operator. The person who operated the Philips machine for years was designated to operate the new system to be located at her desk. The desk was part of an open office clerical area in a factory type of building. The Philips system was large and was located in an 8 foot by 8 foot room. The person resisted learning the new system despite it being easier to use and more functional for the company. Lon discovered the reason for the resistance being that the office area was generally drafty and occasionally chilly. The room with the Philips machine was warm because the machine generated a lot of heat. Lon presented the issue to management and recommended a space heater for the new location. Management was resistant at first because it involved hiring an electrical contractor for adequate wiring and the possible issue of all other staff wanting the same space heating. Once the space heater was promised, the operator had a change of attitude and learned the new system quickly.

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History Projects

Manufacturing Order Control Robvon Backing Ring Company

Robvon Backing Ring Company

The race against time

Lon was called in because of a failing Wang mini-computer. The company owner had been in a race to transition to personal computers. When it became apparent that results from other software developers proved insufficient, Lon was recommended. Revamping the project goals, integrating in-house resources with the project and adding an aggressive work schedule that included near round the clock work hours the software conversion was completed in time. The Wang computer failed within days after the replacement software was completed.

The software

Multi-user system taking orders from over 10,000 items, produce factory picking documents, and track receivables. Contains complete accounting functions. Because of integration with in-house staff, the company was able to maintain regular software upgrades without dependence on outside resources. The project reduced the cost of the critical system operations adding to the profit margin in a very competitive business.

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History Projects

Retail Operations Control – Garment Shows

Full order entry and inventory tracking for high ticket ($500 – $10,000) garmets sold direct to customers at high volume weekend shows held in multiple locations.