Work Stuff

I've created many websites over the years, but nowadays I am working mainly on custom applications, content management systems, and making stuff work on servers.

In my current job I am developing a bunch of large Drupal sites, each having a cluster of sub-sites attached to them. They will be located on different servers and information will be filtered between them. Basically they will talk to each other and have the ability to search each other's data, mainly using custom modules and some feeds.

My previous jobs covered dynamic PDF creation using PDFlib, templating and PHP5, AJAX, a documentation submission/bidding application for a major UK Bank, and creating custom Drupal modules and sites. Also writing PHP5, SOAP/XML, and using video encoding tools such as FFMPEG and MENCODER for building video media sites/shops and applications (similar stuff to what YouTube does). I have also worked in TV/Media, writing and fixing TV database applications, a universal control panel login system for multi-sites, and eliminating SPAM on forum boards.

My main strength lies in PHP/MySQL and Unix, but I have worked with lots of other technologies and languages in the past, such as Javascript, DHTML, XSSI, Cold Fusion, Perl, ASP/Access, Bash & Shell, Unix, and in the past (a long time ago) advanced actionscript with XML.

My past work has included:

• Unix/Linux server setup/installation, including PHP, MySQL, Apache etc.
• Hack prevention, maintenance of logs, blocking of IP’s, shell scripts for email notification of any intrusion attempts.
• Anti-Spam solutions for forum boards.
• Popular control panel backend configuring and scripting for customisation, hosting, and upgrading (cPanel and others).
• PHP written hosting programs which interact securely with server control panels, allowing 'on the fly' account setups.
• PHP custom written applications:- just about anything really!
• Custom written applications that 'hook into' windows database programs, such as MS Access.
• Shopping cart customisation, plus ecommerce intergration with bank gateways.
• Windows server setup, Apache, PHP, mySQL etc. Also dual boots for Windows/Linux.
• Testing, debugging, quoting, and analysis of external programs written by others.
• Designing and building of websites, using WYSIWYG programs; Dreamweaver, GoLive, Fireworks, ImageReady, Flash, Photoshop etc.
• Image optimisation for web and print.
• Photograph touch-ups/restorations.
• Setup and repairs, virus and spyware protection.
• Telling really bad jokes.
• Probabaly tons more stuff that I have failed to mention here.

I seem to have a pretty good knack for:

• Not stressing under any circumstances, no matter what the workload or deadline.
• Always working out a way to do things, no matter how complex.
• If I don't know something, then I learn it, usually pretty quickly.
• Generally working out and most of the time solving all sorts of problems.
• Helping other people with just about everything.