Michael Johnston's Resume (Last updated July 28th 2008)

Computer Science Courses Taken:
-Computer Architecture
-Compiler Theory
-Computer Science Concepts I,II (C++,Java)
-Algorithms and Data Structures
-Assembly Language Programming
-Programming Languages
-Operating Systems
-Computer Networks
-Artificial Intelligence
-Senior Software Project

Mathematics Courses Taken:
-Calculus I,II,III
-Discrete Mathematics
-Linear Algebra
-Probability/Theory of Statistics
-Abstract Algebra
-Differential Equations
-Topology
-Number Theory

Languages/Technologies:
-Ruby (and Ruby on Rails framework)
-PHP
-MySQL
-HTML, CSS
-Javascript
-DHTML/DOM Scripting
-AJAX libraries (YUI, MooTools, Prototype, Scriptaculous)
-Java
-C++

Operating Systems (in order of preference):
-Mac OS X
-Linux
-Windows

-Middle/Frontend engineer with the Browser Rendering Team for the Yahoo! Mobile Developer Platform. We have created a declarative XML language, called Blueprint, which takes the pains out of developing for mobile devices by allowing a developer to write once and have their code run on hundreds of devices, from lower-grade phones to smartphones to native iPhone applications.
-Responsibilities included ensuring that the translated Blueprint markup looked well across all of the device browsers we support.
-Responsible for taking device support from ~50 devices to 420.
-Built internal web-based tool used for tracking device support and any issues encountered.
-Built and maintained testing framework for gathering data about the devices we support and plan to support in the future.
-Built the most-subscribed mobile widget, Wikipedia, using Ruby on Rails. Currently ~30,000 subscribers.
-Implemented Yahoo! Search Assist for iPhone.
-Moderator and frequent contributor to the Yahoo! Group for the Mobile Developer Platform.
-Contributor to the Mobile Developer Blog (see: http://mobile.yahoo.net/developer/blog/2008/06/02/write-a-widget-in-15-minutes-with-ruby-on-rails/)
-Created post-processing filter of HTML and CSS to optimize page weight for lower-grade devices with small memory. Resulted in filesize benefits of 25-40%.
-Gained expert level experience in Object-Oriented PHP.
-Exposed to very tight deadlines and milestones which changed several times before the final product.

-Lead frontend developer for Yahoo! Store.
-Built public-facing rich internet applications for hundreds of thousands of users using YUI libraries.
-Brief stint on Yahoo! AMP project, developing the CSS, HTML and Javascript for the global navigation system in the new Search Marketing tool.
-Built internal reporting tool for Yahoo Site Solution website authoring tool using Ruby on Rails.
-Gained expert level experience in HTML, CSS, and Javascript, particularly Object-Oriented Javascript and the YUI libraries.
-Gained expert level experience in web application performance and optimization. Attended several training sessions from Yahoo! Chief Performance Architect, Steve Souders.
-Gained experience in Object-Oriented PHP.
-Gained experience in team environments and working on deadlines. Was exposed to all aspects of a large project from planning to development to production.

-One of 2 developers responsible for building social website for local Austin events using Ruby on Rails. (http://do512.com)
-Built a companion Facebook application to create a cohesive experience between the web app and the facebook app.
-Gained experience in all aspects of the Ruby on Rails framework.
-Gained experience in scaling Ruby on Rails applications.

-Created web application for computer mod tournaments using Drupal. (http://modshop.net)
-Responsible for the backend logic for scheduling/operating monthly tournaments, and frontend UI.
-Gained experience in MySQL/PHP and Drupal.

-Worked with Mr. Brown, an expert Rails developer, on various projects.
-ComicSubz, (http://comicsubz.com/ - currently out of business) a web-based comic subscription service.
-VentBirding (http://ventbird.com/) - A nature tours website focused on birding adventures.
-SearchlightTexas (http://searchlighttexas.com/) - A social website which allows Texas voters to connect with legislators and be informed on the issues.

-Built calendar tool for rexrobardsmusic.com
-Admin interface features use of Mootools library to create user friendly interface
-Gained experience in AJAX development

-PHP/MySQL development
-Worked with team of developers to maintain large list of client websites
-Clients include Nokia, Toshiba, Qwest, AVGuide.com
-Gained experience in enterprise level web development
-Gained experience in web standards

Ruby on Rails
------------------------------
-Personal Blog. Where I (not-so-often) write articles about web development. The blogging software is custom-built in Ruby on Rails.
http://blog.johnstonlabs.com/

-Yahoo! Mobile Developer Blog Post about using Ruby on Rails to create a mobile widget.
http://mobile.yahoo.net/developer/blog/2008/06/02/write-a-widget-in-15-minutes-with-ruby-on-rails/

-Wikipedia Mobile Widget. Get wikipedia in an easy-to-consume format for mobile devices. Wrote a scraper and parser of Wikipedia articles using Ruby and Hpricot. Currently around 30,000 subscribers.
http://beta.m.yahoo.com/w/wikipedia/
(If you want to view it, you will need to use an Apple iPhone or modify your user agent string to iPhone)

-Caltrain Mobile Widget. View Caltrain listings on your mobile phone. Wrote a scraper/parser using Hpricot to organize the information on the caltrain.org website and present in a more appropriate way for handheld devices.
http://beta.m.yahoo.com/w/caltrain-listings
(Same note as above for user agent)

-Internal reporting tool for Yahoo Site Solution (a web-based website authoring tool). Built a database-backed application for tracking and viewing various statistics about Site Solution Customers, such as the most popular page titles users choose for their sites.

-Internal web application for managing volunteers for Yahoo Hackday projects. A voting system allows users to vote for the best hacks. Integrated with Yahoo! corporate authentication backend.

-Do512. Local Austin events social application with voting system.
http://do512.com

PHP
------------------------------
-Issue Tracking and Device Support Tool for Yahoo! Mobile (url not available publicly)

-Device Testing framework for Yahoo! Mobile (url not available publicly)

-Keyword Finder Tool for Yahoo! Store merchants. An AJAX application for users to view which keywords led to sales in their online stores. (url only available to Yahoo Store merchants)

-Modshop. Drupal site for participating in computer mod showcase tournaments.
http://modshop.net

-AJAX calendaring tool. This was part of my senior project at St. Edward's University. It is a web-based scheduling tool for the campus computing lab.
http://www.cs.stedwards.edu/~mjohnst2/cal/calendar

Miscellaneous
------------------------------
-Frequent "hacker" of Yahoo! BrowserPlus platform, which allows developers to write services in Ruby and have them be available to the client via Javascript. Among the projects were a motion-based control service to navigate a web application using the Macbook's accelerometer (which is currently in the patent process) and a "PhotoBooth" service which allows Javascript to interact with a connected webcam to take images from inside a web application.

-Participant in Yahoo! Hack Days. Received most votes overall in Winter 2007 Hackday for motion-based browser control (described above).

-Attended training sessions taught by some of the leading minds in the web application development community. Among them: Rasmus Lerdorf (creator of PHP), Douglas Crockford (Chief Javascript architect at Yahoo), Nate Koecheley (Open Source evangelist and author of YUI CSS libraries), and Steve Souders (Chief Performance Architect at Yahoo).

-I love experimenting with new technologies. Over the last two years, I have gained experience in a wide range of technologies related to the web. These include: Google Gears, Facebook Platform, OpenSocial API, Google Data Services, Yahoo! BrowserPlus, and numerous other webservices/APIs.

Senior Thesis:
-Researched the issue of Internet governance
-Posed the question, "Should the current form of Internet governance be modified to reflect a more multinational approach?"
-Interviewed Bruce Sterling, (Wired Contributor), and John Levine (member of ICANN's At Large Advisory Committee)

Mathematics Senior Research:
-Researched Knight's Tours on various surfaces over span of two years
-Wrote Java applet to calculate solutions to knight's tour problems on different surfaces and chess board sizes

-Information
-Computer Science
-Web Development
-Programming Languages
-Open Source Software
-Mathematics
-Probability, Statistics