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JOSEPH CASSAVAUGH

Winder GA, 30680
JoeCassavaugh@aol.com

 QUALIFICATIONS

Twenty-eight years experience in all facets of software engineering with an emphasis on resolving complex reliability issues in a multi-user real-time environment.  Excellent debugging skills. 

Exceptional language independent skills with strong algorithmic abilities.  Solved difficult problems using high, medium and low-level languages. Fluent in both UNIX and PC development environments.

Data conversion expert with proven ability to adapt quickly to new languages and systems.

Strong background in project development including:  analysis, specification, documentation, design, programming, testing, training and troubleshooting.

EDUCATION

      B.S. – Mathematics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1979)

TECHNICAL SUMMARY

Languages:     C++, SDL, C, WINDOWS SDK, DIRECT-X, JAVA, AWK, KORN  SHELL,  MASM, TAL, COBOL,
NEAT/3, BASIC, FORTRAN.

Databases:      SYBASE, NONSTOP SQL, UNIFY/2000 – RHLI – SQL, CLARION, C-TREE.

PC Tools:         VISUAL C/C++, WIN XP, MKS-TOOLKIT, BORLAND C/C++, PHARLAP 386, AWKCC.

EXPERIENCE AND RESULTS

Self-Employed Consultant and Creator of PuzzlesByJoewww.PuzzlesByJoe.com, Binghamton, New York (2000-2004)

Created nine non-violent logic and puzzle games for Windows using Visual-C++ and Direct-X.  Everything on www.PuzzlesByJoe.com was designed/coded/created by me with the exception of  some artwork and background music.  All products are available for download as shareware with a trial period of at least an hour.  Recon is my earliest and most complex game.  GemShot is my most recent and most visually compelling game.

Created Task Master which is jointly owned by myself and a local business.  Task Master is an integrated task management tool that allows multiple users to all work on the same task/project list at the exact same time. 

Principal Engineer  – America Online (1998-2000) – WorldPlay Entertainment, Burlingame, Calilfornia (1995-1998)

Sole ownership of 3rd-party SDK and testing environment (written primarily in Visual-C++ with some MASM).
Enhanced Siera’s “Jack Nicholson’s Golf” to allow multi-player over the Internet.
Heavily involved in development of GILS (Game Install and Launch System) tool for AOL’s game channel.
Responsible for wrapping and releasing in-house libraries to 3rd-party developers.
Responsible for enhancing testing environment to keep it in-line with ‘real’ code.       
Responsible for all endian conversion routines that run on the client side.
Responsible for teaching SDK classes.
Enhanced testing environment to support multiple terminals connected over a LAN using TCP-IP.     
Created simplified way of switching between local and network testing.
Created automatic endian converter to help in integration of new libraries.

Software Engineer – Interactive Network, San Jose, California (1993-1995)

Created “IN-Cryptions”, “I Know, I Know”, “Math Wheels”, and “IN The Crib”.

Fully automated the porting of game code between GAS (test) and production. In my first two months at Interactive, I replaced the manual porting procedures (a 2-4 hour per game process) with a completely automated one-button procedure (that takes 20 seconds).  This allowed us to go to a completely single source development environment.

Created pre-compiler to add limited data typing to GAS-code.  In addition pre-compiler supports limited label-saving conventions used with ‘IF’ and ‘WHILE’ statements.  This solved the multiple assembler source problem that required large programs to be broken up into small chunks in order for the macro-assembler to handle it.

Created standard commercial format to be used with all of my off-line games.

Significantly enhanced “Maze Runner” and two existing trivia games.

Software Engineering Consultant – KUB Systems Inc., IGC, and Digicom, California (1993)

(KUB Systems Inc.)  In a six week period, I ported 30,000+ lines of a Borland C++ Broadcast Automation application to MetaWare High-C++.  Using PharLap’s DOS Extender which allows Protected Mode portions of the application to communicate with Real Mode portions.  The application communicates with a Mac and a special Digital Video board (through direct access of low memory reads and writes).  The single source port allows dual compilation by the Borland and High-C compilers including extensive use of the Rogue Wave 5.1 libraries (with Template instantiation).

(IGC)  Reversed engineered Windows to run as a DPMI client under IGS’s operating system VM-386.  Using IGC’s assembler level debugger and the “Undocumented DOS” book, I was able to get the Windows kernel to make a DPMI call while under VM-386.

(Digicom)  Completed a Stereo Rack system prototype to go with an audio-visual card to run in the Windows environment.  Had never programmed in Windows before but I got the prototype up and running during my initial four-day stretch.

Software Engineer – Tandem Computers Incorporated, Cupertino, California  (1990 – 1992)

Constructed a low-cost Unix workstation integrated with multiple Tandem hosts. Responsible for several successful quality IPMs for the Transaction Monitoring Facility.Responsible for designing new testware, as well as TPR verification and Softdoc Review.

Senior Programmer Analyst – Triad Systems, Livermore, California (1984 – 1990)

Designed and  implemented –

Auto-generation of 120 programs to port COBOL files from a TI to a UNIX platform.
Q/A database interface verification tool for comparison of multiple file systems.
Report Queue Management system with support for Data Communication and Spooling.
Automated file rebuild system saving over $100,000 during the first two years.
System wide changes to increase the terminal capacity by 40%.
Bisynchronous Communication Test Utility for Field Service Personnel.
Automated customer conversion for 4 software release levels.  Estimated savings of 15,000 man hours per release.
Space saving methodologies which reduced disk usage by 20%, permitting release of several software levels.

Programmer Analyst – Shoney’s South Incorporated, Memphis, Tennessee (1983 – 1984)

Created an on-line tax credit tracking system saving $250,000 the first year.
Cut run times of several existing programs (Payroll Batch System) by as much as 80%.

Programmer Analyst – Victory Markets, Norwich, New York (1982 – 1983)

Teacher (Evening Classes) – Ridley Lowel, Binghamton, New York (1982-1983)

Programmer – Albany Savings Bank, Albany, New York (1981 – 1982)

28 Comments

  1. Margaret L says:

    I “hunt” games like Clutter III. I put it in a category along with my other favorite game of all times, Zuma’s Revenge. Both are games you can play forever, and when the computer needed to be “refreshed,” (the new word for avoiding a crash….), I got to start all over go through it again! Clutter III will be the same way for me…

    I have even paused the game to write down a quote or two, gee, I have three. My favorite is “There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle. — Deepak Chopra.”

    Thanks!

    Isn’t it interesting that along the way, if “someone” (or anyone) thought our creation was good enough, we wouldn’t be where we are today!

    My only problem now is… Do I invest in Clutter I and II and so I’ll know who Leon and Ana are!!!!

  2. Kathy Pincura says:

    Hi Joe,
    Thanks a million for the “fix” for the side by side problem !!! It was quick, easy and worked like a charm. I saved the beta test from September and was finally able to do the test. I ordered the CD last night and found out today that I cannot just order that, so I’m on my way to order the download and wait for it to arrive. Really, really like Clutter 3 so far from the beta test.

    Many thanks, Joe in advance ~ I know I’ll spend everyday having a blast !!!

    Kathy

    • joe says:

      Hi Kathy:
      Hope you like the final version….which varied quite a bit (based on feedback) from the test version.
      Thanks again for purchasing it.
      Joe

  3. Kathy Pincura says:

    Hi Joe,
    I just ordered Clutter 3 ~ is it here already ~haha. I also left a tip for you… to say Thank you for the incredible job you and your team do to keep us entertained. I was one of the testers that got the ” side by side ” problem and couldn’t test the game.
    Guess I’ll go sit on the porch and wait for the CD to arrive. I’ll just sweep the snow off the steps and bundle up !!! haha

    Hope you have fantastic success selling your new “Masterpiece”
    Kathy

  4. Lynn Ford says:

    I knew you were a genius!!! Is the “Donations welcome” to help you develop the games? If people knew why they were sending a donation, there are those of us that would probably do that. I have Jewel Quest Solitaire but not the Mah Jong. I tried to find “Mini Games” but was unsuccessful Thank you so much for the CLUTTER games.

  5. Michelle Sinclaire says:

    Dear Joe,

    I wanted you to know that your Clutter game changed my life. I’ve always had a hard time keeping my room clean as well as the kitchen. After playing your game virtually non-stop (I loved it so much), I began to employ your suggestions and they’ve stuck with me for over 6 months now! I make my bed every day and I never miss the opportunity to correct something that is out of place.

    With all sincerity I thank you so much for taking the time to make that game!

    Michelle

    • joe says:

      Thanks Michelle:

      I really wrote it as a game first, but I learned a lot of really good advice in this area from my dad and I had fun sharing that. I’m not quite as Clutter-Free as Leon would like me to be (especially with my “collections” of both comic books and physical puzzles) but I actually do make my bed every day. For me, it’s the sense of pride, on some level, that I get from that. Things are hectic in life, some days more than others…but just that one act helps me feel I’m on top of it.

      Thank you for writing….Joe

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