A long time ago I worked on Unix and databases and big computer things at a big company. I learned a lot about customers, products, process, and the weight of a salad sandwich in the cafeteria. Then for a time, I was privileged to work for one of Silicon Valley's true gems, a startup called Lucid. (maybe you have used XEmacs), where I worked with the smartest, most eclectic bunch of people ever. Then for a while I worked at Kaleida Labs, where I learned that joint ventures never, ever work, no matter how cool the stuff you are making. Then for what seemed a lifetime of the best and the worst, I helped change the world at Netscape. For a while there at AvantGo, I was making some pretty fun software for all kinds of different handheld gadgets, and we built a pretty good company along the way. Then at Danger, we made a really cool little gadget - the first smart phone that deserved the moniker. At Sentilla we made the World's Smallest Java Computer, a networked app powerhouse, the size of coin.
You may have used one of the products I've worked on: HPtoday, ALLBASE/4GL, ALLBASE/QUERY, ftio, Lucid Energize, Lucid Emacs, XEmacs, ScriptX, Netscape Navigator, Communicator, AvantGo Browser, AvantGo M-Business Server, Danger Hiptop (T-Mobile Sidekick), Sentilla Perk Kit, Dev Kit, Energy Manager. If you have, I hope you enjoyed it.
© 2010 David Williams <djw@djw.org>