Wesley J. Chun
Software Architect, Technical Consultant, Corporate Trainer
Silicon Valley, California, USA
HIGHLIGHTS
2008-2009 • Wrote Python Fundamentals & co-author of Python Web Development with Django
2007-2008 • Helped people shop for products locally, online then offline (geo-located search engine)
2005-2006 • Revised and updated Core Python Programming for the 2nd edition
2004-2005 • Helping the world get rid of spam and viruses from their e-mail inboxes
2002-2003 • Bringing new medicines to market faster with radiology software for doctors
2000-2001 • Author of Core Python Programming; created its CD-ROM and website
1998-1999 • Lead software engineer and web designer for Yahoo! People Search
1997-1998 • Helped create Yahoo!Mail by architecting address book and spellchecker
1995-1996 • Developed various networking tools and software for the Solaris operating system
1994-1995 • Completed graduate work and published papers and thesis in networking field
 
TECHNICAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Dec 08 - present SLIDE, San Francisco, California
Architect: Responsible for designing and building low-level libraries and application integration to support the logging infrastructure for the Slide.com destination site applications (widgets) as well as data mining the logs using database queries to generate rows for the report generator to operate on. Work performed on Red Hat Linux and Mac OS X systems using various technologies including: Python, JavaScript, templating (Cheetah), JSON, and MySQL. Also serving in a leadership position for the engineering team, providing support, guidance, and encouragement by delivering technical talks, sharing best practices, organizing the company's presence at the PyCon conference, and generally being available as an in-house Python resource.
Jan 95 - present CYBERWEB CONSULTING, Silicon Valley, California
Principal: Founder of technical consulting agency specializing in Python software engineering, design and architecture, optimization and refactoring; technical corporate training, public instruction; and technical writing / editing. Various work performed using MacOS X, FreeBSD, Solaris, Ubuntu Linux, and Win32 systems using Python, C, CGI / HTML / CSS, JavaScript, TCP/IP, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Unix shell scripts. Office tools used include Excel, Framemaker, PowerPoint, and Markdown.
Oct 06 - Nov 08 NEARBYNOW, Mountain View, California
Senior Engineer: Building applications for optimizing localized retail shopping for consumers who research and shop online but prefer to buy offline. Built an SMS/text messaging service allowing mobile phone users to utilize the company's search engine to find products, sales, coupons, brands, etc., at shopping malls and have results delivered directly to their cell phones. Also developed an in-house application to help CSRs manage product reservations and availability checks for customers. Responsible for system maintenance product requirements such as deployment and release, monitoring, log management, and reporting. Work performed on CentOS Linux, Mac OS X, and Win32 systems using various technologies including: Python, HTTP (ligHTTPD), CGI (FastCGI, WSGI), JavaScript, CherryPy, templating (Cheetah, TAL, Mako), HTML, JSON, XML (using ElementTree), TurboGears, Django, MySQL, SQLAlchemy, Elixir, RoundUp, and interfacing to the mBlox (mobile transaction network via XML) platform.
May 04 - Nov 05 IRONPORT SYSTEMS, San Bruno, California (acquired by Cisco January 2007)
Software Engineer: Designed and architected computer applications for a series of electronic mail security gateway appliances used for high-performance message delivery and spam and virus filtering services. Development performed using (both native and coroutine-based stackless versions of) Python in FreeBSD Unix, MacOS X, and Win32 operating environments with the MySQL and PostgreSQL database systems. Specific products worked on include: Virus Outbreak Filters® (temporarily quarantine suspicious messages during the vulnerable period between time zero -- when a virus is released into the wild -- and when an antivirus IDE signature is made available to the public), Mail Flow Central® (message tracking, appliance data import and analysis, report generation, etc.), Spam Quarantine (message view and search), and Threat Operations Center application code which helps operations analysts monitor for worldwide viral outbreaks.
Nov 01 - Apr 04 SYNARC, San Francisco, California
Senior Software Developer: Lead software engineer for clinical trials medical imaging application which allows radiologists and trained technicians to perform vertebral identification in a digital domain, quantitative morphometry (QM) reading, and both semi-quantitative (SQ) and binary semi-quantitative (BSQ) scoring of spine radiographs (X-rays) for vertebral fracture analysis and assessment. Enhancing and developing software in a Unix/Solaris environment using Python, Tk (Tkinter and Pmw), and C, and database queries and stored procedures using Sybase Transact SQL.
Oct 97 - Aug 99 YAHOO!, Santa Clara, California
Technical Yahoo!: Lead software engineer managing one junior engineer for Yahoo! People Search, an online email, telephone, and netphone database directory (replacing the original Four11.com site) -- proprietary database with SQL-like access. Developed the code which interfaces Four11 native code with Yahoo!'s enormous data streaming libraries, allowing People Search to "tap into" the data flow. Also created an API to People Search for other Yahoo! products (properties) and customized the People Search web system to work directly with corresponding wireless application on the Palm VII PDA. Responsibilities for People Search included full-time development, sustaining engineering, internationalization, automating nightly updates, 24x7 support, and interfacing to other Yahoo! products such as Yahoo!Mail, Address Book, and the main Yahoo! user database. Other projects included the graphical and engineering redesign of the RocketMail/Yahoo!Mail Address Book and Spell Checker. Job functions in a FreeBSD and Solaris environment: Internet software development (Python, C, C++), Apache webserver maintenance, maintenance and utility scripting tools (bash, tcsh, Python), and web page design (Python, HTML, and JavaScript).
Feb 97 - Oct 97 FOUR11, Menlo Park, California (acquired by Yahoo! October 1997)
Software Engineer: Web site design and software development using an internal core web technology which was a Python and HTML based proprietary predecessor to Zope, JSP, ASP, PHP, etc. Also used C++ and JavaScript. Projects included: front-end processing and graphical web page design of Four11 Contact Groups, an e-mail address (buddy list) management system for membership-based organizations (predecessor to Yahoo! Clubs); text processing for the RocketMail and Yahoo!Mail web-based electronic mail systems; and porting software across Solaris and FreeBSD UNIX platforms. Also managed web servers, manage file backup and recovery system under Samba using Amanda, and helped administer Solaris, FreeBSD, and Windows desktop systems.
Aug 94 - Jan 97 SUN MICROSYSTEMS: SUNSOFT, Mountain View, California
Member of Technical Staff: Developed name service network system software in SunSoft. Projects included: improving password coordination between NIS/YP and NIS+ name servers, managing the product source gate/tree, automating nightly builds, testing and integrating bug fixes and enhancements, and experimenting with GUI front-ends to products using Tcl/Tk. Also served as a WebMaster by maintaining our group's web resources: product, FAQ, project, and home pages. This includes all web page design, web server maintenance, HTML programming, and PERL CGI applications. Other responsibilities included helping system administration teams with giving training seminars for our products, providing on-call engineering support, and aiding in transition (NIS/YP to NIS+) projects. Occasional tasks included aiding in the budget forecast, requisition, and justification of capital equipment, participating in college recruiting and collegiate relations programs/events, helping out with technical documentation, and performing customer visits.
Jun 93 - Sep 93 HEWLETT PACKARD, Palo Alto, California
Information Technology Specialist (SEED): Assisted in porting an open object-oriented database client system written for UNIX systems to PCs under DOS/Windows. Converted suite programs and interactive object structured query language (IOSQL) scripts that test database interface functionality.
Jan 93 - Jun 93 ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL: CMC NETWORK PRODUCTS, Santa Barbara, California
Contractor: Tested ROM TCP and Data Link level drivers for various VMEbus Ethernet interface boards. Tests and measurements are performed on various configurations using TCP/UDP/IP, FTP, RPC, etc. Also contributed in the testing of diagnostic utilities, installation procedures, and user manual editing.
Mar 92 - Sep 92 LEGATO SYSTEMS, Palo Alto, California
Member of Technical Staff: Served as a software and release engineer for NetWorker, a disk file backup and recover system for UNIX/NetWare heterogeneous environments. Responsibilities included: source tree management, master tape cutting, product serialization, system administration, and giving UNIX training seminars.
Aug 90 - Feb 92 XILINX, San Jose, California
Software Engineer: Software product development using C with internal software tools and libraries. Projects/responsibilities included: software security with network licensing and hardware protection, graphical interactive X and Microsoft Windows applications using internal development tools, instructing internal training courses, technical documentation, text file encryption, and maintenance of multiplatform software development framework.
 
INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERIENCE
Apr 07 - present FOOTHILL-DeANZA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, Los Altos Hills, CA
CTIS Part-Time Instructor: Deliver an intermediate Python course (CIS 68L) once every other year at Foothill College.
Jan 95 - present CYBERWEB CONSULTING, Silicon Valley, California
Principal: Founder of technical consulting agency performing private technical corporate training as well as public instruction. Current courses include an intensive "Introduction to Python" and "Advanced Python Programming". Previous courses: "C Language Programming" and "Introduction to Unix".
Jul 95 - Mar 03 UNIVERSITY EXTENSION, University of California, Santa Cruz
Course Instructor: Designing and teaching engineering courses for working professionals, primarily Python Programming and Python Programming II. Other courses include: Introduction to UNIX and C Language Programming. Practicing and developing interpersonal skills and strategies while working with a variety of students of differing aptitudes and backgrounds.
May 94 - Jan 97 ADDISON WESLEY LONGMAN, Menlo Park, CA
Textbook Reviewer: Performing occasional reviews of Computer Science and Engineering manuscripts and prepublished texts from Benjamin/Cummings and Addison-Wesley for technical content and accuracy.
Sep 93 - Mar 94 DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE, University of California, Santa Barbara
Reader and Teaching Assistant: Graded homework assignments and exams, and led discussion sections for Computer Architecture and Introduction to C and UNIX courses.
Sep 93 - Dec 93 UNIVERSITY EXTENSION, University of California, Santa Barbara
Course Instructor: Taught C Programming hands-on laboratory course to working professionals.
Jun 88-91 - Jul 88-91 CONTRA COSTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, Martinez, California
Summer Instructor: Each year, taught summer courses in the College For Kids program at a nearby junior college. Classes included: SAT Prep, Algebra, Geometry, and Introductory BASIC Programming.
Jan 87 - May 87 STUDENT LEARNING CENTER, University of California, Berkeley
Mathematics Tutor: Taught math and problem solving skills to undergraduates in Calculus and Analytic Geometry. Obtained hands-on experience along with video tape training and psychological counseling through concurrent course in undergraduate math instruction.
Oct 83 - Jun 84 RICHMOND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, Richmond, California
Student Instructor: Assisted adult instructor in teaching computer programming skills in BASIC to elementary school students in an afterschool program. Monitored students' programs, problems, and progress. Provided individual and special attention for the enthusiastic. Also aided the instructor in teaching an evening course designed for the students' parents, teachers, and other adults in the community.
 
EDUCATION
Sep 92 - Aug 94 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Santa Barbara
Master of Science, Computer Science (emphasis: Distributed Systems)

Jan 85 - Dec 89 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Berkeley
Artium Baccalaureus, Applied Mathematics (emphasis: Computer Science)
Certificate of Minor Program, Music (emphasis: Classical Piano)
 
SELECT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS


 


 

  • Internet Programming with Python (tutorial)
  • 2009 O'Reilly Open Source Convention/
    17th International Python Conference

    Monday and Thursday, July 20 and 23, 2009
    San Jose, CA (bio)
  • Writing Books using Open Source Software (session)

  • (Comprehensive) Introduction to Python (3-day course)
  • CyberWeb Consulting
    Monday-Wednesday, June 15-17, 2009
    San Francisco (San Bruno), CA

  • What is Python? (online webcast)
  • Safari Books Online
    Wednesday, April 29, 2009
    online (broadcast from San Francisco, CA)

  • Internet Programming with Python (tutorial)
  • PyCon 2009
    Thursday, March 26, 2009
    Chicago, IL (bio)

  • Intermediate Python Programming (12-week course)
  • Foothill College
    Mondays, January 5 - March 23, 2009 (Winter Quarter)
    Los Altos Hills, CA

  • What is Python? (session)
  • 2008 Silicon Valley CodeCamp
    Saturday-Sunday, Nov 8-9, 2008
    Los Altos Hills, CA (bio)
  • Programming Microsoft Office using Python (session)

  • Introduction to Python (3-day course)
  • CyberWeb Consulting
    Monday-Wednesday, May 5-7, 2008
    San Francisco (San Bruno), CA

  • Internet Programming with Python (tutorial)
        and Programming Microsoft Office using Python (session)
  • PyCon 2008
    Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16, 2008
    Chicago, IL (bio)

  • Experiences Developing Software for Clinical Trials and the Medical Industry
  • 2007 O'Reilly Open Source Convention/
    15th International Python Conference

    Friday, July 27, 2007
    Portland, OR (bio)

  • Internet Programming with Python (tutorial)
        and Vertebral Fracture Analysis (session)
  • PyCon 2006
    Thursday-Friday, February 23-24, 2006
    Dallas (Addison), TX

  • What is Python? (seminar)
  • PERNET - Graduate Seminar Series
    Wednesday, October 12, 2005, 5:30 PM,
    San Francisco State University, CA

  • Introduction to Python (tutorial)
  • 2003 O'Reilly Open Source Convention/
    11th International Python Conference

    Monday, July 7, 2003, 8:45pm - 12:15pm
    Portland Marriott Downtown, Portland, OR (bio)

  • Python in Education (session)
        and Python in Medicine (session)
  • PyCon DC 2003 Conference
    Wednesday, March 26, 2003, Washington, DC

  • Python Programming (8-week course)
  • UC Santa Cruz Extension
    Monday evenings, 6:30 - 9:30 PM
    January 6 - March 10, 2003
    (except January 20 and February 17)
    Moffett Business Park, Sunnyvale, CA

  • Internet Programming with Python
        and Introduction to Python (tutorials)
  • 15th Systems Administration Conference (LISA 2001)
    Tuesday, December 4, 2001, 1:30 PM and 9 AM
    Town and Country Resort Hotel, San Diego, CA

  • What is Python? (BOF)
  • 5th Annual Linux Showcase and Conference
    Wednesday, November 7, 2001, 6 PM
    Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA

  • Internet Programming with Python (tutorial)
  • 2001 O'Reilly Open Source Convention
    Tuesday, July 24, 2001, 1:45 PM,
    Sheraton Hotel and Marina, San Diego, CA (bio)

  • Python Advanced Topics:
          Focused Introductions (tutorial)
  • 9th International Python Conference (Python9)
    Monday, March 5, 2001, 1 PM,
    Long Beach Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, CA

  • What is Python? (seminar)
  • Purdue Linux Users Group (PLUG)
    Monday, August 14, 2000, 7 PM,
    Physics 112, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN

  • Python for Beginners (seminar)
  • (Silicon Valley Chapter of)
    The Association of C and C++ Users

    Tuesday, June 13, 2000, 7 PM, San Jose, CA
     
    CORPORATE TRAINING CLIENTS
    Cisco
    Avaya
    Hitachi
    Infoblox
    General Dynamics
    EMC
    Google
    VMware
    Transcontinental Direct
    Ingersoll-Rand
    IronPort
    Xilinx
     
    PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  • Effective Presentations
  • Negotiating Skills
  • Social & Economic Implications of Technology
  • Managing Your Time
  • Financial Accounting
  • Financial Statement Analysis
  •  
    COMPUTER SKILLS AND TRAINING
    Languages: Python, Unix shell script, Javascript familiar with Java, C/C++, SQL, XML and various markup
    Operating Systems: Unix (Linux, MacOS X, FreeBSD, Solaris) and Win32
    Tools: Source code control (SVN, CVS, RCS, SCCS), issue tracking (Trac, Bugzilla, RoundUp); Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); browsers (Opera, Firefox, IE, Camino, Safari); databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite)
     
    PUBLICATIONS
    Chun, Wesley J., Python Fundamentals (Video Training DVD), Prentice Hall PTR: LiveLessons series, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA, © 2009 (Dec 2008). ISBN 0-13-714341-9. ISBN-13 978-0-13-714341-2.


    Forcier, Jeff, Paul Bissex, Wesley J. Chun, Python Web Development with Django, Addison Wesley Professional: Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA, © 2009 (Nov 2008). ISBN-10 0-13-235613-9; ISBN-13 978-0-13-235613-8. TK5105.8885.D54F68 2009.
    Rough Cuts preview release [Addison Wesley] -- [O'Reilly & Associates Safari] ISBN-10 0-321-56420-0. ISBN-13 978-0-321-56420-7.

    Chun, Wesley J., Core Python Programming, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall PTR: Core series, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA, © 2007 (Sep 2006). ISBN 0-13-226993-7. QA76.73.P98 C48 2006. Reviews: [Linux (Pro) Magazine [PDF] (Jan 2007)] -- [Barnes and Noble (Dec 2006)] -- [Free Software Magazine (Nov 2006)] -- [Python 411 [MP3 audio podcast] (Nov 2006)] -- [SlashDot (Nov 2006)] -- [Amazon and other Internet reviews] Links: Electronic version (English) (O'Reilly & Associates [Safari], Oct 2006) -- Au Cœur de Python - French version (Vol. 1) and (Vol. 2) (Pearson Education France/CampusPress, Jun/Jul 2007) -- Indian edition (Dorling Kindersley/Pearson Education Asia, ISBN 81-3171-188-9, 2007) [printed in English] -- Python 核 心 编 程 (第二版) by 陈仲才 (陳仲才) - Chinese edition (Posts & Telecom Press, ISBN-10 7-115-17850-X, ISBN-13 978-7-115-17850-3, Jul 2008)

    Chun, Wesley J., "Keeping Up with Python: the 2.2 Release". Linux Journal, Issue 99, pp. 84-91, July 2002. ISSN 1075-3583.

    Chun, Wesley J., "Python 2.2 Q&A with Guido van Rossum, Creator of Python". Linux Journal, Issue 98, pp. 84-85, June 2002. ISSN 1075-3583.

    Chun, Wesley J., Core Python Programming. Prentice Hall PTR: Core series, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA, © 2001 (Dec 2000). ISBN 0-13-026036-3. QA76.73.P98 C48 2000. Reviews: [IBM DeveloperWorks (May 2002)] -- [Linux Journal (May 2001)] -- [Association of C & C++ Users (April 2001)] -- Links: [Amazon] -- [BarnesAndNoble] -- [Amazon UK] -- [Amazon DE] -- Chinese edition (HZ Books/China Machine Press, Beijing, China; August 2001, 532 pp., ISBN: 7-111-08983-9) -- Electronic version (English) (O'Reilly & Associates [Safari], October 2001) -- Indian edition (English) (Addison Wesley Longman; Winter 2002, ISBN: 817808273X) -- Korean edition (Pearson Education Korea; May 2002, ISBN: 89-450-7052-4) -- Electronic version (Chinese) (China e Book, August 29, 2004)

    Chun, W. J., L. E. Moser, P. M. Melliar-Smith, and D.A. Agarwal, "Distributed Simulation for a Communication Protocol Development Environment." (PDF or PS) In the Journal of High Performance Computing, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 3-12, Supercomputing and Visualization Unit, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore, December 1997. ISSN 0218-6802.

    Chun, W. J., L. E. Moser, P. M. Melliar-Smith, and D.A. Agarwal, "Applying Distributed Simulation to a Communication Protocol Development Environment." ( or ) In the Proceedings of the 29th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Vol. 1, pp. 320-329, Maui, Hawaii, January 1996, IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos, CA. ISBN 0-8186-7324-9. (Nominated for BEST PAPER award)

    Chun, W. J., "Virtual Gateways: Performing Distributed Simulations in the Totem Protocol Development Environment." (PDF or PS) Master's Thesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, September 1994. QA76.27.C2 S25 CHUW 1994. Also available as Technical Report #94-23, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, September 1994.

     
    INTERESTS and RESEARCH
    Hobbies/Leisure: current events; personal finance (money management, investments, estate planning, real estate); parenting and childcare; "compelling" television; marketing research
    Music: maintainer of the "Monster" Alan Parsons Project Discography, classically-trained pianist (since 1972)
    Sports/Recreation: ultimate frisbee, bicycling, skiing, bowling, basketball, personal fitness; poker, Wii
    Traveling: Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong, Sweden, France, Germany, Taiwan, India, Nepal, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Italy, United Kingdom
    Associations: Silicon Valley-San Francisco Bay Area Python Users Group: BayPIGgies (volunteer coordinator), Python Tutor mailing list (volunteer moderator/list manager)
    Open Source:
          • Gadfly dbapi20.py (patch 1468968)
          • Python bltinmodule.c (patch 1460496)
          • pyPgSQL PgSQLTestCases.py (patch 942643)
          • Python CGIHTTPServer.py v1.21 (patch 511380)
          • GNU a2ps HTML style sheet v1.1
     
    PERSONAL
  • US Citizen
  • LinkedIn® Professional Profile (including Endorsements):
          • http://linkedin.com/pub/1/4a3/2b (non-member)
          • https://www.linkedin.com/e/fps/4193891 (member)
  • Other references available upon request
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