Earlier noteworthy work

Before our Internet work, we did a combination of software development for embedded and portable computers, Unix systems management, database design and development, technical writing and other related activities. It taught us about good design, about how the quality of one's work affects businesses and end-users, and about how to trade off time, cost, resources and features.

Zengrange

HP-41 Emulator for HP-48

Hewlett-Packard (HP) invented the hand-held scientific calculator back in 1972 with the HP-35, and led a relentless charge of miniature technical innovation through the 1970s and 1980s, culminating with the HP-41 system, which was powerful enough to be used for mission-critical tasks aboard early space shuttle flights.

During this time, Frank Wales developed HP-41 software and tools for Zengrange. Because of their reputation with HP, Zengrange were asked to develop a cross-over product that would give the existing base of HP-41 users an easy migration path to the HP's next-generation HP-48SX, which had a completely different underlying architecture, programming language and user interface.  more...

Zengrange

Technical services

Zengrange specialised in customised hand-held computer systems, or larger systems based around mobile computing. They originally adapted HP hand-held computers, but eventually branched out into custom computer design for many customers.

Frank Wales worked in various software-development roles while at Zengrange, and also co-managed the company's computer infrastructure. Frank not only developed different systems and solutions for customers, usually in a team, but also designed or implemented many of the internal software tools that the other development staff used.  more...

Seagram

Graphical reporting system

Pricing Postures chart

While working as a contractor to Seagram, Paola Kathuria found an innovative way to generate coloured charts in Omnis at a time when no tools existed for creating graphical reports with Omnis.  more...

Seagram

Ad-hoc reporting system

Screen to create an Ad Hoc report

One of Paola Kathuria's jobs when she was contracting at Seagram was to design and build an ad-hoc reporting system using the existing Marketing Planning System built with Omnis and Sybase.

The system allowed users to create a custom report by selecting criteria. It then generated the report as a CSV file and opened automatically with Excel.  more...

Hewlett-Packard

Technical consultancy

Frank Wales worked as a member of Hewlett-Packard's Professional Services Organisation, which provides consulting services to HP's major account customers.  more...

Charity Commission

System administration

The Charity Commission is the UK government agency with responsibility for regulating charities in England and Wales.

Between 1991 and 1993, Frank Wales worked with them, helping to manage their computer networks and support their development team. He also helped to train their staff in Unix administration, and wrote tools and systems to help them do this more effectively.  more...

JP Morgan

Client Information System

Paola Kathuria worked with other staff on a client information system for Exchange Traded Products. Besides developing the front-end with Omnis and Transact SQL stored procedures, she was responsible for defining and specifying the underlying structures of the system including customisable settings, generic windows and the user-interface standards.  more...

Disney

System administration

Buena Vista Home Video is the video distribution arm of the Walt Disney company. Frank Wales was responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Sun and HP Unix-based servers that ran their national sales and marketing systems in seven countries.

He also continued development work on the Discovery application hosted by these computers, provided software and communications consultancy to other projects within Buena Vista, and internet consultancy to the networking group.

Nat West Markets

System administration

NatWest Markets was the part of NatWest bank that handled trading in shares, equities and gilts in the City of London. Frank Wales worked as one of two Unix consultants to the global technical support group, and was responsible for the smooth functioning of the bank's gilts, equities and settlement systems.

Along with one project manager and one DBA, Frank was responsible for planning and executing the successful move of equities service from Edinburgh to London without interruption of service to the business.

He provided round-the-clock support to the operations team, and also consulted on global derivatives and world-wide security projects.

Orbitel Mobile Communications

Software development

Frank Wales wrote some GSM base-station communication software while serving a three-month stint at Orbitel Mobile Communications.