Andrew Burke has been developing custom business software since 1995. He has worked as an independent software developer for numerous clients in Canada, from large government departments to non-profits and startups. He was part of the Groupware Practice at Origin Technology in Business in Columbus Ohio between 1997 and 1999, and provided applications and support for a number of large corporate clients across North America. He has built applications with Lotus Notes/Domino, Visual Basic, Java, and PHP - but almost all of his work is now done with Ruby on Rails.
Andrew has worked on development teams, but often works solo and has handled all aspects of development, from the database schema and system architecture through development and project management to graphic design and layout, deployment, documentation, and training.
In late 2007, Andrew founded Shindig Digital Constructions Inc. to sell web-based business applications. Shindig's first product is the Store Ordering System, an easy-to-use web application for managing retail signage programs. The software is already being used to manage programs for The Beer Store, HMV, H&M, Blockbuster Video, ICI Paints/Colour Your World and others.
Selected Experience
- TSOT: In Summer/Fall 2007 helped the development team at a social-networking startup in building their flagship Ruby on Rails application.
- Signs of Change: In a decade-long business relationship, Andrew has built and maintained the business software that runs all operations for this signage management company. The application was originally built in Lotus Notes, later updated to a Ruby on Rails system.
- Get Signage Inc.: Built a custom system to help manage the ordering, printing, and shipping of price tickets for The Beer Store.
- World Impact Inc.: Built a custom system for managing the signage manufacturing process, including pricing scenarios, purchase orders, and invoicing.
- Bloorview Rehab Centre: Built the online events listing system in PHP, including back-end management tools.
- West Park Healthcare Centre: Built the online job posting and resume management system in PHP.
- Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network: Built online publications library in PHP.
- Origin Technology in Business / ATOS Origin: Worked in the Groupware Practice in the Columbus, Ohio office of this global IT consulting firm from 1997 to 1999. Worked on numerous projects for clients such as:
- Bank One Corporation
- Guardian Life Insurance Company
- ICI Chemicals
- Industry Canada: Built and managed a Notes-based Knowledge-Management system for tracking internal and external communications between 1995 and 1997.
Technical Skills
Languages
- Ruby on Rails: Four large client projects completed and deployed, along with a number of smaller personal projects (including this website) since summer 2005.
- PHP: Five large client projects and Several small personal projects in PHP5 for clients since 2004.
- JavaScript: Have worked with JavaScript since 1995, and have worked on complex interfaces with the Prototype library for several projects since 2006.
- HTML/DHTML/XHTML/CSS: Extensive experience since 1994. Taught HTML and web design at George Brown College in 1995/1996.
- Java/JSP/Struts: Currently about 8 projects since 2001. Sun Certified Web Component Developer since 2005.
- Lotus Notes / Domino: Several dozen projects, large and small, since 1995, including extensive experience in building web applications with Domino, up to r5 and r6. Principal Certified Lotus Professional since 1997.
Databases
Andrew uses PostgreSQL for his own projects, but has worked with mySQL on many projects since 2003. Also worked with DB2 between 2001 and 2003.
Environments and Tools
- OS X, Windows, Linux / Unix Shells.
- Eclipse IDE for Java development.
- EMACS for other development.
- CVS, Subversion.
- Adobe Photoshop and ImageReady for graphics.
Andrew also has some experience in other technologies, such as UNIX shell scripting, Perl, C, XML, OS X Cocoa.