Bill Dettering

Software Architect / Project Manager / Entrepreneur
Building Commercial Software since 1983; over 50 products published.

Bill Dettering
Currently CEO of Applian Technologies.
Email: dettering@applian.com

SUMMARY

My technical skills include:

Pocket PC software and application design.
Experience with set-top boxes, net-enabled telephones and wireless browsers.
E-commerce.
Database-enabled Web sites.
Windows CE, C/C++, MFC, SQL, Windows, UNIX, HTML/DHTML, PHP3, ASP, JavaScript, VBScript and more.

Some of my assets:

Good programmer.
Great implementer and top-down architect.
Business and customer oriented.
Good communications and writing skills.
Work well with both marketing and technical people.
Versatile: I've done project management, marketing, sales, trade shows, technical writing, and technical support, as well as a ton of programming.

Personal:

Father of twins born in 2001.
Avid snowboarder, basketball player, mountain biker.
I love the Survivor TV show - maybe you'll see me on it someday!

CURRENT EXPERIENCE

August 1997 -
Applian Technologies Inc.
San Anselmo, CA

Founder -- Built a software company to develop retail software products for Pocket PC PDA devices. Later, the company shifted focus to PC software for recording streaming media. Bill does programming, user interface design, documentation, marketing, Web site design, e-commerce infrastructure, tech support, and many other tasks except graphic design. Applian currently has 20 PDA active products and 13 Streaming Media recording products. (See applian.com and applianmobile.com.)

November 1999 -
URLy Warning.com Inc.
San Francisco, CA

Founder -- Built a Web-based service dedicated to being the best way to monitor changes in Web pages. The service is built around a "diff" engine I wrote specifically for HTML files. Customers can choose from various solutions: a Windows-based PC Client (using a custom browser), an email-based notification service, and a Webmasters partners program. Have filed three provisional patent claims relating to serving advertising, background processing, and determining changes to Web pages. I built all the software, and created the Web site with the help of a graphic designer friend.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

September 1999 - April 2001
Excite@Home
Redwood City, CA

Worked in the Set-Top group as a software engineer. Also gained experience as a technical writer.

July 1997 - December 1997
Phone.com (formerly Unwired Planet)
Redwood Shores, CA

Contractor -- Ported the company's microbrowser technology to Windows CE devices. Collaborated on user interface design, and implemented fully functional microbrowser from portable C core. Product was successfully demonstrated at the company's trade show in November.

September 1996 - June 1997
Navitel Communications
Menlo Park, CA

Program Manager/Applications Software Lead -- As the third person and first employee in the company, I had a significant role in producing the company's Windows CE based Internet telephone. Some of the things I have done include:

Designed and implemented most of the telephone consumer shell and applet software architecture.
Authored the original software functional spec document, and was the primary keeper of the spec.
Coded a large part of the application software system, including the consumer shell, news reader, address book, and user interface for the email application.
Interviewed and hired the entire applications programming staff as of June, 1997.
Organized the project schedule using Microsoft Project.
Met with various OEMs and third parties.
Set up the application tree, source control and libraries.
Presented the product and represented Navitel at various trade shows.
Also did a little bit of device driver work while working with Philips in Holland.

March 1995 - May 1996
Internet Shopping Network
Palo Alto, CA

Lead Software Developer (September 1995 to May 1996) -- ISN was the first e-commerce site on the Web. I was the project lead for version 3 of the site, which included completely redoing the catalog system, and upgrading the order system. Directed a team of developers in delivering a new catalog system on schedule. Led the design of a state-of-the-art order and membership system, and implemented a real time inventory and price update agent.

Software Developer (March 1995 to September 1995) -- Designed and programmed a large portion of version 2 of the ISN site, including:

Six catalog front ends.
Functional user interface design and implementation of the downloadable software store.
System for creating ordering scripts, which was successfully passed on to a junior programmer.
The entire back-end ordering system, including internal utilities and reports for marketing, sales and advertising.
Tools for the creative department.
Automatic credit card processing using a VISA POSport box.

1991 - 1995
AApex Software Corporation
Reno, NV
Cofounder, President and Chief Technical Engineer. Designed, coded and managed the Master Series reference book engine, negotiated content deals, and coordinated product releases of many retail Windows applications. Also created Cursorific!, which shipped over 30,000 units.

1983-1991
SWFTE International
Hockessin, DE
Cofounder and Vice President of Research and Development. Created Glyphix font software, the first ever on-the-fly font generator for DOS based systems, which sold over 50,000 copies. Executed 10 different product releases and library of 100 scalable fonts. SWFTE has since been bought by Expert Software.

PRODUCTS I'VE BUILT

Replay A/V - Major revision of Replay Radio which adds stream capturing.
Freecorder - Free audio recording utility.
Replay Radio and Replay Player - Web Radio VCR and playback system for Pocket PC and MP3 players.
WebSync - Basis for a rich media publishing system for handheld devices.
PocketLock - Pocket PC file encryption utility.
QuickLaunch - Program launcher for Pocket PC.
RemindMe - Instant reminder program using voice or handwritten notes.
PicturePerfect - Popular photo album program for Pocket PC.
Virtual Wallet - Pocket PC software to store and organize personal information
URLy Warning - PC Client and email-based service for monitoring changes to Web pages. Includes unique "diff" engine.
HTML Compare - Diff utility for HTML files.
MediaWallet - A high-end version of QuickWallet, with phone dialing capabilities, picture albums, realistic-looking cards and more.
QuickWallet - Personal data organizer with encryption. Great for storing passwords, credit cards, etc.
StickyShift - Utility to allow one-handed typing on Handheld PCs.
Dial-a-Matic - Phone dialer for Pocket PC and Handheld PCs. Has capability for customers to design their own interfaces.
CoolCalc - 10-in-one calculator, and a calculator construction kit for Windows CE handheld PCs.
Blox! - A Tetris-like game for handheld PCs running Windows CE.
Charmap - A Character Map Accessory for Windows CE.
Webfonts - HTML design utility to add fonts to web pages.
Newcomers guide to e-mail on the Internet
Information Please Almanac
Information Please Business Almanac
Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy
Great Quotations Library - 75,000 quotes on a CD
Columbia Electronic Dictionary of Quotations
Aapex-Websters Quotebase
Simpsons Contemporary Quotations
Four other quotations books
Jokesmith Joke Collection
King James Bible
Million Dollar Dictionary
Cursorific for Windows
Big DOS Cursor
Glyphix Fonts and on-the-fly font generator
Pop 'n Print
Laserware memory-resident typesetting system
Accelerator PC keyboard accelerator
Load-us copy protection eliminator for 123 and Symphony
Listmate list manager