Software Ops
The Meaning of Our Existence
To create software with exceptional Quality, Usability, Functionality with Integrity (QUFI) for the Apple market.
Our Mantra
Make Software People Buy
Joe Michels Founder, Software Ops LLC
I have been in the software development industry since 1984. In the early days of my career, I worked on advance compiler technology, but quickly discovered the Macintosh system and went to work for Symmetry Software. While working for Symmetry, I designed and developed software for applications such as Acta, Hyper-DA and created HyperEngine from the ground up using Lightspeed C (Think C).
Using the excellent Think C class library, is how I first learned object oriented programming. I liked to call Think C," C+-" because it was object oriented, provided inheritance, and method overloading, but didn’t have all the full set of C++ features.
HyperEngine contained a subset of HyperCard functionality designed to be use in advanced help systems, before there were hyperlinked help systems. I created a lex/yacc interpreter for HyperTalk defining the language, in BNF format. That was one of my proudest accomplishments of my Mac 1.0 development experience. Symmetry sold HyperEngine to Claris.
When Symmetry was sold and became an accounting software developer for Windows 3.1, I left Symmetry to work for a small firm developing a desktop publishing application for the Mac. I worked on a two man team with Lance Lewis, currently at Adobe. Under Lance’s guidance, we built one of the most advanced DTP software of its time. During this time, I learned what incredible amount of software can be produced by highly motivated, dedicated people. Timeworks, folded taking with it a month’s of my pay. I even had to give the computer back!
I then developed a QuickDraw printer driver for QMS Inc, in Mobile, AL and then did a pressure pen driver for Calcomp Inc, in Scottsale, AZ. Then came the exciting news that Motorola in Tempe, AZ was becoming a Mac clone maker and I took a job on the internal software team. We didn’t do much software for Motorola, but I learned product management and quickly became the person with the responsibility of bundling software with the Motorola StarMax systems. One thing I can say is that Motorola sure knew how to throw Macworld parties. But they sure didn’t know how to build Mac clones. I can see why Jobs stepped in and killed the clones because they were not “beautiful objects” as Fake Steve would say.
After the death of the clone business, I went to work for the satellite communications group within Motorola working on the “network-in-the-sky” only to be shot-down by the failure of the Iridium satellite business.
I then moved to a skunk-works effort within Motorola to develop the iRadio. Yes the “I” was a total rip off of the then new and cool iMac. Now the team I worked with on that project were some of the most innovative engineers in Motorola. We were bringing the connectivity of the Internet, through the cellular network to do navigation. We invented a web portal, that would allow you to configure your iRadio as it sat out in your garage. This is not what iRadio was initially envisioned to be by my friend Jeff Lee, now of me2z.com.
I hold a patent on user interface for a mobile device, 6529804, from that era of my career. Now, as you know, Motorola has, nothing to do with navigations systems, they don’t have a portal to configure your iRadio in-car device. Do you think Motorola, missed the boat? Is Motorola still in business? Well I learned mobile development and am applying that directly to iPhone development today.
The last few years I’ve been developing enterprise software for a company that sells to giant retail companies. There I applied iterative development processes to teams to develop software. I’ve also learned Agile Scrum and practiced it every day. This is where I have found inspiration for my Mac OS X application software.
Now I’ve embarked upon my reentrance into the Apple realm. It feels good to be back.