Dirk Bergstrom
I am a professional computer geek and freelance programmer, available for in-person gigs in the San Francisco Bay Area and via telework pretty much anywhere.Python is my language of choice and my primary focus is web applications; I'm fluent in Java, Javascript, SQL, Perl and shell. I have skills and experience with the entire development process from server configuration to end user support. If you need an application built, fixed or improved, I can probably do it.
My goal as a developer is a great end-user experience. To make that happen I concentrate on user engagement and software quality. I show users "paper prototypes" before I start coding, grab people in the hall for quick usability tests, and conduct post-rollout interviews with both satisfied and unsatisfied users. I strive to write as little clean, simple, well commented code as needed to do the job; I use source control and bug tracking religiously; and do regular automated testing. These practices take more time and effort in the short run, but they make it possible to deliver a great experience, and keep it great over multiple releases.
I am currently developing an open source mobile application, so you can see the quality of my work first hand. The app is a password safe for Palm webOS; I've got about 1500 users, and I've put out roughly one release per month since September 2009. I use version control and bug tracking, I interact well with users, and generally provide a solid software experience.
Computers are my third career; previously I was a corporate librarian, and before that a bench chemist. To get an overview of the whole story, read my resume.
I regularly attend the O'Reilly Open Source Convention, and I take notes.