Dave's IT CV
PHP Development, Auckland, Northland, New Zealand
After starting in an engineering background, I have moved on to developing websites, working with PHP, MySQL databases, CSS, HTML, Javascript and all the trappings which follow on from that. I have worked with the Silverstripe, Drupal and Joomla CMSes, and Zend Framework. I have also Microsoft Access and Delphi but it is way too unfashionable to admit it. In the last few years I have freelanced for several companies in Auckland; and previously I worked for Incentive Solutions in Auckland, on some heavy-duty PHP and PostgreSQL, with graphs, GoogleMaps, SEO, Excel integration and so on.
In the old days, I used to put my hand to FORTRAN, VMS, Pascal, VB, VBA, C, Postscript, though now I have to think a tad harder for that stuff, so only ask me if you are desperate (like, really desperate)!
Currently (2019) I work for three organisations:
- ISpyHorses, who had developed an excellent trading platform for people interested in horses, ponies and all matters equestrian. This required the addition of credit-card payment modules plus handfuls of other new features and amendments to help efficient management of the site functions.
- QVisual on PHP software to help elderly people live comfortably at home: there are two PHP web applications, one for monitoring and another for family communication and entertainment; and also for with a PHP framework and e-commerce. Also, I have made e-commerce modules for a gym, allowing customers to select their courses and pay by credit-card. And a JQuery Calendar for a similar gym, letting people book sessions on courts. As a spin-off,we created a sytem for remotely monitoring fridge temperatures, in cases where medical supplies might be inadvertently spoiled.
- If that wasn't enough inter-weaving, I also dovetail both of those with work for UrbanBlinds. Some very smart people in Auckland (hi, Little Giant), developed a site based on Silverstripe 3, highly customised and including heavy use of JQuery. I took over for maintenance and enhancements, such as the addition of new blind types, Google tracking and extra pages to explain the services offered to customers.
In 2011, I was getting to know the excellent Silverstripe PHP CMS while working with the smart branding team at Brian R Richards. I have been very impressed by the ease of templating in Silverstripe, combined with bespoke database development, without being forbiddingly complicated. Earlier, I was using PHP Zend Framework (ZF) for Colenso and Westpac. A few years ago I installed OpenCart ecommerce projects and implementing Paypal to manage online purchases for an educational software company.
Prior to that, I was involved in two dollops of Paypal integration: for PharmaHealth I have created a Shopping Cart for online sales; and for Kenpo Karate I prepared the entry form for their 2010 Tournament at Eden Park Auckland, including Paypal payments for fees and extras. I find that Paypal is a bit of a challenge as there are huge numbers of options, and a deluge of documentation. However, it's the standard and familiar to customers around the world, which makes it commendable.
If you have a need for a website where you can update the content, and you don't like talking to the pin-stripe suits, please let me know.