░▒▓ H A C K E R D A T A B A S E ▓▒░

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
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NAME:
Ulf Åström
ALIAS:
HappyPonyLand, DATAJESUS
BORN:
1984, Čohkkiras, Sápmi
RESIDENCE:
Stockholm, Sweden
E-MAIL:
EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Available for proposals
SKILL SUMMARY
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- KEYWORDS
- software and web development
- Linux and UNIX-derivative systems management
- media (audio/graphics/video production and formats)
- communication (writing, teaching)
- game development
- electrical engineering, CAD
- PROGRAMMING
Self-taught programmer since age 11. Problem-solving mindset. Accustomed to figuring things out and will pick up new APIs, languages and paradigms as needed. Produces stable, portable and well-documented code with high attention to detail. - NO LANGUAGE PRESTIGE
Primarily works in C, Go and Ruby, but familiar with most modern OO and scripting languages (and a few obsolete ones too). Believes in choosing the proper tool for the task, with ecosystem and deployment suitable for the end user (sometimes this can be a VBA macro). - EFFICIENT TOOLBOX
Uses version control, debuggers, -Wall (but not -Werror; also ambivalent about linters), build and deploy scripts, separation of development and production environment, unit testing. - EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE
Has written a serialization library for C, DLL wrappers to call C++ libraries from C, asynchronous I/O (in various languages), threading (in various languages), DSL transpilers, XML parsing, terminal emulators, a web server, sound mixing utilities, etc. Dabbled in LISP, Rust, assembly language and microcontrollers. Taught programming (C#) to highschool students. - WEB DEVELOPMENT
HTML, CSS (have you noticed this is a device-adaptive, print-friendly layout?), JavaScript, REST services, semantic design and validation. Still LAMPing like it's 2002, but can also hack stuff together in modern frameworks as needed. - INFRASTRUCTURE
System and network administration (maintains multiple domains hosting web content, shell accounts and other services), virtualization (this page is served off a VPS), hardware setup and troubleshooting. - AUDIO
Understanding of digital and analog recording processes, mixing, sound synthesis, audio formats and their quality considerations. Plays multiple instruments and produces music in a variety of styles. - CAD
Solid experience (primarily AutoCAD) with technical 2D drawings, constraint-based 3D modelling, drawing automation and format interoperability. - CREATIVE
webcomic artist, demoscene - GAME DEVELOPMENT
Procedural content generation (building random maps and validating their completeness), graphics (vector and low-res pixel art), mechanics, story, dialogue, interface, testing, balancing. Typically enjoys making games much more than playing them.
PERSONALITY
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- Down-to-earth, compassionate, progressive, meritocratic. Brooding with a dark sense of irony. PTSD survivor.
- Curious, easily bored and obsessively creative: sometimes neglects to eat and sleep while absorbed in a project, then lapses into periods of self-loathing over not being productive enough.
- Socially reserved with strangers, yet strongly inclined to build long-lasting relationships with interesting people. Dislikes being labeled an "introvert". Will most likely dodge sports-oriented teambuilding activities, but arrange board game nights as an alternative.
- Anti-authoritarian with low compliance to dysfunctional social dynamics, threats and intimidation. Concerned about personal integrity and making respectable choices. Unimpressed by empty gestures and blind obedience to policy. Highly likely to call bullshit, when necessary.
LAST KNOWN OCCUPATION
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2018-¿¿: Software developer, video encoding.
- Development of an asset management system for the broadcast industry, the core product providing a REST API for managing large volumes of media and metadata on a variety of storage solutions, on premise or cloud hosted.
- Primarily worked on the transcoder component (written in C/C++), allowing conversion across a plethora of video and audio codecs, bridging open and proprietary formats. Maintained Linux and Windows ports, build and deployment pipelines.
- Designed and implemented a library to provide "Just-In-Time" transcoding and streaming for a web-based video editing application.
- Front and backend web development (JavaScript, Python) for internal systems as well as the customer-facing cloud offering.
- Accumulated knowledge of media formats, video standards, editing workflows and broadcast practices. Collaborated in an agile(-ish), international, "hybrid remote" team environment.
PAST ACTIVITY
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2021: Launched Sátnerádju.net, a self-study aid for Northern Sámi vocabulary.
2016—2018: University language studies.
2016: Released a game on Steam.
2006—2015: Technical consultant in industrial automation systems.
- Design, testing and on-site commissioning of industrial electrical equipment such as control cubicles, switchgear, cabling, PLC interfaces, safety and emergency equipment. Production of circuit diagrams, assembly drawings, bill of materials, wiring tables, etc, in a wide range of CAD software.
- Development of AutoCAD extensions and macros, integration between CAD systems and office applications. Automation of error-prone substitution and data gathering tasks, preparation of wiring table change lists, printing and PDF generation.
- Review and final delivery of technical documentation for construction projects spanning hundreds of thousands of drawings and literal truckloads of binders.
- Worked with world-leading, high-tech clients in different industrial sectors (e.g. ABB, LKAB, Atlas Copco; full list of projects available on request). In-house and on-site assignments. Cubicle veteran.
2003—2005: University CS studies.
LANGUAGES
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- SWEDISH ▉▉▉▉
- ENGLISH ▉▉▉•
- N. SAMI ▉▉••
- POLISH ▉•••
EDUCATION
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- 196.5 ECTS university credits (>3 years of full-time studies, roughly equivalent to a bachelor but focused on personal interests rather than pursuing a degree). Studies in language, computer science, history and music.
- A shitload of private courses and on-job training in CAD software, PLC programming, electrical standards and work safety (over a month in total).
- Drivers licence for car (european B class), snowmobile and ATVs.
PERSONAL INTERESTS
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Mahjong (chinese board game), languages, travel, outdoors (hiking, fishing, survival), martial arts, literature, crafts (sewing, woodworking), photography (has taken over 80000 photos, most of them pretty bad).