Russ Helfand

Groovy bits
Dec 2005 - present
Partner

Develop, design and build websites for a wide range of clients, from technology leaders like Microsoft to small non-profit organizations like Domestic Violence Solutions.

For other examples my work, please visit the Groovy bits portfolio.

Microsoft Corp.
June 2004 - Dec 2005
Program Manager

Research and prototype futuristic websites using emerging technologies like ASP.NET AJAX and Silverlight.

• Helped create ASP.NET AJAX. Built the first large-scale web app (a wiki) with it to help expose weaknesses in the ASP.NET AJAX framework.
• Developed a prototype framework that blended ASP.NET (web technology) and Vista (desktop technology).

Adobe Systems, Inc. (Macromedia, Inc.)
Oct 1999 - June 2004
Principal Engineer

Develop Dreamweaver and define key aspects of its architecture. Provide guidance throughout the company on opportunities to improve integration with web technologies being developed by Microsoft.

• Research where Dreamweaver can facilitate development of sites using ASP.NET "Whidbey."
• Act as technical liaison between the Dreamweaver team and Microsoft (primarily working with Scott Guthrie, Nikhil Kothari and Mark Anders).
• Evangelize ASP.NET by to forums, writing tech notes and occasionally speaking at conferences.
• Led the CSS team (Dreamweaver MX 2004). Identified authoring patterns to be optimized. Designed and implemented the heuristics that allow Dreamweaver to generate and use CSS rather than font tags. Supervised design and development of all features pertaining to CSS management.
• Led the ASP.NET team (Dreamweaver MX). Defined the overall solution. Invented the tags to encapsulate database access, page binding, etc. Supervised development of tag and web service introspection, rendering (using designer interfaces), WSDL proxy generation, etc.
• Led the ASP team, UI czar (Dreamweaver 4.0 "UltraDev").

Elemental Software, Inc.
Dec 1997 - Oct 1999
Senior Software Engineer

Developed code and architecture for Drumbeat, a tool for creating websites using ASP and HTML.

• Enabled Drumbeat to host and introspect ActiveX/COM components.
• Created rulers and guides for CSS positioning, in collaboration with Microsoft.
• Prototyped Boomerang: a next generation ASP authoring tool based on the Trident design surface.

Animated Images, Inc.
Nov 1994 - Mar 1997
Software Engineer

Developed StyleManager, a MFC-based CAD program for apparel design: C++, SQL, ActiveX.

Biosym Technologies, Inc.
Mar 1989 - Sep 1993
Manager

Developed a CAD program for chemical design (biotech): SGI graphics, compute-intensive calculations of molecular surfaces and binding fields in 3D.

VideoCipher Corp.
Feb 1987 - Mar 1989
Group Leader

Simulated the logic to be used on Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) chips for encoding and decoding audio/video transmission.

Calma Co.
May 1984 - Feb 1987
Software Engineer

Developed CAD programs to be used in a broad range of industries: specialized in 2D and 3D rendering transformations.