Resume for Dave Baldwin
Writing and Editing Experience
FREELANCE EDITOR: MICROSOFT
Programming Editor, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA
Game Platform editor for Microsoft's XNA Development Center. Principal editor for XNA Creators Club Online. Microsoft Visual Studio's Team Foundation Server is the writing and editing enviroment. Start date: December 10, 2007.
Technical Editor, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA
Supported six writers in User Education and two writers in Team Architect. In the fall of 2006, also supported two writers on the Team Foundation Server SDK. In addition to MSDN topics, edited blog postings, reports, and case studies. In December 2006, performed a complete visual test pass of the UE documentation set of approximately 1,800 topics. Participated in the Scrum process the entire year. Familiar with MSTP and the DDUE Style Guide. Authoring platform: DocStudio. This was a one-year assignment from August 2006 to August 2007.
STAFF WRITER: LUNAR LOGIC
Writer and Market Research Specialist in the Marketing Department, Lunar Logic, Inc., Eugene, OR
From January 1 to May 19, 2006, worked as a proposal writer and market research specialist in the Marketing Dept.
Proposal Writer and RFP Analyst, Lunar Logic
From October 2005 to January 2006, full-time manager of the proposal group in the Marketing Department. Principal assignments: RFP analysis, proposal writing (executive summaries), editing, and document QA.
API Writer, Lunar Logic
Between January and the end of September 2005, wrote javadocs for the Lunar Logic code base, which now has over 5,000 code files and over a million lines of code. Most of the code base was undocumented at the beginning of 2005; now it is 95 percent complete.
FREELANCE WRITER: MICROSTRATEGY
Technical Writer, MicroStrategy, Inc., McLean, VA
Technical writer for the MicroStrategy Web SDK. Updated the customization scenarios for the Web environment. Worked from early October through November 2004.STAFF WRITER: OPNET
Senior Technical Writer, OPNET Technologies, Bethesda, MD
Worked at OPNET from April 2003 to September 2004.OPNET 11.0 Release (August 2004): Wrote the 3DNV User Guide for the 11.0 release. This includes a 50-page Developer's Guide and an API section that has about 150 functions (C and C++). Wrote the Report Server User Guide, Version 1.0, for the OPNET 10.5 release in January 2004.
OPNET 10.0 Release (August 2003): Wrote user guide material, including the API section of the OPNET NetDoctor User Guide. The API section describes functions written in Python. Edited Methodologies posted on the OPNET Web site.
FREELANCE WRITER: WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK
Technical Writer, Washington Mutual Bank, Seattle, WA
Wrote documentation for the Small Business Online Banking (SBOB) Web site to be launched in February 2003. The SBOB documentation included various backend installation procedures, a complete description of the change control process for updating content on the Web site, and a rewrite of an analysis of how to better manage system resources. Also wrote a 150-page user's guide for the Quality Service Management (QSM) group. This document describes the Customer Survey Management System (CSMS) and how QSM employees can operate the user interface for that system. On assignment from August 29 to December 1, 2002.
STAFF WRITER: xSIDES CORPORATION
API Writer, xSides Corporation, Seattle, WA
Sole API writer for the xSides Framework Platform Development Kit (PDK). Wrote over 1,200 API topics for the July 3.0 release and over 1,500 API topics for the August 3.1 release (Note: several hundred C++ functions now in the code base will not be used until September). Worked independently using C++ code as the primary source of information. Currently writing user documentation for the xSides Hello World sample application. Full-time employee from January to August 2002.
FREELANCE WRITING AND EDITING ASSIGNMENTS (1995 to 2001)
Technical Writer, Network Commerce, Inc., Seattle, WA
Wrote backend documentation describing the functionality of these modules on the www.eHost.com Web site: domain name registration, Web hosting, Web site builder, domain email, domain renewal, and domain transfer. Wrote a comprehensive training manual for the Customer Service Department. Proficiency required in the following technologies: Perl, C/C++, Java, XML and XSP, and Oracle SQL. October to November 2001.
Programmer Writer, PortalPlayer, Inc., Kirkland, WA
API writer for the upcoming release of the Tango 4 Digital Media SDK. Subject-matter information derived from specifications, C++ code, and developers. Authoring tool: Dreamweaver. Wrote 153 API topics altogether for the following SDK sections: Database, Draw, Events, Kernel, and Framework. September to October 2001.
Technical Writer, Fidesic Corporation, Bellevue, WA
Wrote Tracking Web Sales, Lists, and Permissions and Navigation for business customers who use the www.fidesic.com Web site. Wrote Help pages for the company Web site. Wrote backend documentation for the Customer Service department. Wrote Banklink Implementation Plan. Needed a basic understanding of C++, Visual Basic, SOAP, SQL, ASP, HTML, and XML to work with developers. June to August 2001.
Programmer Writer, Rational Corporation, Redmond, WA
Extensibility writer (API section) for the Rational Rose suite of products. Wrote reference pages for the Beta release of the Modeler SDK. To April 7, 2001, wrote 192 topics altogether. Subject-matter information derived from specifications, Unified Modeling Language (UML) reference material, C++ code, and developers. Writing tools: RoboHELP HTML and ClearCase. This assignment required familiarity with object-oriented programming in general and the UML in particular. November 2000 to April 2001.
Technical Writer, Vitessa, Seattle, WA
Worked on the following writing projects: Package Integration Application User Guide, Merchant 2.0 Handbook, and Merchant 2.0 Online Help. Wrote various functional specifications and feature descriptions for the Vitessa Merchant Exchange technology. This assignment required proficiency in Java, XML, and HTML. Tools: FrameMaker, Dreamweaver, and Visio. July to November 2000.
Technical Writer, Alstom Esca, Bellevue, WA
Wrote OASIS Users Guide using Microsoft Word. This was a major rewrite of the user guide created in April 1999. Included in this version were over 70 screenshots of the key interfaces on the JTSIN web site. May to June 2000.
Technical Writer, Microsoft, Redmond, WA
Wrote the following documentation for the Microsoft Network Internet Access: Overview section for the Web Companion SDK, Troubleshooting Guide for Radius Billing, Beginning of Session training guide for MSN developers and testers, and general interest articles (e.g., Broadband, Internet Shopping, Network Security) for the MSN Web site. Tools: Microsoft Word and FrontPage. January to May 2000.
Programmer Writer, Microsoft
Wrote AppleScript for Excel users. November to December 1999.
Programmer Writer, Microsoft
As part of the Visual Studio SDK documentation team, wrote conceptual and reference material for the Environment SDK including the Text Editor section of Visual C++ User's Guide. Tools: Microsoft Word and FrontPage. August to October 1999.
Programmer Editor, Microsoft
Edited VBA, TeamServer, Environment, and Help documentation in the Visual Studio SDK documentation group. Tools: Microsoft Word and FrontPage. April to August 1999.
Technical Writer, Apex PC Solutions, Woodinville, WA
Three week assignment: wrote new style guide. March and April 1999.
Programmer Editor, Microsoft
As a member of the Platform SDK Editing group, edited these SDKs: WMI (formerly WBEM), Systems Management Server, and Network Monitor using Microsoft Word. January 1998 to March 1999.
Technical Writer, GTE Network Management Organization, Bothell, WA
Wrote operations and maintenance manuals using FrameMaker. Wrote the "Performance" section in the operations manual. August to December 1997.
Technical Editor, GTE NMO
Edited operations and maintenance manuals using FrameMaker. April to August 1997.
Technical Editor, Microsoft
Edited white papers for TechEd 97 using Microsoft Word. March to April 1997.
Technical Writer, NetManage, Bellevue, WA
Wrote a 66-page getting started guide and assisted in the writing of a 400-page users guide using Microsoft Word, all within a 3-week period. October 1996.
Technical Writer, Interlinq, Kirkland, WA
Wrote a 200-page getting started guide using Microsoft Word. Interlinq makes software for the mortgage industry. This guide was designed for a broad audience, although system operators probably used it the most. Included were over 100 screenshots. June to August 1996.
Article Editor, Microsoft
Edited history articles for Microsoft Encarta using Microsoft Word. Areas of concentration were ancient and medieval history. Also wrote about 150 biographies of U.S. Senators and Representatives. November 1995 to June 1996.
Technical Writer, InfoAccess, Bellevue, WA
Wrote various user guides and an online tutorial using PageMaker. Assisted with Help documentation using RoboHelp. InfoAccess sold software that allowed companies to put their documentation into a CD format. March to September 1995.
Technical Editor, Microsoft
Edited white papers for TechEd 95. February to March 1995.
Education and Interests
COMPUTER TRAINING CERTIFICATES
UNIVERSITY
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Member, Society for Technical Communications, Mid-Valley Chapter (southern Willamette Valley of Oregon)
MODERN LANGUAGES
German and Norwegian; high school Spanish.
MEDIEVAL LANGUAGES
Middle English, Old English, and Old Norse.
INTELLECTUAL HOBBIES
Philosophy (both Western and Eastern) and religion; Chinese and Japanese poetry (in translation); Scandinavian languages and literature; medieval studies.
OTHER HOBBIES
Masters track and field; running; bicycling; classical music; reading; and creative writing. I belong to the Oregon Track Club - Masters (OTCM). I served on the OTCM Board of Directors in 2006. Until I moved to Washington state, I was the editor of the OTCM monthly newsletter.
Member of the Haiku Society of America and the Tanka Society of America. I was elected president of the Oregon Haiku & Tanka Society for 2006 and served in that position until I moved to Washington state in August 2006. Also, I served as the society's webmaster.
WRITING SAMPLES
Click here for information about writing samples. API descriptions are available upon request.
UPDATED: December 2006