James Zimmerman II

Primarily during the Flex 2 and Flex 3, while still under Adobe, built video-conferencing and other real-time based applications either augmented by or completely written in ActionScript/Flex. Used custom socket connections as well as backend systems like Red5 and Flash Media Server.

Have actively used Linux as a predominant part of my network since high-school, be it firewall, web-server, development box or just general experimentation with the latest distribution release. I've setup many flavors of Linux as well as installed several broad-scope service applications such as VOIP systems, multi-node databases and other network clusters, virtualization clusters. I've maintained a personal collection of Linux servers for several years, sometimes combating stray drivers and working to ensure maximum uptime and minimal security exposure at all times. Have supported Linux clusters compliant with HIPPA and PCI specifications.

I used to use my own file based organization and then Subversion and finally arrived at Git which was wonderful. I have used it since the day I finally understood how to operate it, but miss some still lacking, albeit bug-like, features from Subversion. I typically follow the git-flow methodologies even when working solo. I have years of private repositories I'm slowly migrating to github as needed for demonstration or distribution purposes and have maintained several internal/private git systems such as gitlab.

Being a dedicated fan of the Linux ecosystem, Amazon's virtual offerings quickly attracted my attention and I have been exploring and experimenting with each new update and feature introduced. I primarily work with EC2 but have been exploring the new container options as an alternative to previously subdivided, single-parent VM's. Several of the more complex workflows I have worked on implementing involved several steps of messaging and heavily disconnected architecture and broad data distribution and reporting.

While not a DBA, I have worked with MySQL as my primary data source for most PHP projects as well as any other general and quick database needs. I've explored the options for sharding (multiple levels) through multiple mechanisms and worked with stored procedures, views and other tricks. I do not maintain my understanding of MySQL that heavily as I typically interface with it through adapters that rarely expose all but the query language features, which I am primarily rating here for skill.

I consider myself moving away from jQuery personally and working on alternatives these days, such as angular, but still find it a great go-to at times, though it may not always be the most effective choice. I've used jQuery for slews of AJAX html sites to provide fluid experiences and often did not limit it to single large-scale views but multiple elements busy updating and interacting with the user in their own scopes. I do find myself tripped up at times with API changes between versions shifting existing functionality, but understand the philosophy of the base enough now that each shift are usually only momentary delays in updating understanding.