Bob Denny has been involved full time for over ten years developing new-generation astronomy software. His focus has been on astronomy automation as well as remote observatory operation through a web browser (for which automation is a prerequisite). He is also the originator and still a primary evangelist for the ASCOM Initiative, which has transformed astronomy software by applying the driver/client model. This has freed astronomy software developers from having to write low-level control code for the myriad of computer-controllable astronomy instruments and devices that have appeared in recent years.Bob is quick to say that he is not an astronomer; he is an engineer and software designer. However he has thorough knowledge of the needs of both science and art astronomers and their technologies. Software has been his real love for most of his life, having written his first program in 1963. Since then he has worked on a wide range of machines using a wide variety of languages from assembly language through current compiled and script languages. In addition, he is an expert with the latest web technologies and browser-based scripting in Javascript. Bob's communication skills are unusual for an engineer. He has given many presentations to many different groups over the years. In addition, he does all of the technical support for his software products, creating a close relationship between him and his customers. Bob's experience is unusually broad, including work as a broadcast television engineer (while attending University), ten years in aerospace engineering and flight test, consulting for EMM and Xerox on special projects, then founding and operating a medium-sized software business as CEO for fourteen years. Following that, he developed the first web server on Windows, made Visual Basic a web back-end programming language, and created the first Java based web server back-end. Bob holds a BSEE from the University of Arizona, an FAA pilot's license with multi-engine and instrument ratings, and numerous certifications related to his volunteer law enforcement work with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. He works with the Lake Patrol Division, which is responsible for rural and wilderness areas in the Tonto National Forest. Bob is enthusiastic about almost everything!
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Bob Denny |