STEVE SAUNDERS

PO Box 910

Winthrop, WA  98862

509-996-2819 (phone/fax)

 

stevesau@smilingcountry.com

 

HIGHLIGHTS

q             Published technical author and Microsoft Office, Access, Visual Basic, and Windows SharePoint programming expert.

q             20+ years of technical experience related to application development and programming, with lead roles in a variety of major projects for Microsoft and other employers.

q             15+ of mission-critical application development experience using Microsoft Access and Office, Visual Basic, SQL, Visual Studio.NET, and Visual Studio Tools for Office.

q             Deep knowledge of Microsoft Office developer tools and object models dating from the earliest days of Office to the current cutting edge.

q             Proven ability to quickly learn and master new technologies.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MICROSOFT CORPORATION, Redmond, WA

Contract Programmer Writer, Technical Editor                        1995-98; 2003-Present

Senior Writer/Online Documentation Designer                         1988-1995

Programmer Writer for Windows SharePoint and Microsoft Office developer documentation. Created conceptual and reference documentation, including C# code examples, for the Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Software Development Kit (SDK) and subsequent upgrades. For Office 2007, created developer documentation for PowerPoint and new diagram creation and editing technology in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, including articles for online publication and programmer reference topics. For Visual Studio.NET 2005 and Visual Studio Tools for Office 2005, revised nearly 10,000 Word, Excel, and Office Core component object model (COM) programmer’s reference topics to comply with new managed code programming interfaces; and wrote conceptual topics, including sample code, for working with Office primary interoperability assemblies.

Programmer Writer for Windows Server 2003 migration documentation. Reviewed, revised, and enhanced Solution Accelerator guides for migrating, consolidating, and virtualizing line of business applications using Virtual Server 2005.

Technical expert on Microsoft Access. Technical editor for three Microsoft Press titles: Building Microsoft Access Applications, published January 2005; Microsoft Access 2003 Inside Track, published January 2004; and Running Access for Windows 95, published January 1996. Content editor of the companion CD for Inside Track.

Created cutting-edge documentation for Visual Basic and SQL Server database developers. Developed and documented ground-breaking database application programming scenarios in Visual Basic 6.0. Developed the first code examples for the ADO database programming interface. Documented programming with objects in Visual Basic 5.0. Developed Introduction to Programming tutorial for Visual Basic 1.0.

Project Lead and Lead Writer of developer documentation for the first three releases of Microsoft Access. Developed code examples; wrote, revised, and edited conceptual documentation in both online and print formats. Content expert on programming, object and event models, expressions, and security.

Pioneered design and development of complex hypertext systems. Project Lead and Lead Designer of help systems for the first release of Microsoft Access, for the Basic Professional Development System, and for the QBasic component of MS-DOS. Devised and promoted now standard design elements, such as a universal navigation bar, Back button, links to cross-references, and graphical display of object relationships in reference topics.


O’REILLY MEDIA, Cambridge, MA

Book Author and Technical Reviewer                                                               2004-2006

Technical book author. Co-author, with Jeff Webb, of Programming Excel with VBA and .NET, published April 2006.

Technical expert on Microsoft Office, Access, and Visual Basic programming. Technical reviewer for Fixing Access Annoyances, published February 2006; Visual Basic 2005: A Developer’s Notebook, published April 2005; and Word Hacks, published November 2004.


HOMEMOVIE.COM, Twisp, WA

Software Developer                                                                   2003-2004

Visual Basic database application developer. Developed and/or revised software applications for business tasks, automated real-time production, and server management. HomeMovie.com is the leading web-based provider of services for converting video tape to DVD and streaming media formats for consumers and professional videographers.


SMILING COUNTRY® WEB/BUSINESS SERVICES., Winthrop, WA

Owner                                                                                        1995-Present

President and Owner of consulting business which develops and troubleshoots business applications and provides web services for a variety of local and regional businesses.

Proposed, designed and developed Racetracker®, a race management software application used by the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association (MVSTA), the Methow Valley Nordic Team, and the Okanogan Valley Autumnn Leaf Run. Combining sophisticated programming techniques with an easy-to-use interface, Racetracker® provides seamless integration with a master database, accurate and timely race results, and easy export of results to the web. 

Developed mission-critical applications and web sites for real estate firms, inns, reservation agencies, race event organizers, and other enterprises.


DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, Nashua, NH

Technical Writer                                                             1986-1988

As Technical Writer for database system documentation, wrote new introductory manual for transaction processing component of VAX Information Architecture and made significant revisions to reference documentation using a new SGML-based publishing tool. Was groomed to become Project Lead and Lead Writer before leaving for Microsoft.

Was Project Lead and Technical Writer for query and BASIC programming components for the RT-11 run-time operating system. Completed final versions of documentation for this legacy system.


BOSTON GLOBE, (PORTLAND, ME) PRESS HERALD, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, PARK CITY (UT) RECORD

Newspaper Reporter, Writer, and Editor                                   1977-1986

New Hampshire restaurant critic for Boston Globe; wire editor, assistant city editor, reporter, and entertainment writer for (Portland; ME) Press Herald, reporter for Salt Lake Tribune; news editor and columnist for Park City, (UT) Record.

EDUCATION

Graduate Certificate, Technical Writing, Northeastern University, Boston, MA

M.S., Journalism, Boston University, Boston, MA

B.S., Technical Writing, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

AWARDS

Excellence Award, Microsoft Building Applications, Puget Sound Chapter Society for Technical Communication Competition, 1994

Merit Award, Microsoft Access Help, Puget Sound Chapter Society for Technical Communication Competition, 1992

Achievement Award, Microsoft Basic Professional Development System, Puget Sound Chapter Society for Technical Communication Competition, 1991

Achievement Award, Microsoft Basic Professional Development System, Boston and New England Chapter Society for Technical Communication, 1990

VOLUNTEER AFFILIATIONS

Founding member, board president, and treasurer of Methow Music Festival

Board member and treasurer of Methow Arts Alliance, helping spearhead a major fundraising effort for Methow Valley arts organizations

Member finance committee, Little Star Montessori School, helping bring new budgeting approaches and financial stability to the school

 

SAMPLES

Code samples:

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaunderscode/racetracker_vb_access.htm

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaunderscode/racetracker_cs_xml.htm

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaunderscode/racetracker_cpp_xml.htm

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaunderscode/homemovieapplications.htm

 

Documentation samples:

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaundersdoc/VB6DHTML-SQLServerScenario.htm

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaundersdoc/VB6AccessScenario.htm

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaundersdoc/VB6ASCIITextScenario.htm

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaundersdoc/ADOPropertiesCodeExamples.htm

http://www.smilingcountry.com/stevesaundersdoc/ADOMethodsCodeExamples.htm