So who am I?

My name is Marc Goodner, I’m married and have a son and twin daughters. You can reach me at marc @ unverifiedclaims.com or on Twitter @robotdad.

Extracurricular endeavors

This, and family stuff, is primarily what you’ll find me talking about on this site, though I’m bound to not keep this current.

I’m enamored with synthesizers, and now that I’ve learned to solder there seems to be a lot of things I want to build. Of course that requires enclosures, so I’ve gotten into woodworking as well. Somehow I was simultaneously led into 3D printing, and really need to document thoughts around my RepRap. That and the previous interest in woodworking have me seriously eyeing CNC machines. I expect to build one within the next year. The programming bug has finally bitten my son and I’m working with him on that with Processing which has of course piqued my own interest there again. On and on it goes.

And yeah, Arduinos. Anyone doing stuff with electronics these days is using those little guys. No doubt that’s going to lead to other microcontrollers and FPGAs.

I’m also following Resilient Community topics closely, particularly John Robb’s work. No engagement, but it’s quite interesting.

Professional Background
Details via my Linked In profile.

I’m currently Program Manager at Microsoft working on the Windows Identity Foundation (WIF) which is part of .NET 4.5. Prior to my current role I worked on the same team as a Release Manager (or “box PM” in more antiquated Microsoft speak). In that role I helped ship the initial wave of Geneva products, ADFS 2.0 and WIF, as well as ACS 2.0. I joined Microsoft to work on web service standards as part of the WCF team in 2005. In that role I principally worked on security related web services standards in the WS-SX and WSFED committees at OASIS.

I worked for SAP from 1998 – 2005 in various technical capacities including consulting,  mobile computing, and standards. My last three years there I was in Palo Alto at SAP Labs working on web service standards.

I worked as an independent contractor doing ABAP programming for a little over a year before joining SAP. Prior to that I have worked in peripheral sales at Microcenter, Sir Speedy as a delivery boy and typesetter, retail sales of statuary at Architectural Revolution (it was part of the Alley complex in Chicago), UPS in receiving and sort, shipping at a comic book warehouse called Capital Cities, and at dollar and art theatres in various capacities ranging from concessions to projectionist. I’ve probably forgotten some jobs, or I’m intentionally excluding them (like the stint I did at a haunted house).

Where I was educated

I attended high school in the Stafford and Sugarland suburbs. I did a brief stint in community college in Houston before heading off to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I was accepted for my photography, but I went there to pursue video and computer based art. I dropped out partly over financing concerns, partly out of disillusionment. I got into web development at a print shop I worked at that wanted to get online (back when there were only a few books on HTML and we connected over telephone lines). That led to indirectly to an ABAP programming apprenticeship from someone I met when I was involved with the Gurdjieff work. From there it’s all been self-directed / on the job.

Where I am

I live in Kirkland WA, I rarely travel these days.

Where I’m from

I was born and raised in Texas. My family is from the Amarillo area but I grew up on the Gulf Coast before moving to Houston.

Where I’ve been

I’ve lived in Palacios, TX; Houston, TX; Chicago, IL; Huntington Beach, CA; San Francisco, CA; Palo Alto, CA and where I am now. I’ve visited many places in the US on business travel, a few more for vacation. I’ve done a fair bit of business travel to Europe, primarily Germany. And yes I’ve seen Canada a few times.