Martin Dawson, Chief Technology Officer
Martin Dawson is the creator of Webcloak®. He has software development experience that spans over 30 years and includes the creation of the first Internet interactive streaming media products, LearnFlow and Xstream Media. Mr. Dawson also created the first practical audio delivery technology that enabled streaming audio and the viewing of rich multi-media content over the Internet. He has pioneered the technologies for delivering automated software updates over the Internet and for delivering interactive media to web browsers - years before Flash and Shockwave.
Mr. Dawson has designed and developed proprietary software for companies such as Microsoft, Intel and Citrix. Additionally, software created by Mr. Dawson has been part of a tool set pre-installed on Dell, Micron and Gateway computers.
In the early years of the Web, Mr. Dawson developed a
software system that facilitated the delivery of encrypted applications and application
data from a server to a client machine, putting him at the vanguard of distributed and SaaS
(software as a service) computing. This technology predated Sun Microsystem's
Java and Microsoft's .NET technologies by years.
While developing EACapture, a program that captures
applications' user interface and user interactions, Mr. Dawson created software
with the ability to attach to a running application and "scrape" or "extract" its
input screens and data as well as mouse moves, clicks and keystrokes. Unfortunately, this technology later found its way into
many viruses.
Martin Dawson designed and managed the development of the "LearnFlow"
Internet delivery system and "Learn It Online" products for Ziff-Davis
Education. According to Eric Hippeau, chairman and CEO of Ziff-Davis Inc, Mr.
Dawson's technology is attributed with the eventual sale of the company for
$172 million to the investment bank Wasserstein Perella Group Inc.
As Vice President of Software
Development and one of the founders of Knowledge Quest, an early mover in
Internet technology training, Mr. Dawson oversaw
the development of all software and technology training content. While
developing such software products as QuickStudy, Expert Author, Snap and
Snap2007, he managed a team of over 30 programmers, writers and editors as well
as all outside vendors.
These early experiences gave Mr. Dawson a unique
insight into software and system vulnerabilities.
Noteworthy Projects:
Commercial Products
- QuickSuccess/QuickStudy - 1988 - Designed and programmed disk based commercial software simulation training product. Designed and implemented a software add-on that attaches itself to a running application which allowed the user to display context sensitive help and interactive lessons from within the host applications menu's and dialog boxes. It also included help documents that included a proprietary hyper-text markup language.
- LearnFlow - 1993 - Designed and programmed Internet based media streaming technology - released in 1994 it is touted as the first commercial product to stream compressed audio and multi-media content over the web. This software was featured by Microsoft for the premier of the Microsoft Office website.
- MediaFlow - 1993 - The first commercially available web based software update system which allowed for the automated delivery and update of software components over the internet.
- Learn it online - 1995 - Contributed all learning content, streaming technology and web interface for the Ziff-Davis "Learnitonline" site. Managed a team of over 30 programmers, writers and editors as well as all outside vendors. According to Eric Hippeau, chairman and CEO of Ziff-Davis Inc, Mr. Dawson's technology is attributed with the eventual sale of the company for $172 million to the investment bank Wasserstein Perella Group Inc.
- Xstream Media - 1997 - Successor to LearnFlow. Web based Dynamic content streaming engine and player. Installed on millions of computers worldwide. Pre-installed on Dell, Micron and Gateway machines for several years.
- Xstream Media plugin - 1997 - Allowed for the delivery of encrypted applications and application data over the internet that would run in a web browser. This allowed the user to interact with an application such as Microsoft Excel running in a browser window with the data residing on the web or local desktop computer.
- Contributed to Intel's AnswerExpress helpdesk and security product.
- Contributed low bandwidth streaming technology for Citrix thin-client technology as an alternative to Macromedia Flash content.
- Expert Author - Designed and led implementation team of 5 programmers. Expert Author is an award winning software simulation training development product. See www.knowledgequest.com.
- QuickCards - Designed and implemented a software add-on that attaches itself to a running application and acts as a pop-up "wizard" which walks you through a software task such as importing a file into Excel. This system pre-dates the integration of this capability into such software products. Later versions streamed the "wizard" content over the web.
- WaveParse - Wave audio file parser. Reads a single audio file and produces many files based on an embedded tone and/or audio "white space". Creates an audio "data stream" based on multiple audio files for Internet delivery.
- EACapture - Application screen capture to XML/INI file format with palletized image capture and variable state capture. Captures a software screen and creates a fully functional copy in XML/INI file format. Captures all aspects of a running application - data, mouse moves, clicks and keystrokes. This was the precursor for future key loggers and screen scraper viruses. Several of the EACapture dynamic link libraries have been blocked by anti-virus virus definitions.
- Xstream Media - OpenSim - Allows authors to create multi-path interactive software training and testing modules that simulate an application such as MS Excel and allows the user to explore the software and use any available solution to a given testing task.
- Snap and Snap2007 - Contributed streaming technology, content and integration for the EMC Snap training products.
Web Development
- Consulted for Lynn Reedy (Current Senior Vice President of Product development and architecture for eBay) on Very Large Scale distributed customer systems.
- Contributed Web content and streaming technology to Microsoft for the premier of the Microsoft Office website.
- Contributed streaming and programming technology to EMC's Snap2007 product - an online content and learning management system. Managed a team of 2 developers, 5 content experts and 3 writers. Coordinated studio audio production and processing.
- Worked with Docent Technologies to developed a SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) compliant content management system interface utilizing cross-site scripting (XSS) to access a browser page's DOM (Document Object Model) data. This was long before XSS was "discovered" and documented.
- Designed and implemented Knowledge Quest Learning database driven shopping cart system and e-commerce system. See www.kqlearn.com.
- Developed a web-based SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) and AICC (Aviation Industry CBT (Computer-Based Training) Committee) interface using Java, HTML and JavaScript.
- Developed a Web-based CMS (Content Management System) import and integration system for AICC and SCORM compliant content modules.
- Developed a Web based Content Management System (CMS) and a Web based Learning Management System (LMS). See www.kquniversity.com.
- Web based file management system allowing for the ability to upload and download, check in and checkout files with version control implemented in ASP and MSSQL.
- Web based Event and attendee management system with wait list capability, venue management with automated maps and driving instructions with email notification and reminder system.
- Land Acquisition and entitlement system implemented in Lotus Notes with a HTML/ODBC/MYSQL interface.
- IT project management system implemented in Lotus Notes with a HTML/ODBC/MYSQL interface.
- Web content development and streaming technology for United Airlines, Allstate, Harvard Clinical Research Institute, SunTrust , Securian Financial, Bally Total Fitness, Custom Building Products, Financial Profiles, University of North Carolina, Epson, FBI, U.S Military, UPS...
Other Development
- Integrated Lotus Notes database with Web server content using MySQL and ODBC creating a real time synchronous link between the two systems.
- Real Time programming in assembler for a voice synthesizer PC add-on card.
- Doctors billing system and procedure management system.
- Tow truck/Towing management and billing system.
- Real time interface between PC running ACT contact management software and a S/36 AS400 contact management system.
- Real time programming for a fuel tank pressure test system.
- SEC/FINRA compliance submittal management system.
- Production workflow management system.
- Contact management system with fax, email and mail merge capability.
- REIT fund management system with integrated investor management system.
- Trade publication management system:
- Circulation management
- Auditing (BPA)
- Ad Sales
- Layout tools with Quark output
- Advertisement management
- Tradeshow management system:
- Event management
- Venue management with floor plan and CAD/CAM booth management system
- Attendee management
- Onsite registration system
- Online registration system
- Badge printing
- Sales management