Aspirational Achievements

For the purpose of this exercise. Everything in bold is an aspirational lie.

About

I’m Alistair Albus Pines de Montmollin, and I am a software developer, writer, and environmental artist mostly working on my own independent projects at howitshouldbe.net. I do sometimes also consult for individuals and companies (consulting@howitshouldbe.net).

While creating apps and virtual environments is my passion, I am even more excited about merging these two fields to develop 3D interfaces and applications that feel native to emerging spatial-computing platforms, such as Apple visionOS.
We live in a 3D world, why is the virtual world still mostly 2D? (Outside of gaming.)


Experience

5 years

Solo developer of Input, the news App available for Apple Platforms (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, visionOS)

Icon by How It Should Be.

5 years

Solo developer of House Points for Apple Platforms (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, visionOS).

Icon by How It Should Be.

3 years

Co-developer of IINA, the open-source video player app for macOS.
Collaborating remotely with developers spread across the world.

Icon by github.com/iina/iina.

Website: iina.io
My contributions on GitHub.

5 years

Creating virtual environments used in movies, museum installations, VR/AR experiences, and games.

Note: not actually my work. But this is where it should be, with a short explanation of what is shown, what was my contribution if it was collaborative work, and where it was used.

Note: not actually my work. But this is where it should be, with a short explanation of what is shown, what was my contribution if it was collaborative work, and where it was used.

Note: not actually my work. But this is where it should be, with a short explanation of what is shown, what was my contribution if it was collaborative work, and where it was used.

Some more of my environment design work here: titanic.kiwi/fake-environment-design

1 year

Starting to explore the use of 3D environments, and physics simulations, in places where 2D interfaces and animations would be traditionally used. Aiming to create compelling VR/AR applications that are built from the ground up for spatial-computing platforms, such as visionOS.

Early prototype.
Note: not actually my work. But this is where it should be, with a short explanation of what is shown, what was my contribution if it was collaborative work, and where it was used.

Early prototype.
Note: not actually my work. But this is where it should be, with a short explanation of what is shown, what was my contribution if it was collaborative work, and where it was used.

10 Years

Writing for various personal websites since the age of 14 in different styles, languages, and about diverse topics.
Currently writing on howitshouldbe.net.

 

Skills and Attributes

  • Ability to learn new programming languages, tools, platforms, and technologies quickly.

  • Extensive experience with 3D-creation industry-standard tools such as Unreal Engine and Blender.

  • Extensive experience developing on Apple Platforms, using Swift and SwiftUI in particular.

  • Familiar with the programming languages C, C+, Objective-C, Java, Python, HTLM, CSS, and Javascript.

  • Familiar with scripting languages such as PowerShell, Bash, and Batch.

  • Knowledge of Computer Science, and adjacent fields, that extends to low-level elements such as transistors and logic-gate programming.

  • Short but successful experience helping and mentoring people learning programming, collaborating with a large number of people, and reluctantly but successfully leading group projects with very tight deadlines.

  • Wide arrange of expertise and skills in the IT field, including:

    • System administration.

    • Mass-data storage, management, and security. Designing my own system and writing scripts in multiple languages to backup and manage almost a petabyte of data.

    • Designing and managing websites.

    • PC building, upgrading, and repairing.

    • Tech support.

  • Wide range of interests that bring additional value and perspectives to my work. These include photography and videography, virtual photography and videography, video production and editing, graphic design, architecture and interior design, historical fencing, animal care, adventuring and off-trail hiking, computer gaming, and cinema.

  • Extremely curious and critical thinker. Obsessive attention to detail. I’m an independent thinker, but I am also always willing to listen to others and change my ideas accordingly. I greatly value honesty and transparency, and I do believe that it is possible to be very open while also being tactful and empathetic.

Languages

  • English (Primary language)

  • French (Professional level)

  • Italian (Native language)

  • German (Intermediate)

Flaws that I am working to correct

  • While I do love working as an independent developer, I have also noticed that I sometimes enjoy working in a team even more. While I do enjoy it, my teamwork skills still need a lot of work.

  • Though I do not think myself superior to anybody else, I am aware that I sometimes appear snobbish and arrogant. Even if my arrogant-snob personality is meant as a friendly joke, or is due to my over-reliance on quotes from my favorite sources (such as Steve Jobs, Star Trek, and Tolkien), this occasionally creates issues that I am looking to avoid in the future.

  • I'm seeking to improve my oral communication skills.