Artur Hefczyc Application 2010

My name is Artur Hefczyc and I live in UK, Cambridge. I am applying to retain my JSF membership.

If you need to contact me send either jabber or e-mail message to address: artur.hefczyc AT tigase.org.

History
I am 40 old software engineer. I come from Poland and I live in Cambridge, UK. I have been participating to a few open source projects: GeoTools, GenerGuide, WTTools and the last one for last 10 years. About 6 years ago I started a new project, implementation of a Jabber/XMPP server in Java - Tigase which is now my main, full time job. Most of my professional work was around implementation of network servers and network protocols.

Apart from software development work I wrote also a few articles about working with Emacs, Java and XML: "Emacs and JDEE", "Tools and methods for XML" and "Editing XML files".

Software development is not just a way to earn money for me. I like doing it, I enjoy creating something new and I have a big fun when I can see as other people use my software.

A few years ago I found information about new IM protocol - Jabber. As that was (and still is?) the first fully open protocol and the idea about distributed IM network seemed very interesting I started to use it. After some time, using Jabber client was not enough for me. I decided I want to have my own server installed.

After about 2 years of being Jabber user I started to think about own implementation of Jabber/XMPP server. That was start of the Tigase project.

At the moment Tigase project includes not just Jabber/XMPP server but also dedicated XML parser and test suite with built-in scripting language for testing network servers.

Jabber/XMPP Projects
I am involved in only one Jabber/XMPP project: Tigase, this project includes implementation of a XMPP/Jabber server, testing suite for XMPP servers and a few other tools used for the development.

Code

 * Jabber/XMPP server implementation for Tigase project.


 * Dedicated XML parser for streamed XML data like XMPP streams.


 * Test suite to test network servers. It has been, of course, designed and implemented to test and compare Jabber/XMPP servers but the implementation is generic enough to make it easy to extend it for testing other network servers. Part of the suite is scripting language designed to build different test scenarios like functional tests, performance tests, stability tests or other kind. The release of this suite will be available at the same time as a new version of the server.

Plans for the future
Make the Tigase server more robust and reliable. A new version is coming soon.

A new version of the Tigase Test Suite for testing distributed installations and with user friendly GUI.

Long term plans are: first to continue development of Tigase project adding missing functionality - just make it fully functional and useful application. Another plans are to actively participate in Jabber/XMPP evolution.

Jabber - Why I like it
Modern world is in most cases about effective communication. People live in distant areas and they often work together so they have to communicate. Before IM there was phone and e-mail. And IM takes the best of them and offers this as a very effective way of communication. Jabber/XMPP as open technology brings it even on to next level. Thanks to Jabber/XMPP we are not dependent on a particular company.

Everybody can have own server installed and use it for private needs being even disconnected from the Internet.

But Jabber/XMPP is not only about effective communication its flexibility allows easy implementation of many different services where instant reaction is required.

Why I'm reapplying
I want to continue my contribution.

As I was working on my Jabber/XMPP project alone for a long time which is not good. I would prefer to share my ideas with the community and receive feedback from other people working on similar goals. I have dedicated much time to my project development and I would like also to actively participate in developing ideas around that technology.

I think this is the right time to attract more people to Jabber community as now we have excellent client applications which are far ahead of commercial alternatives.