Bio: Ray Goudie

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This Clarion Bio was originally published on the Icetips News Network

Bio: Ray Goudie
5-Dec-2001 -- Susan Pichotta
 
From the far south to the far north, this week we meet a programmer from Montreal. As always, this person is interesting -- a licensed hypnotherapist! -- and has worked on cool projects. He's also a newlywed, congratulations, Ray & Marsha! Also, we would like to thank this gentleman for some good suggestions when we were getting started with our bios, including the addition of the favorite food, drink and music questions. :)
 
First, how do you pronounce your last name?
It is pronounced "Gow'-dy". I'm so used to having it mis-pronounced that I feel *my* pronunciation is in the minority. :)
 
Who do you work for?
I work for Mingus Software, a relatively new Montreal-based company that specializes in Hotel industry software. I've been with Mingus since late March. Our flagship product is called Hotello. We expect to roll out the first version sometime in January, with a few beta tests being launched this month. Don't be too surprised if, the next time you check-in at some hotel, you notice a Clarion program running on the front desk computer. That'll be ours in action! :)
 
The website is currently only in French. I'm sure that Bernard Grossperin, Didier LeDuc and Andrew Guidroz will not have much problem reading it. Hmmm, should we include the fact that I am bilingual, speaking English and French?
 
What do you like best about what you do now?
What I like best about what I do now is the fact that I get to program in the language that I love in my hometown, Montreal. It is also satifying that my employer allows me the freedom to be innovative. During the summer, it is very convenient to have the office directly on a main bike path that I like to frequent. I can cycle to work in less than twenty minutes.
 
The bike path on the way to work.
 
Do you use any computer languages besides Clarion?
I've always been a C fan. I started programming in C years before I discovered Clarion, and my C skills are virtually still on par with my Clarion skills. I've been picking up Perl 5 and Java. I just wanted a few more tools in my toolbox. Lately, since I've been designing a website for a charitable organization, I've been busy studying JavaScript.
 
When did you start using Clarion?
After my Commodore Amiga died, in 1993, I was deciding on how to best proceed with my programming future. I could no longer deny that PC-platform Windows programming would become the way of the future, so I knew I had to go with the flow. I gave in and bought a PC clone. I started researching on the Internet for a programming language that was RAD and that would permit me to develop applications that I could distribute to customers without too much hassle. It ended up as a tie between some product called Clarion, that I had never heard of before, and FoxPro. After discovering that FoxPro programs required an engine, I took a leap of faith and bought the pre-release of CDD 3. I fell in love with the way it allowed me to develop almost as fast I could think up concepts. I have never looked back since. My very first job as a professional programmer happens to have been using FoxPro on three platforms (DOS, Windows 3.11, SCO UNIX), but every job and/or contract ever since has been with Clarion for Windows.
 
What's the coolest project(s) you've worked on using Clarion?
During the summer of 1998, I was fortunate enough to have been able to spend ten weeks in Surabaya, Indonesia, installing our flagship software in a pulp and paper mill. My particular piece of the application was the wrapline. The wrapline is the mechanism that moves the rolls around after they have been created. The rolls needed to be weighed and tested for tolerance, wrapped and perhaps bundled with other rolls until finally making their way to the warehouse for storage. It is the wrapline software that controls the manner in which the rolls move along the conveyors and where they eventually end up.
The paper mill in Indonesia showing part of the conveyor system that I had to interface with. Editor's note: See the people along the wall in back? Those rolls of paper are BIG!
 
I had to interface with the programmable logic controller (PLC) and a host of other peripherals. I enjoyed the challenge of working with colleagues from Finland to get this whole system working. The project was also special because I got to meet a bunch of truly wonderful folks in Indonesia. They are indeed a wonderful people.
 
Those ten weeks were spread over three trips to Indonesia. During one of those trips, I had the good fortune to spend two days in Singapore. At the time, I did not know of Kelvin Chua or Peck, else I would have surely gotten in contact with them! :)

What it looks like driving to the paper mill in Indonesia, on the left side of the road.
 
Have you done anything for a living other than software development?
Since becoming a software developer, I have done nothing else as a profession. During the early '90s, I did complete my study of hypnotherapy, even going so far as becoming certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists down in Merrimack, NH, in 1995. My goal was to hang out a shingle and start a new career, but the immense satisfaction of coding drew me back and I still enjoy that feeling - that I'm sure we all feel - when the "perfect" algorithm pops into my head that will solve the problem that I've been working on for the last while.
 
What are your hobbies/what do you like to do when you're not using Clarion?
After working a full day coding in Clarion, there's nothing I like better than coming home, having supper, then sitting in front of my computer and coding in my "hobby" languages, or researching some new technology. When I finally do turn off the computer to do something else, that something else is usually watching a bit of television; I'm addicted to those reality-cop-chase shows.
 
I am a big fan of chess and play a few games per week on FICS, the Free Internet Chess Server.
 
Of course, while doing everything, I listen to music. I can always be found listening to music while doing everything except perhaps sleeping... and perhaps one other thing. Life would be less satisfying without music to fill in the background.
 
You can also catch me reading books on hypnotism and metaphysics.
 
Married, children, grandchildren, other close family you want to mention?
I am married to my soulmate, Marsha. We've known each other for a little bit less than six years, in this lifetime, but have only been married for a little over two months. We do have four "children", but not children as most people would recognize. We have four cats and they are, in effect, our children. A bit furry, perhaps, but our children nonetheless.
 
Where were you born?
I was born right here in Montreal, Canada, in the winter of 1964.
 
Where do you live now?
I still live in Montreal, although with yet another Montreal winter looming, I fantasize about anywhere else that is more tropical. :)
 
What do you like or think is interesting about where you live?
I like that my family is here in the Montreal area. What I do not like about Montreal are the extreme winters that we have. Montreal has one of the largest ranges of temperatures of any city on Earth. We can reach over 30 degrees Celsius in the summer (86 degress Farenheit for the Metric-impaired) down to -30 degress Celsius in the winter (-22 degress Farenheit). That is a range of 60 degrees. I was definitely born in the wrong climate. Give me tropical any day.
 
From left to right: Boo Boo (brown and white female); Okie (black female); Gallahad (grey and white male); Pumpkin (orange female).
 
Have you lived any other interesting places?
Well, having spent six whole weeks in Indonesia, I consider that "living" there. The whole experience was positive and I cherish the memories that I have of the people I met there.

The wonderful hotel staff in Indonesia. My colleague and myself are also included.
 
I also enjoyed my thirteen-month stay in the state of Maryland, working for a Baltimore-based company. I made some friends there, as well, and I still keep in contact with a couple, one of which is a frequent contributor to the Soft Velocity newsgroups. He has problems with his Shift key, but is a nice guy nonetheless. ;)
 
Other than these two sojourns, I have never lived anywhere other than Montreal.
 
What is your favorite food?
I have a narrow palette. My favourite food is pizza, but don't put any meat on it! My wife is doing a fine job of expanding my tastes. She enjoys cooking exotic dishes, so I am fortunate that I get to sample different dishes without having to cook anything myself. I don't know how to cook; I even burn water! ;)
 
What is your favorite drink?
I dislike any type of alcoholic drink, so you won't be seeing any mention of them here. I enjoy juices and bottled water... and the occasional cola.
 
What is your favorite type of music?
I have always been a fan of rock. As a teenager, my favourite rock was very heavy and very loud. Lately, it has gotten softer and more mellow. I have also fallen in love with Celtic music. I enjoy medieval-themed Celtic music or New Age-themed Celtic music. I'll also admit to having a weakness for modern country music. Garth Brooks' "Ropin' The Wind" is currently one of my favourite albums. Sorry, Pratik! :)
 
If Clarion never existed, what do you think you would be doing at this time?
I might very well be practicing hypnotherapy somewhere. I still feel this might be my true calling, but I am still enjoying coding much too much to leave now. Perhaps in ten years or so, I might switch careers.
 

Some volcanoes in Indonesia.
 

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Clarion Magazine ISSN 1718-9942