Ken Meltsner

Ken Meltsner is a metallurgist who had too much fun figuring out how to extract, process, engineer, and deliver knowledge. Most recently, he has seen his title changed back to one he had when he joined CA: "Principal Architect." In reality, he pushes people towards using good tools and methods without annoying them so much (he hopes) that he ends up at yet another company. The official focus of his job is to support and evangelize the incorporation of sound architectural principles at Computer Associates, but he tends to meander all over the company, the better to spread his email messages of joy and geekiness.

He's still interested in patterns for organizations and knowledge management, and for coping with his problems with organization and procrastination.

He's also interested in strategies to cope with incredibly brilliant children, such as Alex (b. 3/96) who loves to draw and Billy (b. 2/91), who had his own Web pages (but failed to maintain them) and is learning digital video editing and Java. At least he isn't starting with C++.

Finally, he still needs to build more bookshelves. And he bought a ShopSmith, but seems to spend most of his basement time snaking the floor drain.

In an indirect way, PhilipSargent has played a pivotal role in his life, even though they've never met. And he keeps running into Sargent's work, even though he's left the world of materials databases.

He still wants to be as brilliant as JimCoplien, although he'd settle for being as brilliant as AdamBosworth.

Someday he may be an inspiration to other smart and disorganized people with a tendency towards dysthymia, but that seems unlikely.

You can reach him at mailto:meltsner@alum.mit.edu, and see various projects he is or was involved in at:

http://meltsner.blog-city.com for his rantings about Java and woodworking

http://www.ca.com/portal for the official story about CA's Portal product

https://catalog.johnsoncontrols.com which is accessed via a secure reverse proxy service he set up

http://www.ncemt.ctc.com his previous employer, a small government contractor, which has upset him greatly by staying in business long after he left

http://www.emps.ctc.com an attempt to develop an Internet-based materials information service (written and completed due to the extraordinary efforts of Murali Thirukkonda)

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