Tim Harris

2. What was the timeframe you worked at Microware?

1984-1990

3. What was your job title(s) and what did you do at Microware?

Senior Software Engineer

4. What is your most interesting or vivid memory of Microware?

Can I say this? Coming in out of college to work on the Fortran 6809 compiler and having my first meeting in Larry Crane's office that involved Larry, Rasta-man Eric Miller just back from Jamaica, me, and some illegal substances.

5. What were some of your favorite times at Microware?

Working on the Tandy Color Computer III, this was probably my favorite project of all the projects I'd worked on anywhere.

6. Have any experiences, skills, or habits that you picked up at Microware made an impact on your life? Please share them with us.

Working for a small company like Microware was great out of college because back in 1984 when you were given a project you were in charge of the whole project - design, development, testing, writing the documentation, and phone support. This allowed me to learn all aspects of product development and then when I moved to Microsoft I was able to understand what all the other functional groups did and was able to be an effective team player. I think many people who just did programming didn't have that advantage and didn't get along as well with testing or design people as I did.

7. What was your reason for leaving Microware?

I got frustrated with the company as it was going through a growth period. People were losing their jobs including several close friends of mine at the company so I joined the bandwagon and took off for Microsoft after one of my friends had gotten a job there. Also, I had always wanted to get out of the Midwest and live in the Northwest so this seemed like a good time to make the move.

8. What have you been doing career-wise since Microware?

I worked for Microsoft for 9 years. I started in the Windows Multimedia department, became head of the Video for Windows team for 2 years, lead the development teams for Microsoft Complete Baseball and Basketball, did a short stint for marketing putting up the Consumer Division Win95 launch web-site, and finally spent 4 years on online banking and investments for Microsoft Money. I left Microsoft in 1999 to become a fly fishing bum and part-time artist. My wife and I started DharmaWorks to do part-time work that we enjoyed and to support local non-profit organizations. Since then I have done several consulting jobs for Microsoft and some web-site work when not chasing bonefish and permit in the tropics or steelhead and salmon in the Northwest.

9. Tell us about your family: spouse, significant others, kids, pets, etc.

In 1999 I got married to Catherine de Marin and we share a home together in rural Redmond. My kids, Chris and Kristen, are grown up and out of the house living in the Seattle area. Catherine's teenage son, Marshall, lives with us part-time. My office/studio mate is a Shiba Inu named Isan.

10. Please attach up to three pictures of yourself, family, pets, and etc. to appear in the Reunion Highlights DVD. We prefer .jpg and .gif images.

Attached… tim_cath_mexico.jpg - Tim & Catherine on Mexican Night at Playa Blanca, Mexico April 2004; bigbone.jpg - a nice Exuma bonefish, Feb. 2004

11. Do you ever see other former Microware employees and do you have their email addresses?

Yes, I worked one consulting job for Andy Nicholson (andyni@microsoft.com) and Richard Russell (richardr@microsoft.com) who are both at Microsoft still. I see Kathie Flood on a semi-regular basis, she is also still at Microsoft, she told me about the reunion and web-site.

I won't be attending the reunion, I don't think you could pay me enough to come to Iowa in August, too hot and humid.