Chris Schreiber

I am a programmer, designer and system administrator, but what really drives me is problem solving. Over the past 15 plus years I've developed a wide rage of skills related to web development. Spanning graphic design, programming, database management and system administration my skill sets give me perspective to not just create but to understand, adapt and innovate.

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  • Starting out with PHP 4, I've seen PHP grow from a easy to learn scripting language to a versatile object oriented language. I've used PHP to create websites ranging from small personal pages to large applications with user authentication, streaming media, application program interfaces, asynchronous client side communication and much more. My experience managing web servers gives me additional insight into PHP performance, scalability and security.

    • I started using Zend Framework when the first version was still in beta and it's become the center of my development tool kit. From rendering and validating forms to customized event listeners I have experience with just about every aspect of the framework and have contributed a few bug reports and patches.

    • Wordpress is not my favorite framework, but for publishing basic text and images it is an easy to setup and use content management system. I've installed, managed and maintained the security of Wordpress sites as well as written custom themes and plugins.

    • I strongly believe in the importance of unit testing to reduce debugging time and prevent post release bugs. I've made unit testing a key part of my PHP development work flow and am constantly looking for ways to improve and streamline my testing.

  • I have nearly 15 years experience using MySQL in PHP applications and a moderate amount experience installing and maintain MySQL servers including server optimization, replication and security.

  • I've seen JavaScript go from an unmanageable nightmare of browser incompatibilities to an indispensable and versatile tool that rivals any server side language. I've used JavaScript extensively to communicate asynchronously with the server, store and manage data using JSON and XML and interact with the user interface.

    • Dojo is my JavaScript framework of choice. It's modular nature makes it versatile and allows it to scale well for large applications. I've used it extensively to create custom user interface elements, communicate with the server and add client side logic to the application.

    • jQuery's lightweight design, minimal syntax and extensive community support make easy to use and a powerful tool for small applications. I've used it to create simple, intuitive and interactive user interfaces and to communicate with the server.

  • Recent advents in HTML and CSS have been very exciting. I've been using HTML 5 and new CSS extensions to easily create lightweight designs and implement modern design patters to accommodate mobile devices and touch screens. I've also been using CSS preprocessors like Stylus, Less and Sass to create smarter, smaller and more maintainable style sheets.

  • Over the last few years I've also integrated the Git version control system into my workflow to collaborate with others and as a way to patch bugs without interrupting development.

  • I've been using Linux on a regular basis for over 15 years and using it to manage web servers in local area networks and on the Internet for nearly as long. I have extensive experience setting up and maintain Apache web servers including virtual hosts and SSL. I also have experience with email (smtp, imap, pop3, etc), MySql and various other services. I have a general understanding of security concepts, best practices and setting up firewalls, server monitoring and other critical network tools.

  • 2013 – Current

    In This Town is personal project I've been working on in my free time. It aims at being a social event calendar for different regions. It is currently under ongoing development.

  • 2013 – Current

    Over the last few years I've been working on taking code I find myself writing repeatedly and making it modular and reusable. Recently I've begun publishing it on GitHub and adding documentation to make it accessible to other developers but it is still in early development.

    • Spork Tools is a Zend Framework 2 module which adds an administration area with tools for managing the application. It is designed to be easily configured, extensible and secure. It currently features a job management and scheduling, log viewing and tools to view information about the application.

    • Spork Library is a PHP library I've written to extends the Zend Framework 2 library.

  • 2015

    A simple Wordpress theme. The old site became unusable because of some outdated Flash galleries so I helped Robin convert it to a Wordpress site with a custom theme which was more mobile and social media friendly and featured a JavaScript / CSS image slider.

  • Web Developer / System Administrator (2012 – 2013)

    Co-founder, lead developer and system administrator. Developed application logic including custom HTML template engine, internal analytics and user management; integrating automated reoccurring billing system; working with designers to implement user interface and managed hosting and network security.

  • Web Developer / System Administrator (2011 – 2012)

    Co-founder, lead developer and system administrator. Developed application logic including backend content management system, content scheduling system and user management; integrating automated billing system; working with designers to implement user interface and managing hosting and network security.

  • Web Developer (2008 – 2010)

    SynMedia was is offshoot of the Synthesis which provides a wide range of Internet related design and marketing services to a diverse clientele. I worked on a variety of projects working with graphic designers to implement their designs, writing custom content management systems and creating interactive and data driver Flash application as well as consulting on hosting and security. A few of the more notable projects I worked on where Blu Beverly Hills - blubeverlyhills.com, Villa Malibu - villamalibuliving.com and Sabine - sabinesouthlake.com (note: current websites do not represent work I've done).

  • Web Developer / Chief Technical Officer (2003 – 2007)

    I left my position as Art Director of the Synthesis to work full time on the on-line version of paper. I took over the web site with several hundred pages of static HTML and turned it into a dynamic PHP site with a custom content management system which grew into several thousand pages of content including streaming media and on-line sweepstakes. I continued to work closely with designers and editors to coordinate content between the print publication and website. I also took on duties as the system administrator; building and managing servers to host the website, company email and office file sharing and eventually training and supervising others to maintain our hosting and networking. In 2005 the website's growing national attention prompted the Synthesis to launch a new print publication focusing on national content which I consulted on as well as splitting the on-line presence into nation and local (synthesisweekly.com) content.

  • Art Director (1999 – 2003)

    The Synthesis was a local weekly music and entertainment magazine in Chico, CA. I started out as a graphic design intern and within 3 months was hired full time as the Art Director for the entire publication. My responsibilities included designing artwork, covers and advertisements; laying out the publication and managing a team of designers. Working at the Synthesis sharped my design skills, expanded my knowledge of graphic design and publishing software and taught me how to manage time and resources when working under strict deadline.

  • 1996 – 1999

  • 1992 – 1996