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David S. Cargo’s (escargo’s) Home Page

Welcome to escargo’s home page, that is, the home page of David S. Cargo. After some time of neglect, I decided to use a new format and some revised content here. Perhaps you found this page while using Google to look up information in the course of a hiring decision.

I hope you find the information of use, in a positive way.

Currently, I use Skypoint for connecting to the internet through a high-speed DSL connection through Qwest Communications.

A Short Bio

David Cargos and Cargos in Minnesota

According to the listings provided by Switchboard there are 17 people named “David Cargo” in the U.S., but I am the only “David S. Cargo”. Additionally, I’m the only David Cargo living in Minnesota. I used to be the only Cargo living in Minnesota, but two distant relatives moved to Warroad, Minnesota.

Born and Raised in Washington

I was born in Washington state on May 3, 1951. During my early years I lived on the Olympic Penninsula.

I lived in Port Angeles and Port Townsend on the Olympic Penninsula.

I graduated from Port Townsend High School in 1969.

(My mother now lives in Sequim, which gets a mention in Dan Youra’s Official Olympic Penninsula Guide.)

Education

I graduated with a degree in Mathematics from the University of Washington in 1974. (Sometimes you can see Mount Rainier in the U of W homepage, if the weather is clear.)

I worked for the Division of Cardiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine starting as a computer operator and later as a systems programmer to earn money for school. I was eventually a full-time staff programmer, but since this was before I graduated, I usually skip this on my resume. (This work was under Dr. Robert A. Bruce who is known as the “father of exercise cardiology”.)

I was admitted to the department of Computer Sciences at the U of W in the fall of 1974, and attended one quarter’s classes there.

Relocated to Minnesota

I moved from Seattle to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1975. (Another link for Seattle, Seattle-Area Info. For my personal list of favorites for Seattle, click here.)

I have more lately thought that I must have moved to Minnesota just in time to avoid going to work for Microsoft in its early years.

Further Education

I have taken classes from the University of Minnesota in a variety of subjects: Computer Science, History, Classics, Geography.

I almost have earned the equivalent to an undergraduate degree in Medieval History. (This obviously has little to nothing to do with either mathematics or computer programming, but I do find it interesting. There’s lots of stuff on related to Medieval History on the Web, like the Bayeux Tapestry.)

I have taken Computer Science classes at the U of M (some classes even 20 years apart). I completed a CSCI 5110: User Interface Design, Implementation, and Evaluation. Our team project earned us an A grade.

Ever since I have been interested in user-centered design and usability testing. Computer programs are tools, and if they are hard to use, then they lose some or all of their benefits.

I have also taken a Java class at Saint Paul Technical College (now Saint Paul College).

This was before I went on to help write a book about Java programming (Professional Java Custom UI Components).

As part of work, I’ve taken classes in a variety of technical subjects, such as project management, Fibre Channel networking, and storage management on Xiotech systems.