About Me

I'm not a visionary; I just see things differently and mostly at the edge.

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Bill French⁠

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I’m the Long Snapper

People often ask me to help them with their projects and I agree to help them from time-to-time, but not always. And I don’t even post much about my work because - well - it’s a bit boring and obscure to most onlookers. And most of my work is done in secret; my clients prefer it that way.

Some of my architectures require data that magically syncs to Google Sheets at the cell level - literally the data in a cell in another platform must update to a target cell in Google Sheets in near real-time. While possible, not many people require this level of integration let alone in less than 1 second. As such, my work tends to be very behind-the-scenes sort’a like the city waste managers - workers who deal with stuff you need to work reliably but whose names are never known unless something failed.

Knowing about me is a lot like understanding one of the most misunderstood specialized roles in the NFL (and increasingly College football). The “long snapper” is a specialist whose craft is not really known by even the most ardent football fans. With the Super Bowl upon us, there’s a timely

Freakonomics episode⁠

about the history and data behind the long snapper.

This role is 40% physical and 60% scientific. The “athlete” must pass the football while looking upside-down at the receiver. More specifically, he (or she, but there aren’t any presently) must also rotate the ball at a high speed and have the laces arrive in the upright or forward-facing position every time despite passing it different distances; ~8 yds for PATs and ~15 yards for punts; a red zone punt, however, tosses a variable into the equation.

This person remains anonymous to fans until they fail.

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Long snappers are data guys who practice their craft endlessly and while they are not compensated like franchise players, their life expectancy in the NFL is two or three times the average player. More interestingly are the economic drivers for reserving one of 49 roster positions for this highly specialized player. The

podcast⁠

dissects this decision from many angles. Bill Belichick, one of the most successful coaches in the history of the NFL, and who regularly dismisses press questions with a grunt, or a head-shake to wave off uninteresting topics, was quick to leap into the a detailed and methodical analysis in a

ten-minute answer on long snapping⁠

. The sports reporter who questioned this element of the sport was visibly amazed.

Depending on your project requirements, you may need a few specialists, so make sure you budget for the subtle specialities that could make the difference between a green checkbox in the win column and a red one in the lose column.

My Bio

Bill French is a highly experienced consultant who has been working in the technology industry for almost 50 years. He has a diverse range of skills and interests, including technology R&D, writing, photography, software engineering and product design, and even has a deep understanding of manufacturing and cost accounting.

French is perhaps best known for his work as the creator of LapLink and QuickSite, two pioneering software products in the 80s that helped to revolutionize the way that people used their computers in the pre-dawn era of modern networking and the world wide web. He has also been involved in a number of other innovative projects throughout his career, including work in the field of artificial intelligence and real-time data integration.

His current work includes CyberLandr, a futuristic disappearing RV product for Tesla Cybertruck, and LivePilot, a platform for workers to rapidly develop content using artificial general intelligence.

Despite his many achievements, French remains a down-to-earth and approachable person. He is passionate about helping others to succeed in the technology industry, and has often served as a mentor and advisor to up-and-coming professionals and unique products and services.

Whether you are an AI specialist, a technology writer, or simply someone with an interest in productivity and innovation, you are sure to find something of value in Bill French's work and counsel.

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