Code Shorts is a small but worldly blog dedicated to the dissemination of unconnected bits of information related to programming and technology that seem interesting or timely.

In other words, if it strikes my fancy, I'll post about it.

I seem to be always trekking off into obscure corners of the technological world, and I frequently fall off cliffs. Most of the time, the problems I encounter have been solved by someone else who made their own divot in the canyon floor. That usually means that I can find the answer written up in a nice tidy fashion on someone's blog.

This blog is an attempt to contribute back in some small way. I'll write something up whenever I make the first divot in the canyon floor.

Not to mention that I've got a lot of opinions that I like to foist on unsuspecting readers.

First the basics. My name is Mike Taylor and you may contact me as

I currently work for Side Effects Software as a Houdini developer. I made the move to Side Effects in mid 2007. Before my move, I worked as a developer on on the Maya team at Autodesk. Prior to that I worked for Alias as a developer on the Maya team. Before that, I worked for Alias|Wavefront on the Maya team. And, I got my big start at an intern at Alias, working on the Maya team. So, working on Maya's been a major part of my career (13 years).

This is probably a good time to mention that this not an official Side Effects blog. It is my personal web site and all opinions stated here are my own and do not necessarily represent those of Side Effects.

I also find the time to write some iPhone software under the name Hey Mac Software.

Outside of work I spend most of my time with my family. We rescued ourselves from big city life and now live on a small acreage in the Ottawa Valley in Canada. We are a stone throw from a beach on the Ottawa river (if you've got a strong arm...and a trebuchet).