Employee Spotlight: Jack Cosgrove

Jack Cosgrove, Application Developer

What has been your favorite project at DMC?

I recently completed a project synching Microsoft SharePoint and CRM Online. It was interesting because it was my first experience in web services and building a multi-component solution to solve a SharePoint need.

Do you have any engineering hobbies?

Tinkering with application development is fun. At the moment, I’m working on a project involving the Qt library, which is a cross-platform library allowing you to use the same code on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. I’m trying to build a Qt-based frontend for the Winpdb Python debugger and port the UI over from wxWidgets.

What is your favorite programming language?

I like C# because it integrates so well with the .NET framework. I would say Python is my favorite programming language, but it isn’t statically typed which makes Intellisense-type code completion harder and development slower. That’s an advantage C# has over Python as far as I’m concerned.

What else do you like to do for fun?

I can often be found cycling the streets of DuPage County. When I’m in the city, I enjoy riding Chicago’s Lakeshore Path.

A group of friends and I have a great time trying out different restaurants. One of the more extravagant gourmet restaurant experiences I’ve had was at Alinea. The presentation was taken very seriously; about four or five waiters  presented each course and explained them in great detail. Alinea’s chilled tapioca was served in a glass tube; it was the best dessert I’ve ever had.

What are your favorite Chicago destinations?

I actually considered studying architecture at one point, so I enjoy visiting places like the Baha'i Temple and The Rookery. In the suburbs, I love to bike on the Prairie Path, which is a nature trail converted from an old railroad track.

Can you tell us about your trivia championship?

I’ve been involved in a trivia team for about a year. There are 5-8 people in the group, including a “movie guy,” a “music guy,” and a “cars and sports guy.” I guess I would be the “book larnin’” guy who gets the questions about science, geography and literature. We competed in a six week tournament and then a championship round.

What was the most significant question you’ve answered?

During the championship round my team was tied for first place. The tie-breaking question was “When was the National Geographic Society founded?” I knew it had to be sometime in the 19th century, so I guessed 1885. The correct answer was 1888 and our team ended up winning a trip to Hawaii!

What question has stumped you?

Very specific sports questions are tough, because you either know the answer or you don’t. I remember being asked, “What running back has had the most career Super Bowl yards?” Now I know that it is Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

What are three words that describe you?

Honest, earnest, and cheerful.

What do you like most about working about DMC?

I would have to say the kitchen, which is fully stocked with snacks. I’m partial to the green tea, fruit strips, and chips. Our newly expanded kitchen is also a great place to have lunch as a group, and eating with everyone always provides some interesting lunch conversations!