Hi! My name is Rich Turner. Welcome to my site.

I am a husband, father, dog-father, geek, coder, software engineer, systems architect, a fan of international Rugby Union (ymlaen, Cymru 😜), skiing, and craft beer.

I have almost 30 years’ professional software engineering experience since graduating in 1992, have worked at/for companies including Microsoft, HBO, BBC, and have founded/co-founded several startups.

I love not only to create technologies, but also to communicate and share my passion for technology and software engineering. I’ve delivered many highly-rated talks at Microsoft events including Build, MIX, PDC, and TechEd, and sessions/keynotes at technology industry events including RSA Conference, VSLive and VSConnections.

I have been fortunate to work on and deliver Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL); Windows Terminal; Visual Studio; Windows CardSpace, Windows Communication Foundation; HBO GO for AppleTV, Xbox, and PlayStation; UK Government Gateway, and myriad other applications and services.

I’ve also written many papers, blog posts, and articles over the years, including this popular multi-part series on the evolution of the command-line in Windows.

Career timeline

The following timeline summarizes my career:

  • Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA

    Principal Program Manager Lead, Windows Developer Platform

    Initiated & led a cross-Microsoft effort to deliver a comprehensive suite of Arm-native tools, runtimes, platforms, services, and devices (including the Arm-powered Windows Dev Kit) to enable Windows developers to port/build apps that natively target Windows on Arm.

    Also helping refine & improve the Windows developer & app platform.

  • Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA

    Sr. Program Manager Lead, Windows Developer Platform

    Leading a team of PMs helping define, plan, and deliver "Project Reunion" - an effort to overhaul and modernize the Windows app platform, combining Win32 and modern Windows APIs and platforms including WinUI3, WebView2, MSIX, and more.

  • Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA

    Sr. Program Manager, Windows' Command Line

    Returned to (a much improved & very exciting) Microsoft to help overhaul the Windows command-line, deliver Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), and drive the creation and open-sourcing of Windows Terminal

  • Startups, Seattle, USA

    Founder, Investor

    Spent several months investing in Seattle-based startups, and founded a new startup working on some early-stage ideas

  • RedBull Media House, Santa Monica, USA

    Consultant

    Consulted at RedBull's media division, helping plan and design the services streaming Red Bull's sport, media, and event content

  • HBO Code Labs, Seattle, USA

    Lead Program Manager

    Joined the newly formed Seattle-based developer team for HBO specializing in developing HBO GO back-end services, and apps for Apple TV, Xbox 360 and One, PlayStation 3 & 4, Roku, etc. Responsible for forming a new PM discipline and team to help drive and deliver our various projects on-time and meeting the business' needs.

  • Appuri, Seattle, USA

    Co-Founder

    Joined forces with 3 other experienced tech professionals to form and gestate a new startup. While unsuccessful in our larger-scale efforts, we did create a website and series of apps and games for iOS and Android themed around the 2012 US Presidential Election. One of our apps, Gangnam President, went viral, becoming the #2 free iPad app of November 2012!

  • Octarine Industries, Seattle, USA

    Founder, CEO

    Left Microsoft, formed Octarine to provide consulting and development services to clients.

  • Microsoft, Redmond, USA

    Software Development Engineer, Visual Studio Team System for Database Developers

    Delivered several core components of VSTS Database Developers Tools, including Script DOM Generator, and schema and data differencing tools.

  • Microsoft, Redmond, USA

    Product Manager, Identity Developer Platform

    Drove the release of Windows CardSpace, and helped communicate & articulate Kim Cameron's 7 Laws of Identity

  • Microsoft, Redmond, USA

    Program Manager, Connected Systems

    Moved to the US to join Microsoft's Distributed Systems team responsible for RPC, DCOM, COM+, MSMQ, and ASP.NET Web Services. Helped deliver Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) implementing the WS-* web service protocol suite.

    Responsible for defining, delivering, and communicating Microsoft's strategic and technical guidance for customers building SOA/microservice based systems, and to best prepare for the introduction of WCF and WS-* protocols

  • Microsoft, Reading, UK

    Solution Architect, Solutions Development Center

    Founding member of Microsoft's new Solutions Development Center (SDC), helping establish a new Solutions Architect discipline. Drove the development, productization, and delivery of the UK Government Gateway

  • Microsoft, Reading, UK

    Principal Consultant, Microsoft Consulting Services

    Joined MCS' new Web Consulting team, advising banking, pharmaceutical, and automotive clients around the UK & EU on building and delivering web-based projects on Windows 2000, IIS, SQL, etc.

  • Paradigm Industries, Ware, UK

    Founder, CEO

    Formed and ran Paradigm, offering bespoke software development and consulting.

    Delivered many Microsoft MCSE/MCD training courses for SQL Server Administration and Development throughout the UK and EMEA. Was the first person outside the US qualified to deliver new official SQL Server 7 training.

    Created several custom-built Windows apps and systems, websites, and portals for companies including the BBC, British Telecom, and other telecom and insurance, firms.

    Created JobULike.com: An online recruitment website that matched candidates with employers' vacancies based on skills, experience and other criteria

  • Workgroup Systems, Potters Bar, UK

    Software Developer

    Developed several key features of "Quetzal" (later renamed QSupport), a helpdesk & support management suite. Built using Borland C++ & OWL.

  • Primary Image, Kingston Upon Thames, UK

    Software Developer

    Delivered several customer solutions, including:

    • C++ PC SCSI control software for an in-house designed & built Transputer-based RAID controller
    • C++ Windows app to automate and control several Quantel image processing devices
    • Object-oriented weapon aiming and training system for US DOD

  • Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK

    BSc (Hons) in Computer Science and Microelectronics

    Dissertation Project: Object Oriented C++ Ray Tracer & Scene Description Language

    Specialized in CPU architectures, Operating Systems, and Computer Graphics.