INTRODUCING OTTER SOFTWARE

Based in the middle of Somerset, England, Otter Software is a software development consultancy.

In addition to developing apps for Apple’s ecosystem we also create web-based systems and automation solutions.

Otter Software has one full-time employee, Simon Wolf, who made it his main source of income in April 2010.

Prior to that, since graduating in 1994, Simon had developed software for companies that spanned a diverse range of industries and sizes ranging from transportation to broadcasting, from oil pipeline engineering to travel.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Otter Software develops applications and solutions using a variety of technologies. Below are some of the ones we have used over the last few years.

macOS applications written in both Objective-C and Swift

iOS applications written in both Objective-C and Swift

Apple TV applications written in Swift and using TVML

On-line systems using Node.js, MongoDB and Meteor

Data analysis and processing scripts written in Python

Automation solutions for macOS written in AppleScript

For further details please see the sections below covering app development, web-based systems and scripting.

APPS

We have developed apps for Apple’s macOS and iOS ecosystems using both Objective-C and Swift. We have also developed a TVML app for Apple TV which also used JavaScript and PHP.

Some of the projects we have worked on are listed below.

A macOS video encoding system

An iOS media tagging app

A macOS metadata management tool

A macOS golf swing analysis tool

An iOS video library app

An iOS year planner app

A macOS timeline control

A TVML Apple TV video library app

WEB-BASED

We inherited, completed and now maintain and enhance a system for a company who supply GPS tracking devices to people with dementia and GPS alarm devices to lone workers and other vulnerable people.

The system comprises two main elements. A back-end receives incoming data from the devices and converts the messages into locations as well as performing tasks such as generating alarms, geofence alerts and low battery warnings. The front-end is a responsive, reactive web site which allows the locations of devices to be displayed on a map, shows location histories, allows geofences and low battery alerts to be configured, etc.

The system was built around a MongoDB database and the back-end was written in Node.js and the front-end using the Meteor JavaScript framework.

It gives us great pleasure to say that one of our systems really does save lives.

SCRIPTING

Scripting and automation are processes by which repetitive, often time-consuming, tasks can be performed automatically by a computer.

Whilst being incredibly useful, effective and cost-efficient, this is one area of our work which is incredibly hard to educate people about because a non-technical person usually cannot imagine the sorts of things that can be done.

Some examples of how we have helped people are below.

Identifying incoming emails which contain formatted data, parsing the contents and storing it in a database

Creating chapters in video files from data stored in text files

Generating thumbnail ‘card’ images from app icons which include the name of the app and the icon itself

Validating and cleansing data from multiple spreadsheets and inserting the data into a database

Processing the contents of folders to convert image files to a standard size for use on a web site

Parsing the contents of web pages to extract data which is inserted into a spreadsheet

LEGAL NOTICES

COMPANY NUMBER & REGISTERED OFFICE

Registered in England No. 6796967

Cooper House • Lower Charlton Estate • Charlton Road • Shepton Mallet • Somerset • BA4 5QE • United Kingdom
COPYRIGHT & DISCLAIMER

Copyright © 2010-2017 Otter Software Ltd. All rights reserved.

No part of this web site may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the author. The following exclusions apply:

- You may print any page or download it for local viewing.
- You may quote from this site for non-commercial and non-profit purposes as long as you credit the author and provide a link to the site’s home page (http://www.ottersoftware.com).
- You may provide a link to this site from another web site as long as you do not imply in any manner that this web site is associated with that other site.

All of our marks, names, and logos are the proprietary marks of Otter Software Ltd.

Apple, Cocoa, Cocoa Touch, iPhone, iPhoto, iPod, iPod touch, macOS, Objective-C, QuickTime, Safari and Xcode are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Node.js is a trademark of Joyent, Inc. and is used with its permission. We are not endorsed by or affiliated with Joyent.

Python is a registered trademark of the Python Software Foundation.

Nothing on this web site in any way confers on you any licence or right to copy or use any trade marks, names or logos of Otter Software Ltd. or of any third party.
TERMS & CONDITIONS

The contents of this web site are for general information purposes only and whilst the authors have used their best efforts in preparing the information provided, no warranty, implied or expressed, is given as to its accuracy or completeness and therefore the authors accept no liability for errors or omissions.

The authors shall not be liable for any damages arising from the use or misuse of information provided by this web site, those damages including, without limitation, damage for loss of business or loss of profit.

This web site is operated by Otter Software Ltd. but is hosted by a third-party.

The web site contains hypertext links to web sites operated by parties other than Otter Software Ltd. We do not control such web sites and are not responsible for their content. Our inclusion of hypertext links to those web sites does not imply any endorsement of the material contained on the web sites or of the owners thereof or of the adequacy of any goods or services offered by such owners.
PRIVACY STATEMENT

No personal information is collected by this web site. We do not use cookies to track visitors and we do not ask you to supply any information about yourself.

To the extent that we may be able to extract your personal information from any document, email, etc. that you may send to us, we will utilise such personal information only for the purpose of your use of the web site.

We reserve the right to change this statement at any time and with no prior notice, although the revised statement will be posted on the web site.