Gary Nutt

I am a Computer Science professor at the University of Colorado, legal expert and software consultant.

Summary of Professional Background

I have worked in the following areas: Computer systems, distributed systems, operating systems, intellectual property, collaboration technology, groupware, internet content management and distribution, mobile computing, software design and implementation technologies, computer forensics, digital rights management, digital imaging, and cable TV technology.

• Software Design and Implementation
  • Idaho Power, Boise, ID (1966-67). Substation inventory tracking system.
  • Boeing Aircraft, Seattle, WA (1967-69). Real-time and offline support for the transonic and supersonic wind tunnels.
  • Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA (1978-80). Experimental collaboration technology and the first workflow models and systems.
  • Bell Labs, Denver (1980-81). Telephony-based collaboration systems.
  • Group Bull, Paris, France (1993). On sabbatical leave from university. Advanced design and development for workflow products.
  • Inktomi, Inc., Foster City, CA (2001). Academic leave from University of Colorado. Content and media distribution. Managed corporate intellectual property program. Evaluate IP, then manage disclosure of IP to inside and outside counsel.
• Professor
  • Assistant and Associate Prof. of Computer Science, University of Colorado (1972-78). Computer systems. Performance modeling and measurement.
  • Professor (1986-present). Distributed systems, operating systems, software design and implementation, networks, and collaboration technology,
  • Taught courses in introductory programming, data structures, computer systems, operating systems, object-oriented programming and design, networks, Linux kernel internals, and operating systems for small computers.
• Manager
  • NBI, Inc., Boulder, CO (1981-84). Built software and hardware engineering from zero to 85 people.
  • Interactive Systems, Inc., Boulder, CO (1984-86). Built software engineering branch from 5 to 25 engineers.
• Executive
  • Interactive Systems, Inc., Boulder, CO (1986). Vice president, Colorado cost center. Responsible for all aspects of the operation of the cost center.
  • Bookface.com, San Francisco, CA (2000). Vice president of engineering. (On sabbatical leave from university.) Built the engineering organization to 10 people. Design and planning of DRM products. Managed intellectual property. Assisted president in fund raising.

Here is a list of publications.

Legal Work

I have been retained by various law firms to investigate, educate, advise, and testify on a broad spectrum of computer technology. I have been a Special Master to Hon. John L. Kane, Jr., U.S. District Court, Colorado, and to Hon. Jack W. Berryhill, Jefferson County District Court, Colorado. I have also been a court-appointed expert for Hon. Gerald Rafferty, Arapaho County Court, Colorado.

I have assisted with various forms of computer forensics on more than a dozen different cases. This work typically involves preservation of evidence and careful analysis of the state of a computer hard disk drive. Often it requires that the disk be analyzed to determine what information has been erased from its normally-accessible storage. In some cases, it has been my responsibility to recover information that had been deleted from the hard disk drive.

Other cases have been based on software -- its design and implementation. In many of these cases, there is a contention that one party copied software from another party. This is more complex than simply searching for exact copies of program statements, since it is often the design or design concepts that is at issue.

At Bookface.com I wrote the fundamental specification for the company's technical and business intellectual property. At Inktomi, my job was to understand all of the key technology in the company, to determine if it was patentable, and then to prepare the IP for disclosure to inhouse counsel, and ultimately to outside counsel who filed the patent.

I have also been involved as both a consulting and testifying expert for plaintiff and defendant in several patent cases. These cases have focused on a spectrum of technologies including collaboration software, operating system software (including UNIX/Linux details), Internet e-commerce, graphics systems, and computer architecture. Please see the list of cases for additional detail.

Industry Consultant

Over the years I have been an industry consultant in many areas of software, ranging over technical training, object-oriented technologies, open systems, Internet content distribution, operating systems, networks, software for cable TV, and distributed systems. Here is a list of some of my clients.