The New* Big Blue

Hind sight is 20/20. So often it seems that events that occurred decades ago were inevitable, and the current state of things is accepted as obvious. Those who make the future are those that realize that there is no such thing as inevitability.

Not that long ago IBM, Big Blue, was the all-powerful behemoth that ruled the realm of technology. It was a scary world for new companies like Apple, Microsoft, and those countless unfortunates who are no longer in existence. For the last couple of decades or so, Microsoft has been the Undisputed World Technology Champion, and it has seemed like an inevitability.

Those of us in the industry have sensed a shift lately, and Microsoft is no longer "the place to be". If Microsoft was the "New Big Blue", then Google may be considered the "New New Big Blue". And, just as sure as Google is becoming the industry giant now, some company will replace Google, likely one that has not even been formed yet.

Dr. Charles Knutson of BYU stressed to me the importance of the individual. There will likely come a point in each of our lives where we'll have an opportunity to say something, to make some decision or point out some insight, that will change the shape of whatever industry we may be in and, potentially, the world. And children who are born after that change is effected will count it as an inevitability. The sad, scary, and unfortunate flip side to that coin is the fact that many of us will not realize the opportunity. We won't make the decision, realize the insight, say the right thing at the right time, and we won't change the world. The important thing to realize is that it is up to us - it hasn't happened yet, and it is most certainly not an inevitability.

Internet == Time Vacuum

I'm a huge Friends fan, and one of my favorite lines comes from an episode where Ross's girlfriend is looking at his old family pictures. When asked about the one with him and the albino kids, he replied, "Those weren't albino kids! That was Computer Camp!" I laughed harder than my wife because I know all too well about the albino geeks out there. To people like me, computers are fascinating machines that empower and gratify. Of course, the Internet just makes things worse! Knowledge and entertainment are readily available to fulfill our every whim. With such wonderful devices at our disposal, what motivation have we to ever leave them? I have the motivation of outside sports, improv comedy, religion, and, most importantly, my family to knock me off-line and into the real world. Every geek (and I use that term affectionately) needs to set limits that will get them out into the sun and interacting with real people. Do it for your physical health, your social life, and your pigmentation.

Women in Computing:Nature vs Nurture

Just over a year ago my wife graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education. Men in her field are about as prevalent as women in my field, Computer Science. Did my wife choose to work with children because she wasn’t given the opportunity to study any of the hard sciences? Is it because she is not capable as a woman to comprehend the hard sciences? No, she simply prefers working with children. I’m not saying that the field is perfect – we’re still getting used to women who prefer to study computers – but the rampant sexism just isn’t there.