Category: Tech

Anything and everything I write that has something to do with tech. Maybe it’s a post about the time I blew up that server in 2003 because I didn’t know what bridged networking really meant. Sorry Roger!

October 15, 2014

More important than anything else

When I started this blog, at least the original one back in 2000 whatever, it had very little to do with anything other than a place to digitally journal. I’ve been well aware that I don’t write here as often as I do in my physical journal. I’m equally well aware that I don’t have the most read blog, or that I don’t put much work into this. I try to have a sense of humor about it.

Someone has entered my life who is much more important than this blog, and more important than almost anything else that has come before him. My son has been born. He’s a cute little guy.

A few weeks ago I had encountered the world of baby-centric tech, along with the predecessor pregnant-mom tech. I thought these would be a good topic to research and learn more about. I’ve realized that I’ll have plenty of opportunity to find out about this stuff on the way. I’ve also realized how unimportant this is.

I’ve realized how unimportant my intentions for sorting my random collection (see messy stack) of maps for the revolutionary war battlegrounds are. My fascination with FTPing files in the middle of the night is becoming far less important (except backups, always remember to backup!). That random novel someone gave me months ago because I saw it on their shelf and they didn’t want it: unimportant.

It’s not that my interests, or intentions for my career, or family have become less valid. There simply are new priorities in my life. I see most projects and tasks that weren’t really a priority before, losing ground very rapidly.

I am pursuing the same goals as I was before I had a kid, but I’ve gained a special insight into knowing when one of my projects is a complete waste of time, and when I should cut my losses.

What’s interesting is I feel this is going to give me a renewed joy and depth of interaction with the projects I do really enjoy, but don’t spend enough time on. Like this blog. Like calling my family, and long time friends.

Whatever projects I continue, or new goals I find for myself, they will all be viewed through a new daddy-sized lens.

August 3, 2014

What is engineering to me?

A Compass or a Map?

The above TED talk from Joi Ito has reminded me of a recently intriguing period of time at work. A few weeks ago at work everyone employee in the IT department was asked to take a DiSC profile. For the sake of simplicity the DiSC is variant of the Meyer’s Briggs test, and similar to the Primary Colors test I was so fond of when I was in my High School Outreach program. I get a similar Meyer Brigg result every time I take one.

This test comes at a very interesting time when all new initiatives have been put on hold because of trust issues between what the business wants and what IT has been delivering. Just for reference sake I’ve only worked here for a few months, so the issues precede my arrival. A coworker of mine was particularly intrigued by his results and decided to share the section about how he should work with others. I thought perhaps I would too.

The resulting conversation was more insightful than I wanted to give any sort of personality test credit for. While I scored somewhere in the neighborhood of “I think I can do that!” and my coworker landed in a much steadier category with a focus on precision. I’ve learned a lot from this coworker, and I am thankful for the time I’ve spent slowing down and paying more attention to what his opinions are. He’s helped me understand the value in double-checking my work in my head, and doing a little research before I start offering up my time to research possible solutions.

I was surprised when during the course of conversation we reached his definition of engineering, vs. my own. I’ve always thought of engineers as a focal points for designing solutions to challenges and executing them. They are the people to have the ideas, be trusted to come up with solutions. HIs definition was different than my own, but not unfamiliar.

He believed that it was the job of an engineer to create a defined concrete repeatable process. We are both solving issues, but his focus is on the planning and designing of a solution to make it repeatable long before you start implementation. What good is the solution if it isn’t correct before you push it out the door?

Because I work in IT I hear a lot about Agile development, the idea that you should get a working concept as soon as possible, and build from there. I realized that this is how I approach problems. It’s easy for me to identify some process or system that could be made more efficient or fixed in some way. I can picture the end goal in my mind, communicate it with people that are interested and set about executing whatever steps become necessary to get from point A to point B. Sometimes I have a plan, often I do not.

I really appreciate the Compass vs. Map analogy of these two varying approaches Joi Ito was talking about. There isn’t one approach that is inherently better over the other, and their utility depends on the nature of the challenge being addressed. What is important is something else my DiSC profile let me know. I value collaboration more than other people with my same result set.

I wonder what my coworker will feel after watching the video. I recognize the importance of paying attention to the methodical way he works, as I hope to be able to provide solutions as best as I can. For as much as I dislike the pigeon-holing an assessment like the DiSC can be, I have to be thankful for the conversation and new insight I’ve gained from it.

May 3, 2014

The future belongs to Scientists!

I attended two days of the USA Science and Engineering festival last weekend. I wish I knew it was actually a three day festival as I would have increased my opportunity to experience new ideas by 33%.

The festival itself was more incredible than I feel I can espouse. There were hundreds of exhibits and an estimated 325,000 people for the weekend. We saw Bill Nye, learned about atom smashing, sustainability, robotics, stem cell research, and so much more. Booths from NASA, Lockheed Martin, multiple government agencies, universities and NGOs captured the attention of myself and thousands of children, the very people most invested in the future.

Interestingly enough there always has to be someone that doesn’t get invited to the party. I found a small flyer hanging above the water fountain in the corner. It said something like “Find out the truth about STEM careers.” This flyer was like the type you find at the laundromat with little paper tabs you can rip off. I took a copy of the URL and dropped it in my bag of goodies I had started accumulating.

This morning which is a week after the festival, I pulled the URL out and finally went to see what this person had to say. I had built up some pretty hefty expectations that it would be a 50 second visit. Was the content going to be a some radical religious-based argument that we should just give up now and await our saving? Was it a hack against the people organizing the festival? Some disgust over the number of military contractors at the show, along with the NSA and their High-school spy recruiting program?

It was none of these, and it was far less dismissible than any of those. It was a blog put up by a self-identified experienced engineer. It was written in an entirely anecdotal and subjective manner. It was however a reasonable insightful accounting of this persons perception on the emphasis placed on STEM careers.

I had to stop and think how could I help this person understand they are looking at their dilemma in completely the wrong fashion.

I agree a little with what he says, but I have two major issues with this site and argument.

The author has chosen to stay anonymous. If you have something to say about a serious subject, you should be prepared to stand behind what you say. Have any published work? Who are you to be talking about this subject?

The entire argument is subjective! The URL and title for the site include the word FACT! The author even indicates in the second comment he hasn’t bothered to research anything. Hmm… that means this is just his opinion. But this person is a an engineer and they should know the difference between FACT and OPINION.

I have a major concern when people like this blogger open their mouth. Not only are you promoting your own personal jaded view of technology, you are using some pretty amazing technology to spread that message! Write a newspaper article next time.

Really though the article was a good exercise for me as I’ve been reminded again about how optimistic my perspective for the future is. The world is an incredible place and it’s only becoming more and more incredible every day. We need to double-down on the inclusion of STEM in every aspect of life, not grumbling about it! There is more potential now than ever before for humanity to overcome the challenges that face the world.

It’s too bad that not everyone yet shares my optimism or enthusiasm for the incredible changes that are coming to our existence. Replying to blogs like this may just be one more small way I can contribute to helping other people reach the same perspectives as I have.

Technology continues to be mind blowing, the pace of radical change in the world is speeding up and the Future is going to be amazing!

You can read the original article here: http://stemcareerfacts.com/

Be sure to check out my comment, I tried to offer a positive rebuttal so the author rediscovers their passion and interest in science.