Computing

The implementation of technology is an exciting proposition. Through technology, we can solve problems once thought too tedious or complex to even imagine tackling. We can take the drudgery and danger out of many jobs, and allow people to do tasks more fitting of a human being. The key to success, however, is very challenging. One must figure out how to complete the job and not just shift the burden. People should not be tied to a machine, trying to somehow humor it. The machine should be crafted to humor the person performing the job and cater to their needs and the task at hand. One must draw from a wide range of experiences to be able to see the entire problem and enact a creative solution that completely solves the problem and doesn't leave a new problem in its tracks. My unique path through education and large area of interests, including being a musician, has given me unique insights into problem solving and communicating with people about problems and their resolutions. My goal as an implementer of technology is to be truly artistic in its implementation so as to allow it to realize its true potential and enable people to use machines as the tools they were intended to be, not be slaves to them.

A lot of people in our industry haven't had very diverse experiences. So they don't have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem. The broader one's understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.
—Steve Jobs

Computers As A Tool

It is hard to believe how completely computers have been integrated into the very essence of our lives. In a relatively short time many people have come to identify with computers as an extension of themselves, as almost part of their persona, in much the same way that clothes, cars, and other items have taken on social significance. If you don't believe me, just think of the popular Mac/PC ads that showed a certain brand as being "cooler" than the other. (If you aren't familiar with them, go over to YouTube, and search for Mac vs PC ads and you will likely find several compilations for your entertainment.) I have, in fact, known many people who got so caught up in the whole computer manufacturer platform debate so as to go out of their way to make others that don't own the same hardware feel inferior. What is interesting about the whole situation is that a computer is a tool, not an end result. Read more...

Software Fitting Need

Software is an exciting area of endeavor. Through it, a cold piece of hardware comes to life and takes on the seemingly impossible challenges of our diverse world. However, as the world is complex, software too can be complex. How well it fits the actual need will determine how well it succeeds. Determining that need, and fitting software to the need, is something that computing professionals have done, or attempted to do, for many years. Sometimes the results are spectacular, and other times the results may not be so memorable. Many of the issues start with determining what the actual needs are. Read more...

Ability To Talk At Different Levels

No matter what you attempt to do in life, communicating with other people is likely to be a key component to success. In the world, there are a variety of different languages varying by continent or ethnicity. Within these national languages, the vocabularies required within different professions almost create another language all of their own. The people within these professions have no problems speaking with each other, but can often face problems when trying to communicate their ideas to people outside of their group. One must realize that the end user is going to speak a different language than IT (information technology) staff, and how different groups perceive any particular problem is likely to be quite divergent. In today's computing departments, it is important that at least some individual(s) be able to communicate at different levels with different users. Read more...

Computing Profession Has Changed

The number of changes that have happened in the computing world over the past few years have been astonishing. We are pretty much walking around like people we were once watching in science fiction movies. We have our hand held communicators (cell phones). We have computers with touch screens that have panels of buttons on them. We have so much technology around that our kids become seeming experts on it all at a young age. This is leading to yet another general change, which is seeming to know everything but actually understanding nothing. Read more...

Automate It

Computers were supposed to simplify everyone's life, right? Paperwork was supposed to be reduced, people were supposed to have their minds set free to work on more lofty intellectual tasks and time spent on drudgery was supposed to be minimized. Has this happened in your life, or do you spend late nights doing repetitive tasks on a computer? Read more...

David M. Ripley