The Dream Machine tells a wonderful story about the creation of modern computers, characterized by creativity, tinkering, and idea cross-pollination. As told in The Dream Machine, it centers around J.C.R Licklider, a central figure and instigator in the early decades of computer history.
Computers were supposed to be bicycles for the mind. So far we only have penny-farthings.
No one cares about software quality anymore. I mean, yes technically that is untrue and there are demonstrably some people who do, but for the most part, quality software has become a niche luxury1 while the most commonly-used software has become a slow, laborious cesspool. I just had the misfortune of using the new Google... Continue Reading →
Could you ever do better than all of human civilization on some particular problem? Could you be reasonably confident that you know something experts don’t, or that you’ve discovered a novel solution to a big problem, or that you can “do better” than the best the rest of the world has to offer? Maybe it’s not so far-fetched, given that it’s quite plausible no one is working on some specific problem that you’ve come across…
It's clear that COVID-19 is a crisis that has exposed civilizational foundations and areas of improvement. The next one won't be like this one though — how can be best prepare?
Remove the middle option to make clearer decisions
I don't ever want to retire. Instead, I want to have an eighty-year career, one where I get to build upon a lifetime of experience and resources to move the needle on some of the messiest problems we face.
How would I describe what I do to a reasonably intelligent person who isn't a software engineer?
Tanagram is a project idea I've been exploring built around two fundamental hypotheses about modern software.
I created the study guide I wish I had when I was studying for programming interviews …
