maggie+media

laughingsquid: The Joy of Tech on SOPA and PIPA

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:49:09 -0500

laughingsquid:

The Joy of Tech on SOPA and PIPA

Thanks, I guess? #advertising

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:40:29 -0500

Thanks, I guess?

#advertising

Continuations: Tech Tuesday: Programming (A Start)

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:34:13 -0500

Continuations: Tech Tuesday: Programming (A Start):

I’ve been getting interested in learning more about development recently, and Albert’s post popped up at the perfect time! For anyone who’s never written any code, it’s a great introduction to what “writing code” actually means.

continuations:

Maybe I should have started the whole Tech Tuesday series with a post on programming since that’s why computers were created in the first place! In fact, thinking about programming in many ways precedes the availability of actual computers to carry out those programs. At the time that Babbage was dreaming up his Analytical Engine, Lady Ada started to formulate how a general purpose machine would be programmed. That was almost 100 years before the first truly programmable machines were actually built! Much closer to that date but still before he had access to a computer, Alan Turing in 1936 described an abstract machine (the Turing machine) that he then proved could compute anything a computer can do no matter how fast or complex a CPU, how much memory, etc it has (aside: that does not cover what a quantum computer might be able to do if we ever figure out how to make one work).

So what does it mean to program a computer? Somewhat flippantly: programming is telling the computer what to do. But given the pieces that we have put in place we can define programming more precisely as: creating a set of instructions that the CPU can execute to achieve a desired outcome. That outcome might be the computation of a number, the animation of an object on the screen, the manipulation of a text or — and this is the beauty of programming — pretty much anything else one can dream up. In the process of executing the program, the various parts of the computer work together as specified by the program. Data will move around memory and maybe to and from storage. If necessary, I/O devices will be activated. Possibly data will be sent or received via a network.

How does a programmer go about creating the set of instructions? In the early days of computers this literally involved hand picking instructions from the CPU’s instruction set and manually encoding these so that they could be fed to the CPU. But because of the work of theorists and the desire of visionaries we rapidly wound up with programming languages that were more easily accessible to humans and could then be translated by the computer itself into the instructions for the CPU. One such vision had always been to program a computer using simply spoken language and with Siri and Android voice actions we now have that as a reality — people are quite literally telling their phone what to do.

Whenever you program a computer in anything other than the actual machine code (the bytes that represent the instructions and addresses) you are using some kind of programming language. So called Assembly Language is barely above machine code. It is mostly a set of acronyms for the instructions with some ability to refer to program and memory locations by a name as opposed to an actual address. A program called an assembler is used to translate assembly language into machine code. Because writing assembly is really picking instructions by hand it takes a long time to write programs but affords the ultimate control over what code is actually executed which can be important for some cases, such as parts of a device driver.

Anything that’s more expressive than assembly is generally referred to as a higher level language. Among higher level languages there is still a huge range though from a language such as C which is closest to the machine end to a language such as Prolog on the other (Prolog deals with logical expressions). Higher level languages require some form of translation into machine code. This is handled by programs known as interpreters andcompilers. As a first cut you can think of the difference between an interpreter and a compiler as the difference between having a simultaneous translator and a translated book. Essentially an interpreter reads the higher level language as it comes along and figures out what to do whereas a compiler takes one or more passes over the entire higher level language program.

In order for an assembler, interpreter or compiler to be able to do their work, the expressions in assembly or in the higher level language have to follow specific patterns which are known as syntax. That is of course even true when programming a computer in natural language in the Siri example above. If you say something completely ungrammatical, Siri will not know what to do.

I have found programming to be a deeply satisfying activity and will write lots more about it in upcoming Tech Tuesdays. When programming I can spend many hours without noticing the passage of time at all. Part of the satisfaction for me comes from how programming is a craft that combines writing and analysis/math in a wonderful way. But part of it also comes from the amazing amount of control I can exercise over machines which contrasts sharply with the many limits on control in the rest of our lives!

An excellent weekend of friends, fun, and the Badgers scoring a...

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:00:06 -0500

An excellent weekend of friends, fun, and the Badgers scoring a trip to the Rose Bowl. Winning.

"I’m grateful for anything that reminds me of what’s possible in this life. Books can do that. Films..."

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:14:25 -0500

“I’m grateful for anything that reminds me of what’s possible in this life. Books can do that. Films can do that. Music can do that. School can do that. It’s so easy to allow one day to simply follow into the next, but every once in a while we encounter something that shows us that anything is possible, that dramatic change is possible, that something new can be made, that laughter can be shared.”

- Jonathan Safran Foer (via anorangeinwinter)

Happy Thanksgiving.

Psychic Income

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:18:24 -0500

I learned a new phrase last week: “psychic income.” It refers to the intangible benefits one derives from work - the energy and inspiration that comes from doing what you do. I love this phrase because it really conveys the value of passion. It’s not optional - it’s income. It is essential.

Why social media?

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:53:56 -0500

A Pew Study out this week tells us something most of us would have assumed naturally: The majority (66%) of Americans who use social media do it to stay in touch with friends and family members. Interestingly, 18% of older Americans (54+) use social media to conenct with new people who share similar interests, vs. 10% of the younger group.

For all the fretting about how the internet is changing relationships, and how “real life” is falling by the wayside, about how we can’t truly have as many friends as we do on Facebook (we don’t, and that’s okay), it’s clear that social media actually strengthens relationships rather than weakens them. It’s a tool to stay in touch, to deepen a connection, rather than make another superficial one. I find that very heartening, but not at all surprising. If you spend any time on Facebook, it’s clear it’s a tool to keep relationships familiar and strong.

According to the study, most people who use social media don’t specifically use it to connect to public figures, and many of the ones who do use Twitter. Again, this isn’t very surprising, but it does underscore the difference between Facebook and Twitter.

What does this mean for brands and marketing? It seems to me the most important thing is to understand and respect how people use social media. On Facebook, people are there to connect with their friends and family, not necessarily have a deep relationship with your brand. On Twitter, they may be there for news and public figures, but it’s also about friends and family connections. It’s critical to be authentic and embrace your role as a brand. Be friendly, but not too familiar. Keep it casual. Offer discounts and coupons. In other words, don’t try to force yourself into the fundamental friends/family relationship, but rather focus on how you can best complement it.

I think we all know this feeling. szymon: undo your food with...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:32:07 -0500

I think we all know this feeling.

szymon:

undo your food with iPlate by Todd Borka

newsweek: shortformblog: Tumblr just put up this site warning...

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:48:51 -0500

newsweek:

shortformblog:

Tumblr just put up this site warning people about the dangers of PROTECT-IP Act and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Read up, kids. This is important.

Your morning homework: Read this letter from AOL, eBay, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Twitter, Yahoo!, & Zynga. Then visit Tumblr’s page and take action.

Unplugged

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:26:20 -0500

I unplugged yesterday. Not 100%, but close to it. I stayed away from my computer and focused on the gorgeous weather, errands I needed to run, and life away from the internet.

It felt awfully good then, but it feels even better now that I’m back at my desk. I feel refreshed, energetic, and looking forward to my Silicon Alley Insider emails rather than overwhelmed by them. I’m more engaged with the challenges I’m facing and think I can provide better service to my clients and better support to my colleagues. That’s a lot to take away from one day!

I realize it may seem a little hypocritical to write about unplugging when my previous post was about executing the shit out of your to-do list. But for all I talk here and on Twitter about the web, its marvels and opportunities, it’s good to be reminded that sometimes there’s an equal power in turning it off for a while. That’s definitely something worth putting on your to-do list.

"Always have your to-do list. And then execute the shit out of it."

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:57:00 -0500

“Always have your to-do list. And then execute the shit out of it.”

- #BrandsConf

Daily Steve Jobs

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:31:49 -0500

I’m looking forward to reading Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs, but in the meantime I enjoyed this ReadWriteWeb post that gives a glimpse into some of the book’s key lessons.

Steve was “a magician genius:”

He was, indeed, an example of what the mathematician Mark Kac called a magician genius, someone whose insights come out of the blue and require intuition more than mere mental processing power.

He was a metamorphosing butterfly:

“That’s what I’ve always tried to do—keep moving. Otherwise, as Dylan says, if you’re not busy being born, you’re busy dying.”

And he was maniacally focused:

One of Jobs’s great strengths was knowing how to focus. “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do,” he said. “That’s true for companies, and it’s true for products.”

As RWW distills it: Intuition, Reinvention, Focus.

Steve is so iconic, and so often we talk about him in such soaring rhetoric, that it’s refreshing to hear these kind of details. We can all trust our gut, keep ourselves and our ideas fresh, and focus on what really matters. I don’t design products or run a computer company, but this—this I can do. My colleague recently changed her desktop background to an iconic photo of Steve, to remind herself constantly of all that an inspired, dedicated life can be. I might have to do the same, with those three words alongside it: Intuition, Reinvention, Focus.

Twitter Sins

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:24:55 -0500

This list of Twitter sins from Hubspot is great:

Thou shalt not spam.
Thou shalt not drift. (AKA: Show up and be active—I’ve been remiss on this blog, hence today’s post…)
Thou shalt not blatantly self-promote.
Thou shalt not use only 140 characters.
Thou shalt not bash.

I’d add a couple more to the list:

Thou shalt not ghost-tweet.

I’ve heard folks on the executive level talk about trying to have an assistant run their Twitter account and tweet in their place. Online identity is about authenticity, and it’s a big mistake to misrepresent yourself on social media. There’s no substitute for your own voice, and there’s no denying the anger of people who find out they’ve been misled. Leveraging social media to build relationships takes work, but it’s worth the time.

Thou shalt not tweet in the heat of the moment.

No, I don’t mean mid-coitus. Rather, I’m talking about where you’re upset or worked up about something. Take the time to cool off and think about what you’re going to say—it’s easy to fire off an angry tweet, but no matter how quickly you delete it, some eyes will have been lain on it, and you can do a lot of damage!

What other sins would you add to the list?

“A wise CEO of a healthcare company gave me advice I’ll never...

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:59:14 -0400

“A wise CEO of a healthcare company gave me advice I’ll never forget. ‘Just start. Don’t wait for perfection. Just start and let the work teach you. No one expects you to get it right in the very beginning and you’ll learn more from your mistakes than you will from your early successes anyway. So, stop worrying so much and just look at your best bets and go.’”

-Jacqueline Novogratz

(Spotted by fred-wilson and wearethedigitalkids,
(via changetheratio: via brit)

Love to see these images in ESPN’s The Body Issue...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:00:24 -0400

Love to see these images in ESPN’s The Body Issue celebrating all the human body is capable of. Of course, it helps that they’re incredibly sexy, too.

Is it just me, or does this commercial not make a ton of...

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:56:00 -0400

Is it just me, or does this commercial not make a ton of sense?

“What part of the chicken is ‘nugget?’ We’re KFC. Our cooks don’t make nuggets. They make popcorn chicken.”

Is there a part of the chicken called “popcorn” that I’m not familiar with?

Epic coolness. Perfect for Friday. theimpossiblecool: Cassel.

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:16:06 -0400

Epic coolness. Perfect for Friday.

theimpossiblecool:

Cassel.

Brilliant. thedailywhat: Internet Filtration System of the Day:...

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:40:05 -0400

Brilliant.

thedailywhat:

Internet Filtration System of the Day: A modest proposal from Matthew Baldwin (AKA defective yeti): Internet Access Captchas to keep certain less-desirable types off the Information Superhighway.

Here’s what happens when ~~you’re~~ your grammar skills aren’t up to snuff:

Problem solved?

[thd.]

Transformative Change That Begins Online

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:55:17 -0400

Union Square Venture’s Albert Wenger posed a fascinating question recently on his blog: “What is your favorite example of something that is already happening on the Internet today, that is a clear indication of the massive transformation to come?”

It may not be as new to us as other trends, but to my mind one of the most astonishing recent uses of the internet has been social media’s role in the Arab Spring uprisings. As many people have pointed out (or punned), the revolution may not be televised, but it will be tweeted.

I think there are two transformative trends at work here. First, it is part of a broad institutional shift: from secrecy to transparency, from suppression to freedom. We see this in marketing, as companies are forced to deal with customers, accusations, and complaints out in the open. (This post on Forbes has some great insight about what transparency means for businesses.) And it’s truly staggering to think that social media can help effect real political change, as it did in Egypt. The power of social media to give a voice to those who have had little opportunity to be heard will only grow—and continue to spread.

The second shift relates to the spread of technology to places like Africa. As internet access becomes more widely available worldwide (especially thanks to mobile), new populations are joining the online community in large numbers. This means that new internet users have access to new opportunities, and the online dialogue gets richer.. (And, of course, there are new advertising opportunities.) I think the growing online presence of populations in Africa, Asia, South America, and elsewhere amplifies the real-world shift to a more inclusive global politics—a trend perhaps best represented by President Obama. It will be fascinating—and essential—to watch.

I <3 NY Via

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:22:04 -0400

I <3 NY

Via