Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Lazy Computing

Today, Apple announced its new product, the iPad. It's a product focussed on putting a computer in your hands when you want to relax. The iPad exists for lazy computing. Computers save time, and now, more than ever, computers are used to waste time. As technology continues to ease into every facet of my life, I expect two things. First, I want to be able to block salacious Internet material. I do not need statistical data to prove that a person is more likely to come across such material while lazily browsing the internet. Second, I expect myself to be able to step away from technology and do other things with my free time. No programmer can instill that characteristic in me; however, I realize how easy it is to sit down and pass the time with a computer instead of using that time to plan and engage myself in hobbies and other real life-exploring activities.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Women and Computer Science

I have noticed that computer science is mostly looked down upon in the minds of college students. In general, computer science is held in high regard as being a "difficult degree", but at the same time there is the regard of "See ya, wouldn't want to be ya. Nerd!" I think it is computer science's stereotype that keeps women away from the field. Men, in general, brand computer scientists as nerds. So, why would a woman label herself as such, and run the risk of being judged negatively by men? I would venture that if the trademark "nerd" was removed from the minds of both men and women, when referring to computer scientists, and replaced with a term that is smiled upon, then more women would enter the field. It is not that women are incapable of perusing computer science, because there are a lot of really intelligent women that would do just fine in the degree, but there is a mold that needs to be broken. Women who are willing to face the clichés of computer science need to break the mold before women, in general, accept computer science as a viable field of study.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

PDA - Personality Detachment Assistant

I am currently an uncle eight and a half times over. The half is a niece on the way! The eight that have been born rage in age from the oldest, who is eight, to the youngest, who is only six months old. Each niece and nephew expands the joyfulness of my nuclear family. With each new addition, I realize what I never knew was missing and I never want my family to be without the newcomer again. It's their fun personalities that I appreciate the most, and each personality is so unique. Now, what does any of this have to do with a new survey about child media consumption? Well, a lot. The survey shows that children's daily media consumption is now, on average, 7 hours and 38 minutes. I want to make it clear that I'm not a child development expert, but I am capable of making observations. One related observation involves my nieces and nephews. I've noticed that the more time they spend by themselves in front of a screen, whether big or small, the more closed off they become. The more time that one of them spends consuming media, the greater the need to always be entertained. I've watch as one of my nephews has become remote to the rest of the family. His sentences have become shorter. He asks fewer questions. A growing desire to be in front of a screen has consumed parts of his life, leaving behind bits and fragments. Most affected is his personality. At times his personality seems turned off, though it's often replaced with fits about not being able to play a game. It's hard for me to watch the change. That part of his life that adds so much to the family is being replaced by alone time–looking into a windowed world. He's one out of 8 and a half and I want him back. I want him with his complete personality back. Daily media consumption, you'd better look out, because your 7 hours and 38 minutes are going down.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Not friends until Facebook friends

I recently became aquatinted with Kate. She and I met through the usual social functions of church meetings, dessert nights, and apartment marshmallow wars that surround student life at BYU. Our friendship has developed steadily over the past few weeks and I always look forward to our small talk. The other evening Kate and I were discussing odds and ends of current events. During the conversation our topic shifted to Facebook. We realized that neither of us knew if we had declared ourselves as friends on Facebook. Personally, whether or not our Facebook pages had declared reciprocating friendship was of little interest to me, but Kate seemed taken back. She promised me that once she arrived home, later that evening, she would check and make sure we were friends! I remember feeling an awkward void in that moment, that kind of distant feeling you get when you're talking with someone you know, but you cannot remember their name. Kate and I had come to the realization that our relationship had connected on a personal level but there was doubt where we stood on a technological level. I could not believe it. I was experiencing a sense of uncertainty due to a fictitious means of connecting with somebody electronically! To make a long matter short, Kate went home, made sure we were Facebook friends, and neither of us have discussed the issue further. I definitely do not remember reading in Facebook's "Terms of Use" about no longer being able to create full and meaningful relationships on my own once I signed up, but if there is such wording next time, I'm going to click "cancel" instead of "I agree."