Ethics, Technology & Public Policy

Ethics is a hot topic in technology. In the 80’s nerds were shoved into lockers. In the 90’s and 2000’s they were on the front page of Time. In the 2010’s, algorithmic bias and the negative effects of social media were starting to be felt and the nerds were now testifying in front of congress. Who knows how this decade will unfold as we’re witnessing a never-ending fountain of technological innovation and associated nebulous anxiety.

A Brave New Post-Open Source World

Understanding the history and artistry of algorithms reveals an interesting vantage point from which to explore the importance and implications of software systems and their associated movements.

Nadia Eghbal has penned a brief yet engaging history of open source and offers a glimpse into the future of what she calls the “Post-Open Source World.” The details reveal a captivating, frothy battle where tyrannical choices alter the adoption and success of budding technologies. A brave new world indeed.

Domain Snipin'

I’m a firm believer of substance over appellation but also believe that people tend to judge a book by its cover. Taken to its logical conclusion, the Apple Marketing Philosophy (as seen below) would dictate that every great product needs a great name.

Into the wilds of the web

Last year I released WikiMaze, a dungeon crawling trivia game powered by Wikipedia and based loosely on Encarta 95’s MindMaze. I’m quite happy with the result and owe many thanks to Ben Bronstein for the excellent illustrations. The only issue: all I could manage at the time of the game’s inception was a .ME domain. I contacted the owner of wikimaze.com multiple times but did not receive a response.

A Brief History of Hotspots

I do a lot of computing on the go. Be it trains, hackathons, hotels, or being stuck on the runway, internet connectivity is a requirement. I’ve tried a number of solutions throughout the years to stay connected. Long before the days of a “data plan” I was tethering my Dell Inspiron through a hacked Verizon KRZR K1M with a standalone GPS. It was a clunky simulacrum of the iPhone, but it worked (unfortunately, it would take another decade for that sort of technical prowess to be cool).

A Game of Fees

“Winter is coming.” – Eddard Stark, discussing his Comcast bill

Comcast is the worst. They suck. They support SOPA. They are political bullies. They cap their speeds. They are the worst company in America…but I got to have my cat photos.

While I scramble to find a less evil internet service provider in Oakland, I might as well save some $$$ on fees (Comcast’s bread and butter). These rules apply to internet (Xfinity) service but could very well apply to voice and television service as well (I suggest you stop watching TV and dump your landline but those are posts for another day).