Jeff Tyson: Internet Infrastructure
This was wildly informative. I’ve heard simple descriptions of how the internet functions, and I’m sure that Tyson has only scratched the surface here, but I think I got the basics now. It is fantastic to me to think that the magical, futuristic connectivity that spans the globe (and allows most of humanity to communicate almost instantly) can be reduces to cables underground or up in the air. All that data still hums through something similar to the telegraph wires that crossed our nation in the 1860s.
I also appreciate that it is the agreement between huge companies that allows this to function at all. I didn’t realize that the West had underhandedly exported the free market around the world. I guess the Google-in-China debate has layers I hadn’t thought of….
Dismantling Integrated Library Systems
Libraries have earned such a reputation for thrift (or stinginess, depending on your bent and motives) that vendors know they won’t be buying their best technology. Tech-developers have begun to hawk basic service platforms, so librarians won’t need to hack or jury-rig them. Librarians are the Cuban mechanics of software, apparently (Cuba is filled with old US or Soviet-bloc autos which keep running for decades longer than intended).
Sergey and Larry
If my employer (if it hadn’t just laid me off) would have given me 20% of my time to pursue my own projects, I would probably not have created anything worthwhile. But I would be roughly 20% happier at work….
I don’t know what to think about these two Smashing Young Men who have made my own goals and accomplishments look…unambitious. Okay: pathetic. Sergey and Larry basically just spent 20 minutes explaining how much cooler their company is than the company I would own if I could have been bothered to start one instead of teaching my kids how to ride their bike without training-wheels or developing a taste for pho.
Thanks, Google. Thanks a ton.
I loved, and agreed, with your comments. I guess we should thank our lecturer for guiding us to such great and interesting stuff.I too found the first article informative without feeling like I am in idiot tech-wise, the explanations were chewable and easy to swallow. Brinn and Page are really inspirational and funny too!
ReplyDeleteI agree that Tyson was only explaining the basics, but I too found it helpful as I usually just get confused and feel stupid about computer-y things. The internet is such an impressive thing! Thank you Al Gore ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd Andy, teaching your kids to ride their bike without training wheels is extremely important. Maybe your kids will become google-famous geniuses thanks to your teaching skills!
RE: Sergey and Larry
ReplyDeleteLike everyone, I am also impressed that Google workers are allowed to spend 20% of their time working on their own ideas and projects. I wonder if this idea would work in an archive or library - spending 20% of our time thinking up ideas and innovations to improve and transform archives and libraries.