Google just announced that they have a new version of Googles Apps available: Google Apps Team Edition. While standard edition of Google Apps needs to be hosted by some domain, usually under whatever company's using it, the new Team Edition allows people to use it just with their corporate email address. This means that the company's IT department doesn't need to approve the system first before people can use it.
I see what you did there (and now for a picture of a cat).
Arguably, Google is trying let the employees of a company migrate over to the Team Edition first, then because the IT department wants control, make the company subscribe to the standard Google Apps service. It's kind of like starting a revolution when you can't become join the government; it will create such a big (and uncontrollable) situation for the governing body that they have to listen to you. In this case, the users become so accustomed to Google Apps that the company has no choice but to subscribe to get control.
This is not a bad strategy, but I'm wondering if this counts as a form of the "embrace, extend, extinguish" strategy that Microsoft has been using for the past decade. Although Google is not targeting a standard, the process of entering ("embracing" a company's culture), extending (how employees work), and extinguishing (the company's choice in the matter).
Does this seem like a sound analogy to anyone besides me?
Early Computer Animation
Unknown, 2008-02-06
I just came back from a art cinema thing, where they showcased some early (pre-1970) computer animation. It wasn't as interesting as I thought it would be, but I did have thoughts about that. First, that visualization didn't really develop much in the past 50 years. Second, that distortion of a 2D image can make it seem as though it's 3D and rotating. Finally, I encourage everyone to check out Larry Cuba's Calculated Movements. It would make a pretty cool screen saver.
Pranks
Unknown,
Two pranks I thought of in the past week.
1. Build a set of double doors, which swings open in the center. However, in the center there is actually a pole, but it should be really hard to spot. Have the push plates on the door meet at the center, separated by a thin slit which goes through the entire center pole. This will give the illusion that there's nothing between the doors... and when people try to walk through they'll smack themselves nicely on the pole.
2. Another door trick. Put a piece of glass behind a set of automatic glass doors. People'll do the rest.
:D
1. Build a set of double doors, which swings open in the center. However, in the center there is actually a pole, but it should be really hard to spot. Have the push plates on the door meet at the center, separated by a thin slit which goes through the entire center pole. This will give the illusion that there's nothing between the doors... and when people try to walk through they'll smack themselves nicely on the pole.
2. Another door trick. Put a piece of glass behind a set of automatic glass doors. People'll do the rest.
:D
Digital Object Permanence
Unknown, 2008-02-04
Of my four classes and research, philosophy and HCI makes me think the hardest. And as someone who likes to minimize the work they do, I often just translate those thoughts into posts.
Last week, discussion during the class suggested that people think of paper as a more permanent storage option than magnetic disks. If a document or a book is in paper, it is tangible, whereas it seems much easier for the book to disappear if it's just stored in cyberspace. Of course, people lose pieces of paper all the time, but at least while they have it it's touchable. It was also suggested that people need to get used to the notion of digital storage, that the document or book will still be there when the user turns on the computer again, and won't simply disappear for no reason.
Phrased that way, the problem reminded me of the concept of object permanence. Originally used to describe a concept learned by infants as early as 8 months old, it seems that adults will have the learn the concept all over again when they familiarize themselves with digital technology.
I think part of the problem is that the older generation have not had as much experience with technology and digital equipment. It seems to me that my generation, a generation which has grown up on computers and iPods and various other digital gadgetry, have no problems with the concept. In fact, if a file mysteriously disappears on people's hard disk, they would a lot more surprised than if the file remained where the user last "saw" it.
Of course, at a certain level the concept is the same: what is real remains real over time, if nothing happens to it. This applies to balls that you hide with your body, to paper stored in filing cabinets, to tiny electrons in the hard disk of your computer. Besides familiarity and experience with digital technology, another problem would be that the general population is simply not as educated about how hard disks work. Because the method of storage is imperceptibly small, people lose their sense of object permanence.
All that being said, I don't think paper can be completely replaced by technology... yet.
Last week, discussion during the class suggested that people think of paper as a more permanent storage option than magnetic disks. If a document or a book is in paper, it is tangible, whereas it seems much easier for the book to disappear if it's just stored in cyberspace. Of course, people lose pieces of paper all the time, but at least while they have it it's touchable. It was also suggested that people need to get used to the notion of digital storage, that the document or book will still be there when the user turns on the computer again, and won't simply disappear for no reason.
Phrased that way, the problem reminded me of the concept of object permanence. Originally used to describe a concept learned by infants as early as 8 months old, it seems that adults will have the learn the concept all over again when they familiarize themselves with digital technology.
I think part of the problem is that the older generation have not had as much experience with technology and digital equipment. It seems to me that my generation, a generation which has grown up on computers and iPods and various other digital gadgetry, have no problems with the concept. In fact, if a file mysteriously disappears on people's hard disk, they would a lot more surprised than if the file remained where the user last "saw" it.
Of course, at a certain level the concept is the same: what is real remains real over time, if nothing happens to it. This applies to balls that you hide with your body, to paper stored in filing cabinets, to tiny electrons in the hard disk of your computer. Besides familiarity and experience with digital technology, another problem would be that the general population is simply not as educated about how hard disks work. Because the method of storage is imperceptibly small, people lose their sense of object permanence.
All that being said, I don't think paper can be completely replaced by technology... yet.
Week of 2008-01-28 (and 2008-01-21)
Unknown, 2008-02-03
It has been a pretty busy two weeks. I'm not sure if I'll have so much fun (and so much stress!) again this quarter. I...
- finally got the registrar to add me to my design class, which I have in fact been working my ass off. Which is why I can't sit up straight right now.
- finished the first "real" version of my resume, and wrote my first cover letter.
- ...and sent it off to CTY! *fingers crossed*
- went ice skating, which I haven't done for a really long time, probably since high school. After that we went to a really nice cafe/chocolatier to escape the winter cold.
- coded up a redesign of Doodle for HCI. I really like the redesign; I think it not only looks nicer, but offers more information at a glance as well. Oh, and the major selling point, the ability to drag on the checkboxes to select multiple times at once. Very useful.
- went to the swimming pool twice, again something I haven't done in a really long while. It wasn't for swimming though, but to test our pipe-bombing-looking bubble makers.
- had another adventure at another ice rink with broomball. I think wearing hiking boots makes it easier in a way I can't explain, since I slipped a lot more and fell once, which is once more than I did last time. I'm also wearing down more expensive shoes (I think).
Focusing Habits
Unknown,
I had the opportunity to watch people work in the past few days (as I am wont to do), and noticed that a number of them like to stick out their tongue while working. Not stick out their tongue to make a silly face, but just keeping the tip of their tongue between their lips.
I'm really curious why people do that. I'm pretty sure it's unconscious, but there should be a biological/neurological reason for people to do so.
Of course, my own focusing habits are nothing to be proud of: I often drool when I'm concentrating really hard on something. I think it's because I'm so focused that my jaw muscles become slack, and saliva builds up to overflow.
Eheheh, I probably shouldn't have told you that.
I'm really curious why people do that. I'm pretty sure it's unconscious, but there should be a biological/neurological reason for people to do so.
Of course, my own focusing habits are nothing to be proud of: I often drool when I'm concentrating really hard on something. I think it's because I'm so focused that my jaw muscles become slack, and saliva builds up to overflow.
Eheheh, I probably shouldn't have told you that.
Egyptian Heaven
Unknown, 2008-02-01
I just finished watching The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Interested readers can check out the Wikpedia page; although the ending is revealed, I don't think it will ruin the movie experience. It's one of the "it's the journey" things.
I particularly liked the part on the pyramid when Freeman's character tells Nicholson's character about Egyptian heaven. He said that in the myth in Egypt is that when you die, you are admitted to heaven based on your answers to two questions: "Have you had joy in your life?" and "Has your life given joy to others?" It's incorrectness aside (I was under the impression that Anubis weighed your soul against a feather... heart, according to Wikipedia), I actually quited liked the two questions.
Have I had joy in my life? Yes! I enjoy life very much. I cannot say anything about having the most joy, or if I will still be joyful when I'm looking death in the face, but I have definitely lived a pretty good life so far.
Has my life given joy to others? Nicholson's character had initially tried to dodge this question, telling Freeman's character not to ask him, but ask them. However, I think part of the power of this question is how its forcing you to be introspective. My life? As an optimistic and slightly narcissistic person, I would say yes. At least, I hope so. I have made people laugh, not like "solved world hunger" or "cured cancer", but mostly small things. I certainly enjoy small jokes and short quiet moments a lot. I wish I could share that joy.
I particularly liked the part on the pyramid when Freeman's character tells Nicholson's character about Egyptian heaven. He said that in the myth in Egypt is that when you die, you are admitted to heaven based on your answers to two questions: "Have you had joy in your life?" and "Has your life given joy to others?" It's incorrectness aside (I was under the impression that Anubis weighed your soul against a feather... heart, according to Wikipedia), I actually quited liked the two questions.
Have I had joy in my life? Yes! I enjoy life very much. I cannot say anything about having the most joy, or if I will still be joyful when I'm looking death in the face, but I have definitely lived a pretty good life so far.
Has my life given joy to others? Nicholson's character had initially tried to dodge this question, telling Freeman's character not to ask him, but ask them. However, I think part of the power of this question is how its forcing you to be introspective. My life? As an optimistic and slightly narcissistic person, I would say yes. At least, I hope so. I have made people laugh, not like "solved world hunger" or "cured cancer", but mostly small things. I certainly enjoy small jokes and short quiet moments a lot. I wish I could share that joy.
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