The pre-session reading materials provided a great overview into the internet, platforms, and methods which can be used to create blogs, such as WordPress. I know feel that I have a better understanding of Unix and WordPress and the creators intentions for creating the systems, I hope this deeper understanding helps me learn the WordPress program.
Timeline – It was interesting to see what people are expecting from technology. Personally, I feel that we have not seen anything yet. I have always felt that eventually our world will reach a Jetson era; I cannot wait to own a flying motorcycle and or a robotic made which does everything run errands, cleans, hair, nails, accounting, etc.
Rethinking Our Thinking presented different ways to look at programming. Who would have ever thought that selecting which line to stand in at the grocery store could be related to performance modeling, or that a decision to buy skies versus rent is a form of online Algorithm. If we could make everyday life connections to learn technology, engineering and math, it would be so much easier. A second item that stood out in the article was the section about commenting on your code. After going over it in class, I must say it is an amazing feature. It is like adding comments to a word documents and or PowerPoint love it!
WordPress Philosophy – The WordPress philosophy appeals to me as a user, one I do not have the desire to learn complex programming, but I do have the desire to communicate nutrition related information to the world. WordPress seems to have opened the doors for non-technical users to market products and/or information online in a cost-effective manner. I look forward to learning more about it.
UNIX Philosophy – The Basis of UNIX Philosophy article was a surprise to me. Working as a consultant for IT has provided opportunities to work with extremely talented Windows and UNIX specialists. Conversations about the complications which are encountered by UNIX developers suggest that they are not applying the philosophies outlined in the article. I believe the major challenge which has led them down the path of complexity is the lack of communication within teams and between business and IT. They seem to find it easier to write complex code that is challenging to understand and costly to maintain than reach out to others to understand what was done or how to effectively write the code. The only thing that comes to mind is job security and/or they see complex rules and codes as a challenge which leads to improved skills, but to in actuality it leads to systems which hard arduous to troubleshoot and costly to maintain.