The day between the weekend and Canada day, means that there are very few people in the office. Parking was a wide open choice, and the office environment is quiet except for the odd distant hacking of the compulsive throat clearer.
I'm making some good progress today. Some meetings to setup (done) and some new things to learn to push my research forward. In exploring SW topics it seems there are a wide range of approaches to accomplish something, and a big part of the job is employing intuition, based on chatter and discussion about which way has garnered the most support. What is likely to be around and gain strength in the coming years.
Thus I'm plodding along, adapting code from various sources to learn some techniques, employ them and move on to the next stage. The quiet of the office helps that, but I feel also some anxiety at being here rather than taking the day off.
I guess I also feel anxious about the success of my project and my general future. Though I'm optimistic and have toughed it out through poorly defined years in the past, one can't help but feel a bit of anxiety.
So head down and get back to the task at hand. Reading a 7 page code listing to figure out how some API works.
Researchinator turns his attention to the print out on his left.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Leisure Lead-in
It's a Friday leading into a period of mass vacation. Canada Day is July 1, a Tuesday, and so you have the skip Friday Brigade and the same folks will no doubt take off Monday and Tuesday everyone is out. Thus the balance of next week will be quiet too. Now, theoretically I should get a fair bit done. I was in fact going to take the afternoon off myself, but just remembered I have an after work beer to start to recruit other participants into my crazy ideas. So it begins.
I should think a bit about how I want to present the idea. Initially it is a share the vision thing. Then I need to define the task at hand I'd like him to take up... or at least plan out. Then an incremental implementation is in order. So that it can evolve under someone else's hand if necessary (ie first partner gets other role).
These are all challenges for later. For now, I would like to make some progress on my project. Yesterday was a bit of a wash. Though I learned a lot, I didn't really progress towards my goal, my proof-of-concept.
So I have a good 6 or 7 hours ahead of me. Lets see if I can break through this wall that sits before me now. It's proven to be a bit taller than it first appeared.
Researchinator hits "publish/post" and turns attention to the days challenges.
I should think a bit about how I want to present the idea. Initially it is a share the vision thing. Then I need to define the task at hand I'd like him to take up... or at least plan out. Then an incremental implementation is in order. So that it can evolve under someone else's hand if necessary (ie first partner gets other role).
These are all challenges for later. For now, I would like to make some progress on my project. Yesterday was a bit of a wash. Though I learned a lot, I didn't really progress towards my goal, my proof-of-concept.
So I have a good 6 or 7 hours ahead of me. Lets see if I can break through this wall that sits before me now. It's proven to be a bit taller than it first appeared.
Researchinator hits "publish/post" and turns attention to the days challenges.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
News and Collective Consciousness
Any branch of the technology world has learning curve challenges. In research particularly, it's always been the case that you are working on the edge. You can't get a book or a manual to help you through some of the stuff you are doing. Well, within reason. Actually, it usually starts out with a big range of options for getting going. So you start with a subject that you need to learn about, you get a book or a website and get your feet wet.
Gradually as you progress towards the element of the subject you wish to explore, you find yourself a member of a smaller and smaller peer group. Before you know it, it seems, it's you and a guy in Luxembourg and nobody else has expertise in the area.
Conferences, standards groups and professional associations are helpful - as frankly most research these days seems to be a situation where a few dozen other groups are exploring the same subject. The subject is typically in the research community's collective consciousness and several researcher are poking it with sticks trying to figure out what works.
The ancient usenet newsgroup system, continuing on as community discussion boards, provides a valuable element here. Or perhaps I should say invaluable. I think it was Vernor Vinge who pointed out that we may already be into a singular age now, in that many things would be impossible without that resource of newsgroups. Where no manuals or tutorials exist, we've been able to create this distributed thing to which previous pioneers have attached their brains, and as someone pushes into the space, they can interactively pose questions and get answers or suggestions. The synergies (don't we all hate that word) of the situation allow that guy to go a bit further, and when the next questions come from the next foray forward, he is able to provide some answers.
Thus we have this collective consciousness going - at least in certain academic pursuits. Internet, programming, networking, oceanography :)
There are enthusiasts hacking in all areas, including alternative energy and such. But as you get away from those core areas where newsgroups and community boards were always active, you become more and more a couple of guys with a garage or a basement workshop.
So this morning I am digging through questions on my project, trying to get some web technologies working for me. Unfortunately I've been learning more javascript than I'd like to. Even in it's Ajax incarnation, I'd rather it went away and let Python take over as the embedded scripting solution. I'm sure it will happen in the future.
In fact, having just installed Firefox 3, I wonder if there isn't already some support. What if I put a bit of python code in between some tags? Probably nothing yet - but mark my words :)
Researchinator returns to his project, lamenting the paltry number of hours in a day.
Gradually as you progress towards the element of the subject you wish to explore, you find yourself a member of a smaller and smaller peer group. Before you know it, it seems, it's you and a guy in Luxembourg and nobody else has expertise in the area.
Conferences, standards groups and professional associations are helpful - as frankly most research these days seems to be a situation where a few dozen other groups are exploring the same subject. The subject is typically in the research community's collective consciousness and several researcher are poking it with sticks trying to figure out what works.
The ancient usenet newsgroup system, continuing on as community discussion boards, provides a valuable element here. Or perhaps I should say invaluable. I think it was Vernor Vinge who pointed out that we may already be into a singular age now, in that many things would be impossible without that resource of newsgroups. Where no manuals or tutorials exist, we've been able to create this distributed thing to which previous pioneers have attached their brains, and as someone pushes into the space, they can interactively pose questions and get answers or suggestions. The synergies (don't we all hate that word) of the situation allow that guy to go a bit further, and when the next questions come from the next foray forward, he is able to provide some answers.
Thus we have this collective consciousness going - at least in certain academic pursuits. Internet, programming, networking, oceanography :)
There are enthusiasts hacking in all areas, including alternative energy and such. But as you get away from those core areas where newsgroups and community boards were always active, you become more and more a couple of guys with a garage or a basement workshop.
So this morning I am digging through questions on my project, trying to get some web technologies working for me. Unfortunately I've been learning more javascript than I'd like to. Even in it's Ajax incarnation, I'd rather it went away and let Python take over as the embedded scripting solution. I'm sure it will happen in the future.
In fact, having just installed Firefox 3, I wonder if there isn't already some support. What if I put a bit of python code in between some tags? Probably nothing yet - but mark my words :)
Researchinator returns to his project, lamenting the paltry number of hours in a day.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Mornings Almost Over
A good sign is when the morning has flown by without me getting onto my first posting... or perhaps that's a bad sign that I'm too wrapped up in stuff to do my distracto-post. This morning, a brief few emails, but my side-project was facing a major wall. Did I spout on that already? I see any development as series of walls that pop-up in front of you. Cliff faces that must be scaled, and the hand-holds (yes, a climber from way-back) are not always obvious.
This morning I had a sense of what those hand-holds might look like for my current challenge, and reading around managed to find a few of them. I'm about a third of the way up the wall now, and I can imagine that I'll get over this one.
Anyway, the walls-a-waiting.
Researchinator chalks-up and reaches for the next one.
This morning I had a sense of what those hand-holds might look like for my current challenge, and reading around managed to find a few of them. I'm about a third of the way up the wall now, and I can imagine that I'll get over this one.
Anyway, the walls-a-waiting.
Researchinator chalks-up and reaches for the next one.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Envy for the Losers
One might say that the political shenanigans left us with the short end of the stick. Our group in this large Oceanographic research corporation has been targeted to close, though the overall organization continues to go forward. As I continue to passively participate in the organization meetings as we move towards the end of our jobs, I get the sense that the 'victors' may well be envying the 'losers' soon. In fact, hearing the things that are going on, the most negative thing I can imagine just now is having the layoff cancelled and finding ourselves back in the group. Ugh - that would be depressing!
Some background. This research organization is composed of two older orgs. The "Open Oceans Institute" was a large, long lived institute that was spiraling into the ground. They rode on laurels of several decades past, and became top heavy. Their finances were in a mess, they were largely irrelevant, there were improprieties and their demise seemed a likely outcome. Along comes the "Underwater Research Organization" and buys out the OOI at a huge discount. Unfortunately politics kicks in and gradually OOI senior leadership ends up controlling some key positions in the company, and starts changing the former URO organizations to use OOI processes and work methods.
One might think - hmmm, OOI was crashing and/or burning before the rescue by URO. One might think that their methods and culture is the less attractive one to adopt. Thus, people leaving the combined organization, and seeing it from the outside could be justified in feeling relieved.
Hence, I'm happy to keep working away on my own activities towards our eventual disconnect from this train.
Some background. This research organization is composed of two older orgs. The "Open Oceans Institute" was a large, long lived institute that was spiraling into the ground. They rode on laurels of several decades past, and became top heavy. Their finances were in a mess, they were largely irrelevant, there were improprieties and their demise seemed a likely outcome. Along comes the "Underwater Research Organization" and buys out the OOI at a huge discount. Unfortunately politics kicks in and gradually OOI senior leadership ends up controlling some key positions in the company, and starts changing the former URO organizations to use OOI processes and work methods.
One might think - hmmm, OOI was crashing and/or burning before the rescue by URO. One might think that their methods and culture is the less attractive one to adopt. Thus, people leaving the combined organization, and seeing it from the outside could be justified in feeling relieved.
Hence, I'm happy to keep working away on my own activities towards our eventual disconnect from this train.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Rainy Monday
First rainy morning in a while, though for the past two weeks we have had rain every day. But it has been arriving at the end of the day with unusual precision. This morning it's a wet umbrella and damp toes to start the day.
The weekend was a good mix of relaxation and chores. I am really raring to go this morning though.
I haven't checked the email yet, but I'm eager to make progress with my project. Hopefully there isn't anything too surprising in there. I figure before the August Long weekend, I'd like to have a good rough first pass through the challenge. Steps after that? Build the nucleus of my team, approach funders and or partners. Perhaps start with strategic funders first, then go to VCs. Ideally, I'd avoid VCs and stick with other sources of capital. My concept has many exit strategies which makes it attractive.
Meanwhile the oceanographic world awaits, gating me to the start of my day. So I'll check my email, and get ready for the morning meeting, hopefully finding an exit soon so that I can get on to my day.
Researchinator tugs at his harness.
The weekend was a good mix of relaxation and chores. I am really raring to go this morning though.
I haven't checked the email yet, but I'm eager to make progress with my project. Hopefully there isn't anything too surprising in there. I figure before the August Long weekend, I'd like to have a good rough first pass through the challenge. Steps after that? Build the nucleus of my team, approach funders and or partners. Perhaps start with strategic funders first, then go to VCs. Ideally, I'd avoid VCs and stick with other sources of capital. My concept has many exit strategies which makes it attractive.
Meanwhile the oceanographic world awaits, gating me to the start of my day. So I'll check my email, and get ready for the morning meeting, hopefully finding an exit soon so that I can get on to my day.
Researchinator tugs at his harness.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
On the Impact of Physical Space
The adjustment of ones environment has a substantial impact on your feelings about your job. With the way the Oceanography world changes so rapidly, I've been in a dozen or so different work environments over my career - often with the same company, but moving from one department to a more interesting job in another. But also in several other companies. I have been in ancient, 1950's style offices in government offices, to dated 1970's orange and brown offices and I've worked through a multi-million dollar refit of my office space around me, and contributed to the changes. Beyond the decor, the people that populate the space I think are even more important.
I would break down my sense of space thusly, saying the overall experience of my environment is composed of 15% decor, 60% people, 10% HVAC, 5% location, 10% access to outdoor views.
Yeah, that seems about right. I tried to juggle the numbers a bit, but seem to have coalesced at that point. Wrapped up into the people number though are a few things. Important factors of people in a workplace environment (for me) are:
- work-related noise - I like a little bit, but someone who has conf-calls in the open office space or talks loudly is annoying
- non-work related noise. Personal/flirting conversations three desks down are very annoying.
- Smells: people who wear cologne, or that chick slathering on the cocoa-butter sunscreen 10 times a day was hell. Are people really that dumb?
- Annoying ticks - that's been the worst of it lately (before this desk shuffling). The guy with the glue-stick that he opens and clicks shut every 10 seconds was like water torture. The guy hacking up a lung every minute was insane. I can still hear him, but he's a good 10-15m away now, which is helpful, but not totally out of my life.
- All around obnoxious people - Mr. patronizing is pretty tough to listen to. He's about 8cubes away now. He speaks to people like he's a sunday-school teacher, and they are all slightly retarded, slightly deaf, six year olds. So it's loud, over enunciated, and condescending.
But I don't want to give the impression that having people around is all bad. Of all my workplaces for 25years, this one just happens to have the worst combo of abrasive behaviours. There are positives to having people around. Learning about and meeting other people is typically a joy. Work related chatter adds a feeling of activity and excitement. Even personal chatter is a positive thing within reason. People chat about their lives, interesting things they've seen. It lasts a few seconds or even several minutes and is not booming across the office. That's all good stuff.
So with the latest move of deck chairs on the titanic, I have some new neighbours, we'll see if their habits are worse or better than those who were around. I suspect they will have their challenges, but given the worst in class behaviours of those others I was near for the last year, I can't imagine I'd be on the extreme of the probability curve twice in a row.
-Researchinator turns his attention back to work, invigorated by change.
I would break down my sense of space thusly, saying the overall experience of my environment is composed of 15% decor, 60% people, 10% HVAC, 5% location, 10% access to outdoor views.
Yeah, that seems about right. I tried to juggle the numbers a bit, but seem to have coalesced at that point. Wrapped up into the people number though are a few things. Important factors of people in a workplace environment (for me) are:
- work-related noise - I like a little bit, but someone who has conf-calls in the open office space or talks loudly is annoying
- non-work related noise. Personal/flirting conversations three desks down are very annoying.
- Smells: people who wear cologne, or that chick slathering on the cocoa-butter sunscreen 10 times a day was hell. Are people really that dumb?
- Annoying ticks - that's been the worst of it lately (before this desk shuffling). The guy with the glue-stick that he opens and clicks shut every 10 seconds was like water torture. The guy hacking up a lung every minute was insane. I can still hear him, but he's a good 10-15m away now, which is helpful, but not totally out of my life.
- All around obnoxious people - Mr. patronizing is pretty tough to listen to. He's about 8cubes away now. He speaks to people like he's a sunday-school teacher, and they are all slightly retarded, slightly deaf, six year olds. So it's loud, over enunciated, and condescending.
But I don't want to give the impression that having people around is all bad. Of all my workplaces for 25years, this one just happens to have the worst combo of abrasive behaviours. There are positives to having people around. Learning about and meeting other people is typically a joy. Work related chatter adds a feeling of activity and excitement. Even personal chatter is a positive thing within reason. People chat about their lives, interesting things they've seen. It lasts a few seconds or even several minutes and is not booming across the office. That's all good stuff.
So with the latest move of deck chairs on the titanic, I have some new neighbours, we'll see if their habits are worse or better than those who were around. I suspect they will have their challenges, but given the worst in class behaviours of those others I was near for the last year, I can't imagine I'd be on the extreme of the probability curve twice in a row.
-Researchinator turns his attention back to work, invigorated by change.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Electrifying
It's a week of afternoon thunderstorms it appears. Great for viewing lightening action against dark clouds. More activity out there than in here, that's for sure. It's nice to bask in the sense of summer (I keep telling myself) given such a long, deep-snow winter.
My diversionary software project continues to progress as I discover the intricacies of Django. The movement of offices all around me is invigorating. It reminds me of one of those video effects where someone appears to sit calmly as all around them high speed movement takes place at 5x reality speed.
Various real work things continue to happen. University involvement moves ahead. I need to work to get one of my patents in the intricacies of oceanography filed before I go - hopefully well before so that I get associated, though minuscule rewards.
My SO is off on biz travel (sans me this time) for a couple of days, so I might experience some of that fuzzying between work and home life. I really want to see some progress in my django/web work so I can see that becoming a focus for a few days. If I can make a good dent in it I might line up some potential momentum behind my project which could turn into something real.
Perhaps I should plan a timeline for this thing - it seems I have about 3months of pseudo free time here. I should use my position of strength as a senior guy in a prestigious oceanographic institute to leverage my transition into a reasonably oceanographically related startup entity. So, I should be able to demo some of this capability in, say 6 weeks? I should also attempt to build a bit of a team around then too, although my previous experience in doing that was that it was tougher to move quickly when you have a team too early.
Well, lots to think about. The crux of the matter is that I should get down to making some demo stuff happen
-Researchinator exits full of enthusiasm
My diversionary software project continues to progress as I discover the intricacies of Django. The movement of offices all around me is invigorating. It reminds me of one of those video effects where someone appears to sit calmly as all around them high speed movement takes place at 5x reality speed.
Various real work things continue to happen. University involvement moves ahead. I need to work to get one of my patents in the intricacies of oceanography filed before I go - hopefully well before so that I get associated, though minuscule rewards.
My SO is off on biz travel (sans me this time) for a couple of days, so I might experience some of that fuzzying between work and home life. I really want to see some progress in my django/web work so I can see that becoming a focus for a few days. If I can make a good dent in it I might line up some potential momentum behind my project which could turn into something real.
Perhaps I should plan a timeline for this thing - it seems I have about 3months of pseudo free time here. I should use my position of strength as a senior guy in a prestigious oceanographic institute to leverage my transition into a reasonably oceanographically related startup entity. So, I should be able to demo some of this capability in, say 6 weeks? I should also attempt to build a bit of a team around then too, although my previous experience in doing that was that it was tougher to move quickly when you have a team too early.
Well, lots to think about. The crux of the matter is that I should get down to making some demo stuff happen
-Researchinator exits full of enthusiasm
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday on the Titanic
The activity is misleading. Office contents are being moved about eagerly as the development team that surrounded me for the past year is being shifted to the right, and my guys are being wrapped around my desk area.
I'm usually not much on having my team close to me physically, mostly because I know that they probably don't enjoy having their manager right over the divider. That's a bit too oppressive. Plus, it limits my ability to talk about sensitive topics that involve them. But such is the workplace here at this fine global Oceanography concern.
The weekend over, I'm facing getting back into my project. I'm struggling with a few database related challenges, but I'm sure I'll sort those out shortly. Also, my University interaction stuff requires significant attention at this point, as does patent related stuff. So hopefully that all comes together cleanly enough to let me make some significant progress as well.
So goes the day out in front of me.
- Researchinator exclaims 'iceberg dead ahead!'
I'm usually not much on having my team close to me physically, mostly because I know that they probably don't enjoy having their manager right over the divider. That's a bit too oppressive. Plus, it limits my ability to talk about sensitive topics that involve them. But such is the workplace here at this fine global Oceanography concern.
The weekend over, I'm facing getting back into my project. I'm struggling with a few database related challenges, but I'm sure I'll sort those out shortly. Also, my University interaction stuff requires significant attention at this point, as does patent related stuff. So hopefully that all comes together cleanly enough to let me make some significant progress as well.
So goes the day out in front of me.
- Researchinator exclaims 'iceberg dead ahead!'
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Remote Starter
Not starting the day in the usual place today - rather from the big poutine. A nice day here, cooler than it has been, and a good one for 'working remotely'. Mostly the day has been about food, and a little genealogical research - tracking down addresses on stanley street. It's all been re-numbered and the buildings between maissonneuve and Sherbrooke are all pretty much contemporary office space, so no sign of a former residence to be seen.
A nice break from the world of lame-duck oceanographic research, and a whole afternoon still ahead of me.
-Researchinator in the field
A nice break from the world of lame-duck oceanographic research, and a whole afternoon still ahead of me.
-Researchinator in the field
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
No Rubber Here
I guess we kind of know our fates - in one context anyway. We aren't going to be pushing the limits of oceanographic research from this particular organization anymore after Q3 - but may be elsewhere in Oceanography International Inc... though the researchy jobs are a bit scarce.
This long period before layoff is an interesting one in that it reminds me a bit of the Rubber Room situation in NYC schools. One of the craziest things I have ever come across relating to the working world. It is perpetrated, I suppose, by the rise of powerful unions, resulting in people who can't be fired. So they are put into a room and they have to stay there as if working for months, years even.
Even more surprising is that these are teachers, and rather than icons of knowledge and thoughtfulness, they behave like school yard bullies and dull witted semi-morons. They play cards, fight over who's folding chair is whose, and which corner is owned by which clique.
I would have wagered that if you take a bunch of highly trained educators and gave them months of time with no deliverables they'd be hammering out novels, text books, and planning lofty new organizations. Instead they bicker and threaten violence against each other if they take the wrong seat, then sit about play gin rummy.
So, I'm happy to say that my company has given us continued presence in our firm while we explore other options, but also that we are not letting the time go to waste. At least I'm not. And so back to my exploratory development work. There are crustaceans waiting for free, and self-directed classification research.
Researchinator returns to his knitting
This long period before layoff is an interesting one in that it reminds me a bit of the Rubber Room situation in NYC schools. One of the craziest things I have ever come across relating to the working world. It is perpetrated, I suppose, by the rise of powerful unions, resulting in people who can't be fired. So they are put into a room and they have to stay there as if working for months, years even.
Even more surprising is that these are teachers, and rather than icons of knowledge and thoughtfulness, they behave like school yard bullies and dull witted semi-morons. They play cards, fight over who's folding chair is whose, and which corner is owned by which clique.
I would have wagered that if you take a bunch of highly trained educators and gave them months of time with no deliverables they'd be hammering out novels, text books, and planning lofty new organizations. Instead they bicker and threaten violence against each other if they take the wrong seat, then sit about play gin rummy.
So, I'm happy to say that my company has given us continued presence in our firm while we explore other options, but also that we are not letting the time go to waste. At least I'm not. And so back to my exploratory development work. There are crustaceans waiting for free, and self-directed classification research.
Researchinator returns to his knitting
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Rare Afternoon Blog Event
Hey, it's not even morning, yet here I am.
I managed to get control of my blog - in spite of a crazy go-around with the blogger account management system. Each 'forgot my password' click seems to spawn several emails, all referring to a totally different blogger account, and each email referring me back to the page I was just at.
I finally managed to get a password reset to happen through another path, and set the password back to what I was sure I was using anyway. Boy - those are some problems.
Anyway I am again functional.
Had meetings to figure out how the exit from our Oceanographic Research company was going to work - sounds like a good package and path to exit. Meanwhile, we'll look for opportunities inside the company, hopefully involving a whole new set of slightly less dysfunctional politics. Barring that, the package is sounding pretty good.
A weird situation where my absence from the office has coincided with everyone wanting to talk to me. Though I've had no calls and few emails for weeks, I'm out of the office for a meeting for 3 hours this morning, and everyone calls, emails and drops by my desk. Crazy.
Tonight I'm going to a local event involving a cocktail schmooze before the start. A great opportunity to chat with random people and press the flesh. Who knows maybe an avenue to some new contacts.
Well, there's my celebratory mid-afternoon blog entry. Hope you weren't too consumed with worry given my late posting :)
Researchinator leaves the building...
I managed to get control of my blog - in spite of a crazy go-around with the blogger account management system. Each 'forgot my password' click seems to spawn several emails, all referring to a totally different blogger account, and each email referring me back to the page I was just at.
I finally managed to get a password reset to happen through another path, and set the password back to what I was sure I was using anyway. Boy - those are some problems.
Anyway I am again functional.
Had meetings to figure out how the exit from our Oceanographic Research company was going to work - sounds like a good package and path to exit. Meanwhile, we'll look for opportunities inside the company, hopefully involving a whole new set of slightly less dysfunctional politics. Barring that, the package is sounding pretty good.
A weird situation where my absence from the office has coincided with everyone wanting to talk to me. Though I've had no calls and few emails for weeks, I'm out of the office for a meeting for 3 hours this morning, and everyone calls, emails and drops by my desk. Crazy.
Tonight I'm going to a local event involving a cocktail schmooze before the start. A great opportunity to chat with random people and press the flesh. Who knows maybe an avenue to some new contacts.
Well, there's my celebratory mid-afternoon blog entry. Hope you weren't too consumed with worry given my late posting :)
Researchinator leaves the building...
Monday, June 9, 2008
Blogger is So Screwed Up
Blogger Seems to be ridiculously screwed up. I can't remember my password - luckily the cookies on this machine let me in. When I click the forgot my password link, it sends me a link to the "forgot your password" link I was just at - not a link to reset my password.
PLUS, it claims I am the owner of other blogs which my email address does not own. It is so messed up. I don't know how I'm going to reset my password. Hmmm, maybe I can do it from this magic cookie machine, but I'll bet it asks me for my password again before renewing, then I'm screwed. If you see this blog die suddenly, you'll know Google/Blogger is the culprit, not me.
Otherwise, off to another week, with a heatwave too. Saw some baseball yesterday. That was fun. Today it's hot, but might get out for a walk. This week is busy, with a trip to Montreal, several meetings and unsettled weather to make it all more challenging.
Anyway, lots to straighten up this morning, so I'd better get on to it.
PLUS, it claims I am the owner of other blogs which my email address does not own. It is so messed up. I don't know how I'm going to reset my password. Hmmm, maybe I can do it from this magic cookie machine, but I'll bet it asks me for my password again before renewing, then I'm screwed. If you see this blog die suddenly, you'll know Google/Blogger is the culprit, not me.
Otherwise, off to another week, with a heatwave too. Saw some baseball yesterday. That was fun. Today it's hot, but might get out for a walk. This week is busy, with a trip to Montreal, several meetings and unsettled weather to make it all more challenging.
Anyway, lots to straighten up this morning, so I'd better get on to it.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Friday and Summer
The real summer arrives today. Forget what I might have said earlier - we're creeping up to the 30degree range today and will sit there, with risks of late-afternoon thunderstorms as we get on those summer heat waves. We're even going to a baseball game on the weekend, so it's probably guaranteed to rain. Anyway, these all seem like summer activities, and I'm looking forward to that phase.
Lawn work as well - I went home a bit early yesterday to mow the insanely growing grass-weed hybrid thing that we call a lawn. I've got some serious tree/shrub trimming to do as well.
So I walk in from the parking lot today thinking about what I will do with my day. Largely these are free days now, as we work toward eventual extrication from the Oceanographic research world. Okay - Python. There I said it. I'm exploring some software things - Python, Django and all the like. I guess that's some more google-bait. But so far it looks pretty good. Vernor Vinge once mentioned that on our way to the singularity (man this paragraph is full of google bait), we are already living in a pseudo machine-intelligence world, in that the Internet is kind of a surrogate collective consciousness. That is very clear when you are dealing with research or technical topics in general. To decipher the means to become adept with a technology two decades ago would have involved finding the right book, which might not even exist. Then copious reading and rooting out roadblocks by isolated brute force. If lucky, you might have had a colleague who'd trodden that path before and could lend a hand, but more often than not you were on your own. Now I post a question to a usenet group. Okay, I guess we've been doing that for 15 years too, but still, it's a recent thing. Now the community is so large that we can get responses in minutes to hours.
This faceless/nameless throng who respond add to our ability to rapidly progress in an area and become adept.
Yesterday I was looking at some U Delft robot walking, and some Asimo walking technology in robotics. There are some pretty strong advances being made. I'm feeling lots of weird things when I look at two men point at a humanoid female robot and talk about what parts are right or not in the eye and mouth movements. How would we react if one of them slapped or punched the robot? Different than if someone slapped or punched their desktop computer? I think so. We will soon have to worry about discrimination and abuse of humanoid robots. Some will care others wont. With that we will begin to get at the root of racism. It's not the act - it's the intent that is offensive. The act is symptom of the greater ill.
Hopefully we sort all that out before they take over. :)
-Researchintor out!
Lawn work as well - I went home a bit early yesterday to mow the insanely growing grass-weed hybrid thing that we call a lawn. I've got some serious tree/shrub trimming to do as well.
So I walk in from the parking lot today thinking about what I will do with my day. Largely these are free days now, as we work toward eventual extrication from the Oceanographic research world. Okay - Python. There I said it. I'm exploring some software things - Python, Django and all the like. I guess that's some more google-bait. But so far it looks pretty good. Vernor Vinge once mentioned that on our way to the singularity (man this paragraph is full of google bait), we are already living in a pseudo machine-intelligence world, in that the Internet is kind of a surrogate collective consciousness. That is very clear when you are dealing with research or technical topics in general. To decipher the means to become adept with a technology two decades ago would have involved finding the right book, which might not even exist. Then copious reading and rooting out roadblocks by isolated brute force. If lucky, you might have had a colleague who'd trodden that path before and could lend a hand, but more often than not you were on your own. Now I post a question to a usenet group. Okay, I guess we've been doing that for 15 years too, but still, it's a recent thing. Now the community is so large that we can get responses in minutes to hours.
This faceless/nameless throng who respond add to our ability to rapidly progress in an area and become adept.
Yesterday I was looking at some U Delft robot walking, and some Asimo walking technology in robotics. There are some pretty strong advances being made. I'm feeling lots of weird things when I look at two men point at a humanoid female robot and talk about what parts are right or not in the eye and mouth movements. How would we react if one of them slapped or punched the robot? Different than if someone slapped or punched their desktop computer? I think so. We will soon have to worry about discrimination and abuse of humanoid robots. Some will care others wont. With that we will begin to get at the root of racism. It's not the act - it's the intent that is offensive. The act is symptom of the greater ill.
Hopefully we sort all that out before they take over. :)
-Researchintor out!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Wandering Around the Crossroads
Imagine walking along a path and it suddenly diverges into 4 or 5 directions. It seems that this is the spot I'm in now. My approach is to walk along each one for a few steps and swing back over to another and try it. Talk to a few people going either way along each path and get some info about the options. Of course, each path has a gate on it as well, and I'm not sure of the combo. :)
Okay, that analogy is getting weak. The problem with analogies is that while they help to visualize a situation in simpler terms, or from another perspective, they impose a set of constraints that are unlikely to be analogous to the original situation. One might say - well, you should check the strength of the gate on each path and maybe one of them will break. That one is the rusty gate and you shouldn't go that way because it clearly rains to much down that path.
In reality nothing is as simple as an analogy. In retrospect, seen from a year from now, it will turn out the solution was something like get a large dirigible, and float over the fences, get snagged in the trees and climb down, then wander around to find any path that you come across, and randomly pick a direction and follow that for a while.
And those are my thoughts on analogies for today. It would be interesting to track which analogies get hauled out most often. I'd guess the car analogy and the path analogy are the most common. Funny thing about the car analogy, is that people still use a Cadillac as part of the analogy a lot. My response to that is: "So one of the cars is a huge, rusty, unreliable boat with steering issues, and what was the other car again? Cause if it's anything Japanese, I'll go with that."
And it's true - I had a brand new Cadillac rental a few months ago - with 17k km on it, and it was already covered with small specks of rust penetrating the paint, and it had terrible handling problems in the snow.
So avoid the car analogies - or if you must use one, change the models around a bit, says the Researchinator!
Okay, that analogy is getting weak. The problem with analogies is that while they help to visualize a situation in simpler terms, or from another perspective, they impose a set of constraints that are unlikely to be analogous to the original situation. One might say - well, you should check the strength of the gate on each path and maybe one of them will break. That one is the rusty gate and you shouldn't go that way because it clearly rains to much down that path.
In reality nothing is as simple as an analogy. In retrospect, seen from a year from now, it will turn out the solution was something like get a large dirigible, and float over the fences, get snagged in the trees and climb down, then wander around to find any path that you come across, and randomly pick a direction and follow that for a while.
And those are my thoughts on analogies for today. It would be interesting to track which analogies get hauled out most often. I'd guess the car analogy and the path analogy are the most common. Funny thing about the car analogy, is that people still use a Cadillac as part of the analogy a lot. My response to that is: "So one of the cars is a huge, rusty, unreliable boat with steering issues, and what was the other car again? Cause if it's anything Japanese, I'll go with that."
And it's true - I had a brand new Cadillac rental a few months ago - with 17k km on it, and it was already covered with small specks of rust penetrating the paint, and it had terrible handling problems in the snow.
So avoid the car analogies - or if you must use one, change the models around a bit, says the Researchinator!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Travel Bug
An opportunity to visit Britain in July is getting me thinking of activities over there. It's been just over 6months since my last visit, so it's still in my recent thoughts. I'm trying to decide between renting a car, or not. There are a couple of days worth of activity I could enjoy for certain. I'd like to explore a few areas around Hampshire for kicks.
Meanwhile back here, I'm having a bit of trouble focussing on a consistent prize with my research. I can take it either of two directions - one with new venture opportunities, the other with merely academic interest.
I have some actual chores to do, so should look at them.
Meanwhile back here, I'm having a bit of trouble focussing on a consistent prize with my research. I can take it either of two directions - one with new venture opportunities, the other with merely academic interest.
I have some actual chores to do, so should look at them.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Back up to Speed
Well it was a slow and painful day on the network yesterday. I thought it was just our connection to the outside world, but I was getting time-out pages with destination browsing so there were latencies in the service networks it appears as well, though the internet traffic report website wasn't reporting much of an issue, so who knows. Looks like things are back in shape this morning regardless.
I need to coordinate some handoff attempts with my research partners, in spite of my low enthusiasm for that activity. It seems futile, but what the heck. Still working on job search related activities in my spare time as well, but for now I'm enjoying the oceanographic corporation facilities for some independent research not tied to corporate deliverables. It's a good time to learn some stuff and see where it takes me.
Grey and cloudy today, with rain here and there, but estimates of hot weather by the weekend. Our first, really of the year, and we're almost half way through. Strange year.
I see a few people moving offices around - it seems almost literally like moving deck chairs on the titanic. I guess people will make the most of their situation hoping for the best - a good thing probably.
I'm starting to run out of everything. My desk is devoid of snacks, and my tea supply is getting low. My kleenex box is going to need replacing, and my stash of emergency breakfast porridge is empty now. Still about 8wks minimum in the office, so I may well have to re-stock though.
Anyway there are a few emails to clean up, so lets launch the day. I'm also thinking I'll buy some tickets to London today, and take a week off in July.
-Researchinator
I need to coordinate some handoff attempts with my research partners, in spite of my low enthusiasm for that activity. It seems futile, but what the heck. Still working on job search related activities in my spare time as well, but for now I'm enjoying the oceanographic corporation facilities for some independent research not tied to corporate deliverables. It's a good time to learn some stuff and see where it takes me.
Grey and cloudy today, with rain here and there, but estimates of hot weather by the weekend. Our first, really of the year, and we're almost half way through. Strange year.
I see a few people moving offices around - it seems almost literally like moving deck chairs on the titanic. I guess people will make the most of their situation hoping for the best - a good thing probably.
I'm starting to run out of everything. My desk is devoid of snacks, and my tea supply is getting low. My kleenex box is going to need replacing, and my stash of emergency breakfast porridge is empty now. Still about 8wks minimum in the office, so I may well have to re-stock though.
Anyway there are a few emails to clean up, so lets launch the day. I'm also thinking I'll buy some tickets to London today, and take a week off in July.
-Researchinator
Monday, June 2, 2008
A New Week
It's tough not to be optimistic on a Monday morning I find. I know, I know, Mondays for many people are depressing. It's kind of nice showing up to work though with the whole week in front of you and plenty of spare time for exploring some interesting things. I guess that's why I like the technology world. Technology of oceanography that is, of course. And research is good that way too... although the energy sapping connections to academia are sometimes an issue. Research there seems to be doomed to isolation, whereas corporate research seems like it has a fighting chance to break out into the wonderful world of revenue generation... unless you're in the Ivory Tower area of our research organization...who shall go nameless... then you may as well be in academia.
I was worried that blogger would be dead this morning - it was super slow to respond and let me in, and publishing is failing. Are there that many bloggers that get down some sentences on a Monday morning? It took a few tries, but have managed to get connected. The autosave is failing constantly too though - and I see Google screens of failure come up too, so I know the issue is there, not in my bastion of connectedness.
And now for my Google bait-words of the day, and a brief pithy comment thereupon:
The Fermi Paradox is not a paradox at all, but rather a conjecture or hypothesis. I don't know if the "Fermi Paradox" is a widely used phrase, but I came across it on the weekend while browsing some info on good ol' Enrico, and thought it woefully misnamed.
I was worried that blogger would be dead this morning - it was super slow to respond and let me in, and publishing is failing. Are there that many bloggers that get down some sentences on a Monday morning? It took a few tries, but have managed to get connected. The autosave is failing constantly too though - and I see Google screens of failure come up too, so I know the issue is there, not in my bastion of connectedness.
And now for my Google bait-words of the day, and a brief pithy comment thereupon:
The Fermi Paradox is not a paradox at all, but rather a conjecture or hypothesis. I don't know if the "Fermi Paradox" is a widely used phrase, but I came across it on the weekend while browsing some info on good ol' Enrico, and thought it woefully misnamed.
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