Internet Addiction

As members of the LDS church, we are able to avoid a lot of the addictive behaviors that are available in the world. For example, we don't drink, don't look at pornography, don't gamble, don't smoke, and (many members) don't even drink soft drinks with caffeine. The other day I was talking to a friend of another faith about addictive behaviors; he plays poker on the Internet and was of the opinion that although some people ruin their lives gambling, it is possible to gamble responsibly. At first, the conversation didn't seem to apply to me; don't I avoid all additive behaviors altogether? However, upon further reflection, I realized that the answer is no. With the Internet, it is possible to get addicted and ruin our lives - without breaking any commandments. Responsible Internet usage is a must in today's society; it is important for all of us to recognize the danger and realize that we are not immune.

Software Engineering

There is not one "magic" formula for building good software because different types of projects require completely different software engineering strategies. For example, in a professional development setting, most requirements are known up front; the design and testing of the project can be driven by requirements. However, software development in a research lab is a completely different experience. Requirements might change every day as new discoveries are made and new questions considered. Finally, open source development is another breed of software where coding happens by hundreds or thousands of developers; it is a constant struggle for simplicity! In each type of software development, different software engineering principles apply, but the different strategies are fundamentally too different to all follow the same principles.

My take on copyright law

Growing up, I was always surprised when some of my friends would comment that a particular science class was dull or boring. I was always fascinated by what the teacher had to say and always wanted to take some time and really think about the implications of what they were saying. It was only later that I would realize that while some of my friends weren't fascinated by science, they were enthralled by things that I generally avoided, things like law, economics, or business. I am grateful to live in a world where we all can choose our own specialty. I can worry about science and discovery and someone else can worry about something dull, like copyright law. So, how can we build a software model to find out which micro-RNA's are involved in cancer?

Success for Computer Science Students in a Flat World

If you want to better understand the world that we are living in today, I would strongly recommend The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman. Friedman does a great job describing the modern world, identifying the important issues that we are facing, and presenting all the information about each issue – both the good and bad. One of many points that Friedman makes in this book is that in today's world to be marketable we need to have specialized skills, often that span previously separate disciplines. This point is especially relevant to students graduating with computer science degrees; we are moving into a world where just writing code will no longer be a top-of-the-line source of income.

One advantage of the flat world is that companies no longer have to rely primarily on local employees in order to build a viable business. Remote and off-site work allow companies to hire from places like China or India to get quality work for a much lower cost. We have already started to see this trend happening in the software engineering industry. There is an increasing number of companies moving their coding work to foreign engineers who will work for less money and fewer health benefits. This movement poses a problem for computer science graduates who want to write code for their living.

Fortunately, there is still a way for computer science majors to be highly marketable in a flat world. As simple coding jobs fall out of the market in the United States, employers will be looking for software engineers with a level of expertise in other subjects. Engineers who can not only write code, but also contribute in other ways, will be in high demand.

For example, bioinformatics is great field to go into right now. Just over the last few years there has been a great boom in biological related technologies. Biologists everywhere have recognized the need to use computers in their work. Computers are cheaper and often more efficient than many of the traditional techniques in biological science. However, there is a problem in that biologists and computer scientists do not speak the same language, nor do they have related areas of expertise. This is where bioinformaticians find their success in the market. Not only do they have a strong background in programming, they understand biology. Bioinformaticians are a hot commodity in the market because of their ability to collaborate between two very different groups of scientists.

Bioinformatics is just one example of a high skill job that is available for those who want to write code. As the lower-skill jobs disappear for computer science graduates, they will need further specialization in other areas in order to be competitive in a flat world.

Sports Broadcasts Go Online

This post is based off of the article from The Deseret Morning News

It used to be that only television networks decided what sporting events fans could watch. Months before a game was to take place, networks would purchase the rights to the games that seemed the most interesting to the local fan base. Those fans who wanted to view sporting events that were far away or generated little interest were out of luck. However, as more and more game broadcasts become available online, fans no longer have to hope that the major TV companies will decide to broadcast the game they want to see. Soon fans across the country (and the world) will be able to watch any game in any sport that they want to see.

Should women go into computing?

One interesting phenomenon in the technology world is that many people finish a degree in Computer Science and then go on for a career in Software Engineering. Although Software Engineering and Computer Science do have some things in common, there is a gap that must be crossed as a new employee makes the transition from the theory of the Computer Science degree to the practical applications of being a Software Engineer. Although the degree might have a different focus than the general career, the degree is invaluable and required for most Software Engineering jobs.

Similarly, there is no specific degree available to train women who have aspirations to raise children full time. Aspiring Software Engineers getting training through Computer Science; aspiring mothers should also get as much education they can. Whether the degree is in elementary education, mathematics, engineering, or history, the skills learned in that degree program will be invaluable when it comes to raising children in today's world.

It came to pass . . . and then what came next?

This post is in response to the following article from ESPN: Schools turning to technology for recruiting edge

One thing I love about college football is that it is not just about athletic ability; you have to be smart and creative to have a successful program. When LaVell Edwards took over BYU's football program in the 1970s, he inherited a program that had never been successful on the college football stage. Just 12 years later, Edwards led his team to an undefeated season and a national championship. Edward's success came from his creativity and ability to adapt to new situations and new schemes for recruiting and playing. College football is again going through a revolution. This revolution is not the switch to the passing game that LaVell led so long ago, but rather to the use and reliance on technology. Those who lead out with new innovative technologies will find themselves ahead as college football continues to change.

A Response to The Cuckoo's Egg

Recently, I read Cliff Stoll's book entitled The Cuckoo's Egg. This rather fascinating book relays Stoll's journey through computer wires and connections to finally track down a German spy. The book includes discussion on many topics, however, one theme stood out to me throughout the book: Stoll is an astronomer, not a computer scientist or an intelligence officer, yet it was he who tracked down the spy! As Stoll relates his experience of how he left his specialty of astronomy in order to chase a spy, he teaches the important principle of being willing to take advantage of new opportunities, even if those opportunities do not fall in line with one's area of expertise.

Although a bachelor's degree requires considerable time taking general education courses, the bulk of a college education is specialization. This is even more the case in graduate work. Stoll spent many years specializing to be an astronomer through his undergraduate and graduate work. The reception of a doctoral degree takes a considerable amount of effort; once someone has finished a PhD they are an expert in their field. After all the work that Stoll did to specialize in astronomy, it might seem that he should stay in the field and make a difference with his education.

However, Stoll did not stick with astronomy. As his career progressed, he found himself faced with an opportunity to track down a spy, something that was not even remotely related to his area of expertise. Not only did Stoll switch directions to try and accomplish something unrelated to anything he had been trained in, he also allowed himself to become an expert in spy hunting. From sleeping on the floor of the office to setting alarms and alerts at his own home, Stoll was fully invested in his new career track.

Through recounting his experience, Stoll teaches the importance of being willing to branch out and learn new skills. When Stoll became an expert in astronomy, he probably never supposed that one of his career accomplishments might come through spy hunting! However, when the opportunity came, Stoll was able to make a real difference in the world because of his willingness to learn new skills.

I am in school right now, and over the course of the next five years I will be doing what Stoll did: specializing in a field. It is a wise principle to learn, however, that perhaps my greatest contribution will not be through Bioinformatics. As my career progresses, I will need to branch out, learn new things, and succeed in each opportunity as it comes.

College Football on a Cell Phone

This post is a response to the article found at:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/mobile/192500510

Saturdays always have a way of getting too full. Up through high school, it was easy to completely clear out every Saturday afternoon to watch the BYU football game throughout the autumn season. However, as my responsibilities grow, I find watching every minute of every game increasingly difficult. I have missed a few games due to trips or other important events over the last few seasons. As much as it pains me to miss the games, there are things that are more important than football. Therefore, I look forward to the technology described by this article. When those important events take precedence over football, the agony of missing a game will be lightened; I will turn on my cell phone to get live updates, view current scores, and maybe even watch part of the game.

Moving Family History Work Forward

Extracting all the names from a census into a computer database involves thousands of human hours to verify each name found by OCR (character recognition) engines. The Generations Network has invested those hours to load not one but hundreds of censuses on the Internet. I was surprised to recently find out that there are programs in the Church that are duplicating this work. From an observer's standpoint, I wonder why Family Search should invest so many volunteer hours to do work that has already been done. It would seem that with cooperation instead of competition, those volunteer hours could be put to better use on other work that has not been finished.

Technology and the Church

My bishop recently pointed out that when Christ was on Earth, He did not have a desk or computer. Christ did His work among the people; He loved the people, served them, and came to know them. Although the Church continues to find new technologies and exploit them, the salvation of souls is still, and always will be, the purpose of the Church and our lives. It is important to not get so involved in new technology that we forget to go out among the people. Turn off the computer, put the cell phone away, and visit someone who needs a friend. Technology can help God's work will move forward as long as technology does not become God's work in the minds of the members.

Writing about Writing

The other day I came across a quote by Joseph Smith in the new church manual. On page 561, Joseph Smith is quoted to have said, “I seldom use the pen myself.” When I read that quote, my mind instantly jumped to one of my current classes where we are required to write a lot and to listen to long lectures about writing style. Many people in the Church would argue that Joseph Smith has had a greater influence in the world than anyone except for Jesus Christ. That the Mormon prophet could have such a great influence on this world without touching a pen and paper is indeed impressive; it makes one wonder if writing is really as important as some make it out to be. However, reading that quote in relation to my class has allowed me to ponder what I really feel about writing. I like writing, and I am not sure that I envy Joseph Smith’s position of dictating everything he wanted to be written. It is fun to sit at the keyboard and to see feelings clearly express themselves on the screen. I am grateful for the opportunity to write. I might not like writing for others to critique and grade, but I like writing to express, analyze, and record. Indeed, I plan to keep writing for another long, long time.

Technology Invades College Football

This post is a response to the following article:
http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/story.cfm/story/656629

Technology changes every area of our lives, including our favorite entertainment. In order to view the effect of technology on college football, one only has to look at the television during a game. When I began watching BYU football fifteen years ago, the entire television screen was devoted to the action; the only thing to watch was the game. Soon, however, things began to change. First, a score display chose to take permanent residence in the upper corner, and then the clock decided to reside there as well. If that wasn’t bad enough, it wasn’t long before scores and news about every sport in the country started to flash on the bottom of the screen throughout the game. What used to be a simple display of a football game has become a complex view of all manner of distracting displays! This article about Crowton's use of video games in Louisiana shows that college football viewers are not technology’s only victims. This article suggests that in order to be competitive, coaches will now have to use video game simulations to make sure that their players have experience against their opponents' defenses. Although fans can choose to hate the displays, they have to live with them until the next new technology allows them to personalize their television screen. Even then, players and coaches will probably see no relief; they will have to adapt to new technology just to stay competitive.

Small Post 1

Occasionally, I will find myself lying on my back and just looking at the ceiling. With my body relaxed, I have a chance to let my mind run over the more complicated issues that I encounter in life. Perhaps you have thought through many of these same questions: “How can I better let my wife know I love her? How can I raise a righteous family in today’s world? What is the best thing that I can do with my free time?” In today’s technology based society, some are tempted to think that we live in a new age that is different from all previous human experience. However, in those quiet moments, I ponder questions that have been asked throughout the ages. Even with the technology boom, we still contemplate the same fundamental issues.

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