There is no better time than to observe users in the wild than day one of a trade show. After setting up monitors and computers, techs must be around but not in the booth. If we’re lucky there are tables near the exhibit. During this time, I like to observe not just how users interface with machine and software but it’s also a time to reflect on what the agency and/or developer did with the software that powers those interactives.
Continue reading “Suggestions for the Event Software Developer”Author:
My First Code
My first bit of coding wasn’t a webpage or application but a laserdisc controller. The RA Gray IDC-02 was a small metal box about half the size of a standard book. I remember I was handed this device and told to re-engineer the functionality to an existing installation. I used Happ Control arcade style buttons connected to a button encoder which plugged into the IDC-02 via DB-25 connection. It was a hands on learning experience. I soldered a lot of RJ-11 to DB-25 serial cables making sure I got the pins correct in order to tell the Pioneer LDV-8000 Laserdisc player where to go.
Continue reading “My First Code”Back to the Future
I miss my family. It’s been nearly a week that I’ve been in Toronto. It has been the longest I’ve been away from our family since we’ve made that move from Brooklyn to the Bay Area. It feels like a time warp setting up LCD screens, computers, and moving cases from the aisle and making sure everything is working as planned. This is the work that I did back in the day before the consistent programming work. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get some cash but I also appreciate the chance to see the opportunity. If you haven’t had the chance to experience life on the road setting up trade shows, then it makes you look at going to various cities less as an adventure and more of a specialized job.
Continue reading “Back to the Future”Under Pressure or Slow & Low
When I break it down I work in a kitchen. It’s an ice cream production company, but when you take out the commercial ice cream machine and -30 degree freezer I cook and I clean. I spend a lot of time on the job and when it comes to getting dinner on the table I’m keen to using real tools that make my life a bit easier without sacrificing our family requirement of real honest food for dinner. I have two tools in my arsenal to combat the short time for our daily family time, our pressure cooker and slow cooker. Both devices convert time, energy, and ingredients into a tender and flavorful family meal with ease.
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