The R-Squared Method

The Future of the Office

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 10:30:00 +0000

In a recent article with the same title, futurist Glen Hiemstra argues that in the next ten years, offices will not change significantly. He goes on to say that most likely, offices will become far more internally mobile as workers continue to shift from desktop computers to laptops and tablets.

I do not entirely disagree. I think Hiemstra is committing a common error of most futurists which is known as Today But Moreso. In short, predictions typically will look identical to the current environment, but will exaggerate one element to make it appear futuristic. In his case, he's adding more mobility within the office.

As I said, I don't disagree. This will happen, because it is already happening. More and more of my customers are abandoning traditional desktop computers in favor of mobile computing platforms for their personnel. This shift has enabled greater mobility within the work space, as employees gather in ad hoc working groups which regularly adapt to needs of the moment. Cross functional teams, once a hard fought goal of forward thinking corporate managers, have become commonplace as personnel find the resources to solve the problems with minimal management interference.

Where Hiemstra falls short is his failure to include a variety of technologies which will begin to impact the corporate enterprise within the next few years, by which I mean robotics, machine learning, and all the rest of those automatons that will change how we work and live. How will simple, cheap delivery bots change the office environment? How will AI enhance the power of cross functional teams?

Those are the questions a futurist should examine. Luckily, I am not a futurist so I just get to pose the questions, without giving answers. Well, at least not giving them away for free online.

To learn more about how the future will impact your business, contact me today.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Don't Blame the Tool

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 13:30:00 +0000

A few months ago, I discussed Kranzberg's Laws of Technology which got me thinking more on the First Law:

Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral.

It's a fascinating statement and worth deeper discussion.

First, let's change the word "technology" to "tools." I find that it is helpful since, to paraphrase Alan Kay, people think is technology anything invented after they were born. That's a very limited viewpoint for such a broad subject. Ergo, Tools are neither good nor bad; nor are they neutral.

At the heart of this argument is the assertion that tools have no morality, they are neither good nor bad, but it certainly has a purpose (not neutral).

The purpose of any tool must always be examined when devising any rules around it's application. You can use a defibrillator to save a life or to kill. You can use a gun to hunt or to murder. The tool itself is free of morality. However, some tools have no purpose other than to propagate immorality. A computer virus is a great example. It is an tool that only has immoral use, regardless if the target is my mother's computer or Iranian centrifuges.

Because a tool is misused isn't enough cause to abandon the tool. Just because a computer virus is only used for immoral purposes, the virtuous side is that it has created a whole industry for digital security and has forced software developers to write better, more secure code. Can you imagine throwing away all the computers because you got a virus once?

When you examine a new tool for your business, keep all of Kranzberg's Laws in mind, but especially the First Law. You need to fully appreciate how this tool will impact your business and why.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Technological Unemployment & the Future of Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 13:30:00 +0000

As more jobs are lost to technology, a new series of "pain points" will emerge that cannot easily be solved by machines. These pain points are the future careers that humans workers will fill. Sadly, there is an enormous delay between the loss of a career and the discovery of a pain point that only a human can fill.

Despite all the political arguments, taxes have little bearing on employment. I have never met an entrepreneur who cried that if only his taxes were a little lower, he could afford to hire. Its a silly argument. The reality is that businesses hire people to solve problems -- to alleviate a pain point. The moment that pain point no longer exists, so too does the job vanish. It is the nature of industry and work.

The simplest example of a major pain point that led to significant new job creation is federal legislation or regulation, like Sarbanes-Oxley or Dodd-Frank. In these cases, the federal government introduced a host of regulations which included the threat of significant pain for non-compliance. As such, the industries in question hired people to alleviate those pain points.

Before my Conservative friends start sending me nasty emails, let me say I am not in favor of heavy handed federal regulations as a means to create jobs. Quite to the contrary. I am simple listing this as an example of how corporate pain creates jobs.

In the absence of immediate pain, the reason it takes time is because pain points tend to emerge gradually. At first it starts as an individual, minor nuisance. Over time, those individual nuisances accumulate until they blossom into a full blown pain in the corporate ass. That's usually the moment when someone in a position of authority decides to hire ANYONE to take care of that nuisance. If enough of that kind of pain is felt throughout an industry, then a new career is born. If it gets to be a big enough career, eventually, they'll even teach classes about it in universities all over the world.

As robotics, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing approach ubiquity, we will start to see more pain points emerging. I predict that many of those pain points will emerge at the intersections of those technologies and their interaction with humans. Aside from the obvious technician to service your 3D printing robot, we will see other careers emerge which, today, seem to be the stuff of science fiction. That's OK. You'll be able to talk it over with your AI Human Resources Therapist.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Kranzberg's Laws of Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 13:30:00 +0000

Melvin Kranzberg (1917-1995) was a really smart guy. He earned his PhD from Harvard and was a professor at Georgia Tech. He also served in George Patton's army during World War II, so he had to be tough too. I respect smart, tough people so I pay attention to their ideas. He studied how technology and culture shape each other, which led him to some impressive insights.

Kranzberg is best known for his six Laws of Technology which state:

Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral.

Invention is the mother of necessity.

Technology comes in packages, big and small.

Although technology might be a prime element in many public issues, nontechnical factors take precedence in technology-policy decisions.

All history is relevant, but the history of technology is the most relevant.

Technology is a very human activity - and so is the history of technology.

At the heart of Kranzberg's laws is the simple understanding that humans are tool making animals. It understands that there is a coevolution between human kind and the tools we build.

In any conversation about the development of a new technology, keep a copy of these rules nearby. Whenever I meet with entrepreneurs who want to enlist me in their new tech business venture, I always pull up a copy of Kranzberg's Laws. It helps me to frame the potential of the invention, and to look for the unintended consequences. I try to see beyond the immediate profit potential of the idea, and look to how culture and technology will interact to propel, or hinder, the business idea. It is surprisingly useful.

Click for a deeper analysis of Krazberg's Laws.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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SMB Tech Mistakes - I Can Squeeze Another Year Out of These Old Computers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 13:30:00 +0000

I'm certain my long silence on this blog has left many of you in terrible grief. Let's just say it has been a year of spectacular challenges that have left me with no time for anything but the necessities. I'm not alone in saying that I will be happy to see the end of 2016. Also, I want to start writing again, but no promises about publishing schedules. Onward...

Now that that is out of the way, allow me to vent a recurring frustration...the need for regular, planned IT upgrades. Otherwise known as "I Can Squeeze Another Year Out of These Old Computers." Allow me to cut to the chase: it's stupid thinking.

I get that the economy has been tough for many small businesses. I understand that cash flow problems are forcing budget cuts, and all the other bean counter excuses which fly around during budget meetings. Trust me. As a small business owner, I have learned to pinch a penny until old Abe Lincoln screams, but you just can't run your business without computers! And a broken computer is as good as no computer at all.

Old computers are absolute business liabilities! They're slow, buggy, cranky, and downright bitchy. They sap worker productivity to the point where you're basically throwing away their salaries. They consume more electricity than newer models. They require more time, attention, and hard-to-find (AKA expensive!) spare parts from your IT personnel. Old computers are costing you more money than you think!

Then there's the nightmare of a server failure. One client was out of business for a week because of a total failure of an old server. The downtime was caused by having to order a new server (made more expensive because we had to rush the shipping, which still took 3 business days), then we spent two days restoring the backups onto the new machine. Why? Because they refused to replace a 7 year old server even after I warned them it was heading towards a failure. I estimate that, because they didn't want to spend $10,000 for a new server when I asked them to originally, they ended up losing about $350,000 in lost productivity and business for the entire week they were down, and they still had to buy the new server. That's just a dumb business move.

Or the other client that refused to replace a 15 year old laser printer. The printer was so old it still used the old LPT port interface, which no modern computer even carries anymore. To make the antique printer work, they ordered an LPT to USB converter, which should have been fine, in theory. In reality, the converter blew out the motherboards on two separate computers because of some kind of bad power regulation. The converter manufacturer refused to accept responsibility, so everyone is waiting on the results of that lawsuit. However, my client lost two computers in one day which hurt their productivity, forced them to replace both computers, and they ended up buying a new USB laser printer. Because they didn't want to spend $200 on a new laser printer, they ended up spending $2,500 on new computers, plus whatever the lawyers will cost them.

Don't get caught in the same trap! Old machines need to be retired before they hurt your business. All it takes is planning ahead and smart budgetting. There are times to be prudent and cautious, but not at the expense of your operations! In the 21st Century, computers are integral business tools. Don't risk your business on old computers. It's really not worth it.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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How Technology Changes Us

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 13:40:00 +0000

Every major technological advance exerts a biological change on humanity. In truth, the things we create, reshape us. Today we hear the frightening statistics on declining attention spans, expanding waistlines and shouts that the Internet makes people stupid. But this is nothing new. Each major technological advance has remade humanity. From our cultures to our biology, as we reshape our technology, we exert evolutionary pressures on ourselves.

One million years ago, the earliest humans napped stones to make hand axes. These axes made our ancestors much more effective meat eaters. It also increased caloric intake which allowed us to develop larger brains. Oddly enough, new research shows a connection between the parts of the brain involved in napping stones and the speech centers of the brain. It could be the simple act of banging rocks together (with incredible patience and precision!) is responsible for human speech.

Forty thousand years ago, humans started creating art. All over the world, Ice Age humans painted representations of animals and hunters on cave walls. Art was the moment where our species realized we could create representations of things that exist in the real world. We could capture a moment in time by using pictures. This small step opens the door to writing and math. The fact you are reading this is proof that those were significant advances.

Ten thousand years ago, our ancestors figured out farming and animal husbandry. This let them abandon their previous nomadic existence and let them settle down. This gave them more reliable sources of calories and, for the first time in history, created times of surplus. This freed up some of the society to specialize in tasks that would be useful. This change led to population growth which led to towns. Over time, towns grew into cities, and formal governments were born. This led to organized societies better able to manage resources and protect the citizenry. Which led to stability, which encouraged commerce, which increased wealth. You get the idea.

But the Agricultural Revolution had negative physical effects on our Neolithic ancestors. Because human diet and lifestyle changed, we know from archeological evidence that human height actually declined. When people started living off the land, they shrunk. To add insult to injury, it also shortened their lifespans too. Hunter-gatherers could live into their 30's, while Neolithic folks rarely made it to 20.

This is clear evidence of how our technologies change us. In the early stages, they cause us physical harm. It makes us shorter, dumber and we die younger; but only for a short span of evolutionary time! By the time of Ancient Rome, if you survived childhood, you had a fair chance of living into your 40's. The negatives were eventually overcome through a combination of new technologies (plumbing, hygiene, diverse diet) and human adaptation. In some ways the discovery of agriculture was a step backwards that allowed us to take several more steps forward.

The Digital Age is reshaping what it means to be human. Right now we are in the process of re-inventing humanity for this new technological age. As the discoveries of the Digital Age roll out in all their splendor, our species is being reshaped by new environmental pressures which will select for certain attributes. We will adapt, mentally and physically, to the new digital environments we craft. At first, it will have negative effects but, given time, those negatives will be surpassed. As a species, we will have to take a step backwards so we can leap into the future.

Want to know more about the leap into the future? R-Squared Computing can help you prepare for tomorrow. 305-423-9574

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Anonymous vs. ISIS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 13:00:00 +0000

After the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, the cyber terrorist organization, Anonymous declared war on ISIS and all other terrorist organizations. They have pledge to disrupt terrorist websites and social media accounts. I applaud their efforts. Remember, the Boston Marathon bombers were first radicalized online. Someone needs to stop the spread of that poison. I applaud Anonymous for taking this on and I hope it consumes all their energy.

Personally, I like Anonymous. I agree they are a terrorist organization who can cause genuine harm, but usually don't. Many people have commented how they only really cause inconvenience by shutting down websites for a little while before declaring victory and running off to the next idealistic movement of the moment. And there is nothing I can say to negate those realities.

However, I love what they represent. Anonymous is the collective voice of the super-geek who believes in many of the same things I do. As such, they will always have a special place in my heart because they have the courage to fight back.

They are also that thread of juvenile delinquency that I find so lacking in modern youth. In typical childish manner, they make boastful threats and grandiose claims. They make their political statements loud and clear then make some poor IT department miserable for a week to ten days. They accomplish little, but are heard by millions.

Their targets and behavior prove that Anonymous overwhelmingly consists of angst-ridden teenagers. Good! Kids should be morons and jerks. They should be angry and they should fight. That is perfectly normal. I worry about the teenagers that aren't jerks. I'm convinced they're adolescent serial killer sociopaths, or something.

But, these Anonymous kids are non-violent. No one has died because of Anonymous. More Americans may know about ISIS, but enough know about Anonymous, too. They achieved that notoriety without beheading anyone or actually destroying any real property. Taking down a website is a nuisance, nothing more. It has nowhere near the same life altering impact as watching your family murdered, your village burned then being taken into sexual slavery which basically describes a fun ISIS Saturday.

So, while Anonymous is, by any definition, a terrorist organization, let's all agree that there are degrees of terrorism. Therefore, ISIS would be First Degree Terrorism because they are hurting real people and Anonymous would be Twentieth Degree Terrorism because they can really only inconvenience people.

However, ever day that a jihadist website is down or terrorist Twitter account silenced, is another day without the spread of destructive, hateful ideas. I hope they shut down all those damn terrorists, saving themselves for last.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Take a Social Media Marketing Class

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 15:09:00 +0000

For the past month or so, I have had the good fortune to be in Professor Maureen Lloyd-James' Social Media and Internet Marketing class at Johnson & Wales University North Miami campus.

As a self-described marketing moron, I was intimidated to be entering a class which boasted no text book. I'm old enough that such new fangled teacher-ing methods stink of witchcraft or hippie madness. The old prejudices that want to cling to a heavily bound, overpriced tome of knowledge have quickly evaporated, however. Aside from saving a small fortune in the bookstore, I have come to deeply respect the rapidly changing landscape of the digital marketing world.

The class lecture is fast paced and information dense. The Prof does not waste time and makes every second count. She assigns articles sourced from all over the internet describing various perspectives on the wiles of internet marketing. And, Professor Lloyd-James is happy to share useful online tools that extend our virtual reach.

All in all, it is a fascinating class. I am enjoying it immensely. I highly recommend anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating field of study to sign up for a class at their local university. You are never too old to learn something valuable. I have seen the positive impact of this course in my social media interactions already.

I can't wait for class tomorrow.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Nanomaterials & Manufacturing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 13:40:00 +0000

A nanometer is one millionth of a millimeter. Once we enter the nano scale, we are dealing with a very tiny world. This is a world that cannot be seen with the naked eye, or even a regular laboratory microscope.

Once we engineer a material to the nanoscale, they start to take on strange properties which ultimately determine the value of those materials. Nanomaterials are being used today to make medicines more effective, make concrete stronger, and to assist with toxic waste cleanup.

Nanoscale materials can be absorbed by human beings either through ingestion, breathing and even through the skin. This poses some serious health risks from nanomaterials as we learn how they impact the human body over time. Even benevolent medicines can become poisonous in high enough doses.

The ultimate nanomaterial is graphene. This material has near unlimited applications in every aspect of business life. Every few days, scientists publish a new discovery based on graphene and its derivatives. Currently, graphene is insanely expensive but the price is coming down quickly as new manufacturing methods are developed. However, graphene will still need to drop a full order of magnitude before it can be economical for consumer applications.

Once graphene breaks this price-performance barrier, we will see an explosion of new applications. Now I come to the bigger point of this post: once we can commercially 3d print at the nanoscale, the whole $10 trillion global manufacturing changes. That is the game changer which disrupts the entire industry.

When anyone, anywhere can 3d print a smartphone, why do we need cheap Chinese factories? This is a continuation of deep global trend of annually increasing production and declining manufacturing jobs. This is at the heart of the change away from the Industrial Economy to the Network Economy. Three hundred years ago, 90% of the global population worked in agriculture, today it is 3%. Soon we will see the same happen with manufacturing, with the concurrent collapse and consolidation of most of the businesses in the manufacturing industry.

During times of great change, it is smart to have forward thinkers as part of your team. You need intelligent people who can see how these changes will impact your business so you can survive the coming storm. Contact us today to get started. (305) 423-9574

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Digital First Impression

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 10:28:00 +0000

Don't go cheap on your website. Provide visitors with enough information to convince them to contact you. A half-assed website is the surest road to failure. It makes you look unimportant and unreliable. Kind of like a little kid in Dad's suit -- it might make me laugh but it doesn't fill me with confidence.

There are times to be frugal and times to be splendid. When it comes to your website, spend some money for something you can be proud of. Not something that will make me think you are a joke. First impressions are everything.

If you need help with your website, please contact me today. I am always happy to give you my first impressions for free. Call 305-423-9574 or email now.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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SMB Tech Mistakes - I Don't Need Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 11:04:00 +0000

SMBs don't really have a reputation for being trailblazers in adopting cutting-edge technology. This makes sense when you consider that we tend to operate under tight budgets, which only grow tighter during sluggish economic periods. However, we need to start looking at technology as a force multiplier which allows us to leap frog larger businesses.

It is well understood that SMB owners should never stop networking. In addition to face-to-face networking opportunities, we are foolish if we don't also leverage our online social networking for business gain. Statistically, most people spend 20 minutes checking Facebook 5 times a day. Take a few of those minutes and put out a marketing message instead of looking at somebody's baby/wedding/cat pictures.

Engage with customers on a regular basis and long-term relationships will result. People prefer to buy from people they know. It creates a level of comfort because if something goes wrong, they can just send you a private message directly asking for redress. This is vastly superior to doing business with a giant, faceless corporation that doesn't really care about their customers.

So, get involved. Get online and start engaging with potential customers. It will be worth your while.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Trek-nology Theory

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 10:30:00 +0000

I am now risky all of my geek street credit with this simple admission - I never really cared for the Star Trek television programs. Amongst the geek community this is tantamount to heresy, but I admit it fully. I always found the stories rather simplistic and the villains ridiculously dramatic. The show never really caught my interest.

What did catch my attention was the technology, and moreso, how humans interacted with it. Gene Roddenberry may not have been a great writer, but he was a brilliant futurist who clearly saw the path that technology would follow. How many Star Trek technologies do we live with every day? Cell phones and tablet computers are the most immediately obvious. But even replicators (or molecular printers) and transporters are now being developed. The future envisioned by Roddenberry is strangely accurate.

Back in 1998, I commented to BHF that if we could create a working gadget similar to something seen on Star Trek, it would be a guaranteed success. I opined that this would be because we would not need to explain the new tech to people, they would know how it worked and how it would make life better simply because they saw it on Star Trek. I postulated that there must be a very high intersection between Trekkies and early adopters. Nothing has changed my opinion in the intervening decades. I called this my Treknology Theory, and I am well aware it is nothing new. Plenty of others have had the same idea.

Because this blog is to share my ideas, it stands to reason this older idea should also be released into the wild. I am certain it isn't new or original, but perhaps this might spark someone to think of a new product that can change the world. If you want help developing your Trek-nology, send me an email. We have engineers standing by to help make your dreams come true.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Experiments in Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 15:01:00 +0000

As some of my readers already know, I am a Management student at Johnson & Wales University at the North Miami campus. I enjoy being an older student, mostly because all the suck-up students think I am a professor. This means I have hordes of young people happily holding doors for me and offering to buy me coffee. I accept the open doors but not the coffee -- my arrogance does indeed have limits. I digress...

I am currently enrolled in Marketing 3045 - Social Media and Internet Marketing. As a self-confessed Marketing Moron, I am interested in what this class has to offer. Our first class session was a whirlwind of social media sites and statistics. Needless to say, I am fascinated with this strange world. As a long time blogger and user of social media, I am like the proverbial fish who swims in the water without being aware of it. Social media is a tool I have used for various purposes, but never as a tool for direct marketing. I look forward to learning more

The first experiment has begun. I have created a Facebook Business Page for myself as an author. I am asking everyone to Like the page as part of a class assignment. I hope you will join me on that page.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Maker Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 11:22:00 +0000

Makers are the technology world's masters of the Do It Yourself (DIY) movement. This is a subculture obsessed with innovation, invention and prototyping. They identify and/or invent new uses for existing technology, or they blend different sources to create new solutions.

The entire subculture emphasizes learning-by-doing. They are all about learning by failure and then sharing their experiences with one another online. As opposed to the historic example of the garage tinker who worked alone to invent something he could patent, the Makers are more likely to license their discoveries under Creative Commons. Makers are the people in the trenches of the STEM fields of study.

All across the world, Maker Spaces are opening their doors. These brick and mortar facilities are gathering places for those willing to learn and share their knowledge. The better funded locations may also include 3d printers, CNC, metalworking and electronics tools. A simple search online will help you find a Maker Space near you.

These are the modern hobbyists. They are the natural extension of early ham radio operators and the Homebrew Computer Club which brought together the founders of Apple Computer. It is within this subculture that will birth the next generation of business moguls. These are the people on the forefront of modern innovation.

Are you a Maker? Tell me about it.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Facebook's Messenger Woes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 11:05:00 +0000

Recently the internet has been abuzz with concern over Facebook's new Messenger app for smartphones. Without going into too much boring detail, the problem is that the app wants total access to all your information and control over all the devices on your phone. In essence, Facebook Messenger can record video and audio whenever it wants and transmit it without your permission. Some are shouting that this is an unparalleled abuse of privacy while cooler heads are pointing out that the list of required permissions is no different then those of Google Search.

I have long argued that privacy is a myth. Anyone who uses social media and still expects privacy is living in a fool's paradise. As Digg user blue_beetle taught us "If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold." As such expectations of privacy are foolish, especially from companies like Facebook or Google.

Google uses my internet history to better tailor my search results. Google knows when I am searching for the term "walled garden" that I am not interested in gardening tools, seeds or soil. It knows this because of my past search history which is a good predictor of future subject areas of interest. Google also uses this information to connect me with advertisers that offer products which are more suited to my taste and interest. Supposedly Facebook does all this too, but why do people lose their minds with Facebook's app permissions and ignore them with Google?

Because Google never launched a social experiment without consent. In 2012, Facebook conducted an experiment on 700,000 users to attempt to manipulate their emotional state. This has sparked outrage and lawsuits against Facebook for tampering with the mental well being of hundreds of thousands of people (including minors!) without following standard scientific protocols. They simply did it because they could.

This created a major trust gap for Facebook. It is this trust gap that is at the heart of the Facebook Messenger furor. People are simply not willing to extend permission to a company that so blatantly violated their trust. That is the key point which is missing in the discussion I see online. People just don't trust Facebook to act properly and that's why they don't want the Messenger app on their phones.

What do you think?

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Genetic Technology & You

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 11:07:00 +0000

Very soon we will be able to control our personal evolution by tinkering with our DNA. We will be able to make permanent changes or just short term tweaks within our lifetimes.

Short term gene therapies will be available for relatively minor cosmetic adjustments -- such as, blue hair and purple eyes for the weekend. Maybe add a slight cyan tint to your skin tone to better match that amazing new outfit. These therapies will work for a short time and then you'll revert back to your normal appearance. Much like the common cold, you might "catch" a case of green hair for a week then get over it.

Permanent DNA changes will help you be taller, stronger, more agile, better able to recover from injury and all around tougher. We will become resistant to diseases that have plagued us since the beginning of time, even helping us to overcome death itself. (See here.) We will become a race of super beings, capable of amazing new feats.

The truly scary part if this prediction is that I see it happening at homes, not in medical clinics. I believe that big pharma and universities will continue to advance DNA sciences, but the real innovation will happen in the wilds of the Creative Commons. I see home-based biohackers working in an open source community where they share DNA code snippets and techniques for harnessing viral delivery systems. I see small businesses selling unique, one-time-use digital biohack recipes so people can brew their DNA cocktails at home.

In this world, what happens to modern standards of beauty? When everyone has blue eyes and is supermodel thin yet healthier than any human alive today, what is considered beautiful? What about sports? The current concern over steroid doping will seem silly once genetically engineered humans routinely break records. The implications reel the imagination.

What do you think will be some of the unexpected consequence of human DNA tinkering?

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Why I Love Materials Science

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 11:00:00 +0000

A reader and friend commented to me yesterday that I seem very interested in materials sciences. He wanted to know why so I took advantage of the question for today's blog topic.

First, let me state that the value of a material is determined by its properties. These properties determine where it can best be used. For example, my last post I discussed graphene which has excellent mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties (to name a few). Considering all these properties, it stands to reason, graphene will be very useful for electronic devices and in many other applications that require strength and flexibility. Keep that in mind and we'll come back to that in a bit.

I am fascinated with materials sciences because each major epoch of human advance has revolved around innovation in materials.

When early humans first dug copper from the earth and smelted it into weapons, this changed history. The early barbaric tribesmen who knew the secret of copper could more easily defeat their stone wielding enemies. Stone weapons would chip and shatter against copper swords and armor.

When we first mixed copper with tin to create bronze, once again, the tides of history turned and a new Age was born. This is the period in history that gives us the rise of Ancient Greece and the scribblings of brilliant philosophers which still guide our thinking today. The brave Greek hoplite of legend relied on armor and weapons of bronze.

Then onto the Iron Age where we learned to harness natural forces and bend machines to augment the power of man. This is the epoch that is now ending, which we call the Industrial Revolution. It is the final phase of the Iron Age. This was the Age of industrialization when mechanized armies clashed in two mighty global wars for supremacy of ideology and control the resources and wealth of the Great European Plain -- all fueled by iron and petroleum.

It is advances in materials science that allowed the transistor to shrink ever and ever smaller until billions fit on a single computer chip. As we learn how to better control and manipulate the elements of nature, we unleash new potentials for humanity. We are now in the beginning stages of the Information Age -- the first Age of human history that was not based on the mastery of a single chemical element.

We now live in an era where new materials are being developed at an incredible rate. It stands to reason we are learning more and more how to manipulate and control the very elements of nature to create new exotic materials. With each new exotic material, new properties align or are improved which thereby determines the value of those materials. Ergo, new materials mean new opportunities.

And that's why I care about materials science.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Graphene - The Wonder Material of 21st Century

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 10:51:00 +0000

It turns out that if you take one atom of carbon and lay it next to another carbon atom, then you keep expanding that out into a sheet of carbon that is one atom thick, you create graphene. First isolated in 2004, graphene has rapidly absorbed enormous amounts of research dollars all over the globe.

For its weight, graphene is unbelievably strong -- as in 100 times stronger than steel. And it is a great conductor of electricity and heat. Plus it's flexible. It also reflects up to 97.7% of the light that shines on it, making it nearly transparent. The future of all electronic devices will be made of graphene.

Compared to silicon, graphene is still in its infancy. But the future looks bright for this young new material.

Because it is so transparent, it could have application as a display screen, no different than the LCD screen on your laptop. It also has fantastic properties as an energy storage medium with phenomenal power density. It has applications in water purification, solar panels, and medical sensor bio-technologies that can monitor vital signs and even sequence DNA. Scientists are frightfully close to even creating a graphene transistor.

If scientists can manage to crack all these amazing applications, then we have a wonder material that acts like it's own power charger, battery, circuit board, processor and display.

Look at your smartphone, or any other consumer electronic device. You will see that the case is made of plastic and the display is made of glass. The battery is made from lithium and the circuitry is made from silicon. There are 28 different elements involved in just one smartphone. Now imagine replacing all of those materials with one.

The immediate cost of the device drops drastically. Manufacturers don't have to source thousands of elements from different suppliers to produce the newest Samsung Galaxy. This eliminates costly supply chains, some of which originate in Afghanistan and other not-so-friendly parts of the globe. Did I mention that graphene is getting cheaper every day? Even if we can't replace all the elements with graphene, we can dramatically simplify. This means lower prices and greater performance.

I recommend you keep your eyes open for graphene investment opportunities. The future of this material is bright.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Be the Change!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Make things happen! Be the change.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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The Ghost in the Machine? It's You.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 11:04:00 +0000

I joined BHF for dinner before we performed server maintenance for one of our customers. We started talking about science fiction troupes. Once that line of discussion started, it was only a matter of time before we talked about The Ghost in the Machine -- we both agree we hate the term, but we are starting to see some of its fingerprints.

By Victor Habbick

In science fiction, this troupe is all about a machine becoming self-aware and questioning whether it has a soul. Some of the greatest stories in scifi center around a self-aware computer that helps or destroys humanity. Naturally, we think it's complete nonsense.

Instead of scifi's emerging self-awareness, we believe it is more like a mass digital swarming Zeitgeist. With every tweet, comment, like, poke, friend request, review and data point we feed the ghost, it collects another piece of the human psyche. Slowly we are accumulating all the joy and hate, pain and pleasure, fear and hope of the human race into a digital format. The collective human psyche now has a mighty digital mirror.

Since all tech strives to become invisible and we are on a convergence course towards one another, soon we will merge with digital technology and make it part of ourselves. At that point, we are the machines. We become technology and it becomes us. The machine won't wake up -- we will.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Jews And Arabs Refuse To Be Enemies and Why I Stopped Hating Hashtags

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:22:00 +0000

Normally, I hate hashtags. Most are annoying, cryptic, pretentious or about cats, an animal I personally detest. But this morning I saw one (a hashtag, not a cat!) that has altered my reality. This morning I saw something heartening:
#JewsAndArabsRefuseToBeEnemies

I invite you to click on the link just to look at the pictures. This is my favorite:

In a time of violence and conflict, these brave souls decide to show their humanity in the face of barbarity. It gives us a chance to remember that not everyone from a war-torn part of the world is consumed by hatred and fear. There are those who have overcome their tribal differences to find commonality and, even, love.

For the first time, the Internet has allowed us to see their faces and read their words. People who want nothing more than to live in peace, free from persecution and prejudice. It is important to remind the world that there are Palestinians who don't rain rockets, just as there are Jews who are not lethal.

With the media consumed with body counts and explosions, because of the Internet, these peace loving people aren't so alone, aren't so invisible. While the great enemies slaughter and maim, they connect with one another online to share a message of peace. And this message can be seen around the world.

For the Internet is a mirror to humanity. All our ugliness and glory on display for the price of the right keywords in your favorite search engine. Suddenly you can look deep into our madness and see the worst that humanity has to offer. Or, instead, you can look for those who seek to bring a positive message. One of peace, love and understanding.

It is harder to hate your enemy once you recognize him as human. That is exactly what this hashtag accomplishes. It shows us how two historically bitter foes can put aside millennia of hate by forgetting their differences and remembering their common humanity.

It's nice to see the Internet's sweet side, that doesn't feature a cutesy cat. Maybe hashtags aren't all bad.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Are Lab Grown Meats Vegan?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:12:00 +0000

Is lab grown meat acceptable to vegetarians?

While these may seem like strange questions, they are relevant to a subset of humanity who chooses a lifestyle they believe is more conscientious.Ethical vegetarians object to modern factory methods of animal husbandry and therefore have adopted a meatless diet. They oppose the conditions these animals are required to endure and therefore have made a moral decision to not support it financially.

However, since lab grown meat does not require you to harm or incarcerate any animals, is it vegetarian safe?

It seems clear that vegans should reject lab grown meats simply because they are harvested from animal proteins. The strict vegan would probably never agree.

What do you think? Will people who adopt vegetarian diets on ethical grounds accept lab grown meats?

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Homo Evolutis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:26:00 +0000

Eventually humans will control evolution, not just through DNA tinkering but also by merging with our technology.

Tech-Philosopher Kevin Kelly postulates that as technology becomes ubiquitous, it disappears from sight. As digital computers shrink towards the nano scale, it is inevitable that humans will implant these as augmentations. Just last month, DARPA announced a program to develop a digital brain implant to help augment human memory as a treatment for various brain disorders.

In April of this year, scientists tested a new DNA-based nano robot that can release medications in highly targeted and controlled ways. Very soon, we will be able to eradicate cancer with targeted treatments which only attack cancerous cells. Current chemo-therapies will be remembered as nothing more than witch doctor medicine. How soon till we are all walking around with nanobots embedded in our bloodstream?

Science continues to push the boundaries of the human genome. Very soon, every baby born will have her genome sequenced as part of her medical file. Doctors will become truly proactive at protecting against genetic illnesses before they become a danger. Eventually, we will be able to genetically engineer out these weaknesses and improve the human animal. Imagine a world without hemophilia, autism or all the other genetic diseases. It can all happen once we can engineer the human genome.

This is a critical convergence point.

When we can tinker with our own DNA to make changes, and we can control that process via nanobots, we stop being Homo Sapiens and cross the threshold into Homo Evolutis. At that point we become the masters of our own evolution and the human animal will explode into a dizzying array of variations and permutations.

Suddenly, you can sport pink hair for that fancy dinner party and then change it back before work on Monday. You can tinker with your DNA to adjust your weight or even your height, within certain limits. Who knows? Maybe we could even geneer (gene + engineer) humans capable to withstanding hard vacuum or even those who can breathe CO2 instead of O2. The limits of current humanity end and a whole new human race begins.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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Build Windmills

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 11:08:00 +0000

When the winds of change blow, some build walls, others build windmills.

This old Spanish proverb has been stuck in my head for the past 5 years. More and more it is obvious that new methods for work and play are taking over our lives. We can choose to fight the change or we can try to harness it.

Microsoft has spent the last two decades trying to fight the change and then grudgingly adopting it. This has put them into the role of a perpetual laggard with a host of "Me Too" solutions which just don't capture anyone's attention or imagination. While the company remains financially strong, it is clear that this strength is dwindling as time passes. In a recent interview, a Microsoft executive said that Microsoft operating systems only account for 17% of the total digital landscape. This is a far cry from their once dominant position. As times changed, Microsoft refused to change with them.

On the other hand, a host of upstarts have challenged the once mighty giants of industry. In the last 10 years, the Dow Jones 30 Industrial corporations have seen 12 changes in their ranks. This is extraordinary when you realize that since its inception in 1885, they have only ever changed 53 companies. That's just under 23% of all the changes happening in the last decade!

As the economic landscape continues to change, it is critical that you adopt these shifting winds. You must learn to harness change and make it part of your business culture. Study Elon Musk and his host of companies as great examples of harnessing the winds of change to create genuine innovations that will change the world.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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21st Century Foundational Technologies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 10:17:00 +0000

Every Economic Age is built on a collection of foundational technologies. It stands to reason, if we can identify the foundational technologies of the 21st Century, we can define the scope and nature of the changes to come.

First and most obvious is the internet. This foundational technology was born near the middle of the 20th Century but it didn't really become commonly useful until 1992 with the advent of the World Wide Web. The technology we know as web pages made the internet accessible to the less technically oriented. By 1999, we entered into the era of Web 2.0 where anyone with an internet connection could suddenly post content to the internet without technical knowledge. This foundational technology has magnified our ability to share information. Whereas in 1820 it took 14 years for André-Marie Ampère to learn of the German experiment that inspired him to describe the measure of electrical current, today such knowledge is available almost instantaneously.

Another foundational technology will be 3d printing. Invented in 1984, the first 3d printers were used for rapid prototyping. Since then the technology has continued to blossom and grow as new designs and solutions are shared by a growing community of Makers. Inspired by the brilliant works they see every week on Discovery Channel's Mythbusters, regular people with passion have taught themselves and others how to build the devices and gear they need. These engineer/hackers are the driving force behind this foundational technology that will rewrite the rules for industry, warehousing and shipping. Imagine a world where anything you need can be manufactured either in your home or at a neighborhood facility that can deliver it to you within hours.

But there will be more. Artificial intelligence and robotics will give us the world envisioned by Isaac Asimov. Nanomaterials will piggy back on 3d printing and give birth to Star Trek-like replicator technologies that will eliminate the problems of scarcity. New developments in graphene materials will create super long lasting batteries that also function as the lightweight exteriors of our devices. Ubiquitous computing and the Internet of Things will cover the world with a blanket of data available for any number of inquiries. Medical and genetic technologies will ultimately turn our bodies into tinker toys that we can adjust and modify for life or just for the weekend. Humanity will merge with their machines and being to march towards eliminating the death of individual consciousness.

Over the next 20 years, the rules of humanity will be completely rewritten. How we work, live and play, how our societies function and even how our cultures act will all change. For some this is a terrifying prospect because it will bring terrible upheaval to our current economic status quo. Old industries will fall and new industries will be born in the undeniable cycle of creative destruction. Rest assured that new paradigms will prevail and stability will return once we learn to let go of the dying past and to face the winds of change, not with walls, but with windmills.

If you want to learn how your business can harness the winds of change, call R-Squared Computing for your free consultation. You can't afford to wait much longer. Call today (305) 423-9574.

R-Squared Computing | Lou RG | Nearly Free IT | Firm Wisdom

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