Several years ago, we were upgrading our phone system at school. This work involved a much-needed voicemail upgrade, and I was holding up the process. The voicemail software was expensive. I don’t remember the exact cost, but I think it was around $30,000. We needed to sign off on the terms of service — basically click “I agree” to all the legal gobbledygook — so … Continue reading This Software is Provided As-Is
It was 84 years ago this Halloween that Orson Welles’ adaptation of H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds was broadcast on CBS radio’s Mercury Theater on the Air. The radio drama was presented as a series of news reports from Grover’s Mill, New Jersey, describing a Martian invasion of Earth. Because of this presentation method, many listeners mistook the broadcast for actual news reports. … Continue reading War of the Worlds
I received a letter in the mail from my car’s manufacturer. They’re issuing a safety recall to repair a condition involving the Smart Junction Box: The Smart Junction Box software logic may not properly interpret the signals received from the multifunction switch in certain circumstances. As a result, the turn signal may intermittently activate in the opposite direction of what was intended by the driver. … Continue reading Software Update
When the web was new, we were very worried about the reliability of online content. We were moving from an environment where the means of publication were controlled. There were gatekeepers who controlled what content got published. They ensured that the information the public consumed was accurate and reliable. At least, that was the idea. With the web, that changed because everyone suddenly had the … Continue reading Faking It
Sometimes, the world isn’t a very nice place. When the Internet was invented, it was a space for collaboration. The technical challenge of connecting disparate computer systems in remote locations was daunting. The goal was to allow researchers at the various locations to work together, sharing data, analyses, and perspectives. The idea that some members of the community would try to exploit the system to … Continue reading Insecurities
Taste of Tech 