Made w/ Code

Google is sponsoring a site that is interesting: Made w/ Code Google. So, go over there, to that Google site, and read some important messages.

See the FAQ about their use of Blockly (a web-based, graphical programming editor) which is a nice touch. I often wonder what happened to things like Live Model (one of many examples; essentially, interfaces that allow system building through interactive diagrams) that allows one to get from the nuisance of code (yes, guys, that statement is by design and can be discussed further).

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The TGS, Inc. site deals principally with historical/genealogical topics, however we are in a transition mode where technological issues are foremost. The technology of today is much different than that available to our forebears. Yet, we’re mostly the same people (memes issue might come into play here; we’ll get back to that).

So, we have been looking a web stuff, in part. As well, that brings up code (see Does code matter?) which ought to be of more interest that it is. People seem to have let the wizards have their day and way (see Wake up, people, it’s your right).

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But is a whole lot more to think about than code, though one will still have one’s hands in the stuff. Truth engineering is one basis that has had less attention than it ought.

To wit: ancestry.com being down so long (with its secondary offerings – say, myfamily — being out for days).

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Now, back to girls and coding. In my long years of working, I had cohorts that were female who were quite adept with computational matters. At the same time, these cohorts ran a gamut that guys usually don’t understand (or experience). In a sense, though there may be some issues related to Sheryl’s efforts, she is right on some of the gender matters.

 

Cyber-physical

We hear a lot about the cloud? What exactly is that? Opaque sink for data which can be used by whomever can obtain access (even if they have no right to the data)? A way for management to get something for nothing (their main objective, it seems) while impairing safety? That topic will continue to be of interest.

Code? We hear a lot about that, too. Code having some meaning in and of itself? Much to discuss there.

This month, ACM Communications (Vol. 57, No. 6) has an article titled: Cyber-Physical Testbeds. This is just a brief mention of an important topic. With the coming Internet of things, the issues here will be of even more importance.

We touched upon the topic about four years ago, in another context. So, the interest is there, especially when biological computing (one of many examples) is brought into the discourse.