Topic: Software Development
According to the Supermechanical website, "Twine is a wireless module tightly integrated with a cloud-based service. The module has WiFi, on-board temperature and vibration sensors, and an expansion connector for other sensors." Developer John Kestner describes the device and its development. He reviews how it works, what decisions were made in its design, and how It allows you to connect things to the Internet. He also discusses the community that is working to make the product better.
Gabe Zichermann shares tips on how to use gamification techniques to increase end-user engagement in open source software. Gamification is the process of using game design techniques to solve problems in other domains that are not game related. Gabe is an entrepreneur, a blogger, an author and a gamification thought leader.
Linking information technology management to popular public technology and physics, Cfengine's Mark Burgess describes the fluidity and diversity necessary to keep up with changes in information technology. Rather than the standardization and bureaucracy that globalization tends to bring, Burgess advocates cultural diversity and human input in IT management but with a universal focus on speed and predictability.
As stated on the MQTT website, MQ Telemetry Transport "is a machine-to-machine (M2M)/"Internet of Things" connectivity protocol." Meant to be used remotely particularly when bandwidth is at a premium, it can be used in both mobile and dial-up situations. Developed as part of his work at IBM, Andy Piper discusses the project, including its concepts and background. He also reviews examples of its use and reviews future development plans.
The disruption of innovation has yielded as many opportunities for those prepared to take advantage as it has brought disruption for those unprepared to adjust. New businesses have been able to profit with solutions that solve problems or enable previously excluded people to participate on their own terms. Michael Jackson explores some history and characteristics of disruptive technology.
Many young professionals apply for positions based on what they studied without much experience actually working in the real world. Instead of considering themselves to be experts in many areas, Theo Schlossnagle of OnmiIT argues that professionals "must treat what you do as a craft". He discusses how his experience with both software development as well as running a company gives him a unique view on how tech professionals can be successful in a career.
With a good deal of sarcasm, Josh Berkus presents a sardonic critique about scaling tools that are trendy rather than reliable. Josh Berkus, CEO of PostgreSQL, gives a facetious list of do's and don'ts for database creation and application design that, while often popular today, are not stable techniques. In the same cynical tone of this short presentation, Berkus sarcastically places sexiness at the top of the list of qualities to maintain when scaling website elements.
Guests this week are Robert Cartaino and Rebecca Chernoff. Yeehaw! They're members of our Community Team.
In this time of continued concern about the future of energy, technology specialists are looking for ways to better control how power is used in commercial buildings where people sometimes work twenty-four hours a day. Toby Considine, an expert on smart energy and Jon Udell discuss current activities to create an open source model that allows for better communications among the various technologies to develop a building automation system.
While other mobile device companies depend on a closed software development system that gives them near total control, Android uses an open source model that could lead to more innovation. Attorney and open source expert Wendy Seltzer discusses the issues of allowing developers more freedom and what Android can gain from a partnership with other stakeholders that allows both sides to succeed from openness.
