When Society Asks the Wrong Questions

The Supreme Court appears inclined to uphold a series of local ordinances that allows a small Oregon city to ban homeless people from sleeping or camping in public spaces. We demand that those struggling with drug addiction seek treatment, yet we fail to provide the necessary inpatient care facilities that can genuinely enable their recovery. We expect individuals suffering from mental health issues to obtain therapy, all while facing a chronic shortage of accessible mental health services. These expectations reflect a broader societal failure to support our most vulnerable populations, trapping them in a relentless cycle of poverty and marginalization.

We impose unrealistic expectations on people experiencing homelessness or those living in unstable conditions, demanding that they find employment and reintegrate into society. Yet, the stigma attached to homelessness is so profound that many employers wouldn't consider hiring someone they perceive as 'unclean' or living in a tent. This impossible paradox not only perpetuates homelessness but also reinforces the societal view that the burden of poverty is solely on the individual.

The dialogue around poverty and homelessness has become skewed by misguided questions. We debate whether individuals deserve the basic human dignity of having a place to sleep instead of questioning how we can structurally support them. This disgustingly misplaced focus diverts attention from actionable solutions that could help alleviate these societal issues.

I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder at the age of ten, yet I consider myself fortunate to have had a supportive family and the resources to access quality care. If any one of these factors had been different, my life could have followed a drastically different trajectory. I could have become merely another statistic rather than a successful professional leading a comfortable life.

The broader truth is, many of us are just one illness or personal crisis away from a precipitous fall through society's cracks. Our tendency to view ourselves as fundamentally different from those who are homeless or facing severe mental health challenges is a convenient illusion. It allows us to distance ourselves from confronting the uncomfortable reality that the line separating us from them is perilously thin. We are lying to ourselves.

Our approach to dealing with issues like addiction, mental illness, and homelessness needs a fundamental shift. Rather than ostracizing those who struggle, we must cultivate empathy, enact reform, and provide proactive support. Recognizing that these are not individual failures but societal issues is the first step toward building a more inclusive and supportive community. This is not merely about charity but redefining our societal values and ensuring dignity and support for all its members.

On "Management Style"

Among managers, there exists a prevalent misconception that success hinges on discovering a singular “management style.” This belief is harmful and detracts from what truly cultivates a thriving work environment. In reality, the most effective managers are not those who rigidly adhere to a specific style but those who adapt their approach to meet the unique needs of each team member.

The foundation of effective management lies in the ability to tailor your approach to the individual characteristics of each team member. This concept shifts the focus from a one-size-fits-all strategy to a more dynamic, responsive form of leadership. Each person on a team brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and motivations. Recognizing and nurturing these individual traits can enhance productivity and job satisfaction, leading to better results for the organization as a whole. Never forget that your primary job is to get the best out of each individual on the team. Check your ego. It’s never about you and always about the strength of the team.

For high-performing employees, the recipe for continued success is often quite simple. These individuals typically do not require intensive oversight but instead thrive under a management style that involves setting clear expectations and removing obstacles that may impede their progress. Their intrinsic motivation and professional pride drive them to deliver quality work consistently. In these cases, the best managers are those who practice a "light touch" approach—providing guidance and support when necessary but otherwise allowing employees the freedom to leverage their skills and creativity.

One of the most effective strategies for retaining top talent is shifting the focus from what the employee can do for the company to what the company can do for the employee. This involves engaging in meaningful dialogues about career aspirations and professional growth. When managers take an active interest in the developmental goals of their employees, it not only enhances job satisfaction but also encourages loyalty and commitment to the organization.

Investing time in understanding what motivates your employees can reveal insights into how best to support their professional journey. Whether it’s providing additional training, opportunities for advancement, or simply recognizing their achievements, these efforts can make a significant impact on an employee’s decision to stay with a company.

Ultimately, the best strategy to retaining top talent lies in recognizing that management is not about enforcing a standard style but about being adaptable and responsive to the needs of each team member. By cultivating an environment where employees feel valued and understood, managers can realize the full potential of their teams. Effective management is characterized by flexibility, understanding, and a genuine interest in the welfare and professional growth of employees. By focusing on these elements, managers can cultivate a positive and productive workplace where both the company and its employees can thrive. This approach not only enhances team performance but also serves as a powerful strategy for employee retention. Remember, sometimes the best managers are those who know when to step back and let their team shine.

The Road to AGI is Longer Than You Think

In 1965, Time Magazine made bold projections about the wonders awaiting us from the burgeoning field of technology. While we have seen technological wonders in the last 50 years, almost none of the predictions featured in the magazine came to pass:

"Men such as IBM Economist Joseph Froomkin feel that automation will eventually bring about a 20-hour work week, perhaps within a century, thus creating a mass leisure class. Some of the more radical prophets foresee the time when as little as 2% of the work force will be employed, warn that the whole concept of people as producers of goods and services will become obsolete as automation advances. Even the most moderate estimates of automation's progress show that millions of people will have to adjust to leisurely, 'nonfunctional' lives, a switch that will entail both an economic wrench and a severe test of the deeply ingrained ethic that work is the good and necessary calling of man."

Technology experts continue to overestimate the positive impact of technological advances on the average person. In fact, many recent pronouncements have a very similar ring to the quote above. This line of thought is particularly pervasive in the Artificial Intelligence space today. It's understandable that these sweeping claims are appearing anew – perhaps no other technological advancement has advanced so rapidly since the dawn of the information era. While these accomplishments are remarkable, the fantastical claims that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is just around the corner is incorrect for several reasons.

"The Last Mile"

Nearly every seasoned engineer is familiar with the 90/10 rule, which states that 90% of the work required to finish a project will take roughly 10% of the timeline. The last 10% of work will consumed 90% of the time. While this rule of thumb isn't always a perfect indicator, we see this play out repeatedly.

Five years ago, Tesla appeared poised to deliver a fully autonomous Level 5 vehicle in the next few years; however, the cars manufactured today remain at a humble partial automation (Level 2). Microprocessor design is another example. Transistor size has decreased far more slowly over the last decade than in previous decades. Each successive decade has seen a decrease in speed with which transistors have shrunk. As it turns out, Moore's Law has a limit. This slowed progress mainly stems from significantly more difficult engineering problems as density increases beyond a certain point. Quantum effects such as electron tunneling, where electrons can pass through an extremely thin gate, suddenly become major roadblocks.

Challenge Parity

The trajectory of progress is uncertain and often veers off in unexpected directions. For instance, while the digital age promised enhanced connectivity and access to information, it also gave rise to issues like misinformation, cyberbullying, and digital addiction – challenges that were scarcely anticipated as we heralded the arrival of the internet area. This tendency to overlook potential pitfalls in the face of new technology underscores a common shortfall in our predictive mental models: they often mirror the current zeitgeist and neglect the nuanced complexities of the future.

Systematic Underestimation of Inequality and Corporate Greed

The predominance of Silicon Valley as a hub for technological innovation and prediction can create a skewed perspective on the future of technology. The region's unique ecosystem of venture capital, start-ups, and cutting-edge research tends to foster an echo chamber of ideas and optimism, primarily driven by those who benefit most from technological advances. This demographic, often composed of affluent, technologically savvy individuals, may not fully grasp the broader social and economic challenges faced by less privileged communities worldwide. Consequently, predictions from this vantage point can overlook crucial issues such as digital divides, access to technology, and the varying impacts of automation on different socio-economic groups.

While the advancements in technology we have seen in recent years are impressive, we must approach predictions about the future of technology with caution. The road to AGI is longer than we think, and we must be mindful of the potential pitfalls and challenges that may arise along the way. It is important to consider the impact of technology on all members of society, especially those who may be less privileged. By taking a more nuanced and inclusive approach to technological progress, we can ensure that the benefits of these advancements are more widely shared, and that we are better prepared to address the challenges that lie ahead.

Apple, the DOJ, and the DMA

While technology evolves at a breakneck pace, regulatory bodies designed in a bygone era of slow, incremental progress often find themselves in a perpetual game of catch-up. This dynamic is particularly evident in the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) scrutiny of Apple, a company known for its stringent control over its ecosystem. The complaint highlights five examples of “suppress[ing] technologies that would have increased competition among smartphones.” The complaint centers on accusations of the company suppressing technologies that could have increased competition in the smartphone market.

The Department of Justice cites five primary examples:

  • Suppressing Third-party Super Apps: By limiting the capabilities and integration of third-party applications, Apple effectively restricts the potential for all-in-one solutions that could compete with its services.

  • Blocking Cloud-streaming Apps: Apple's App Store policies have been criticized for limiting the functionality of cloud-streaming services, potentially stifling innovation and competition.

  • Preventing Third-party Messaging Apps from Achieving Quality Parity with Apple Messages: This practice allegedly undermines consumer choice by disadvantaging alternative messaging platforms.

  • Artificially Limiting Connectivity of Third-party Smartwatches: By doing so, Apple ensures that its own smartwatch remains the most compatible and feature-rich option for iPhone users.

  • Denying Access to Third-party, Cross-platform Digital Wallets: This restriction potentially limits the financial services ecosystem available to Apple device users, keeping them within Apple's proprietary Wallet app.

These allegations suggest a strategic effort by Apple to maintain its dominance in the smartphone and related markets by hindering competitors' ability to offer viable alternatives to consumers.

A Misguided Comparison to Microsoft's Antitrust Case

The complaint also makes a controversial comparison to the 1998 antitrust case against Microsoft, implying that the ruling against Microsoft paved the way for Apple's success in the smartphone era. This oversimplification overlooks the seismic shifts in technology, particularly the advent of mobile computing and smartphones, areas where Microsoft initially lagged. Apple's rise was less about Microsoft's constraints and more about seizing the opportunities presented by new technologies and consumer demands.

A Constructive Path Forward

The challenges and controversies surrounding the DOJ's approach to regulating Apple underscore a fundamental truth: litigation and investigations alone are not sufficient to foster a healthy, competitive tech ecosystem. What is needed is a clear set of industry expectations, codified into law by Congress, that balances innovation with fair competition. This legislative approach should be informed by a deep understanding of technology, a commitment to consumer welfare, and a nuanced appreciation of the global competitive landscape.

We must strive for a regulatory framework that is as dynamic and innovative as the technology it seeks to govern, ensuring a future where competition thrives, and consumers benefit from a wealth of choices.

Beginning a Spatial Journey

Composing this article from Mt. Hood on Apple Vision Pro

My mind was racing as I assertively tugged on the large glass door of my local Apple Store. Despite arriving ten minutes early to my appointment, a friendly employee welcomed me to a demonstration area. The store was nearly empty, and the early morning light was beaming through the south-facing glass facade onto tables full of Apple hardware. As I was seated, a second employee sat a small tray containing my Apple Vision Pro on the table in front of me. The purpose-built tray satisfyingly cradled the contours of the headset. After learning how to pick it up without smudging the glass front, I gently lowered the headset into place. It was oddly anticlimactic, as if nothing happened. I could see the store just as it was a moment ago. Then I remembered that I had a computer in front of my face. I wasn't seeing the room – I was seeing a real-time representation of the room. The illusion worked!

Over 30 minutes, I littered the store with windows, browsed the web on Mt. Hood, and swam with sharks. At one point, a butterfly gracefully flew in front of me and briefly landed on my outstretched hand. As it did, I thought I felt the gentle tickle of its spindly legs. Of course, I didn't actually feel it. It's all a clever illusion, but it's convincing enough that my brain failed to register a difference. As expected for a first-generation product, there were occasionally small cracks in the illusion, but I left impressed.

The demo was a tightly curated experience that matched the device's strengths. How does Apple Vision Pro feel in actual use? Is it a productivity tool or merely a fancy media consumption device?

An Infinite Canvas

In a previous article, I mentioned that Apple Vision Pro did not appear to have a “killer app” at launch; however, I’m starting to think the killer app may be the VisionOS interface itself. The ability to effortlessly scale work beyond the boundaries of traditional displays is profoundly liberating. Apple Vision Pro frees the user from the constraints of the physical world. An infinite canvas is more than just a spatial characteristic; it's a metaphor for these technologies' seemingly boundless potential. Apple Vision Pro forces us to rethink our relationship with computers fundamentally and breaks new ground in workflow management.

Retina Resolution?

One of my primary concerns was resolution. Can Apple Vision Pro resolve text well enough to read for significant periods? While text doesn't appear quite as razor-sharp as it presents on the 5K Studio Display, it’s more than enough for a strain-free reading experience.

It's too early to determine how successful this product will be, but I can't help but feel that we're at the beginning of another pivotal moment in tech, where we fundamentally rethink its role in our lives. Today’s Vision Pro is a preview – a window into the future. The device is slightly heavy, the battery life isn’t what we’ve become accustomed to with Apple products, and visionOS contains a few irritating bugs. Despite these flaws, Apple Vision Pro offers a unique, visceral experience. My excitement for this product transcends the enthusiasm I felt at the release of the original iPhone. Apple Vision Pro reminds me of the wonder I experienced using my first computer, our IBM Personal System/2, as a child. My, how far we’ve come.

Preparing the Way

AI-generated image of a futuristic VR/AR headset using DALL-E 3.

In Fall 2015, Tim Cook proclaimed, "We believe the future of TV is apps." As it turns out, the future of television wasn't apps. Will the future of computing be spatial? On Friday, February 2nd, we will begin to find out when Apple Vision Pro, the company's first augmented reality headset, goes on sale.

Like most new platforms, Apple Vision Pro does not appear to have a "killer app." The future of Apple's new headset is far from assured. Apple needs third-party developers' cooperation to help secure the success of its new platform; however, the company's introduction of a Core Technology Fee (CTF) in response to the European Union's Digital Markets Act alienated a large swath of the developer community. Many popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify appear uninterested in developing a native VisionOS app.

Apple Vision Pro is the first headset that excites me as a user and developer. Despite the uncertainty, I ordered the new device and am actively developing a VisionOS app. Its emphasis on augmenting reality rather than escaping it provides a compelling user story and ultimate flexibility for developing productivity-focused apps.

I'm looking forward to documenting my initial experience this Friday and can't wait to see what we collectively do with it.

2023 - Nostalgia and the Future

A nostalgic moment forever gone. Downtown redevelopment has made this photograph no longer possible.

As each year comes to a close, I find myself swept away to a quiet place of introspection. Holidays are a joyous occasion, a tapestry of tradition and togetherness, but I have always found them to have a thread of melancholy woven into them. Nostalgia is a complex emotion. It transports us to an immutable and inaccessible past – a place we can never truly return to. These moments are slowly erased by fading memories, slipping through the fingers of time like grains of sand.

Holidays are a time when we hear the distant echoes of shared laughter from loved ones no longer with us, serving as a reminder of the transience and fragility of life. Holidays are a paradox of emotion, both a comforting escape to beautiful moments and a yearning for what once was – places we’ve left behind, friendships that have faded, and moments forever gone.

I’m learning to find the unique beauty that lies in the balance of embracing the past while savoring the present and planning to make the future shine brighter. It’s important to acknowledge that the holidays, with their unique blend of joy and nostalgia, offer us a chance to honor the traditions that ground us and create new memories that we will once again look back upon with a yearning sense of nostalgia.

The Score and the Performance

“The negative is the score, and the print the performance.”
— Ansel Adams

Photography isn’t just about capturing an event – it is a visual communication medium. The concept of photo editing has gained an increasingly negative reputation as digital editing software became powerful and ubiquitous in the last decade. It has now sparked fascination and controversy as we step into a new era of computational photography and AI manipulation. A novice can now do what used to take great skill and time to accomplish in minutes. These technologies can be a force of progress by opening new creative avenues to express ideas, but an overemphasis on them can cause the artistic message to be lost. In extreme scenarios, photography can become digital art, no longer bearing any similarity to the original image.

An Artistic Parallel

Drawing a parallel to the concept of rubato in music, where subtle deviations from strict tempo create a more expressive and emotional performance, photographers must exercise a careful balance in their editing decisions. Just as a musician must be mindful not to stretch the tempo too far, photographers should avoid excessive alterations that compromise the authenticity of their work. The key is to use manipulation as a means to enhance, not overshadow, the inherent beauty of the captured moment.

As with any art form, the key lies in the delicate balance between creative freedom and a respectful acknowledgment of the authenticity inherent in the captured moment.

An Example

Discussing nuanced topics in the abstract is often convenient, but a concrete example can often express the thought more clearly. The image on the left (or on top, for mobile readers) is a straight print of a local building. Aside from the lack of color, it’s a literal representation of the light projected through the lens. The second image is my finished print. The darkened sky draws the viewer’s eye toward the advertisement painted on the brick and adds overall contrast, creating a sense of drama in an otherwise mundane subject. A gentle lift of the shadows on the front of the building helps to reveal more painted brick. I did not lift the shadows on the lower side of the building to retain negative space, reinforcing the idea that the subject is not the entire building but the old advertisement. None of these adjustments fundamentally change the image – they merely serve to draw emphasis and guide the viewer’s eye to where I wanted it.

Minimum Viable Apps

There is a paradigm in modern development named Minimum Viable Product (MVP). It is expressed as an application's most essential feature set that can provide users value. A focus on delivering MVP for the initial release aims to avoid unnecessary redesign by quickly gathering user feedback and usage statistics to inform the direction of further development.

With experience, I've learned to lean on a similar philosophy for my development toolchain that I call Minimum Viable Apps. The goal is slightly different, but the principles remain the same. What are the least number of simple apps that allow me to complete this project?

I took nearly the opposite approach to my tools when I began developing software. My laptop was filled with development tools that performed similar tasks in slightly different ways, each containing its own complement of shortcuts and automation to streamline every conceivable task. While these highly customized tools may have enabled me to work slightly faster, my overall productivity was being stolen by the maintenance overhead.

Embracing Minimum Viable Apps aligns with Agile development principles and empowers developers to focus on what truly matters – delivering value to users. Our tools should serve, not hinder us. We must be deliberate in selecting the apps we work with to ensure our tools amplify our abilities.

Retiring with Château Lafite

Some wines are so engaging that they bypass our analytical faculties and express their flavors with emotion – their presence demands contemplation, not necessarily of the wine itself, but of our own journey to the current moment. The bottle of 1986 Château Lafite Rothschild that my mother and I shared to celebrate her retirement is one such wine.

In many ways, this wine was a diametrically opposing force to a previous bottle of '81 Château Leoville Las Cases, responsible for restoring a sort of balance to my oenological universe. Did the the Las-Cases provide the shadow that permitted the transient beauty of the Lafite to shine a bit brighter than it may have otherwise? Was I swept away by my emotions, failing to recognize that the Lafite was simply a mediocre bottle of wine?

Whether disappointing or transcendent, aged wines are always an emotional journey that reveal deeper meaning than the flavors in the bottle. The nose on the '86 Lafite gave off intense aromas of spice, molasses, brown sugar, and leather. Supple and elegant flavors of intense black currant and cedar are perfectly nestled inside a fantastic structure of lively acidity and reserved tannins. Tertiary notes of truffle and mushroom carry through the long finish.

“It is because everything must come to an end that everything is so beautiful.”
— Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz