Bucking the System

The Philadelphia Inquirer gives an appraisal of The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll, printed on the back of the book. It reads, "Stoll's is the ever appealing story of the little man bucking the system..." And that is right.

While reading the story, I was frustrated with Cliff. His frustration because no one helps him is not unique. Like Cliff, I have had my superiors grumble and complain at even the idea of paying me for what I do. Such bosses see that a job needs to be done, but they view it as a necessary evil. With Cliff, his boss knew that Cliff should be pursuing the hacker, yet still grumbled about this truth, seeing it as overhead. This is not an uncommon phenomenon faced by many computing professionals. Many companies were pulled in to the technology revolution kicking and screaming. For example, I can think of some (without naming names) that view the maintenance of a website as a hoop to jump through before real business can take place.

The worst part about this dilemma is that others still want to see the work happen, but they won't help, even when the work is clearly valuable, even critical. In the book, the NSA and the CIA were heavily interested in Cliff's work, but he never received help from them in doing it. Although he received plenty of recognition for his work, any underappreciated engineer will tell you that this is not the same thing. Getting called at odd hours because yet another problem arose is not my ideal kind of fame.

After all of this, the only motivation the underappreciated engineer has is the job itself. Cliff wanted to catch the hacker. After he did, he moved to Boston and kept on working computer security problems, keeping odd hours, even though that was the one field of labor for which he had received few pats on the back. Despite this, Cliff knew he was doing important work, work that made the world a better place. It allowed him to sleep better at night knowing he had defended the innocent, and even the ignorant. At least, that is how it would make me feel.

What Are We Teaching Our Young Girls?

Many have asked, "why aren't women in computer science more?" This article suggests that items stereotypically associated with boys, such as Star Trek toys, make girls feel less comfortable with the idea of working with computers. Perhaps there is more to it than that many men like to decorate their cubicles with TV show paraphernalia that they watch, but stereotyping seems to be important, even at an early age. There doesn't seem to be a high drop-out rate of women entering computer science, but not finishing. It seems that both the major entry and graduation rates are low, suggesting that any women wanting to study a technical field were deterred from that study long before college. The last time there was a peak in women in computer science was a generation ago. Therefore, it may be how we are raising our girls today that is the chief reason for their avoiding science unnecessarily. I have a little girl, too. I need to teach her that she can do whatever she wants.

It's a Jungle Out There

We have laws and rules to keep us safe as a society. It seems a shame, then, when people chiefly interested in money use these laws to their own advantage. NPR did an amazing piece about "patent trolling", when a company exists solely to make money off of licensing fees and litigation of patents. The system the founding fathers designed to protect ideas went wrong when people started going after money, rather than some higher purpose; yet the company called Intellectual Ventures in the NPR article kept repeating that its main purpose was to get money back into the hands of inventors. I am reminded of a video describing the science of what motivates us. It talks about companies that exist solely to make money, the company fails to make good products. If IV had really pursued the purpose of giving inventors with languishing patents a chance to realize the potential of their ideas, instead of getting money into the right hands, then both the company and Silicon Valley as a whole would benefit.

Divisive Technology

Amazingly, new technology divides people in their opinions, even in the LDS church. In this article by Kathleen Lubeck in 1984, we see the two very different opionions of leaders in the church. The article quotes Dean R. Cannon, managing director of the Church’s Information Systems Department, and amazingly, he, the IT director, is suspicous of technology:

“Too much dependence on computers can cause a person to be less receptive to the promptings of the Spirit,” said Brother Cannon. “If a priesthood leader relies too heavily on computerized information at his fingertips, there’s a danger that he might not realize when an individual has a problem and needs help."

While Parley Fullmer, director of Recording and Ordinance Procdures, said this in the same article:

“The use of computers dramatically increases our efficiency...even the atmosphere in the temple is more reverent..."

Looking back on both comments today, they are both absurd. A lot of typing goes on in our temples, but it doesn't bother us. Computers are an integral part of information management about our members, but the bishop can still receive revelation to do his job. Time has shown technology to be a neither friend nor foe, just like a garden hoe is a tool, and nothing more.