We all have security systems in place. Mine is automatically upgraded ever year so I don’t have to worry. Although, Norton isn’t shy about letting me know there are hackers out there, and I need extra security. I say, hack away! More about this later.
First let’s take a look at the definition spectrum for hack – there’s a wide range of meaning. Techopedia.com not only has a definition, they also offer a page long explanation. “To hack, in the context of computer security, is the action of performing activities on a computer system in an unauthorized manner. Computer hacking is considered an infringement of protected data and property and thus constitutes a malicious act.” I knew that in simple terms – to break into computers and networks. Techopedia’s full explanation for Hack includes the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, but here are some interesting points, as well. “While the term hack has meant different things over time, it almost always has a negative connotation from the perspective of a non-technical person. This is despite the fact that many hackers aren't in it to do anything malicious. Some hack for the fun and challenge of it, while others do it in a professional fashion to assist organizations improve their IT security. In addition, “it is important to differentiate between the security definition of this term and the definition in the context of programming, where hack can mean a great developer, or even an inelegant solution to a problem.” So the definition is broad ranging, and it all depends on how you use it. The more I read, it appears computer hacking encompasses a vast underworld that I didn’t realize existed. There are further tech definitions for those specializing in hacking, such as hacktivism, car hacking, gummy bear hack, thing hacking, pharma hack, hackerazzi, and the list goes on. All of this to say, we need to hack our own personal security systems - those that guard our private thoughts and emotions. We need to inelegantly dig in and examine what is being held “sacred” or secret from the world, and ask why. What bank of emotions are we protecting? What ideals are we in fear of tarnishing with exposure? Our personal security systems are so well coded and crafted that we often don’t know they are in place. Start to hack a little and you’ll see. I made a vow to myself several years ago to be genuinely honest with sharing my perspective. This included my family, my business, and myself. My intent would be to never purposely hurt someone, but to be true to my perspective. This was not set as a project of some kind to later blog about; it was born from a genuine desire to live with more depth and meaning. The process is much more complex than I thought it would be. It has become a challenge and somewhat of an adventure. I have a tendency to guard and hedge more often than I’d like to admit. But, at least now I know I’m securing something and can question myself later. Honest is the key word. It is important to know first what you think and feel, and why. The why is important, too, because you can be locked into a societal norm that doesn’t ring true to your perspective. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and too much to cover in a blog post. There’s an underworld here, too, or probably better stated for my purposes, an inner world. Interestingly, I found there are white hat hackers, blue, black, and grey and other categories and statuses. I’m targeting the elite hacker status. Join me, and hack away! If it were only that simple. As I’m sure you know, you can easily drag and drop an icon on your desktop to a file, and many other easy tasks along these lines. TechTerms.com defines Drag and Drop as a “common action performed within a graphical user interface. It involves moving the cursor over an object, selecting it, and moving it to a new location. This is called ‘dragging’ the object.” You just have to lift up the mouse button to “drop” the object, or on a touchscreen you use your finger. Simple. Everything is in order and almost effortless. If you don't like what you have arranged, you can delete and rearrange it.
It’s not such a simple concept when you're dealing with people, or unproductive thoughts that loop in our minds, or complex situations and events. They don’t drag and drop. Although, I will often make the attempt to drag and drop an issue, as if I’ve accomplished a task and made some kind of progress. A situation will be on my mind’s “desktop,” and I’ll file it neatly to the side, customizing my workspace, but not actually interfacing with the element. As a society, we’ve become virtually hypnotized with technology and the momentous, rapid advances that we’ve grown to expect. And I'm not venturing into Virtual Reality here (later, for sure). However, I am surprised that predictive texting hasn’t taken over and completely written this topic, possibly even offering me several options for an ending. But what am I thinking - it’s predictive text. It will know which probable virtual reality I would want to actualize. Maybe "predictive context" is still being developed, or maybe I simply haven't purchased the Let Me Write Your Blog App. All this to say, with the human element you have to interface and engage. No scripts. You have to work through the algorithms of anger, anticipation, and aspiration. You have to get muddy in the moment of madness, roll in realism, and stand wonderfully aware and in awe of splendor. Then you can drag and drop, and you'll probably need to defrag. The SEARCH is on and all that is within it. Join me. You cannot help but play with the word association for cookie when discussing the technical term cookie. Most of us know that a cookie is a small amount of data generated by a website and saved on your web browser. Its purpose is to remember information about you, similar to a preference file created by a software application. In my thinking we make similar type preference files with people in our lives. We mentally and emotionally store bits and pieces of information that help us to identify them and their connection to us. We store their settings and what they have viewed in our connections and conversations. For those individuals close to us, we do not need to ask their login user name and password – we just start where we left off. And of course, they are collecting cookies about us.
TechTerm.com continues with a more detailed definition, “browser cookies come in two different flavors: "session" and "persistent." Session cookies are temporary and are deleted when the browser (brain, my view) is closed. These types of cookies are often used by e-commerce sites to store items placed in your shopping cart, and can serve many other purposes as well (I bet). Persistent cookies are designed to store data for an extended period of time. Each persistent cookie is created with an expiration date, which may be anywhere from a few days to several years in the future. Once the expiration date is reached, the cookie is automatically deleted. Persistent cookies are what allow websites to "remember you" for two weeks, one month, or any other amount of time.” This is where I see storing cookies getting weighty. “Most web browsers save all cookies in a single file, and the file is not meant to be opened manually.” “Single file” makes me think of linear, confined, in-the-box thinking. “Not meant to be opened manually” I see as locked in a preconceived fashion – a prejudiced view. Think of what often happens when family members, friends, or colleagues want to change a pattern of behavior, try something different. Individuals become locked in a pattern of perception by others. “You’re not good at that sort of thing," or “you never follow through on anything.” Then there are the continual looping comments and attitudes that keep individuals from ever thinking of themselves in a different way. The small amount of data collected bothers me, too. Much too often, we make assumptions about people with limited information. So the cookies basically become stored empty calories, not adding to the energy of an individual or group. All the geeks agree that we should delete the cookies and temporary files stored on our browser (brain) frequently. This gives us refreshed and updated data, and clears away stored weighty bulk that slows down a system. However, the most important piece is the tracking of real-time log files of our own personal thoughts and emotions. This could certainly secure a loophole for hackers, or could be the energy for new ideas, fresh starts, and adventures. And if this is the case, who cares about the calories? Also, check out the cookie recipes! As always, the SEARCH is on. Join me. Recognition is everything. There is no more pretending and walking around the periphery. I can now call myself a techie and truly embrace the geek culture! I have just stumbled upon this new term – peopleware. At least it is a new term for me, and interestingly Microsoft Word spellcheck does not recognize it. But the techies do and that is all that matters, although, they do not necessarily agree on a set definition. But for the moment, I am going to revel in the recognition.
Before I go further, here's the peopleware definition (actually more of an explanation) from TechTerms.com. “Computers operate using a combination of hardware and software. However, without user interaction, most computers would be useless machines. Therefore, ‘peopleware’ is sometimes considered a third aspect that takes into account the importance of humans in the computing process. Peopleware is less tangible than hardware or software, since it can refer to many different things. Examples of peopleware include individual people, groups of people, project teams, businesses, developers, and end users.” End user is the key factor for my newfound feeling of inclusion and identity. We (those of us not in the tech world) have been on a constant climb to keep up with technology and all things computer – mobile devices and accessories I cannot begin to list. There has been no rest. Ahhh, but now there is recognition, “without the interaction computers would be useless machines.” (Note that I deleted the word “most.”) I realize, of course, the most important interaction is consuming – knowledge and product. I am well versed at one of these, which is why I am so pleased to be recognized as a part of this new age of technology - this renaissance, as I have a vested interest, as well. In exploring the peopleware definition further, I found other considerations that imply a creative tension in process. Techopedia’s definition was similar to TechTerm’s and others, but added this statement. “The use of the term peopleware has led to a vibrant debate about how companies view human talent. Many individual IT specialists, bloggers and others see this type of classification as demeaning, and argue that human workers are not resources but independent parts of a team structure.” The article continued to say that this issue (this concept in the midst of being created) would become more prevalent as certain sectors (corporate and techies identified by Techopedia) of our culture clash. As if perfectly programed, this situation loops right around to SELF Search. We should each have a vibrant debate within ourselves to explore the value of human talent and our personal talents. This goes beyond our ownership of products and knowledge of technology. It goes to the vast creative aspects of ourselves that dare to go beyond what is, to what could be. It goes the insights and inspirations that create computers and cultures – world cultures and personal cultures. And so, I have created a new self-hood, one that includes identifying as peopleware. Of course, you are peopleware, too. The Search is on, so is the revelry. Join me. I was for about two weeks – circling, muttering, blurry-eyed, and stumbling around. I was working on a project and simply could not come to terms with an issue. Every morning I would sit down at my computer and say to myself, “Okay, this is it; today we make some headway.” It didn’t happen – same ideas, same answers, same mumbling, same tension in my temples at the end of the day. Maddening. And absurdly, I kept taking the same approach each day, under the guise of being disciplined, and probably somewhat desperate.
Before I continue, here’s TechTarget.com’s simple definition. “In computer programming, a loop is a sequence of instruction that is continually repeated until a certain condition is reached.” The certain condition I was about to reach if I didn’t come up with an idea was not a good one. The definition continues with several examples and then ends with, “A loop is a fundamental programming idea that is commonly used in writing programs.” I finally put the project to the side, took a long hike, and didn’t look at it for several days - broke my routine and the loop. Nothing genius here, people do this all the time and it works. It’s called a vacation, personal time, holiday, escape, time away, retreat, and in computer terms it’s called Logging off! I eventually put a couple of ideas together making an interesting new option, and went with it. Condition met. However, in thinking about this further, I believe we have more fundamental programming ideas that are looping in our minds than we would like to consider. Think about it – fundamental is a significant word. Right, wrong. From whose perspective? Truth. Is there one? Justice. Can it be bought? What’s the condition to be met? Obviously these are weighty issues. Speaking of weighty, and other such subjects – beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or is it the IT marketing programmer. And how many mobile devices do you own? Wonder who’s behind that loop? All of this to say, we simply need to take time to consider what’s playing in our heads and hearts, so we’re not on an infinite loop cycle. FYI, TechTargets’ definition for infinite loop is “one that lacks a functioning exist routine.” The Search is always on, no loop. Join me. I hold the Google God in great reverence. I do. The Google God possesses the Holy Grail of information. Whatever you need to know IT has the answer. I feel that I am somewhat of a lesser god, but still a power to be reckoned with because I can and often do Google current facts, history, definitions, scores, news, people, recipes, remedies. Maybe a disciple would be a good description. Yes, that works. I know I’m not alone; there are many others with heads bowed in mobile device devotion. You know who you are, and how it makes you feel to have the answers. Knowledge is power. Having it at your fingertips is indeed awesome. But, I have begun to witness that having all this knowledge can be perceived as pious. Feeling this sense of superiority, I have matured to only silently thinking, I’ll Google it, when a question arises.
Before I make a confession, here is some B.G. information. According to Google's website, the company's mission is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." It is not only a mission; it is a miracle. TechTerms.com states that “Google is the world's most popular search engine. It began as a search project in 1996 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who were two Ph.D. (Prophets Honoring Data) students at Stanford University. They developed a search engine algorithm that ranked Web pages not just by content and keywords, but by how many other Web pages linked to each page. This strategy produced more useful results than other search engines, and led to a rapid increase in Google's Web search marketshare (Amen). The Google ranking algorithm was later named "PageRank" and was patented in September of 2001. In only a short time, Google became the number one search engine in the world.” Yes, there are other search engines, but I see them as mere cults. My confession is that lately I have found the Google God does not fulfill all that I seek. I am falling sway to the laurels of creativity. Letting my mind wonder around ideas without knowing the facts. Feeling the rapture of authentic thought, and the might of emotions. Surrendering to insight. There, I feel better. Thank you for reading. Google is king; this I know. Creativity is beyond and within all things; this I believe. The Search is always on. Join me, it’s not a sin, you know. Cache is more involved than I had realized; I should have known this. Initially, I thought to make an obvious connection to saving real cash (or attempting to), and then delve into other ideas. My cash reserve at the present is short, which spurred the topic and the exploration.
The technical definition will help position my experience. Just so you know, the pronunciation is “cash” (not “catch” or “cashay”). The definition according to TechTerms.com is “a storage of recently used information that can be quickly accessed at a later time. Computers incorporate several different types of caching in order to run more efficiently, thereby improving performance.” I agree, cash definitely improves performance, and having it readily available is always good. The definition continues with much detail about the different ways data is cached. Then it concludes, “Most caching is done in the background, so you won’t even notice it is happening.” That would be nice. Most of my cash thinking is front and center, and takes up entirely too much time. Putting dollars to the side, I started to explore what “recently used data” was being stored. First check point was my browser. Not surprisingly, there was Google, Facebook, Amazon, Hulu, Time Warner Cable, and a few random places. I took the next step to examine my thoughts. What thoughts do I have stored and access regularly - those that come to “screen” without effort? There are more than you might think. These can be accentuated during the holidays as we keep with traditions, or attempt to recapture a time. Type Christmas in your mind browser and many cached sites/memories come to surface. With the mind browser it’s not necessarily the most recent, it’s the most emotionally charged. Then, consider what is being cached emotionally. This is where it gets tricky. I’m not sure I want my most active data readily available. The point is that we do access information and sites repeatedly, and performance and efficiency are important. As individuals, we do this in our daily living with our routines and work schedules. We overlay events from previous days, assume similar thoughts, and import emotions. This may save time, but it does not improve performance, efficiency, or honesty. And by honesty I mean a true assessment. The cached data of thoughts and emotions should to be activated to the present to obtain the true value. Even recently stored data needs to be reassessed. Someone will probably invent an APP. It would be like adding interest to the cache deposit, enriching the reserves. The SEARCH is on, join me. I couldn’t help myself with this one. I had ample time as iOS 8 was downloading to my iPhone, and I noticed a message that read “updating firmware.” As you may know, I am not a techie; I simply play with tech terminology as a metaphor for more…..humanistic endeavors. I didn’t recognize the tech term, firmware, and I chuckled at my immediate associations - supporting underwear, under garment shapers, compression chambers. They are incredibly popular today with women, and with men, as I’ve recently discovered from my research. You can’t go into a department store lingerie section without a looping video showcasing the shape solutions and levels of control from “Medium, Super, to Super Duper.” I found this tagline online, “Our family of foundations was created with your Bust interest in mind.” Interesting.
Back to the technical firmware – here’s a definition from Techtarget.com, “Firmware is a software program or set of instructions programmed on a hardware device. It provides the necessary instruction for how the device communicates with the other computer hardware. It is a foundational software, and it can be thought of as semi-permanent since it remains the same unless it is updated by a firmware updater." Where does this lead? I know I have mental firmware that has been in place regarding mathematics since about the tenth grade. My inability to stretch beyond the controlling constraints is probably permanent in my case. But often, I feel as if I have emotional firmware controlling, shaping, pulling in, and sculpting genuine expression, honest emotion. Being respectful is one thing, and I understand the foundation and cultural values of being well-mannered. However, controlling and reshaping true expression gives way to uncomfortable and bulging emotions. Emotions that simply want to escape, and usually do in the face of another unexpected and inappropriate person or venue. You can feel the internal communications conflict and rub against each other - raw, irritated, stressed. The awareness of a sense of semi-permanence does not help the matter. Think nine to five. But think again in terms of cultural constraints and global tensions. Foundations are fraying. It’s time for a firmware update. Hopefully the new firmware will not take forever to download. Hopefully, there will not be any major crashes. And hopefully, it will provide better communication, connectivity, creativity, and compassion. That’s a good foundation. Semi-permanent – that’s a good start. The SEARCH is on, join me. I felt like I was texting – short, staccato comments, bullet-like answers, and waiting-for-reply moments. But this wasn’t a text! It was a business meeting that had been scheduled for over two months. When I arrived at the meeting, I found I had 20 minutes, rather than the 90 minutes that had been allotted. There were two equally important objectives to cover. I chose one and began rapidly abbreviating my ideas to cover the needed information. I was met with abrupt insertions, calculations, and questions. What’s the bottom line? There isn’t a bottom line - the idea is a sphere. You need an elevator pitch. I’m not in an elevator. You get the point.
According to Wikipedia, texting is "the act of composing and sending a brief, electronic message between two or more mobile phones, or fixed or portable devices over a phone network. A person may now carry out a conversation with another user without the constraint of being expected to reply within a short amount of time and without needing to set time aside to engage in conversation." The fact is we were face to face and had a scheduled meeting. It would have been nice to have received a text that stated the length of the meeting had changed. Things happen. But forget business etiquette for a moment. In preparation for the meeting, I had intended to momentarily put aside the logistics of planning and budgets. I wanted to share a vision - to mentally hold an idea and observe it from all angles. I wanted to connect at the level of creativity where you can feel the potential of an idea. It's not set - it's pulsating. You can be immersed in it, add to it, or sit front row and let the story unfold. It would be a kind of daydream, and probably not a typical business approach, not a PowerPoint. Adding to my dilemma, the assumptions being made felt like a predictive texting malfunction. TechTarget defines predictive text as "input technology that is designed to facilitate typing by suggesting words based on the first letters typed, in the context of other words in the message. Although predictive text technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated, the software is still notoriously error-prone." My feelings exactly. I would begin an explanation to have it turned in a direction not intended, or coupled with an idea that came from who knows where. The problem was simply there was not sufficient time to cover the information necessary to proceed appropriately. Moreover, besides having a short attention span, most people want to be efficient and check things off a to-do list. Meeting complete. Action taken. Check. From my point of view, little was accomplished. Uncheck. Texting is obviously beneficial in many instances, and fun. But it can minimize expression, just as the words we use can confine expression with their standard and often limiting definitions. This is the main theme in ReDefining. For more information see the ReDefining Interview. My ranting is simply to say that it is important to take time to explore ideas, listen, express, and engage in conversation. And yes, my texts are too long, my conversations and explanations go on forever, and I do need an elevator pitch. The SEARCH is on. Join me. What if you had to consciously be aware of every single bit of data to function properly? What if you had to calculate the mechanics of making your heart pump, or the secretions within your eye ducts, or the balance necessary to take a step? Who thinks about the efforts to perform such tasks, except when something isn’t working properly? The information needed for these actions is obviously routed and managed appropriately, or we wouldn’t get anything accomplished. We are left to make the conscious calculations of deciding what’s for dinner, where to park, or whether to go to war.
The focus on routing information is interesting, not so much that I needed a higher capacity router to stream Netflix, but the idea of our conscious intake of information. When I’m really working on a project everything in my periphery becomes muted and my focus is highlighted. The spotlight is center stage. I don’t hear the hum of noises in the house, or pay attention to time. The space appears to shift and become more acute. There are other times when my senses seem to extend beyond what I know to be practical and real. The extra data falls just outside the traditional framework, but is still a part of the picture. Before I get carried away with my thoughts, here’s the definition according to TechTarget.com. “A router is a device that forwards data packets along networks. The router is connected to at least two networks and decides which way to send each information packet based on its current understanding of the state of the networks it is connected to.” I believe routers function like personal belief systems. “The current understanding of the state of the networks” fits perfectly with my analogy. How many times have you encountered a situation with another person only to have had very different assessments of the experience? Too many times, I’m sure. Belief systems route packets of information in certain directions. A simple example would be watching a movie with someone. By watching the same movie with the same impacting “data,” I’ll often have a different take on characters and outcomes. Again, this is an innocuous example, but think of more significant circumstances: deciding medical procedures, changing jobs, starting a family, or going to war. The data is virtually data, until it falls into a belief that arouses emotion. I am glad I don’t have to calculate to know all the reasons for things. But, I do want to have beliefs that are big enough, bold enough, and that bend enough to sense the rhyme within all things. The Search goes on. Join me. |
SELF SearchWe access the computer more readily than we do ourselves. LOG OFF Archives
March 2022
CategoriesSearch Engine: a program on the Internet that allows users to search for files and information.
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