Programming insights to Storytelling, it's all here.
Recently I was reading an article that stated that human conversation is limited to a maximum of 4 people. Add more people to the group and they slowly break into smaller groups.
The ultimate experience on YouTube is to have you watch an infinite amount of videos. If you ask Susan Wojcicki (YouTube's CEO), if her goal is to have the maximum number of people glued to the YouTube app in perpetuity, of course her answer will be no, and she will not be lying. We all know that spending an excessive amount of time in front of a screen is not a healthy behavior. But the fact is, this is exactly what the algorithm that serves you your next video is trying to do. And if it succeeds in doing it's job, you will watch videos in perpetuity.
If anything is clear since I wrote the last article about the machine firing me, it's that most people wanted to read more. They cruised my blog, trying to find more to read but I seldom tell stories. Instead I talk about JavaScript, CDNs, and PHP. Things that are more practical then interesting. It seems accidental that I even wrote a story this time, but it's not. I have been working on story like format with more failures than successes.
During the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), I spend most of the day on YouTube looking for new game trailers. It's exciting to watch upcoming games and the cool new graphics. Yes, I am a sucker for graphics. I also like to watch these videos in the highest quality possible and hopefully without any ads. Trailers are already ads so I would like to watch my ads without pre-rolling ads please.
I have spent an unhealthy amount of time in front of a device scrolling and scrolling. Every second there is more content to consume. There is a funny video, a meme, a political rant, an inspiring quote, a funny video, a meme, a political rant, an inspiring quote and it goes on and on in a loop. From time to time I break the loop and turn to a long interesting article that tickles my intellect. I read and feel smarter. Then I look for another article to give me more of that same substance, but I can't get more.
"Can I have some chewing gum?" I asked. "Perdon?" she answered. "Chewing gum" I repeated. She looked at me confused. I was giving up but she was still looking at me, as if she was trying to make the effort to understand me.
It was 7am when my phone rang. Instead of an alarm, it was my recruiter disturbing me from a pleasant dream. It was too early for a phone call or to be caught off guard, so I did not answer. I went to take a shower and get ready for the day. On my way to work, I listened to the voice mail she had left.
Every year there are new tools to help you get started with web development. And every year they pile up and make it harder for someone new to get started. It's easy for a veteran programmer to recommend a bunch of tools and libraries to get started, but they forget the fact that they had spent years learning about their tooling. But if you are new, do you start with React? Or is it Angular? Do you learn jQuery? Or do you go straight to Vue? Can you do anything if you don't have npm installed?
Richard Feynman is still considered one of the greatest teachers that ever lived. He could explain complicated scientific subjects to the layman. His method, unlike most scientist, was to use simple words to convey complex ideas in a way we can all relate. He spoke in a human language.
As a web developer, my peers have always assumed that I know a weird little trick to game Google search results. Something I would type in a dark themed code editor that could SEO any website. They believe it's my secret weapon to make money online. Not just friends and family though, I recently talked with a client that assumed I just wanted more money. So they kept naming dollar figures, proposal after proposal, each bigger than the previous, until I would say yes. I said "No". I wasn't being a jerk. I just couldn't do it for them. I don't think anyone understood what they are asking me. Let me explain.
