FatGeekUK

The article I mentioned about AREL mentioned a book that I really intend to look into.

Structure and interpretation of computer programs

I love being a dad.

Me and the kids have a sort of long term game of ‘tick’ going on. It’s called the ‘boink’ and you pass it on by prodding the person with a finger while (completely unselfconsciously saying “Boink”).

Anyway, I ’Boink’ed Alex (son, 11 years old, total geek) he turned round and said something like….

“Getting the boink makes me annoyed and being annoyed is something I don’t like”

Well, being the geekdad that I am, I went into a bit of a talk about how he had just expressed a syllogism, then explained what it was, and why it is important and finally, tried to give a bit of background between declarative and imperative computer languages and that syllogisms form the basis of a programming language called Prolog.

Then, I got my copy of ‘Programming in Prolog’ off the top shelf and gave that to him to have a browse through. specifically saying it was just to show what prolog was like, not expecting him to DO anything.

Love being a geekdad.

I have been reading “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by Clayton M. Christensen.

It details a theory as to why incumbent technology companies falter when confronted with certain types of new technology.

The general idea is that innovation in a technological area outstrips that needed by the customers in that area. So, the technology expands upwards into markets it was previously not suited to. Displacing older technologies in the process.

Examples from the Hard Disk Industry are used as the main example.

Very interesting read. Well worth looking at.