The Great Balancing Act

A principal concern of church leaders regarding computer use is their predominance in our lives and their overuse. I certainly find this to be a valid concern. I grew up with computers - already at the age of 10, I was programming in BASIC and spent a good portion of my time outside of school engaged with my computer. While this interaction has obviously led to good results, such as my current major, it has also led to problems. I have found a personal tendency to become engulfed in a computer when I find myself in a stressful situation, rather than confronting my stressor. This is one of the signs of addiction. It seems that even good use of computers can become an addiction if not put in check. Computer use must be held in constant balance for our own good.

The Open Social Experiment

I tend to consider open source software to be something of a social experiment. It tests the boundaries of human interaction, and seems to laugh in the face of capitalism. When you think about it rationally, it doesn't seem like the system should work. People are generally understood to be greedy and self-serving, and to contribute to a project with no expectation of personal gain seems improbable at best. Yet the facts dictate that open source does, in fact, work. I am typing this blog post on a computer running an open source Linux operating system, which is running the open source Firefox web browser. The fact that the open source movement not only exists, but thrives in our world, gives me hope in human nature. Maybe, just maybe, the movement is a sign that we are all inherently generous and selfless. Here's to hoping the open source movement enjoys a full, long life.

My Sister Is a Computer Scientist

I wish that gender was not an issue in our field. I recently received an email from my younger sister, who is currently her mission. As her date to return home approaches, she has begun thinking about her future as a college student once she arrives home. My sister asked what I thought about her pursuing a degree in computer science. Among my comments, I noted the large offset between genders in the major. I talked about the fact that she might be required to defend herself, her talents, and her gender if she were to pursue this career path. I wish I could tell my sister that this field would embrace her with open arms. That she would be judged and promoted based on her abilities and unique viewpoints. That she would be seen as an individual, and not as a gender. I don't think we've reached that point. But with her help, maybe someday soon we will.