A Few Things I -Believe- to be True

Upon reading the article and short abstract by Nicholas Carr and Google's "Ten Things We Know to be True," I got thinking about my own religious viewpoint and how something like an online "search engine" could be comparable to such a thing. It wasn't all that difficult, really...for me to say that Google is the Bible of the internet wouldn't be too far off: Just about everybody that looks for an answer to something on the web uses Google just as a Christian might use the Bible. A Zen Buddhist would meditate instead, letting thoughts of every nature flow through their calmed and empty minds. However, if Google's amazing search efficiency could solve some of the world's most-unanswerable problems, we might be in for a hell of a shock. Brace yourselves, things are about to get a bit heavy.

In forms of Buddhism, followers, through diligent meditation and self-reflection, aim to reach "Nirvana," a state of true happiness separate from the impermanent satisfactions that worldly materials. With Google, the aim is instant satisfaction; their job is to help you find exactly what you're looking for as fast as possible. I can't speak for anyone else, but I can pretty assuredly say that Google remarkable efficiency of sorting information instilled in me an expectation of this "instant satisfaction" from using it. I remember back in the early days of Google, I would often have to sift through the results page to piece together the information I was looking for...although if I felt particularly confident in my search string, I could hit the good ol' "I'm Feeling Lucky" button (which needed a considerably greater amount of luck than it does today!). The results page of the Google of old necessitated this exploration which often yielded accidental discovery of something new!

Think about it: If a religion would simply give you a concrete answer to the problems of the universe, provable by all logic and reason, THE answer to our origin and purpose, religion would cease to exist as a concept. A religion would no longer be a system of beliefs, but a list of facts. We would no longer have anything to believe in, since it would all be known. No longer anything to meditate or reflect upon what may or may not be to promote self-discovery and reach that nirvana that we're all aiming for in our lives, it would all just be laid out in front of us, and if we denied it, we would simply be ignorant fools.

If Google were likened to a real-world religion, I think we should still practice one of those older, less refined versions. I believe it was more of a true search tool in that it simply pointed users in the right direction, allowing for discoveries of things that we might not have exactly been looking for, but gained new knowledge from that we otherwise would not have with today's Google. Today's Google, then, is more like an answer or results engine, whereas the old, I feel, is a true search engine.

The Tablet "Revolution"

Tablets had existed long before Apple began work on the iPad, but were resigned to a niche market of upper-class businessmen who already had a laptop/netbook and just wanted another toy of sorts. Jobs decided that, when combined with Apple's new multi-touch screen interface, the tablet could be "revolutionized" just like what was done with the iPhone. The reveal of Apple's iPad received a lot of speculation and backlash from the technological community at large, who argued that it just looks like "an extra large iPhone," but with less functionality, and that productivity could still be better achieved with a full-keyboard laptop (ironically, there is now a quite popular keyboard attachment for the iPad).

                                                      Congrats, you've invented the laptop?
                                                   
However, Apple's marketing team, under the severe watch of Jobs, pulled a miracle once again. Simple, elegant, and "different" commercials were aired that touted the usability and features of the new iPad. Simple and straightforward.Wozniak is quoted in Jobs's biography on the success of the device, saying that Jobs had an uncanny ability to "sell you a product that you don'e need, yet suddenly can't live without." Development of apps for the iPad became almost double that of the iPhone, now accounting for the larger screen space and utilizing the faster in-house processor bespoke to the machine. Thanks to these new developments and the ingenious marketing campaign, The first iPad became the most successful consumer electronic product according to units shipped.

The Enlightened Apple

Steve Jobs journey with Zen Buddhism, and the philosophies he gained from the religion, definitely bled over into his projects at Apple. The company's foremost philosophy under Steve Jobs in the making of its products has always been of functionality through design. That is, making a product elegant in simplicity that is intuitive to operate, with a unification of hardware and software. Many users of Apple products often proclaim their love for their devices because "...they just work!" For these users, the ease with which they are able to use their products could be said to help them get closer to a zen-like peace, in which they don't have to worry about or concentrate on how they need to use their devices, since they are designed to function in a very natural way.

Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, in a recording of his talks at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, explains that everything we experience enters through these "gates" that represent our five senses, and each sense has a specific "sense object" that they are made to detect: Colors for the eye, scents for the nose, some voice for the ear to hear, etc. Through the combination of these senses and the objects they perceive, we gain our perception of "everything," explains Suzuki.

See the relevant portion of the video here --->http://www.tubechop.com/watch/859874

In the same way, Steve Jobs's magnum opus, the iPhone, is a sort of "everything" product, a catalyst through which we can experience and share the world around us with ease. It is designed not around any silicon-based hardware, but the carbon-based template of the human body, around our sense "gates." It has colors for the eyes to see (large, vibrant screen), something intuitive to touch (multi-touch display), even a voice for us to hear (Siri)! And, although the smell of brand new computer hardware is sweet as ambrosia to me, I'm not sure how much it appeals to others...or taste could be achieved. Well, three out of five ain't bad.

Steve Jobs: College Material?

Steve Jobs is an unusually forward individual. His self-assuredness sometimes seems to come off as cockiness or even narcissism...but there's no doubt that the man isn't ashamed of anything he says!

One of his comments at his famous commencement speech at Stanford University that I found a bit awkward was his remark he made about how he dropped out of college because he "didn't see the value in it." How ironic that a college dropout (though one of the most successful men in America notwithstanding) is speaking at the commencement of one of America's most famous universities! Didn't anyone check this guy's credentials?

                                                              "What? I'm just that awesome."

Through this comment, though, Jobs is just saying that college wasn't for him. His adopted parents - who promised his biological mother that he would go to college - technically kept their promise, but it seems like Jobs himself wasn't really into it anyway, despite this promise and the societal pressure around him. This shows his totally individualistic approach toward his own life, a message he preaches to the listeners at Stanford. Don't get "caught up in anyone else's dogma," he says. Though you may be pressed into thinking that a certain way of living is right, you should always and only do what you think is best. 

What I got out of this is that one should always pursue their passions to their fullest extent, and if their interests change, follow the new passions. Living by this strict doctrine of The Self, Steve Jobs was fortunate in his life to do what he loved and love what he did. His message to "stay hungry, stay foolish" encourages others to do the same.

The Correlation of Convenience and Satisfaction

Today, through the use of ever-present technologies in our lives like computers, smartphones, tablets, etc., we are able to get just about everything we could ever want by utilizing the internet. Want to read a book? Get it on your Kindle for a reduced price. Feel like catching up on a previous season of your favorite television series? It's just a few clicks away with a Netflix subscription. Hungry for a pizza? You can just order one of those online too; no need to pick up a phone, oh no, that's far too much effort! Living in a society that emphasizes convenience, it's easy to get caught up in the mantra. After all, easier is better, right?

Of course, I am by no means saying this to make some sort of "back in my day..." curmudgeonly statement about how these services are rotting our minds and turning us into socially-deprived screen junkies, I'm just trying to make a point and put this whole convenience-is-the-ultimate-goal thing into perspective.

I'll make a little anecdotal confession here: I have in the past acquired some software and games for myself through the means of filesharing. At one time, I'd amassed a collection that I was quite impressed with. However, I'd found an interesting correlation between my state of mind and all this "stuff" I had. I feel that the ease at which I acquired them was indirectly proportionate to the amount of interest I had in them, and my enjoyment I had with the ones I played. I had no investment with these intangible products; bits of data I had on my computer that I'd gotten by opening a torrent file. I didn't run to the store to spend my hard-earned money, waiting in line for a midnight release getting hyped with my friends. I didn't come home afterwards to tear my fingernails off trying to pry that damn adhesive strip off the case, pop in the disc and revel in the glory of my accomplishment. No, I just clicked on a link and got what I was after. Simple as that. No effort, instant "reward."

This question has been asked a million times before, but I feel it is completely relevant to the subject of our class. Is the getting of the reward really of the utmost importance? I say partially, but only when combined with a meaningful experience leading up to said reward does it become truly satisfying.

LifeHack: Ninite.com

**Disclaimer: This post has to do only with software for Microsoft Windows operating systems. Mac users, you already have it easy enough :)

Working with computers and computer hardware has been a hobby of mine for some time now. Among my acquaintances, I'm often the first to be called about computer problems, greeted by the tune of "It doesn't work!"

Pretty much every consumer laptop and desktop one can buy comes laden with additional programs on its operating system. These programs generally enhance ease of use, and can be difficult to live without (e.g. Microsoft Word, Adobe Reader, Java, etc.). However, a system with a fresh install of an operating system - which often is what needs to happen in the case of a failed or corrupted hard drive - will have none of these programs, which means they will need to be installed separately. This can be a slow and painstaking process, especially for new or unfamiliar users, who may not know what programs they need or what they do.

Fortunately, there is a service that can install virtually any and all of these vital freeware programs for you, all at once! It is a website called ninite.com. To use it, one selects which programs they with to install (complete with short descriptions of what they do), and ninite creates a custom all-in-one installer which installs what you select! That's really all there is to it. Want a better web browser? Get Chrome or Firefox. Infected and need a malware cleaner? Why not try Malwarebytes? Programs like these and many more for all purposes are available.

I've found this service invaluable after a fresh install of Windows to get a system up and running. It's useful for anyone who finds they are missing programs and need them fast. Take a look and see what you might be missing!