Sam Altman: Moore's Law for Everything
There are parallels to Sam Altman’s recent essay, “Moore’s Law for Everything”, with the well-known essay by Marc Adreessen, “Why Software is Eating the World”, shared in 2011.
Perhaps in a decade, we’ll look back with reverence on this latest essay in the same way we view the 2011 entrant. With the continued advances in AI, it does seem like he has it right.
New report on Apple's VR headset
The Information shared a new report which seems to corroborate Bloomberg’s from a couple of weeks ago. However, ArsTechnica is skeptical:
For Apple to launch a VR headset this soon (or at all) would be a surprising move, to say the least.
The company has no developer APIs for VR beyond nominal support for the SteamVR SDK in its custom Metal graphics API, even as it has spent years building up very robust AR APIs. CEO Tim Cook has also been publicly dismissive of VR in the past, citing its tendency to isolate users from those around them, among other factors. He has repeatedly pointed to augmented reality as Apple’s future focus.
Apple has been building up tools for the creation of augmented reality content since 2017. That’s when the company started using the iPhone and iPad—and their AR-enabled rear camera arrays—as a spawning ground for AR developers who could create experiences for a future app marketplace for AR glasses. As a result of that groundwork, Apple’s AR glasses could see an immediate wave of high-quality apps on release.
It’s harder to picture that situation with VR, so one is left wondering why Apple would focus on VR instead of AR to start when the groundwork is there for AR. And Apple is way behind in VR. The company made a half-hearted foray into VR with barebones HTC Vive support within Final Cut Pro and some other tools alongside the launch of the iMac Pro, but little was heard of that feature again.
Apple has surprised us before. But it is clear the tooling, partners, and ecosystem around a product are often just as important as the product itself.
It is likely, even expected, that Apple is prototyping VR headsets alongside AR ones. However, prototypes aren’t required to be shipped. Instead, the R&D effort is to explore the space and the focus is still on launching an AR offering.
Bloomberg bets on VR
Bloomberg is back again with a story about Apple that is almost certainly wrong - claiming that Apple will release a VR headset in 2022.
Apple isn’t looking to create an iPhone-like hit for its first headset. Instead, the company is building a high-end, niche product that will prepare outside developers and consumers for its eventual, more mainstream AR glasses.
As a mostly virtual reality device, it will display an all-encompassing 3-D digital environment for gaming, watching video and communicating. AR functionality, the ability to overlay images and information over a view of the real world, will be more limited.
Almost everything about VR is unlike what Apple represents:
- The most common case for VR is gaming. And while Apple excels at mobile gaming; VR is more similar to a desktop gaming experience - which Apple lags in.
- VR is an individual, but isolating experience. Almost everything Apple offers today is personal, but personal in a way that helps the individual more fully interact with their world.
- And most importantly, VR induces sickness in more than 20% of women and around 10% of men. It seems very unlikely for Apple to sell a device that makes so many people sick.
The article continues with more incredible ideas:
The company has also designed the headset with a fan, something the company usually tries to avoid on mobile products, the people said.
No, they will not sell a headset that has a fan.
To further reduce the device’s weight, Apple is planning to use a fabric exterior.
No.
By developing a less mainstream initial headset, Apple can invest in the underlying technologies, consumer education, content development and developer relations to give its eventual AR glasses the best opportunity to be successful — when they are ready.
Apple has already been doing this for years, by building AR into the iPhone and iPad. They don’t need to release a less mainstream headset to accomplish these goals.
Wide screen view of Sonic 2
The level design is wonderful. In this wide-screen view, it becomes clear that Sonic is a virtual roller coaster masquerading as a 2-D side-scroller.
(read more)The SOC2 Starting Seven
Industry people talk about SOC2 a lot, and it’s taken on a quasi-mystical status, not least because it’s the product of the quasi-mystical accounting industry. But what it all boils down to is: eventually you’ll run into big-company clients demanding a SOC2 report to close a sale.
The future of work arrived early.
I heard this during our board meeting yesterday, and to me, it perfectly captures what we’re all experiencing right now: distance learning and remote working, micro-mobility, and a massive tech adoption across every demographic.
As Covid-19 impacts every aspect of our work and life, we have seen two years' worth of digital transformation in two months.
-Satya Nadella
Universal Healthcare
In an alternate timeline, leadership passed universal healthcare. The President, marking the signing of this historic bill, tweeted, “Access to quality health care is a basic human right!”
The United States was the last developed country that failed to offer health care coverage for all of its citizens.
Wi-Fi-6
Looks like I might be buying a new router this year.
(read more)How long will this last?
95% of the nation is under stay-at-home orders - and we’d like to know when this will end. What follows are thought on the actions taken to date re: COVID-19, how long we may continue under physical distancing, and some information of how that might change with the addition of a vaccine or similar therapy.
(read more)I’m thinking about investing in business casual sweatpants. Any suggestions?
Deploying Hugo to S3 via Bitbucket
I’m really happy with my recent switch to Hugo.io for my personal site. Full automation is Forestry.io, to Bitbucket, which uses Pipelines to upload to S3. Smooth.
(read more)Playstation 5
Looks like the future.
Excalidraw
Excalidraw is a fantastic paper prototyping tool. It’s easy to use and produces visually pleasing work. Even better, it’s open source, MIT-licensed and free to use.
(read more)Steve, you will be missed
Over the weekend, my good friend and mentor, Steve Nordberg, passed away.
Early in my career, Steve took a chance on me to become a software developer. I had no experience and not much in the way of credentials, but despite the early stage VUE was at (few customers and building a testing system in nine months), he was willing to take me on as an intern.
Steve provided guidance and counsel to me as I took on challenges and increasing responsibility. But, it wasn’t just me. For many, he was a person that you could call to get clear advice on almost any business challenge.
This is because Steve’s superpower was the ability to identify the simplest solution possible. He had this incredible ability to get to the heart of the problem. To take a complex problem, and identify the crux of the issue - and to make it understandable for others.
Steve was a terrific friend and someone I could count on throughout my career.
But most of all, I will forever be indebted to him for believing in me - in the beginning and beyond.
Steve, you will be missed.
Why Structural
I recently joined Structural (structural.com), the Employee Success Platform. Moving to a startup has long been a dream of mine. But, the right one needed to be… well, right. So, what follows are a few reasons why I chose Structural.
(read more)Good bye VUE, and thank you
To my colleagues at VUE, This past Friday was my last day at Pearson VUE - marking the end of over two decades. Together, we have built a terrific company - one that ensures the public safety, one that helps people achieve their life’s goals, and one that assists people in achieving professional success.
(read more)Lean Startup: using the Validation Board
The Lean Startup Validation Board is a one-page tool created by Lean Startup Machine. It’s a terrific way to test early stage ideas. All too often we as engineers have an idea and then immediately jump into building. In the past, I’ve spent months (in one case years) of my time and/or money building something that wasn’t viable. Three different times. And I’m not alone.
(read more)Sharing constructive feedback using a 3-step approach
This approach is easy to remember and works for many situations, not just the tough ones. If you’re in a situation where you are having difficulty coming up with the right words to say, or the issue has grown large enough to become the big talk, or if you just want a simple way to broach an uncomfortable conversation, then start with this approach.
(read more)Giving feedback - don't wait until it turns into the big talk
Direct literally means “with nothing in between” and that’s exactly what you should strive for. What this means in practice is that you get to the point and you clearly say what you intend.
(read more)Five clear actions to take as a first-time tech leader
As a new leader, one of the best things you can do is to meet regularly with your direct team members. Establish these so that they are weekly, consistent, for about half an hour, and in a private setting.
(read more)