Promoting Professional Geekery #38: Raise The Children Well

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(For more Promoting Professional Geekery, see this Roundup of past columns.)

When did you first realize your hardcore geekdom was a possible career?  Me, I think I was about 7 or 8.

I was into science and medicine and such, and already figured that’d be my job.  I got some encouragement from my family, and even more later on in my life.  It probably helped that only a few people even knew what the hell I was talking about, but at least no one tried to derail me.

And, decades later, it worked out pretty good.

So if you want to promote the professional geek ideal start helping out young people.  They’ve got enough challenges to face right now with a failing economy, bad school systems, poor . . . er, wait, I’m depressing myself.

Let’s focus on the positive.  If you’ve got a way with the younger generation, from experience with your own children to recently having been the younger generation, start helping them out.  Bring them into the progeeky fold.

Here’s ways where you can start helping progeeky kids with an early step up:

  • If you do the con scene, do events for young creative, geeky, technical people.  Crafty things, fun events, what have you.
  • Teach, work with, or other wise help at youth events and clubs.
  • Encourage your local schools to start after-school classes or events on careers that you (and your friends) can speak and advise on.
  • If you have kids of your own, younger siblings, or friends with kids, always be supportive of them career-wise.  Even if you don’t have children, the kids and their parents may give you ideas of how you can do more.
  • If you write, then consider books for a younger set on career issues.

Think of what you can do to educate, help, and support.  For that matter, think how many parents may be thrilled that their children are getting some career ideas early that they also enjoy.  That helps a lot when they look at the cost of college.

Come to think of it the parents are someone you should keep in mind, and that’s for next column . . .

– Steven Savage

Greece Leaving The Euro?

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OK I’ll put on my Robe and Economist’s Hat and note we’ve got a nice article here on what happens if Greece leaves the euro – or gets kicked out.  Basic result is it hurts, but also people pull money out of other troubled Euro countries, probably putting it into Germany.  Most of this is due to one of Paul Krugman’s predictions, which people tend to listen to.

I’m feeling Krugman is actually too negative on how this could play out (it’s summarized at the article), but it’s still going to end badly for someone(s).  The real question is how the pain is spread out and which politicians want to watch things go to hell on their watch.  In short, I can see things being drawn out in the hope of a soft landing that pushes these possible scenareos out into the future, it’s just that the question of “can we kick people out of/do we leave the euro” is going to come up eventually.

This is made further complicate by the Greek political situation, which I have had trouble figuring out for years.  I’m not exactly sympathetic to Greece’s situation, let’s put it that way, though I’m anti-Austerity.

What this means for us in the U.S. is that the world economy, at any time, could have some nasty shakeup as the Euro kicks people out, gets left, new austerity measures go into place, politics change, etc.  I’m not sure what role the U.S. is taking, if any, to try and sort this mess out – it’d be very useful to do some digging.

So U.S. recovery aside and other hope, we’ve still got a big chunk of the world having economic problems.  That, in short, could mess things up for everyone else, us included.

Oh, and Canada.  Hey guys.

– Steven Savage

 

A Cold And Rational Analysis of 3D Printing

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So I have seen a 3D printer in action when my friend Doug got one.  I have speculated on the impact of these devices economically, professionally, and for geek culture.  I can say, after experiencing one that one of my major conclusion is that it is REALLY FREAKIN’ COOL.

My friend got a Replicator (http://store.makerbot.com/replicator-404.html) from MakerBot (http://www.makerbot.com/), and has been using it for about two weeks.  Having seen it in action, I have to say that you don’t really “get” 3D printing until you see it work, smell the plastic, worry the cats are going to play with the printer, and hold the results in your hands.

There’s something visceral about the experience when you’re there.  My friend went to Thingiverse (http://www.thingiverse.com/) to get some designs and began printing them, specifically a Heart Gears (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:12208) for Mother’s day.  He had printed some of it when I came to visit, and throughout the evening, he continued to print and assemble parts (this is not exactly fast).  Then, in the end, it was done, from image to reality.

And then, I “got it.”

The 3D printer is not a “thing” it is the end result of several phenomena coming together.  Yes, it’s 3D printing technology, (specifically a guided nozzle spinning out plastic thread from a loop).  The printer is also something that connects easily to a computer.  It runs software that uses common formats that many people can create.  These files can be posted anywhere, and there are already sites with plenty of them.

It all came together with me holding a gift for Mother’s Day that had come out of a roll of plastic thread, a website, and an odd gizmo.

This is powerful.

It’s not something people are going to “get” easily until they see it.  When people do see items made, when they perceive the power of 3D printing, then it’s going to be very real to them.  I’m testimony to that (I’m fighting the urge to look for a spare $1750 already).

3D Printing already has enough motion that it’s more a matter of time for it to take off.  A few things that could accelerate it (and that’s both a warning and a hint):

  • Prominent use on television.
  • Displays in stores like Best Buy or Fry’s that show it’s power.
  • Appearances at large convention events (hint, hint).
  • Any prominent media mention (I already saw this in the news today).

People making 3D printers with a bit of work could easily make a craze.

You may be skeptical, but when you see it work . . . it’s hard to describe.

However a few things are also needed for the technology:

  • The tech I’ve seen is pretty friendly, but still on a “hobbyist” level – you need to have some level of aptitude to get it.  Easier-to-use tech is needed.
  • Better tutorials would be useful.
  • Price.  Trust me, the Replicatior is drop-dead amazing, but it’s still hard to justify $1750, though trust me I am trying.  Other printers are more costly, though some come as kits (which, trust me, won’t go mainstream).

Still, I am convinced – 3D printing will have its time.  I’ve seen the future, and it smells of plastic and moves in a way that really distracts cats.

– Steven Savage