TOW #19 - The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder

Tracy Kidder is a Pulitzer Prize winner of his book The Soul of a New Machine, a book about the creation of a new computer at Data General Corporation. Considered a literary journalist, Kidder has also won other awards such as the National Book Award for Nonfiction, Ambassador Book Award, Lettre Ulysses Award, and many others, establishing him as a significant and credible writer of nonfiction. In his book The Soul of a New Machine, Kidder narrates the experiences of the two design groups that are fighting to create a new computer than can compete with the VAX computer developed by Digital Equipment Corporation, which is dominating in the market of 32-bit computers. Kidder documents the conceptualization, design, and the implementation process that takes place at Date General Corporation and tells the story of the company's struggle through the experiences the design teams had to face. Directed towards those interested in engineering and computer science, this book portrays an important piece of the history of the development of the modern computer. However, Kidder's main purpose is not to inform his readers, but to motivate them not to give up when faced with a situation involving a crucial deadline and a near-impossible problem to solve. Throughout the first half of the book, Kidder attempts to achieve his purpose through anecdotes and imagery. The addition of anecdotes creates an atmosphere that makes it seem as if the reader is at Data General Corporation itself, which enhances the audience's reading experience. Complementing anecdotes is Kidder's imagery. The skillful use of adjectives and other methods of describing a situation/person promotes the reader's understanding of what is taking place and the obstacles the design groups have to go through. Combined, these devices attempted to achieve Kidder's purpose and, however, were not successful because the struggles in the book have yet to be impactful. However, I believe that in the second half of the book, Kidder will be able to achieve his purpose.

TOW #18 - Article: "Technology Must Prevent Texting While Driving, Say Doctors" by Douglas Main

No Texting and Driving

The cellphone, a device capable of placing calls, texting, and entertaining its users, is possibly one of the most dangerous gadgets ever developed. Douglas Main, a science and environmental journalist who contributes greatly to Popular Science and other science news organizations, recognizes the threat that cellphones pose on those who are able to drive since "cellphones are responsible for a quarter of all accidents in the U.S. Texting is particularly bad, since it serves as both a mental and visual distraction." Concerned about the plight technology these days has caused, Main conceptualizes various ideas that have a great potential of increasing a driver's safety. One such fix to this problem that Main suggests is by adding a sensor to the car that creates a jamming signal, preventing drivers from using their phones and driving unsafely at the same time. Drivers, young and old, need to understand the dangers of using their cellphones carelessly. However, they do not, and rather than raising awareness of this situation, Main proposes that it is best to create equipment for the betterment of the current predicament. To achieve his purpose of warning people of the hazards of cellphone use while driving and proposing ideas to ensure safety, Main includes statistics on driving and quotes from doctors. The addition of statistics in the articles creates a quantitative outlook for the readers of the article. By understanding the percent and number of people effected by this, readers who are drivers are subtly forced to become scared and worried, making the incorporation statistics a direct appeal to pathos. Furthermore, Main quotes various doctors who have similar viewpoints on the texting and driving dilemma. Quotes create a sense of professionalism, further strengthening Main's credibility while giving an insight to readers about the dangers of driving. Statistics and quotes were strong enough the achieve Main's purpose, making drivers more aware of their phone habits and convincing them to acquire technology that prevents such dangerous behavior. 

The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder

The nonfiction book I selected for the third marking period is The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder. Technology is rampant in today's society, and this book takes us through the experiences of a computer engineering team racing to design a next-generation computer at a fast pace under great pressure.

I chose to read this book because it stood out as something very interesting. It is interesting to learn about the roots, the history, and the significant events that eventually built up to current technology. By reading this book, I am hoping to not only learn about where my iPhone and computer came from, but also incorporate some of the anecdotes described in the book into my work in the future. 

TOW #17 - Article: "How to Check if Your App is Addictive Enough to Make Money" by Shira Abel

Video Games!!

It is currently the prime time for smartphones. Adults, teenagers, and even young children are busy on their tablets and/or phones obsessively playing games such as Flappy Bird, Angry Birds, Clash of Clans, and others. But what is so intriguing about these games that makes them so addicting? Shira Abel, the CEO of Hunter & Bard (a marketing agency that works with start-ups, small companies, and entrepreneurs) and a constant contributor to The Next Web, breaks down apps into the specific components that affect their addictive-ness. The major elements include the app's concept, conditions, platform, environment, "quick wins," and recurring revenue. By understanding each part of an application that contributes to its addictive-ness, programmers, primarily those who develop mobile-based applications, can increase their potential of making a more mainstream application. As technology continues to advance, so does the number of application developers around the world. Abel's purpose of writing this article is to teach programmers how to make a "perfect" application that can easily addict the public. Through her use of listing and real-life examples, Abel is successfully able to channel her knowledge about marketing applications. The addition of lists in her article creates a simple flowchart for her readers to follow, giving a elementary, yet very informative list of elements to consider when creating an application. By giving real-life examples of applications such as Candy Crush and Toshi, Abel subtly forces her audience to consider the components that make up these addictive applications. For the present and the distant future, this article sets the foundation for current and future programmers to become a success. Shira Abel was able to successfully achieve her purpose of teaching programmers the "proper" way of making an addictive application. By implementing lists and real-life examples of addictive games, Abel was able to easily transfer her knowledge of creating a successful and addictive application.

Link: http://thenextweb.com/dd/2014/02/02/check-app-addictive-enough-make-money/#!udv1v