The Traps of Gaming

I think by recognizing why and how video games are addictive, we can better avoid falling into their traps. Mobile devices are making casual gaming more popular and lucrative than ever. Even initially free game applications generate large revenues, especially for designers who know how to keep us playing. Games like Candy Crush are addictive because we have limited turns for a given amount of time. This encourages us to return in short bursts throughout the day, creating a habit. We may be so caught up that we start paying for extra turns. Once we realize this strategy, we can take a step back and look at the game for what it really is, rather than being clouded by how we feel while playing it. We can still enjoy these games, but should think critically about how they manipulate us; this usually makes it easier to limit our time spent playing.

Internet Organization

Many of the ways the internet has impacted society have been unanticipated both by creators and users. I believe that we have an opportunity to learn from previous examples and use the tools of the internet to intentionally influence the world. "Here Comes Everybody" by Clay Shirky explains the influence the internet has had on society. Specifically, it explains how groups can be organized without a governing structure, and how these groups can accomplish more because they aren't limited by procedure. Several real-life examples illustrate these changes; in each case, an organization was formed using one or more internet services, and some kind of social movement or change occurred. Most creators of such services did not anticipate the scale or scope of influence they could have, but the power of millions of voices using those services allowed groups to interact with each other in entirely new ways. Each new social tool has led to discoveries of not only the potential influence of groups, but also in how the use of these tools can help provide that influence. Those with specific causes can follow these examples, using the tool that will be most effective in their case. Not all of these endeavors will be successful, but the more the internet is used, the better we can learn to harness its power.

Being Willing to Discard

There are many unanticipated factors that sneak up on us when starting out on a new project. Once these issues reveal themselves, we can either continue struggling through them or rewrite code based on our new knowledge. I believe that being willing to throw work away and start over is essential in improving what we have. In this mindset, a programmer is less attached to what they write, and can quickly produce basic prototypes rather than focusing on details too soon; they don't try to perfect anything before anyone else sees it, allowing them to find more important issues early. In an open source environment, coders are passionate about their projects; that's how the community survives. Many of them are also willing to completely redo or remove their contributions to improve the project as a whole. This allows the software to improve rapidly.

Perceptions and Computer Science

I believe that perceptions built up across a lifetime are a major factor in dissuading or encouraging women to join computer science. While the industry was still new, Women had fewer ingrained impressions of it, and were more likely to jump on board. As time passed, however, women who might have otherwise enjoyed the field had come to associate it with certain stereotypes, and were dissuaded from joining. My dad is a computer scientist, so I grew up in an environment that encouraged me to learn programming. I was able to look past the stereotypes and just learn the material. I had no intention of majoring in computer science when I started college, but because I was familiar with it, I was open to trying it. If we want more women in computer science, we should introduce them to the field, not the stereotypes, at a young age.