I downloaded my Facebook data. For the most part, I didn’t find anything there that I didn’t voluntarily provide to Facebook. It’s worth noting a few things that people should pay attention to. Contacts When you install Facebook, it asks you for access to your Contacts. This is so it can help you find more friends to connect with and so you can use your … Continue reading I downloaded my Facebook data. Nothing there surprised me.
Facebook, these days, reminds me of Microsoft: big necessarily evil that is very difficult to avoid altogether. The irony of the situation is that it is easier to stop using Google than it is to stop using Facebook. Here is why. Getting rid of Google Search There is plenty of web search alternatives out there, and you don’t have to use Google. Email Google scans … Continue reading Facebook is the new Microsoft
Over the weekend we activated an iPhone for our teenager. I decided to put this guide together for other families who might be less technologically inclined. Picking the right device iPhones and iOS ecosystem are fundamentally more secure and private than Android. Apple doesn’t make money from tracking people. Google does. There is no shame in using Android or letting Google track you, but make … Continue reading Quick guide to Internet privacy for families
In my post on social media and intersection of politics and technology I wrote about a social networking platform that addresses the ills of the current big providers like Facebook and Twitter in light of the 2016 election interference. I have more thoughts on the topic today. I am not going to rehash what everyone is already saying about Twitter and Facebook. Let’s talk about … Continue reading Leaving Facebook and Twitter: here are the alternatives
It’s been awhile since I last wrote. I’ve been experiencing a sort of a writing block since at least six months ago. This post is my attempt to break it. Ever since the election I’ve been deeply concerned about the state of the United States. What used to be collegial disagreements over policy issues between Republicans and Democrats became visceral hatred and mistrust. Typically I … Continue reading When politics and technology intersect
You have a product. You have a service. You have a business plan. Now you want to leverage technology and build a relationship with your customers by offering them an app. I am here to talk you out of it. Nobody wants an app You may feel like you are extending your brand to your customers' smartphones by giving them an app. In reality, however, … Continue reading Nobody wants your app
As a software engineer, I learned that one measure of my success is whether or not the code I’ve written is in production and maintainable by others years after I moved on to other things. Self-documentation features of the programming language play a crucial role. The rapid adoption of JavaScript and Node.js in the enterprise revealed some flaws in the platform. While it is possible … Continue reading TypeScript starts where JavaScript leaves off
