The Afterword

Tag: technology

  • Late to the Party

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    by

    Peter
    in

    Write about your first computer. I was late to the party, at least compared to the people around me. In 1981 I worked for a major bank as a computer programmer. Even in a small team, I was the odd one out. Everyone else seemed fixated on coding. They talked about it at lunch, took…

  • Un-Invent the Algorithm

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    by

    Peter
    in

    If you could un-invent something, what would it be? I don’t want to un-invent social media. I want to un-invent the algorithm. Social media has its benefits, and I’m not pretending otherwise. I’m on it because I love people. I like seeing the ordinary texture of my friends’ days, and the small windows it gives…

  • A Day in the Diary

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    by

    Peter
    in

    Your life without a computer: what does it look like? 7.00am. The desk feels emptier without a screen in front of me. Essays take forever. My pen scratches against the page, and when I need a reference, I head to the library, combing through indexes and card catalogues. Progress is measured in hours, not minutes.…