Book+Reflection+3

__Soul of a New Machine Week #1__

Tracy Kidder’s non-fiction book, //The Soul of a New Machine,// is the story of a engineering team racing to design the next generation of computer soft wear. The engineering team eventually releases the Date General Eclipse MV/8000, the first in a family of 32-bit minicomputers reinventing how the world looks at computers forever.

In the beginning of the book, Tracy Kidder provides the back-story to how Data General came to be. Edson de Castro, founder of Data General, had become successful after producing the NOVA, and became quickly a competitor to Digital Equipment Corporation. There had been a controversy between both companies, the Data General office was broken into and plans were stolen, after DEC had produced an almost identical computer to what Castro had originally designed.

Data General had grown in popularity after the scandal with DEC and a rumored association with a fire at a competitor’s manufacturing plant. Despite popularity Data General was suffering financially, Castro had announced that the Massachusetts branch would be closing, he gave them up until the end of the year. At this time there are two branches of the company, the Massachusetts branch and the North Carolina Branch. West, the manager of the Massachusetts branch, rather than excepting his fate, he made a new strategy, he proposed the creation of a 32-bit Eclipse, he sold it as a logical upgrade from the 16-bit Eclipse. Castro could only gain from such a proposal, he decided to make it a competition between both branches, he had no faith in the Mass. Branch, he gave them limited funding and he believed that if it were not ready in that time North Carolina would be ready.

It amazes me how no employee in the Mass. Branch seems worried about their job. Engineers are often abused, they’re underpaid and work long hours but they allow themselves to be stepped on because they love what they’re doing. Money doesn’t play a factor to them, it’s only an added bonus, to them they see it as being paid for having fun. It’s great to love your job but they have to take in account their livelihood and their future, Data General eventually does collapse and despite being brilliant mathematicians and computer experts a lot of the employees that had worked at Data General are now having severe financial issues because they didn’t save and plan. How these people can be so smart, but still allow such things to happen to themselves?

__ Soul of a New Machine Week #2 __

We discover that West had been a physics major in college, not an electrical engineering major. He’s a self-taught electrical/ computer engineer, becoming one of the best debuggers in Data General. When he applied for the position of leader of the group he received honor having already proven himself capable.

As leader of the group West begins to start construction on the EAGLE, it soon became clear that the group needed more people if the project were to be finished on time. He hired straight out of college engineers, but the problem with college graduates is that they are not yet aware of what is impossible but therefore they’re less inhibited by reality. Prior to construction West makes it clear that “signing up” means that you must give your heart and soul into the project, meaning that family, friends and hobbies would have to be put to the side until the project is over.

West was smart to ensure that everyone understood what signing up meant. By reminding the new and old members what it took to be on the team he was able to organize a smart devoted team of top engineers. It was additionally smart of him to hire college students, many companies at this time don’t want to higher kids right out of college believing that their heads are still in the clouds but West shares the same mentality. West agreed construct a 32-bit computer, even though at this point he doesn’t know if such a task is achievable. He purposely-higher college graduates knowing that they would support him and his efforts to totally reinvent the computer.

__Soul of a New Machine Week #3__

In chapter 6, West brings up a thought provoking statement. According to West, “Not everything worth doing is worth doing well.” In other words, there is no such thing as a perfect design, there comes a time where the design is good enough (but not perfect) and the product was be released. This becomes a difficult concept to grasp for the team of engineers, the engineer mindset is for everything to be perfect, but in reality that can’t be achieved. In Data General’s case, I believe that the product is done when it has one up compared to the competition. “Nothing is ever perfect, it’s only due,” that’s why the engineers need strict due dates in which they must meet. In this case these engineers are kept on track by the one-year deadline and competing against North Carolina.

West is having a difficult time trusting his team to do their assignments. A manager who delegates responsibility for a task is still responsible for monitoring the task and taking action if the work gets off track. West understands that he can’t jump in too quickly, but if he waits too long the damage may be so bad that it’s impossible to fix. Debugging the Eagle is far behind schedule, and pressure has intensified when he got news of North Carolina’s progress. West has been able to debug the 16- bit but has found it too time consuming and difficult to debug the 32-bit by himself, he understands that he needs the help of others and trusts the hardware team to take over leaded by Ed Rasala. West is still learning how to manage and finds it hard to delegate tasks and resist the erg to do everything himself.

__ Cat’s Cradle Week #4 __

Kurt Vonnegut’s fourth novel, //Cat’s Cradle,// explores issues of science, technology and religion especially focusing on the arms race.

Chapter #1 starts of with the sentence, “Call me Jonah.” The novel //Moby Dick,// starts off, “Call me Ishmael,” which is one of the most recognizable opening lines in American literature. I’m not sure if this has any significance yet, but to me it’s too much of a coincidence how the prophet Jonah, in the book of Jonah is famous for being swallowed by a whale. Both story depict a tale of a man running away from god and an encounter with a whale resulting in their demise. Kurt Vonnegut I believe is trying to leave a small hint that Jonah at the end of the book will meet his demise.

It’s clear in Jonah’s description that Jonah has had a troubled past that has left him troubled. It seems that he has racing thoughts that make it difficult to follow along with the story. Jonah is a Bokononist a strange religion believing that all religion, including Bokononism and all its texts, is formed entirely of lies however, one who believes and adheres to these lies will at least have peace of mind, and perhaps live a good life. It’s odd to me that Jonah is so interested in the H-Bomb and the reactions of American citizens. In Bokonism a karass is defined as, “if you find your life gets tangled up with somebody else’s for no apparent reason, that person is a member of your karass.” I believe that the dropping of the H-Bomb fascinates Jonah, it must be mind boggling how Dr. Hoeniker created a bomb that destroyed an entire city. He was the karass of thousands of Japanese people, a strange person who there life ends up getting tangled with resulting in their demise.

__Cat’s Cradle Week #5__

Jonah has set up an interview with Dr. Breed to gather information about his book. Jonah’s book depicts what was occurring in America when the H-Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Both Dr. Hoenikker and Dr. Breed worked on the Manhattan project and are both recognized in the science community has some of the greatest scientists during the 20th century. Jonah has contacted Dr. Hoenikker’s family since the doctor himself has been dead for some time and Dr. Breed to get their perspectives on the matter.

In chapter 13, //The jumping off place,// Mr. Breed is driving Jonah to his office, in the car Mr. Breed gives a brief history of where the laboratory has been built. He explains to Jonah how the office was built on the old gallows, where some of the most ruthless killers were hung. He talks about one murderer who killed 23 persons, Mr. Breed tells Jonah that, “that’s a story worth telling.” It’s interesting how Mr. Breed can’t fathom how someone could have the mentality to kill 23 persons, but indirectly he’s technically responsible for mass murder and destruction that occurred in Hiroshima and latter in Nagasaki. This brings up the question, who’s to blame, the man who makes the bomb? Or the man who drops them?

In chapter 15, entitled //Merry Christmas,// Ms. Pefko, Mr. Breed’s secretary hangs a banner in the reception area entitled, “Peace on earth, and good will towards man,” in honor of Christmas. To me it’s ironic to have such a banner hanging in front of the laboratory that researches and develops technology that promotes just the opposite.

Chapter 16, //Back to Kindergarten,// Ms. Pefko speaks of herself as not understanding anything that goes on in the Mr. Breed’s laboratory. She considers herself dumb, Mr. Breed justifies that she has been already been explained to what is happening in his laboratory but she still isn’t grasping it. Mr. Breed grows increasingly frustrated talking her and eventually leaves her and take Jonah to his office. It’s understandable what Jonah is feeling, he’s frustrated that society doesn’t understand the point of his research. He’s made out to be that bad guy, but in all actuality he’s merely doing his job.

__Cat’s Cradle Week #6__

In the Research Lab of General Forge, Mr. Breed clarifies that a research lab differs from a laboratory. A research lab is a place where scientists are allowed to work on whatever it is they like. Jonah was surprised because like myself we both have the misconception that all scientists are given a national problem to solve. In this laboratory government officials had made suggestions but they were often not listened to. Mr. Breed said that Mr. Hoeniker especially didn’t take suggestions; he focused solely on what interested him at the time. It’s curious though how a man who had once devoted himself to studying turtles was now focusing all his energy on making the H-Bomb. The H-Bomb had only been a suggestion; he didn’t necessarily have to research the matter any further than he wanted to.

In comparison to IBM, an area in which scientists can research what they find interesting is more productive that a boss or government official demanding results. Scientists are often frustrated by society; they have the common misconception that scientists are magicians. Those who don’t understand science don’t understand the limits of it, they often request or demand a product or results that scientists know is just not possible of achieving. Google too believes in this business model, researchers are allowed to play and experiment, making the working environment a place to play. As a result Google is one of the most powerful companies producing some of the most revolutionary programs in the world.

The more information that is revealed about Dr. Hoenikker, appears that he shows the characteristics of a savant. Dr. Hoenikker’s was so wrapped up in his work to the point where nothing and no one else in his life mattered. His lack of caring of others is what resulted in the destruction of his family. This is obviously a sensitive subject to Dr. Breed, in the car to the laboratory he takes a moment of silence, reminiscing about Dr. Hoenikker’s wife who had passed away. And during the interview he gets extremely defensive when Jonah asks if all Dr. Honeikker’s family was normal. Dr. Breed responds, “Of course they are normal, all scientists don’t produced a crazed family!” He obviously knows the truth, which has resulted in talking about Dr. Hoenikker’s family becoming a sensitive subject. Dr. Hoenikker’s wife died as an indirect result of his insolence, Newt is a college drop out, Frank is a wanted convict for smuggling and Angela has emotional problems. The life of a scientist is a difficult one, it’s hard be committed to both a family and work, because Dr. Hoenikker focused minimal attention on his family they suffered tremendously and still do to the present day.