“Internet-based use of computer technology”
Wikipedia.org

Nomad

“A member of a tribe with no permanent abode that moves from place to place in search of food.”
Ask.com

When I was growing up in the ’80s I used to think you could type any question into a computer and it would give you the answer.  It was a magical machine, filled with possibility.

My first computer was a VZ300 from Dick Smith.  Back in 1985 they came with a whopping 3.54 MHz processor, 16 kb of RAM and wait for it.. the Video RAM was 2kb!  I would spend hours typing out pages and pages of code simply to make a dot bounce across the screen.

Today you really CAN ask a computer anything and get an answer.  But it goes way beyond this.  In a word, the thing that excites me most about computers is possibility.  They give you not just the power to dream but to have them realised.  Satisfy your thirst for information at any and every level, from a nagging trivia question to reading up on your favourite hobby.  Email, chat and even video call for free using just an internet browser.  Learn a language, meet new people or even set up a busness.

So what’s this all about, clouds and nomads?  They’re two words that sum up my computer obsession.  I am constantly searching for the next big thing online.  Whether it’s a fresh web-based application for managing my email and task list or the latest gaming sensation.  Cloud is a reference to cloud computing, which I think is the future.  If you’re not familiar, it’s basically any web based program where your information and the program itself is run over a web browser.  This includes websites like Gmail and Google Docs, which you can use to manage your email or write a novel, for free!  Nomad is the wandering nature of the internet.  I love, for instance that the word “browser” is used to describe the tool most central to accessing the internet.  What we do online is browse.

Where does that leave us?  Well, if the possibilities of computers are endless, we have a lot of ground to cover!  I’ll narrow it down to three main categories of posts on this blog:

• Byte Sized

Bytes are the basic unit of measurement for data storage.  Posts in this category will be all about computers; reviews of applications, tips, and trends.

• Control and Perspective

In early 2008 I stumbled on Merlin Mann’s incredible website 43 Folders and his video talk Inbox Zero while researching a tv show segment about getting email under control.  Inbox Zero was based on David Allen’s book Getting Things Done, which I read soon afterwards and I was hooked.  Allen’s follow up book Making It All Work is centred around the need and method to gain control and perspective in the business of life and game of work.  This category will be dedicated to posts about my adventures in GTD.

• Live2pWn

According to gaming folklore, “pwned” was first used by a video game designer who misspelled “owned”.  When the computer beat a player, it was supposed to say “xyz has been owned”.  It’s become a popular word in the online gaming community to taunt other players.  So this category will be all about gaming.  My favourite style of game by far is first person shooters so the majority of posts will be reviews of games I play.

I’m excited about the possibility presented by this blog.  It’s another example of how computers can spark and help you realise dreams.  I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please participate by writing a comment at the end of the posts.