pvh @pvh@merveilles.town
computer researcher, at home in the kitchen and in a bicycle saddle
#introduction I'm a computer science researcher at Ink & Switch where we are developing concepts like local-first software. I've worked as a game developer (GBA/DS), oceanographer (Arctic), and built software at startups (Songbird, Heroku). I know a lot about Postgres. I'm fond of cooking, biking, brewing, and board games.
Crosscut: Drawing Dynamic Models
https://www.inkandswitch.com/crosscut/
What if computing grew out of drawing instead of text? How would that feel? What would it look like? Maybe like this.
A new research project at Ink & Switch starts in just a few weeks.
We're recruiting an experienced Swift engineer who is already familiar with the challenges and joys of stylus input on iPad.
The project is a humane stylus interface to constraint solving. We'd like to know what kinds of new thoughts that would enable.
You'd work with Szymon Kaliski and Marcel Goethaus (GMT+1 timezone) for about 10 weeks beginning the end of March.
I also have this growing hunch inherited from @helveticade that we shouldn't let our software talk to networks on its own.
Thinking a lot about how much better distributed systems work when the protocols are simpler. As an example, what if instead of building an API you just upload and download files? Instead of GraphQL, let users download a SQLite database.
A little two minute (romanticized) glimpse of life aboard a self-built floating oasis here in BC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJu_yL7cs1Y #theBoatyard
Instead of Illich, how about Franklin? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursula_Franklin#Holistic_and_prescriptive_technologies
I'd like a kitchen computer -- mounted on the wall, with dedicated interfaces for timers, a built-in scale, thermometer probes, and recipe display. I really don't understand how this isn't a thing already.
A calendar, of course, with nice looking weather, and a battery that lasts for months and no other notifications of any kind. I'm experimenting with a color e-ink display for this right now.
Been thinking about all the inadequate general purpose computers in my life and how much I appreciate what a Kindle can't do. What other tasks would be better suited to a dedicated device?
@rek I've been milling corn to make masa for a couple of years now. The Corona or Victoria (no relation) brand hand grinders are reliable cast iron devices that can grind wet grains (unlike flour mills) and I'm very fond of mine. To add a little mechanical advantage, you can rotate the mechanism with your power drill... if it has enough torque. Nixtamalizing corn is magic, dry corn keeps forever, and fresh tortilla are always delicious.
We ran into quite a few problems with evolving data formats building local-first software, and decided to do something about it:
https://www.inkandswitch.com/cambria.html
@neauoire when you want to build the physical device to run for a decade on a single CR2032: http://www.ganssle.com/reports/ultra-low-power-design.html
@neauoire 🍺 friday afternoon?
looks like i'm taking the train to Finland! i'll be presenting on Cabal, and on TrustNet at the Scuttlebutt event Extra-Solar
fantastic poster by @glyph 
#introduction I'm a computer science researcher at Ink & Switch where we are developing concepts like local-first software. I've worked as a game developer (GBA/DS), oceanographer (Arctic), and built software at startups (Songbird, Heroku). I know a lot about Postgres. I'm fond of cooking, biking, brewing, and board games.
computer researcher, at home in the kitchen and in a bicycle saddle
