by John Macdonald | Aug 16, 2025 | The250
On a network, if you want to know if something is alive and reachable, you ping it. Ping is a computer command that sends a simple message to your intended target. A successful reply gives you some basic but useful information: I’m alive Here’s my address Here’s how... by John Macdonald | Aug 15, 2025 | AI, The250
For the last couple of years, I’ve referred to AI (mostly ChatGPT) as a “greenhorn intern.” It’s a smart kid who knows a lot of stuff but doesn’t really know how to work in the world. It requires a lot of hand-holding, micromanagement, oversight, and, quite frankly,... by John Macdonald | Aug 14, 2025 | The250
Life rides on the curve. The mean is everywhere. Everything is average. Everyone is in the middle. Statistically, anyway. But if you can find a way to get ahead of the curve, for just a little while, with at least one thing, you can win. It could be early... by John Macdonald | Aug 13, 2025 | The250
I packed the bags and slung them around my shoulders a while ago and set off down the road. Actually, it’s not just the tidy bags with shoulder straps. I’m also juggling the stragglers that wouldn’t fit in the bags. The two shirts still on hangers, a fan with its cord... by John Macdonald | Aug 12, 2025 | AI, The250
The phone book. The school yearbook. The college course catalog. The glossy, colorful map of downtown with the buildings numbered. The map at the entrance to the mall. All directories from an earlier time. Directories you hold in your hand or touch with your fingers.... by John Macdonald | Aug 11, 2025 | The250
It’s not just willpower. You might know the famous “Marshmallow Experiment,” but if not, go to YouTube and search for it. There are dozens of examples. You’ll find lots of funny, antsy, and cringeworthy moments of pre-K kids trying to decide whether...