Musings

“What do you do?”

I work on Sillyz.Computer, a toy to respark the joy of computing.

“How do you spell that? That's a tough name.”

Yeah, I know. It was kind of a joke and placeholder at first for getting a conversation hook. Worked surprisingly well.

“Oh, your business is a joke?”

No, it is super serious. Follow me a different way, can we try an experiment?

“ok.”

I'm going to say a phrase and I want you to say the first name that comes to your mind.

“Personal computing.”

---

Now at this point most people will either say, “Bill Gates” or “Steve Jobs”.

and I'll say, “Huh, that's interesting.” and they'll say, “What?” and I'll say, “Nothing, it is just in this reality most people do not say their own names.”

“What?”

Yeah, I think that's strange too. When I hear “Personal Computer”, I think of my name. What's your name?

“Tony.”

Okay Tony, would you like me to help you on your personal computing journey or are you ok with Bill and Steve's excellent adventure?

“How much this is going to cost me?”

Here, take this piece of paper, this is the free version, walk away at any time. The honest answer is, it depends on your problems.

“Okay, what do you do?”

For personal computers, I can either help you be silly or yourself. I also do enterprise, but that's a different cut scene.

“You can help me be silly?”

Next time you want to make someone smile, say 'Check this out, the paper is the computer!' and then scan it. The hard part is being yourself.

“The paper is the computer?”

Yup! You can print the code from there to have all of it. The best computers are architected on paper first, like the Cray-1, then ported to better hardware when it comes along, like chairs.

“You're losing me.”

I love computer history, I'm just making obscure reference jokes just in case you're a connoisseur. The Cray-1 was the fastest million dollar super computer in 1978 and was innovative in that— instead of being a computer that fit inside of a room, the computer fit inside of a chair.

“The paper is the computer.”

In mind and in practice. Anyways, back to you, Tony. What do you do on the computer?

“Gaming mostly.”

Great! We can do gaming, depending on your hardware. Anything else?

“I do email too.”

We've got email! Okay, what games do you play.

“Mostly my own.”

Oh, you're a developer too! What do you code in?

“I don't code. Tony Hawk, Pro Skater? Probably JavaScript though, if I were to learn.”

Oh whoa! Yeah, I totally see it now, sorry! I remember you being more of a polygon and a fragment of my childhood. Skill swap code for skate?

“Deal.”

^ Keyboard kid swoops in, title screen reads “Tony Hawk's Computer”