Mt. Technology

Back then, technology was a mountain,
     and the young boy thought he could climb it.
And he wanted to.

Back then, his brain was sharp,
     and his brainstorms awesome.
And he had ideas.

Back then, the Internet was unheard of,
     and games beckoned to be created.
And longing peaked.

Then forces beyond his control arose
     and turned his brave new world upside down.
And still he tried.

Then the “how” kept changing, and growing ever harder,
     and his ideas were not enough.
And still he tried.

So now, his brain is dull,
     and his brainstorms are played out.
And he’s out of steam.

So now, his ideas are gone,
     and his hopes are faded and dark.
And he’s giving up.

So now, technology is a mountain,
     but the old man knows he cannot climb it.
And he doesn’t want to.

He sits with a phone that’s a computer,
     and a camera, and a DVR, and a PDA.
And he tries to make a call.

The microwaves have cooked his brain,
     and he cannot work the thing.
And still he tries.

A young boy tries to help him, saying,
     “Here, let me show you.”
But the cancer is too far spread.

The young boy sees technology as a mountain,
     and he knows he can climb it.
And he wants to.

One can tell his brain is sharp,
     and his brainstorms awesome.
And he has ideas.

—Doug Joseph
January 17, 2011

Why I Switched From ASP to PHP, Instead of to ASP.NET

I cut my teeth (in web dev) on the Active Server Page (ASP) methodology (a proprietary Microsoft technology) by way of the Visual Basic language. So, why am I now choosing the “hard” path of learning a whole other language and slowly porting all my web apps over to PHP, instead of “growing” on into ASP.NET? Two reasons. First, because it is significantly easier to learn and use PHP than it is to try to learn all the new weirdness of ASP.NET. Second, I am offended (on principle) at a company that decided it can force those using its old technology to move “up” to its new technology by breaking their existing apps and then taking remote debugging info away from them, instead of wooing its users with enticements. Those who cut their teeth on ASP.NET have no clue what I am talking about, and die-hard ASP/.NET fans will surely think I am idiot. They are welcome. This is my path, and they need not walk it.