Richard Farrar's Blog

Object Oriented Programming represents a paradigm shift away from the traditional modular programming methodologies that have prevailed since the advent of computers. While today’s computer scientists are undoubtedly clever chaps, the intrinsic concepts underpinning Object Oriented Programming were actually considered almost 2,500 years in the dialogues of Plato!

Now, it is extremely doubtful as to whether the architects of Object Orientated Programming (OOP) were aware of these prior concepts, as the stereotypical computer scientist is not normally renowned for his classical education. However, even if they weren’t aware, there does seem to be a remarkable correlation between the thought processes of Plato and the later day software architects, even separated across the millennia.

(more…)

Photo by tanakawho

It’s no longer the season to be jolly, but the season to turn over a new leaf, or so custom has it. Whether it be loosing weight, giving up smoking or keeping your bedroom tidy; most people will have a New Year’s resolution or two (at least for the first few weeks).

You can tell it’s the New Year, not by looking at the calendar, or even by the weather outside, but by the television. Not, because we’re constantly being reminded by television programmes of the New Year, but rather more subtly (or not as the case may be) by the type of advertisements that we’re being bombarded with at this time of year.

The television advertisers are capitalising on the fact that we all tend to make some (hopefully) life changing promises to ourselves, that we will invariably fail dismally at, but with a little additional help, and perhaps a little hard earned cash, they purport to be able to help us with.

The obvious examples being nicotine patches (and other products) for those giving up (or attempting to) cigarettes and the plethora of diet programmes after the festive gorging season.

(more…)

Photo by apjpix

Our desire for the illusive paperless office has been around for many years. So, are we any closer to achieving this seemingly impossible dream with recent technological advances, or are we still consigned to emptying the shredder and waste bins every other day?

The concept of the paperless office is certainly nothing new. In 1975, Business Week published an article on “The Office of the Future”. Much of what was predicated in that article has since come true, thanks largely to the release of the now ubiquitous IBM PC in 1981.

However, since the release of the aforementioned PC, rather than decreasing, paper usage in offices doubled in the following 20 years, eventually stabilising around the millennium; hardly a success for the supposed paperless office!

According to the Economist however, since 2001 office paper usage has actually decreased. So, it looks like we’ve finally turned the corner in our paper consumption, but does this mean that we’re close to realising the dream of the paperless office, or do we still have a way to go?

(more…)

New  internet technologies and social media websites seem to be springing up at an almost exponential rate. With these ever expanding ways to communicate and stay in touch, how do you decide which to adopt and which to ignore? Which will stand the test of time and which will be destined to obscurity by the time your morning coffee’s gone cold?

Social media, new media, web 2.0; whatever you choose to call it, there are now so many ways of keeping in contact with friends and family and keeping up to date with the latest news and events, that you could spend all day doing just this and not achieving anything productive.

So how do you choose which of the latest new media offerings to adopt, and which are the ones that are likely to stand the test of time and become mainstream?

(more…)

I’ll find a photo later…

Procrastination gets a lot of bad press. It’s generally seen as a negative trait, as we’re constantly told not to procrastinate and made to feel guilty if we do. However, as with most things in life, things aren’t always that black and white. Perhaps there are positives to procrastination.

Should we really listen to those bearded psychologist types who like to wear ladies’ underwear; the sort who constantly try to make us feel guilty about procrastination? We all do it, so being made to feel bad about it isn’t going to help matters.

Why don’t we try to see the positive side to procrastination instead? After all, the glass is half full isn’t it, not half empty?

(more…)