I Will Be Speaking At LibrePlanet 2019

Please join me this year at LibrePlanet for my talk, tentatively titled "Computational Symbiosis: Methods that Meld Mind and Machine".

Words like "wizardry" and "incantation" have long been used to describe computational feats that defy understanding. But neither computers nor their users are performing feats of magic---computers are merely dumb machines that follow explicit instructions with no mind of their own. For systems to think, we must tell them how.

While graphical interfaces have made certain aspects of technology more accessible to users, they have masked some of the most powerful tools available for solving day-to-day problems. Users follow a carefully choreographed workflow that thinks for them, limited by a narrow set of premeditated possibilities. There exist concepts devised decades ago that are still thriving and relevant today for simplifying and automating the most basic to the most complex tasks. They offer virtually no limits on freedom of expression or thought and they blur the distinction between "user" and "programmer".

This fast-paced session demonstrates a range of practical possibilities when machine acts as an extension of the user's imagination. Non-technical users are encouraged to attend.

For my previous three years' talks, see my Talks page.

We will be gathering once again in the Stata Center at MIT. I'm excited to see everyone there!