Why These Essays?

Technology and writing have always been two of my great loves. In three essays, I bring them together with results that range from weighty to lighthearted. Regardless of the gravity, my writing explores the ways that we shape and are shaped by all things digital.

Challenges

Though technology is one of my passions, I discovered early in the writing process that not everyone shares my interest. I found it difficult to relate to an audience that is not inherently fascinated by the technical underpinnings of the Internet or the fine points of operating system design. I struggled to strain from my vocabulary the technical jargon that has become an integral part of the way I speak and think. I labored to explain concepts that are second nature to those who have grown up—as I have—surrounded by technology. In the process, I gained a greater appreciation for readers, both high- and low-tech, and for the brave writers who, through user's manuals and tutorials, attempt to bridge the technical divide.

Behind the Essays

• "Pipe" Dreams: The Future of a Non-Neutral Internet - The idea behind this essay came from an e-mail I received from eBay CEO Meg Whitman. In her message, Whitman warned that Internet service providers were trying to create a "two-tiered system" that would effectively divide the Web into fast and slow lanes. Alarmed, I did some preliminary research that uncovered the far-reaching consequences of this technologically and socially important issue. As an aspiring Internet professional, I sense the urgency of preserving a neutral and innovative Internet. This essay is my attempt to share some of that urgency with those who—through their voting and buying choices—will ultimately decide the question of neutrality.
• A Record Label from the Other Side - I first encountered Magnatune almost a year ago as I was searching for the perfect Christmas gifts for some of my harder-to-buy-for family members. The two albums that I purchased are still staples in my family's music collection, and I've been a regular Magnatune customer ever since. In this review, I lend a critical ear to the great music and "sound" business practices that make Magnatune a hit.
• Read Me (Only) - I have always be fascinated by the interactions between man and machine, creator and created. As our lives become ever more intertwined with the latest gadgets of our digital age, who is controlling whom becomes at once more interesting and more difficult to determine. In this lighthearted essay, I probe multitasking, one of the most pervasive marks of technology on our lives, and discover that some activities are better left to our digital counterparts.