August 5, 2019

What Must Programmers and Lawyers Learn from Each Other?

 

When it comes to professional combinations, a programmer and a lawyer are a rare pairing.  This writer understands this well, as someone who holds a background in both tech and law. In years ahead a greater convergence between these fields is unavoidable. In future it’s expected professionals who’ve walked both paths will become more common.

But right now there remains a large gulf between the two fields. In no small part owing to the different mindset required for working well and pursuing a successful career in each. Sure there are some who’ve pursued careers in both. Yet even so, this can’t overlook the fact our rapid economic digitisation and globalisation is totally rewriting the rules of engagement once again.

So what should programmers and lawyers understand about each other’s work? And where may they find closer ties going forward?

 

A Thinking Exercise

The future will demand programming and law intersect in a variety of ways. Growing a closer association by virtue of market opportunity and business necessity.  But this doesn’t mean by default professionals will be able to successfully navigate work in both.

By virtue of the job, programmers need to be in the business of innovation. For the … Click to continue reading

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July 29, 2019

Is Commbank’s Pocket a New ‘Killer App’ for Investors?

 

Disclaimer: This article is informative in purpose and does not constitute financial advice.  The author urges you to obtain professional advice before pursuing any financial investment.

 

Recent days have seen the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) launch a new micro investing app. Joining apps like Raiz (previously Acorns), Spaceship Voyager, and others that seek to make it easy for everyone to grab a stake in the sharemarket for a minimal investment.

 

Given the CBA is a household name in Australia, could the Bank’s decision to get into this field make this release a new ‘killer app’? And what does the release of Pocket tell us about the convergence of traditional investment and user friendly digital technology right now?

 

What Pocket And Apps Like It Do

Put simply, Pocket provides an easy way for investors to start investing.  Starting at $50, customers can buy units in an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). With 7 funds currently offered by the app that range from exposure to tech companies and sustainability leaders, to emerging markets and top 200 on the Australian Stock Exchange.

As an exchange-traded fund (ETF) isn’t an individual stock but a collection of them pooled … Click to continue reading

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July 7, 2019

How Do I Actually Hire One? The Path to Getting a Ghostwriter

The ghostwriting industry has such vagueness in public perception that the actual job title of ghostwriter can sound really mysterious. Many people don’t feel well-versed in understanding what exactly a ghostwriter does. Those who know how a ghostwriter generally works will still often be unsure what steps are involved to acquire one.

For those who feel they’re yet to understand the ghostwriting process, let’s go through it step by step detailing a typical content creation process. But first, we have to answer the most important question.

 

Why Hire a Ghostwriter Anyway?

For some writers the idea someone would ask ‘why should I bother hiring you anyway?’ might just be unsettling. Maybe shocking even. But at the end of the day, professional ghostwriters need to speak the language of business. And that means if a prospective client asks an enquiry about the value of your work and how it can benefit them – you need to provide a solid answer.

When it comes to the enquiries and conversations I have with prospective clients, I’m always ready to answer this question, and do so by outlining the following factors. There is a greater need than ever in the online world … Click to continue reading

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May 2, 2018

Travelling as a Remote Worker? Bring an Extra Laptop!

 

Travelling with a laptop is great for a remote worker.  You have the freedom of movement a remote career allows you, and all you need to work is a sleek piece of metal with a screen and keys. Then something goes wrong.

A perfect afternoon you’d planned, working on client blogs with your feet in the pool. Finished. That beautiful evening you envisioned, watching the sunset at the beach while coding. Over. Oh and if your laptop plays up while you’re on a weekend trip out of town? Oh man, that’s really bad. If your deadline is urgent you may need to commandeer some local wildlife to get back to the city.

Reliability

There’s a longstanding debate surrounding laptop reliability. Especially in comparison to a desktop computer. Everyone can agree the more you move a device, the greater the risk it gets damaged. Even if you don’t have a major episode like dropping your laptop down a flight of stairs, all those little bumps it encounters in day to day travelling can add up.

This is something no manufacturer is immune from. While some will say Apple laptops last longer than PC, even if this is now the case … Click to continue reading

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April 13, 2018

Privacy and Proton Mail: Email in the Era of Cambridge Analytica

 

Recent weeks have seen renewed attention on user privacy and data management. Following the multi-party scandal involving Facebook and the data digital consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. Many online users are newly anxious about how their data is managed, and how they can better protect it in future. For those yet to be across the scandal, a good recap can be found here.

In light of this, a review of ProntonMail is timely. For those yet to hear of it, ProtonMail (PM) was founded in 2014 by Andy Yen, Jason Stockman and Wei Sun. These three CERN scientists developed an email app with client-side encryption that’s now viewed as a leader in user privacy and data management. Let’s look at PM in-depth now.

What Makes PM Unique

Offering end-to-end encryption, PM’s platform ensures emails you send are seen only by sender and recipient. Even the PM team themselves can’t see what you send.

Sharing information with third parties is out altogether. So unlike other email clients that readily collect data on its users to sell to advertisers, people who use PM mail will not be subject to the standard data gathering practices. For those who treasure their privacy … Click to continue reading

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March 7, 2018

Mobile Data Versus Pocket Wi-Fi. Which One Should I Use?

 

Today our world’s more mobile. More of us are on the move than ever. In some ways this is great, no more sitting in a stiff computer chair when you can work on the couch‚ in a cafe‚ or beyond.

The trade-off is connectivity becomes a bigger challenge. As the world becomes more mobile, deciding which option is best for staying online becomes harder. In the absence of a public Wi-Fi connection, it comes down to mobile data versus pocket Wi-Fi.

So which one is the best option for you? Let’s look now.

Why Mobile Data?

It’s not news smartphones are popular. Smartphones are good because they’re essentially universal. Everyone carries one, and everyone always has it on them. In fact, stats from January 2018 hold 51.92% of web traffic now comes via smartphone -and that stat is only set to grow.

For those seeking a quick and simple online hookup, using your smartphone as a hotspot can be great. It’s actually the default choice for many needing portable Wi-Fi.

But smartphones can be bad. There’s the low battery issues. There’s the clash with other apps. There can even be a dreaded auto-update that can shut down your phone … Click to continue reading

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February 15, 2018

How to Communicate Efficiently With Your Web Developer

 

Communicating with a web developer can be an intimidating experience for a client. It’s recognised the web developer holds expertise in programming, but being able to communicate to the web dev what you want without knowledge of programming can be harder.  So here’s a quick and helpful primer for anybody looking to build a website, and looking for a quick and easy cheat sheet to refer to when talking with their web developer.

What Do I Need to Know?

HTML. CSS. JavaScript. PHP. Together these 4 languages are the most popular when it comes to building websites online.

They do not account for the backend AKA server-side creation of sites. That’s where it gets quite complex as terms like remote server and full-stack developer start getting thrown around. But even if you’re not a web developer – or very tech-savvy at all – an understanding of these languages can make the fulfilment of your website needs easier and speedier.

It’s also just good business. If you hire a web developer odds are good they’ll know a little bit about your business and its industry. Even if they don’t, a good web developer will be ready to learn. The same … Click to continue reading

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