Category Archives: News & Reviews

May 1, 2009 · 1:07 pm

What I Love About Sun – After 25 Years

I just filled in the order for my anniversary gift from Sun Microsystems. It feels odd to have worked at one company for 25 years (since June 1984). I have been thinking about why I have stayed so long. Here is what I love about Sun:

 

    • Smart people who create amazing technology.At Sun, I have had the privilege to work with many great innovators and those who foster innovation, including:
      Carol Bartz,
      Whit Diffie,
      James Gosling,
      Vinod Khosla,
      Greg Papadopoulos,
      Radia Perlman,
      Eric Schmidt
      (who hired me), and
      Ivan Sutherland.

      I believe that the world is a better place because of Sun Engineering.

    • Generous people who think beyond themselves.Sun is a company for people with big hearts.

      I am proud of both large and small gifts, particularly:

       

        • The 545 senior staff and executive mentors in my
          SEED worldwide Engineering mentoring program who spend time they rarely have to help others down the path they have walked
        • The anonymous donor of the Free Milk Foundation half gallon which quietly appears in our hall’s refrigerator every Monday morning
        • Sun’s CTO, Greg Papadopoulos, who has supported the
          Anita Borg Institute and its Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, the American Heart Association’s
          Heart Walk, the SETI Institute, and so many other worthy efforts
        • Sun’s commitment to ecologically responsible products, and to volunteering in our local communities worldwide.
    • People with a sense of fun.Sun Engineers will put unreasonable effort into creating a great joke.
      Ever since I watched the senior Software developers putting Eric’s office into the pond in 1985, I have enjoyed Sun’s pranks and April Fools jokes. Sun has a sense of humor.

As the Oracle-Sun proposed acquisition progresses, I hope that what I love about Sun will be valued, grow, and continue to create great technology with a passion which makes the world better.

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April 30, 2009 · 1:46 pm

Two Talks

I recently gave two talks here at Sun Menlo Park:

 

    • To TechBridge, for “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” on 23 April
    • To the annual Sun Design Summit (27-28 April), on “One time vs. Cyclic Survey” design

For “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day” on 23 April, I talked with a group of 30 teen girls from the TechBridge after-school program for girls, sponsored by the  Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California. I was the last speaker in their busy day at Sun. I told them about my work with SEED Engineering Mentoring but also about my kids and WP668, the
1916 railroad caboose in my backyard where I have my office. I showed them photos on my blog and  my daughter’s blog. After my talk, the girls tried to program a peanut butter and jelly robot, which was very funny. At the end, they said what they enjoyed most about their Sun day. The Executive Briefing Center tour and Nicole Yankelovich’s Collaborative Environments project from Sun Labs were tops. One girl even said that learning about having an office caboose was her favorite!

To the designers and usability experts at Sun, I talked about surveys in general, and the difference between one-time and cyclic surveys. Six years ago, I created Sun’s “How to Survey” web page in self defense. As a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, I was getting too many requests for information about survey design, tools, policies, etc. So, I put together and maintain a SunWeb page which covers:

 

    • Key Questions
    • Reference Documents by Sun Experts
    • Additional Resources:
      Policies, Helpful External Tools, Books and Articles,
      Survey Tools & Services
    • Example Surveys

Most of my presentation was drawn from information and resources I have posted on “How to Survey”. I chose to submit this topic for Kartik Mithal’s Design Summit because usability and design staff are so frequently involved in customer data collection. Also, because so much of the good advice in this area comes from Usability Engineers, such as:

Robin Jeffries, Jakob Nielsen, and Jared Spool. The second page of my presentation was:

Why Should You Care? cat ear and eye<br /> photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
Listening to the

Voice of the Customer

Makes Your Work More Effective. 

Surveys are One Good Way to Listen.

 .

 

I think both talks went well: the audience and I learned something. One of the TechBridge teachers told me about the fun and interesting Algebra vs. The Cockroaches computer game*. Several of the Design Summit audience members sent me additional information to post on the “How to Survey” SunWeb page.

* Algebra vs. The Cockroaches is now on my Good Free Games list.

Katy Dickinson speaking at Sun Design Summit 2009<br /> photo: copyright 2009 Terri Yamamoto Katy Dickinson's badge Sun Design Summit 2009<br /> photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson

Images Copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson and Terri Yamamoto

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April 29, 2009 · 7:26 pm

Listening to Oracle

Sun’s CEO
Jonathan Schwartz recently hosted an early morning Town Hall meeting with
Oracle executives about the proposed acquisition. The actual
meeting for Sun employees was held in a room which only seats
a few hundred, so about 10,000 of us listened remotely. General questions
were answered. The event was not recorded.

I listened to the broadcast with hundreds of others in the Menlo Park,
California, cafeteria. The kitchen staff were noisily getting ready for
lunch. Everyone else was very still and quiet, trying to hear the future.

Sun Listening to Oracle photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson Sun Listening to Oracle photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson

Images Copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson

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April 24, 2009 · 5:57 pm

Colin Powell Photo Published

My daughter
Jessica is finishing her 2nd undergraduate year at
Carnegie Mellon University (in Pittsburgh, PA). She has a
grant to spend six weeks this summer working in Washington DC
but she will be home with us for a few weeks at the end of next
month (hooray!).

Jessica has been working hard on her photo-taking skills this year.
I was happy to read in
her blog that a photo she took of
General Colin Powell at a U.S. Presidential Inauguration event was
just published by the
Special Libraries Association as their cover image.
(General Powell was the keynote speaker at SLA’s 2009 annual
conference.)

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April 17, 2009 · 6:30 pm

$163,613

If you have read my blog since January, you may know that my 16-year-old son Paul has recently developed chronic and debilitating headaches and dizziness.  Despite the capable and dedicated care of Pediatricians, Neurologists, Neurosurgeons, Pain Specialists, Psychologists and Psychiatrists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, and Nurse practitioners, Paul’s situation is stable but not improving. We continue to work with the Pain Management Clinic at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH). Paul is still attending the Hospital School at LPCH, so he will not have to repeat his Junior Year in High School. Thanks for your prayers and good wishes – they have been been a great support and blessing to our family.

This blog entry is about the financial side of this experience. I am not pointing my Finger of Blame at one organization or another as being Bad. I think that in general America’s medical care is excellent. But I am presenting a specific example of how very broken the financial side of America’s health system is.

When Paul first went into the hospital, we did not consider the financial side. We approved the recommended treatments and stayed focused on supporting Paul and each other. Over the months, this situation has evolved from a crisis into a new schedule: six sets of pills a day, drop off and pick up at doctors’ offices – hospital – school, walks and stretches and massage, time in the sun, and of course regular homework and chores. Almost every day, we receive medical bills or insurance Explanations of Benefits.

Explanations of Benefits are cryptic and offer a very narrow view of a small set of medical charges. The first bill which gave us any overview of what our medical adventure cost was the hospital bill for Paul’s brain surgery, for $163,613.70.

Statement Date: 03/02/2009
Service Date(s): 02/05/2009 – 02/09/2009
Total Charges $163,613.70
Patient Payments $0.00
Insurance Payments -$25,921.32
Insurance Adjustments -$136,324.50
Other Adjustments $0.00
Balance Due Upon Receipt $1,367.88

When I reviewed the statement, I was equally amazed at the total price and the 83% insurance adjustment. I know if I did not have a good job which includes health insurance, I would not be eligible for either the $25,921.32 insurance payment or the $136,324.50 discount. I would have to pay $163,613.70. Please understand, with my husband still looking for work, I am quite happy to pay only $1,367.88 for Paul’s brain surgery. However, I know there are growing numbers of people who have no job and little or no health insurance such as mine. It feels very wrong that the privileged pay the least.

Paul-Hospital SchoolPaul at LCPH Hospital School, Palo Alto CA<br /> photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson Topiary ElephantLPCH Topiary Elephant, Palo Alto CA<br /> photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson LPCH GiraffeLPCH Topiary Giraffe, Palo Alto CA<br /> photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson LPCH Daffodils and PansiesLPCH Daffodils and Pansies, Palo Alto CA<br /> photo: copyright 2009 John Plocher

Images Copyright 2009 by Katy Dickinson

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April 15, 2009 · 10:41 am

Dowsing in San Jose

Our city services in
Willow Glen
(San Jose, CA) have been painting up our streets lately. For blocks
around, the asphalt is now decorated with new cryptic spray paint
markings (in white, yellow, orange, red): marking water lines, gas lines,
and the underground locations of all of the other infrastructure bits
below the street. I suspect they will be digging holes in the street soon…

On our block, the water company is trying to figure out where their “blow
off valve” is at the end of the water main line. Our house was built on
the
Guadalupe River in 1930. The street dead ends into our front walk.
Before our neighborhood of houses was built, local historians tell us
that there was a chicken farm and a
prickly pear cactus
farm on the property. We ran into the remaining foundations of the barn
several feet underground when we put in our new fence last year.

Since our house is the end of the line, the water company thinks their
valve is somewhere in our front yard – under the lawn or under my
agave plants. They
have been back several times to look. Two days ago, John talked with some
water company employees who were waving electronics over our front yard.
He then watched them poke long probes into the dirt. Finally, he saw
one of them trying to find stuff underground with a copper
dowsing rod.
If high tech does not work, try paranormal powers!


street line markings, San Jose California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
street line markings, San Jose California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
street line markings, San Jose California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson

Images Copyright 2009 by Katy Dickinson

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April 7, 2009 · 11:46 pm

Signs Afoot

My husband and I go for a long walk around our north Willow Glen neighborhood almost every evening. After years of covering the same ground, I noticed the wide variety and age of signs and marks under foot. A humble history is written in the pavement.

First are the concrete marks – impressions indicating what company installed the sidewalk and what year they did it. All of the marks seem to be dated between 1940 and 1967. The WPA (Works Progress Administration) put in the oldest walks during the Great Depression, followed by contract concrete companies during the 1950s and 1960s. Newer sidewalks are not so marked.

The Willow Glen community centers around Lincoln Avenue (one of the regular areas where we walk), renamed in 1865 after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Willow Glen voted to become part of San Jose in 1936 but still has its own newspapers, community blog, Founders Day parade and other unique events.

On our walks I see many pavement service covers (manhole covers, water and telephone access plates, drain grates, etc.) that are marked not only with their function but who made them and where they were made. Some are brass or steel, some concrete, some are made of plastic resin. Some designs are ornate but others are very plain. All of the marked locations are either in the local San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland, San Francisco, Los Gatos, or San Jose, California) or very far away (China, India, Mexico). Technology generations are represented by Bell System (defunct company), Pacific Telephone (defunct company), SBC (defunct company), Broadband…

Come walk with me to see this strange collection…

WPA
1940 Concrete MarkWPA 1940 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 WPA
1941 Concrete MarkWPA 1941 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 A.A. Lopez
1954 Concrete MarkA.A. Lopez 1954 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
N.R. Esparza Contractor
1955 Concrete MarkN.R. Esparza Contractor 1955 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 M. Padia Cement Contractor
1956 Concrete MarkM. Padia Cement Contractor 1956 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 M. A. Preble Contractor
1956 Concrete MarkM. A. Preble Contractor 1956 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
Silvery Tersini Driveways
Streamlined 1958 MarkSilvery Tersini Driveways Streamlined 1958 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 A.L. Bynum
1959 Concrete Mark1959 A.L. Bynum Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 James Griffiths
1960 Concrete MarkJames Griffiths 1960 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
Lloyd Newgren Contractor
1965 Concrete Mark1965 Lloyd Newgren Contractor Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 A&B Concrete Const.
1967 Concrete Mark1967 Concrete Mark, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 volunteer shoe, hand, dog
marks on concretevolunteer shoe, hand, dog marks on concrete, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
Brooks Products
Oakland
Water MeterBrooks Products Oakland Water Meter, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 San Jose Foundary
San Jose, Cal
drain grateSan Jose Foundary drain grate, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 G.R. Bothwell
San Jose Calif
drain grateG.R. Bothwell San Jose Calif drain grate, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
Voltage
PG&E
Forni CorpVoltage PG&E Forni Corp access cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 Keystone Los Gatos
Bell System
access coverKeystone Los Gatos Bell System access cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 Christy
Pacific Telephone
access coverChristy Pacific Telephone access cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 hand welded
SBC telephone
access coverhand welded SBC telephone access cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 welded
Broadband CCP
access coverwelded Broadband CCP access cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
India
drain
grateIndia drain grate, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 Sanitary Sewer
China
manhole coverSanitary Sewer China manhole cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 Art Concrete Wks
Oakland Patented
Water Meter coverArt Concrete Wks Oakland Patented Water Meter cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 San Jose
Water Works
access coverSan Jose Water Works access cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson
American Brass and Iron Foundary
Storm Sewer manhole cover
Oakland, CaliforniaAmerican Brass and Iron Foundary Storm Sewer manhole cover Oakland, California, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 Sewer
SBF Mexico
manhole coverSewer SBF Mexico manhole cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson		 Street Washer Lawn Cock
Mfg by M. Greenberg’s Sons
S.F. Cal access coverStreet Washer Lawn Cock Mfg by M. Greenberg's Sons S.F. Cal access cover, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson

Painted curb notice with fish (next to drain grates)
No Dumping Hotline 945-3000 – Flows to Guadalupe River

Painted curb notice with fish No Dumping Hotline 945-3000 Flows to Guadalupe River, Willow Glen California photo: copyright 2009 Katy Dickinson

Images Copyright 2009 by Katy Dickinson

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