Do Real Work: Introducing Next LX
Learn by doing real work in a realistic environment using real tools. Introducing Next LX, a startup redefining job training.
Going Back to Go Forward
Building tools at the applications layer.
Local-first Conf and Unifying the Schema, Still
Exploring local-first concepts, evolving my thinking on schema, and diving into Composer at DXOS.
Cleaving apart software schema concepts
Diving deep into software schema in local-first software architecture with three distinct, diverging paths.
Schema and Local-first Software
Schema and Local-first Software It's been a hot minute since my last newsletter. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm an applied researcher investigating the...
It's the environment, duh.
Heads up! I'm in St. Louis September 21-23 for Strange Loop and a Local-first Unconf. Reach out if you're around! The Long, Slow Hunch I have this idea, this...
Reshape your notebook, reshape your brain
Reshape your notebook, reshape your brain The past few weeks I've been re-organizing my personal Lab Notebook in order to better orient myself around my goal...
Distill and Disseminate Generalizable Insights
Sometimes an article you read years ago resurfaces and hits like a bolt of lightning. Andy Matuschak's Ratcheting progress in tools for thought was that bolt...
Peer-to-peer is simpler than client-server
I've been reflecting on the intrinsic architectural characteristics of peer-to-peer, local-first software systems. My tentative conclusion is that peer-to-peer, local-first apps are simpler to build than client-server apps due to a simpler architecture.
The dwindling distinction between docs and apps
Hail, fellow explorer! Last time I wrote about joining DXOS. One doc, many apps, many views I'm intrigued by the idea of sharing a single "document" between...
Building the future of software with DXOS
Oh my! I can't believe it's been ten whole months since I've written to you! It's been an interesting season. I could tell you quite the tale of all the...
TFTs, Funding Open Source, Decentralized Apps, Oh My!
It's been two months since I wrote to you. And what a two months it has been. This missive will be a sampler platter of updates on the projects I've been...
Mumblr, TFT NYC, SocioTechnica
Mumblr, TFT NYC, SocioTechnica This last week, I’ve been splitting my time across three major projects and made significant progress on each one. Which felt...
Decentralization and Architecture
Over the last month, I've been working on a decentralized blogging tool called mumblr (remember tumblr?). It uses Fission's WebNative library to store blog...
Weekly Livestreams, Tools for Thought Rocks, and E-paper
Many of you have joined in the last two weeks. Welcome, and thanks! Since we may not have been introduced, my name is Jess Martin, and I'm an applied...
Automations, Time spent in the environment, "And then what?"
Yesterday I was musing on automations for note-taking tools and I was struck by the idea that automations in our tools can go too far. It seems there is some...
Fission and the Future of Computing
Fission and the Future of Computing In the last update, I announced that I was joining the team at Fission as a research engineer. If you visited the Fission...
A Few Research Updates
Today's update will be a quick one. I'm at the beach with my family, and I'm writing before anyone wakes up. But I wanted to update you on a few fun things...
How Buildings Learn
How Buildings Learn I've been reading a bunch of books on architecture lately, both out of general interest and necessity as we work on a major remodel of...
Cool Stuff On The Internet
Cool Stuff On The Internet A lot of my time the last few months has been focused on getting our homeschool up and running and adjusting to life with a new...
Learning, Thinking, Building
These days, my mind feels locked in a three-way tug-of-war. Aside from adjusting to life with a newborn (we've got 4 now!), my priorities and thoughts are...
Independent Research: A 6 Month Retrospective
Happy New Year! In June of 2021, I stepped away from full-time employment to focus on research. Over the last six months, I've been scouting the territory,...
Real-Time Apps and Thinking about Thinking
It’s been almost a month since I’ve written an update. Things have been busy! If I don’t write these on Monday morning, they mostly don’t get written. Here...
Glimpses of the future
I have a bunch of half-finished articles I’m working on right now, none of which are ready for publication. Instead, enjoy a few inspirational links I’ve...
My Research Portfolio, Updated
My Research Portfolio, Updated if you are a creative person who is drawn to working on many things at once, there is nothing wrong with you there is only a...
Why Blockchains Matter
Why Blockchains Matter A few weeks ago I wrote about what blockchains are, describing four technological analogies for the blockchain: the blockchain can be...
My time, Looted
Oh my! I've missed sending out my weekly update the last two weeks. And I've genuinely missed it! Writing this update each week has become an important...
Kickin' tires with Croquet
I know I promised part two of Blockchains are a big deal where I describe why they are a big deal. That’s still coming! Instead, today I’m giving a quick...
Blockchains are a big deal
Blockchains are a big deal If you’re where I was several months ago, you may have this general sense of “something is happening over there with the...
Weekly research summaries and glimpses of the future
Weekly research summaries and glimpses of the future Today marks the 8th week in a row I’ve written an update. If you haven’t read the past updates, they are...
Embodied computing
It's Monday and I'm back at my desk, in my home office, after a bunch of travel. I was on the road for three of the last four weeks, in Texas, then Utah, and...
Chasing Alan Kay
Chasing Alan Kay In the past week, something finally clicked for me: mediums > tools. About a year ago, I was the recipient of a 2+ hour lecture from Alan...
Why tools for thought need an interchange
Why Tools for Thought Need An Interchange Today I’m going to be facilitating the third Tools for Thought Interchange event. While each of the speakers will...
Programming and literacy
I'm setting aside my devices for a full week to enjoy a digital fast / analog feast in the Utah mountains with my extended family. I wrote the following...
Research as a portfolio
Research as a portfolio Over the past year, I've been soliciting advice for how to pursue "transformative research." The cornucopia of counsel I've received...
Innovating at the fringes, mapmaking, and legibility
Happy 4th of July, observed! I was talking with a friend recently the challenges of working at the fringes of several established fields. I see computers as...
Teamwork in public, "setups", and sharpening your tools
Happy Monday! Today marks day one of my return to the land of flexible employment. That's right: as of today, I don't have a full-time job. 😬 For now, I plan...