Packets of data representing people have acquired a protected home, the CumuLinker Trust which also offers a protected wearable communicator, the Whisperer. These work together to repair face-to-face conversation disrupted by the Great Trickster. Two senior female computer scientists apply their experience to repairing the now scruffy WWW and to project threats to society from … Continue reading Section 1 living data
Author: slger
Susan L. Gerhart (slger) is a retired computer scientist. Her professional specialities included software engineering research, technology transfer management, and computer science education, see SLGer's Research Autobiography.
Susan is active in a lifelong learning institute (OLLI) at Yavapai College in Prescott Arizona. She has facilitated courses on podcasts, Twitter, the Singularity, and climate fiction.
"As Your World Changes" blog describes her journey with vision loss into the spectacular world of assistive technology and the frustrating practices of accessibility. She writes with the NVDA screen reader, reads books from Bookshare on a BookSense, and listens to podcasts on an iPhone. slger123 on Twitter records her favorite articles and occasional comments on life and politics.
Creative writing courses led her to undertake "A Chip On Her Shoulder", a novel asking the questions: "how did we get into the privacy mess of modern social media?" and "Are we now just 'packets of data formerly known as people'?"
Contact: slger123 at gmail.com
Beautiful Data
Section 1: Living Data Chapter1: Beautiful Data late April20xx DellVille AZ. Faint musical notes rise from a pale strip of material spread across a table on a backyard deck. A nearby person watches the sun set over the proud hump of Mount Arrowhead. Her head turns toward a pink cloud of recently invisible vapor on … Continue reading Beautiful Data
Casual algorithms
Section 1: Living Data Chapter 2: Casual AlgorithmsApril 20xx Rolling Hills Ohio Showering after her long travel from DellVille, Casey was ready to party. Her Whisperer had charged on the room's desktop, preparing to guide its wearer through her weekend's social challenges. She quickly dressed and presented herself with her Whisperer badge animating. The two … Continue reading Casual algorithms
Colorful times
Section 1: Living Data Chapter 3: Colorful Times April 20xx, after the OMG Reunion, Rolling Hills OH. Casey dodged the lawn sprinklers along the path to the central campus parking lot. She recorded the unfamiliar smell of dewy grass as her last OMG Reunion memory. The 6 a.m. railway shuttle had its doors open and … Continue reading Colorful times
Seeing things differently
Section 1: Living Data Chapter 4:Seeing Things Differently Arriving in DC, Casey caught the Red Line to Virginia. Wrestling her suitcase up the long escalator, out of breath, she spotted Sally at the coffee/pastry shop. Their Whisperers attempted an interlock until Casey's realized it was not being worn. The two friends could update in person … Continue reading Seeing things differently
Consequential computing
Section 1: Living Data Chapter 5: Consequential Computing April 20xx DellVille Arizona Back in DellVille, Casey was recovering from her disastrous trip to her OMG Reunion in Rolling Hills OHIO. Her reunion weekend plans had changed to include enjoyable futuristic conversations with former colleague, Sally Rhodes, now living in the nation's capitol. They'd shared reading, … Continue reading Consequential computing
Bonus screen play wearables, take a hike!
Wearables, Take a Hike!by Susan L. Gerhart, March 1 2018Synopsis: A group of hikers try out networked, wearable devices to enhance their outdoors experience. Things go wrong.CharactersProtagonist Jack: - hike leader; dull, well-intentioned techie,Jill (co-leader): knows her tech, problem-solver.Bob: data-driven, infatuated with his Quantified SelfCarol: - friendly, routine hiker, has puppy at networked home.Ted: -- … Continue reading Bonus screen play wearables, take a hike!
Section 2: Threats Get Real
Casey is back in DellVille after her trip to her OMG reunion and a threat casting gig in Washington DC. She's re-connected with a colleague, Sally Rhodes, living well with low vision and cool assistive technology. They are intrigued with the ongoing Pink Page Rampage where hacktavists defile web sites. Casey has contacted Detective Swank … Continue reading Section 2: Threats Get Real
Risky Speaking
Section 2: Threats Get Real Chapter 1: Risky Speaking early May yy 20xx Dellville, Arizona. Casey sipped her coffee while watching her neighborhood quail on their early morning migration. Bending over her deck railing, she counted nine remaining fledglings bordered by echoing parents. These familiar noisy parades marked hourly breakpoints of shared existence around her … Continue reading Risky Speaking
Internet Down!
Internet Down! Section 2: Threats Get Real Chapter 2: Internet Down! DellVille AZ May 20yy "OMG!", Casey thought, "Has one of my predictions come to pass? Is it only a roasted squirrel? Whew!". Her mind ran through the questions she'd dumped on Detective Swank and their last coffee meeting. She'd wondered how well prepared the … Continue reading Internet Down!
