A talk about nothing

In this talk, we explore nothing.

And, yes, literally nothing. Together we take a look behind the curtains of reality and explore some of the underlying rules that shape our existence. We dig into the history and today's status physics and maths, look into the origins of computing, programming and analyse the way we develop software today. We see how nothing influences us, how it shapes our behaviour every day and how nothing can help us grow – in our professions and, even more, as humans.

“Nothing really matters,”, Freddie Mercury wrote in a song that was released 40 years ago. I want to show you how right he is.

[Content warning: discussion of misogyny, victim blaming, harassment, rape and death threats.]

This talk was originally presented at .concat() conference, Salzburg, on March 07, 2015. https://conc.at/#talk-a-talk-about-nothing

Transcript

1. Picture: andyspictures
2. Picture: Nick Risinger
3. NOTHING
4. NOTHING: AN IMPOSSIBILITY
5. FROM ZERO TO HERO
6. Picture: Oxfordian Kissuth
7. THE EMPTY SPACE
8. Picture: andyspictures THE EMPTY SPACE THAT IS NOT EMPTY
9. Picture: CERN Large Hadron Collider
10. Picture: Claudia Marcelloni / CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
11. 0100001101101111 0110110101110000 0111010101110100 0110010101110010 POWERED BY EMPTY HOLES
12. U.S. Army Photo ENIAC
13. The Transistor
14. NOTHING IN TECH: BEYOND OUR PERCEPTIONS
15. UNDERSTANDING PRIVILEGE
16. white cissexual socially acceptable weight & height able-bodied middle-class
17. TECH IS FULL OF PRIVILEGE
18. TECH IS FULL OF PRIVILEGE
19. THE PRIVILEGE NOT TO LISTEN THE PRIVILEGE NOT TO CARE THE PRIVILEGE TO IGNORE THE PRIVILEGE TO DO NOTHING AND MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES.
20. PRIVILEGE COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY
21. PRIVILEGE COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY TO 1. be aware 2. shut up 3. listen 4. educate ourselves 5. use privilege for good 6. learn from failing
22. WE ALL HAVE BIASES BECAUSE OUR BRAINS LOVE SHORTCUTS
23. WE ALL HAVE BIASES BECAUSE OUR BRAINS LOVE SHORTCUTS
24. WE ALL HAVE BIASES BECAUSE OUR BRAINS LOVE SHORTCUTS
25. WE ALL HAVE BIASES BECAUSE OUR BRAINS LOVE SHORTCUTS
26. WE NEED DIVERSITY FOR EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
27. COMBATTING UNCONSCIOUS BIAS 1. identify 2. mind subtle cues 3. foster awareness 4. stay accountable
28. A WORLD BETWEEN WORDS
29. A WORLD BETWEEN WORDS: EMPATHY
30. SOFTWARE USERS CARRY THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES INTO INTERACTIONS
31. SOFTWARE USERS CARRY THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES INTO INTERACTIONS
32. 1. ACKNOWLEDGE PRIVILEGE 2. COMBAT BIASES 3. PRACTICE EMPATHY
33. CODE CAN CHANGE REALITIES
35. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE
36. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE - real-name policies
37. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE - real-name policies
38. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE - real-name policies - men as default
39. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE - real-name policies - men as default - ignoring users
40. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE - real-name policies - men as default - ignoring users - auto-opt-in
41. CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE - real-name policies - men as default - ignoring users - auto-opt-in - violating boundaries
42. - real-name policies - men as default - ignoring users - auto-opt-in - violating boundaries - dark UI patterns CODE CAN HARM & EXCLUDE PEOPLE
43. THE MOST PRIVILEGED AND POWERFUL MAKE RULES FOR SPACES . THE SOFTWARE WE BUILT ACTIVELY ENDANGERS MARGINALISED PEOPLE.
44. THE MOST PRIVILEGED AND POWERFUL MAKE RULES FOR SPACES . THE SOFTWARE WE BUILT ACTIVELY ENDANGERS MARGINALISED PEOPLE.
45. Comic: Abstruse Goose
46. Comic: Abstruse Goose
47. Picture: Michael Koziarski CODE COMMENTS
48. Picture: Harvard College Patches in Mark I
49. Screenshot: libuv project
50. Screenshot: libuv project
51. TRIVIALITY ONLY GETS USED TO CHARACTERIZE CHALLENGES TO THE STATUS QUO. (Tim Chevalier)
52. Screenshot: Django Project
53. Screenshot: Django Project
54. CODE, COMMENTS & DOCUMENTATION SPEAK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES
57. SHIPPING CULTURE
58. SHIPPING CULTURE HARMS HUMANS & SOFTWARE: IT INDUCES PRESSURE, DISTANCES US FROM USERS, UNDERVALUES THINKING & SETS WRONG INCENTIVES
59. SHIPPING CULTURE HARMS HUMANS & SOFTWARE: IT INDUCES PRESSURE, DISTANCES US FROM USERS, UNDERVALUES THINKING & SETS WRONG INCENTIVES
60. SHIPPING CULTURE HARMS HUMANS & SOFTWARE: IT INDUCES PRESSURE, DISTANCES US FROM USERS, UNDERVALUES THINKING & SETS WRONG INCENTIVES
61. FIGHTING SHIPS
62. (Pete Warden) WHEN OPTIMISING CODE, SKEPTICISM BECOMES A HABIT. WE LEAVE THAT HABIT BEHIND WHEN CONFRONTED WITH EVIDENCE ABOUT OURSELVES.
63. (Pete Warden) WHEN OPTIMISING CODE, SKEPTICISM BECOMES A HABIT. WE LEAVE THAT HABIT BEHIND WHEN CONFRONTED WITH EVIDENCE ABOUT OURSELVES.
64. BEING IN TECH AND NOT CARING ABOUT TECH CULTURE IS A LUXURY, ONLY AFFORDABLE TO THOSE WITH ENOUGH PRIVILEGE TO IGNORE IT & TOO LITTLE EMPATHY TO CARE.
65. MERITOCRACY: A LUCRATIVE ILLUSION
66. MERITOCRACY: A WEAPON AGAINST THE UNDERREPRESENTED
67. MERITOCRACY: A WEAPON AGAINST THE UNDERREPRESENTED
68. MERITOCRACY ENFORCES ABUSE
69. WE END UP NORMALISING HARASSMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES
70. SILENCING ERASES PEOPLE & THEIR VOICES
71. Screenshot: Twitter, @sassycrass
72. Screenshot: Twitter, @sassycrass
73. PRIVILEGE AND LACK OF DIVERSITY HAVE LED TO INADEQUATE INSUFFICIENT INEXISTENT SOLUTIONS
74. PRIVILEGE AND LACK OF DIVERSITY HAVE LED TO INADEQUATE INSUFFICIENT INEXISTENT SOLUTIONS
75. THE INTERNET IS BUILT BY MEN, FOR MEN
76. AS A WHITE MAN, THAT WAS THE MOST FUN I HAD ONLINE IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY GETTING TO TALK TO PEOPLE AND NOT BE INSULTED BY THEM. (Sydette)
77. HARASSMENT COMES WITH COST
78. 'IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS TIME TO BE A WOMAN WITH AN OPINION.' (Brianna Wu)
79. IF SILICON VALLEY CAN INVENT A DRIVERLESS CAR, THEY CAN ADDRESS ONLINE HARASSMENT. THEY LACK THE MOTIVATION. (Jaclyn Friedman)
80. DIVERSITY WORK IS MOSTLY DONE BY MARGINALISED PEOPLE
81. WHO GETS TO BE THE ONES TO SHAPE THE FUTURE?
82. AND NOW: WHO DO WE ALL WANT TO BE? HOW DO WE WANT TO MOVE ON?
83. WE ALL PLAY A PART IN SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
84. WE ALL PLAY A PART IN SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
85. THIS INDUSTRY WON'T BE THE SAME ANYMORE. AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD THING.
86. THIS INDUSTRY WON'T BE THE SAME ANYMORE. AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD THING.
87. Picture: andyspictures