Okay, so even though I said yesterday this would be a short lived blog. And even though (as far as I can tell) nobody has read this blog yet, I thought of a second post.
What do software and theology have in common? This isn't a set-up for a punchline. It's really more of a contemporized version of Tertullion's 'What does Jerusalem have to do with Athens?" What does the sacred have to do with the secular. What does faith have to do with philosophy.
(Consequently, I think Tertullion should be answered "Jerusalem influences and shapes Athens."))
Anyway, that's not what I wanted to write about. But theology and software development have something in common: they're both services.
They have something else in common as well: their practitioners often forget they are services.
Like I said, I was at a conference the past two days in which many new MS technologies were discussed. Things like silverlight and sharepoint.
Silverlight was pretty cool. It provides a lot new ability for graphical websites. The demo was a flight planning website. It was really good and I was starting to think I could see possibilities. But then the demonstrator wanted to show how easy it was to customize apps. So he made the calender appear at a 35 degree slant. Yeah, it was nice and quick, but what was the purpose? Is there a time in which displaying a calendar slanted 35 degrees from straight up actually helps users?
Or was it just a quick attempt to show "Look what we can do"?
Let me set this straight, I'm not a Luddite, nor against advancement, but when speaking to developers who's livelihood is most likely tied to developing business applications of some sort. And while customers want transparency and alpha blending etc. The users also want an application that is easy to use. I've had people put up with outdated UI's that perform exactly what they want. But when a UI becomes difficult to use (like slanting calendars) people don't really care how great it looks, if it doesn't work.
Maybe I'm blowing this out of proportion. I know the presenter wasn't advocating slanting calendars, but it seems to be symptomatic of software development. Something new and innovative comes in and people are quick to adopt it without understanding how to use it best.
Similar to this in theology are the debates over Super-lapsarian or Supra-lapsarian. Or in depth discussions over a present active imperative 2nd person plural of a Greek word. Theology's purpose should be to point to the grace of God and the status of individuals as either redeemed or un-regenerate.
Theology serves a purpose of pointing people to Christ, and software development serves a purpose of providing a useful resource for customers.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
What is this?
So what is Software eis doxan Theou?
The short answer, the literal answer, is Software to the Glory of God.
It comes from 1 Corinthians 10.31 which states, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Granted, the immediate context isn't about software development, but this verse, among others, show that there is no part of life in which we are to separate the sacred from the secular. That is, God is over all, and in all and through all. He is in every aspect, and so that includes software development.
Why did I start this blog?
Honestly, I want an XBox 360. I was at a software conference today and they are having a drawing, contest something in which participants that blog about a new Microsoft technology could win an XBox360.
Since I didn't have a blog, I figured I'd create one. I haven't created one yet because there are a ton (literally) of developers who know more than me and are better at understanding the technology. Additionally, there is no shortage of good theological blogs. So as I surveyed the landscape, I've always concluded that I had little to nothing to offer.
Also, I've often seen most bloggers and simply promoting themselves. I mean, do I really care about what 95% of the people read today, or how to make my dog rise to the occasion. Also, I don't have a lot of time in my life, and it seems like blogs take a lot of time (at least the good ones.)
So this might be a short lived blog. I'm not expecting huge numbers of readers (and by that I mean anything greater than 0).
The short answer, the literal answer, is Software to the Glory of God.
It comes from 1 Corinthians 10.31 which states, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Granted, the immediate context isn't about software development, but this verse, among others, show that there is no part of life in which we are to separate the sacred from the secular. That is, God is over all, and in all and through all. He is in every aspect, and so that includes software development.
Why did I start this blog?
Honestly, I want an XBox 360. I was at a software conference today and they are having a drawing, contest something in which participants that blog about a new Microsoft technology could win an XBox360.
Since I didn't have a blog, I figured I'd create one. I haven't created one yet because there are a ton (literally) of developers who know more than me and are better at understanding the technology. Additionally, there is no shortage of good theological blogs. So as I surveyed the landscape, I've always concluded that I had little to nothing to offer.
Also, I've often seen most bloggers and simply promoting themselves. I mean, do I really care about what 95% of the people read today, or how to make my dog rise to the occasion. Also, I don't have a lot of time in my life, and it seems like blogs take a lot of time (at least the good ones.)
So this might be a short lived blog. I'm not expecting huge numbers of readers (and by that I mean anything greater than 0).
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