Margaret Hamilton: Her Code on the Moon
Reading “Margaret Hamilton: Her Code on the Moon” deepened my understanding of her pioneering contributions to the Apollo program and the development of software engineering. What struck me is that the article highlights her leadership at MIT’s Instrumentation Laboratory and how it was vital for creating the software for the Apollo guidance computer. I was amazed by the vast scope of the Apollo project, involving more than 400 individuals working on the software by 1968, while Hamilton introduced important innovations such as priority displays and created the term “software engineering” to give credibility to the discipline. I’ve always thought software engineering could come from the Turing Test or other experiments involving web development but hearing it comes from the Apollo project surprised me. The article deepened my comprehension of a software’s essential function in space exploration and I wondered what programming techniques or coding languages were used back then.
Norman,“Emotion & Design: Attractive things work better”
This has taught me on how aesthetics impact not only perception but also functionality and problem-solving. The notion that appealing designs can enhance the perception of task simplicity by aiding cognitive processing is intriguing, yet I recognize how bad usability can occasionally negate that advantage—similar to Michael Graves’ “Nanna teapot,” which is aesthetically pleasing but often impractical. It made me reflect on how frequently I’ve assessed a product based on its look, only to find out later that appearance doesn’t necessarily indicate user-friendliness. The author’s story regarding early computer displays changing in perceived worth over time also caught my attention, demonstrating how aesthetics can influence our evaluations in ways we might not readily acknowledge. I think it’s intriguing to consider what occurs in the brain when appealing things lead individuals to feel more competent. This reading doesn’t exactly alter my opinions, but it enhanced my understanding of how emotion and design connect, particularly in fields such as human-computer interaction, where it is vital to balance aesthetics and functionality.