Is An AI Librarian Actually Helpful?

April 14, 2023

A screenshot of the website 'Librarian AI'. The headline text reads

As the weather warms up, I always find myself turning to books more frequently. Recently, I was excited to come across an AI-powered book recommendation website that piqued my interest. The concept is straightforward: input three books that you enjoy, and the AI generates a list of recommendations based on your selections.

However, I noticed that the site’s suggestions were a bit too predictable. Rather than recommending more obscure, lesser-known titles, the AI recommended books that I was already familiar with. I even had my girlfriend give the site a try, and it suggested a few books that she already owned but had not yet read, though maybe this is a sign that the AI is maybe too good.

While there are plenty of book recommendation sites driven by human touches, such as Shepherd and Goodreads, I had never seen one powered by AI before. It was fascinating to see this technology in action and a truly cool experience overall. My only complaint is that I wish the AI was capable of going deeper and maybe asking the user more questions about their preferences so that I could uncover even more unique book recommendations beyond the initial results. It will be fun to watch this website develop and improve its feature sets, and if that happens I will definitely use it more.

The Importance of Preserving Our Digital Legacy

April 10, 2023

The Internet Archive is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our digital history. They have over 40 million gigabytes of data that would be lost without their efforts, and the website provides free access to books, music, movies, and other digital content that might otherwise disappear.

The Archive is currently fighting in a legal battle with Hachette Publishing Group over accusations of copyright infringement. During the pandemic, the IA introduced the National Emergency Library, which sparked a heated debate over copyright protection versus the public’s right to access information. It’s crucial to remember the importance of preserving our digital heritage for future generations as we consider both sides of the argument.

Moreover, web developers love the Internet Archive for its Wayback Machine feature. It’s like a time machine for the internet, letting anyone view past versions of websites and web content. The tool is also an excellent resource for studying the evolution of web design. By tracing the development of websites over time, developers can understand how the internet has changed.

The ongoing legal dispute with Hachette Publishing Group highlights the challenges of finding a balance between copyright protection and public access. Despite the debate, it’s evident that preserving our digital legacy is critical for the benefit of future generations.

Tips for Developers: Code Reviews

April 03, 2023

When you’re deeply immersed in your code, having a teammate review your work is a crucial step in ensuring top-notch quality. It’s important for every developer to uphold the same standards and goals, and having a fresh pair of eyes can help you spot any issues or oversights that you might have missed.

A thorough code review can do wonders in enhancing the quality of your code, ensuring consistency, sharing knowledge, and pinpointing potential security issues. To ensure an effective code review process, it’s essential to set clear expectations, review small changes, provide specific and respectful feedback, and use tools to streamline the process. By prioritizing code review, you’ll be able to produce high-quality code that’s easy for everyone on your team to work with.

If you do not have a team, check out codereview.stackexchange.com.

Tips for Developers: Code Hygiene

March 30, 2023

Writing clean and organized code with documentation is crucial in software development. Clean code simplifies troubleshooting, reduces cognitive load, and speeds up development. Plus, good documentation provides valuable insights into your codebase, preventing potential issues, and can help teams solve issues quicker.

In a world with tight deadlines and clients requesting quick turnaround times, following best practices for writing clean code and documenting it properly can seem tedious. But, it’s worth it in the long run. By doing so, developers can produce high-quality code that is easy to maintain and collaborate on. It also helps to reduce the learning curve for future developers working GitHub Copiloton the same codebase.

To assist developers, tools such as GitHub Copilot can help you keep your code clean and documented. Prioritizing these practices can ensure the success and longevity of your projects, even though it may require extra time and effort.

Everett McKay UI is not UX – For Real

March 20, 2023

A white event flier with blue shapes and dark blue shapes placed throughout the design. There is an image of a white man wearing a red polo shirt and glasses. Underneath his photo, his name “Everett McKay” is written in large white text. Above his name, in the smaller text, it says “Speaker” and underneath his name, in the same small text it says “UX Designer” 

To the left of Everett’s Image are the event details. In the top left corner in the white text, it says “19th of April, 2023 at 6:00” Under that is the name of the presentation Everett will be giving in the large blue text “UI is Not UX — For Real” Below the title, it says “RSVP” in smaller white text and below that it says “Hosted by Bluehouse Group” in very small white text.

Bluehouse Group has exciting news! We are thrilled to announce our first speaker event of the year, featuring Everett McKay who will be presenting “UI is Not UX – For Real”. During this presentation, Everett will draw on his vast experience in the field and discuss the significance of focusing on the “what” and “why” aspects of UX.

Everett McKay is a highly skilled UX Designer based in Vermont. He has been teaching UX Design since 2003 and is currently the Principal of UX Design Edge, where he has also authored multiple books on the subject.

Join us on April 19th at 6:00 PM for this exclusive event. You can RSVP on our Meetup page to reserve your spot today!