Posts Tagged 'books'

The Butlerian Jihad and the Dangers of Artificial Intelligence

Posted on September 29th, 2019 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

Those of us who grew up with 1960’s Science Fiction remember well Frank Herbert’s Magnum Opus, Dune. That amazing book laid the groundwork for much environmentalist thinking, and has been an inspiration for an entire generation of fans. The story’s feudal interstellar society, taking place thousands of years in our future, has very advanced capabilities, notably faster than light travel; yet one thing is missing: there are no computers anywhere (except for the mentats, who are specially trained human computers). The reason there are no computers in Dune’s universe is hinted at repeatedly in the book: it is the outcome.. Read more

Announcing the Definitive Guide to Information Overload Solutions!

Posted on March 5th, 2014 · Posted in Individual Solutions, Organizational Solutions

I’ve done it! I’m proud to announce the publication and availability of Solutions to Information Overload: The Definitive Guide, my first e-Book. Check it out at https://www.nathanzeldes.com/guide, or read on to find out more about it. How the Definitive Guide to Information Overload Solutions came to be Twenty years ago, when I discovered Email Overload as an incipient problem at Intel, there were almost no solutions available to me, so I had to develop my own. In the next decade the problem’s global impact grew, and solutions started appearing, some as commercial products and some as homegrown programs and strategies.. Read more

Books vs. the Internet

Posted on February 18th, 2012 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

Even if you’re truly effective in  screening unnecessary information, the fact remains that you need time to deal with incoming online information, whether it’s push-mode info (primarily email) or pull-mode info (e.g. RSS feeds). The question is, where does the time come from? Someone pointed out once that you can successfully manage your RSS feeds, blog updates, Twitter, Facebook, and so on if you give up watching TV. And indeed, giving up television would give many people a significant chunk of time to devote to their online data consumption. TV being what it is, one could argue that it’s a.. Read more

Tribute to a favorite bookseller

Posted on September 29th, 2011 · Posted in Off-topic

My recent trip to the US was a pleasure, except for one shock: I went to the nearest Borders bookstore, and discovered the bookseller chain had closed forever the preceding week. I do favor small independent bookstores, and have been worried about their tendency to disappear under pressure of the larger chains; still, I had to admit that Borders had a pleasant aspect that provided a bookworm with a delightful experience. Seeing it go under – one can surmise, due to the pressure of Internet-based alternatives and other shifts in information consumption habits of the 21st century – was profoundly.. Read more

Audio recording of IORG “Literary Salon” webinar available for download

Posted on July 3rd, 2011 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

The IORG “Literary Salon” online event last week was very interesting, with five authors of books about Information Overload comign together to discuss their books. A recording of the entire event is available for your enjoyment here. A summary by one of the attendees is available here. Enjoy!

Who stole our reading time?

Posted on February 3rd, 2010 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion, Impact and Symptoms

Novelist Alan Bissett wrote a fascinating post in The Guardian’s books blog, titled Who stole our reading time? It points out explicitly what we all experience: we read less today than ever before. And I’m not complaining about the young generation; I’m comparing now and then within the same generation, whether mine or Bissett’s (who is about a generation younger than me). The basic observation is that nobody has the time, or the will, or the ability, to finish books the size of War and Peace anymore; or to read the voluminous classics of centuries past at all. Bissett links.. Read more

Email Overload and The Little Prince

Posted on November 2nd, 2009 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

Email Overload is one affliction that people accept more or less willingly. Nobody’s holding a gun to their head, after all. So why are knowledge workers doing this to themselves? We’ll be discussing many causes in this blog, but today I want to probe a remark made by a friend: he observes many knowledge workers who feel that getting lots of email enhances their status. Basically they’re saying “Watch me – I’m important, I get lots of mail and I’m busy handling all of it!” This absurd position reminds me of a scene from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s immortal “The Little.. Read more