MyTekki is born

Once upon a time there was a young man, but not just any ordinary young man. This young man from his earliest memories was inquisitive and curious about his world, always fascinated with how things worked and what was just around the corner. He explored his world by dismantling household objects and putting them back together, with varied amounts of success, but always increasing his knowledge along the way. Much to the dismay of his saintly patient mother, some things were not put back together in a functional manner; nonetheless, she encouraged his exploration. Her patience and encouragement would follow him into adulthood, along with his drive, ability to assimilate knowledge quickly, and the willingness to explore. His father, a prominent encourager as well, was a hardworking and conscientious man with old fashioned values and iron-clad work ethic. He worked tirelessly to provide for and enrich his family--taking the time to instill these principles in the young man; to this day, these are still the values under-girding the young man's life.

To encourage and nurture his interests, his father worked side-by-side with the young man to build the family's first computer. Using only basic tools and a manual far above his reading level, the young man was able to build this machinery with minimal help from his father. From this immense accomplishment, his attention and focus became heightened--the beginning seeds of his passion for computers.

Shortly thereafter in the young man's life video games were becoming prevalent, and his naturally curious mind spent hours upon hours exploring them, despite the urging of his parents to pursue other endeavors. In attempts to enact change, his father put a switch inside the television that would allow him to turn it off; this switch was behind a locked panel at the rear of the television. His father was the only person with the key and he was not going to budge on his position, so the young man pondered hard on an alternative to his plight. The result was a complete rewiring of the television while his father was absent for the day, which allowed him to continue to play his video games. The surprise on his father's face as he looked first at the key in his hand, and then to his brilliant 8yr old son sitting cross-legged on the floor playing his game (with a smirk mind you), was a silent victory for the young man.

But as is often the case, the teen years bring challenges and an unavoidable tension between authority, burgeoning adolescents, and their subsequent adulthood. During this period of time the young man had become engaged in online gaming with multiple players, often being awake into the wee hours of the morning on school nights. Friction began when the young man's parents began to systematically turn off their internet in attempts to shape healthier habits in their young son; as is characteristic of the young man, he was able to find loopholes and adaptations. During his time in online gaming, he was asked to build a website for the team he'd become a part of, but had only dealt with the hardwire components. Upon this request, he began to learn more of the internal workings--html coding, software applications, web design, and the programs that make this possible, etc.--learning everything he could to make the website a success. There was no turning back, computers were in his blood and there was nothing able to avert him from pursuing this course.

From this experience his parents began to respect and utilize the knowledge and persistence their young son had garnered, with the realization that the best means of relationship preservation was not outright opposition, but rather a cooperative partnership. The young man would go on to develop his interests into computers, in much the same way he'd always explored his world--delving into them, dismantling them, looking at and touching every last inch, and continuously learning of their inner workings. Paring his natural skills and abilities, he turned his hobby, into a passion, and ultimately into a career.

Invoking the cooperative partnership, he was the person his parents turned to when any of their electronics, household technology, and computers malfunctioned--this is still the case today. In their home and in their lives, he was affectionately referred to as "their tekki". In an overheard conversation, his mother proudly stated to a friend making suggestions about computer repairs, simply "I'll let my tekki handle it". From this simple statement, and much encouragement from his father, came the inspiration for what is now MyTekki, LLC, a young successful IT consulting firm, started by the young man. This young man is named Mike Daniels--my friends, I urge you to shake his hand and hear the details for yourself.

Stories of greatness always begin with a question and the willingness to search until the answer is found.

3D Printing...Mind Unlocked

Maybe I'm behind on the latest technology, because when my boss said "hey, check this out and maybe write a blog post about it", my first response was "Wait a sec...3D printing? How is that possible Scotty!?". Being the most patient IT guy (and no, not just because he signs the check), he took the time to blow my mind and explain how this technology works (insert timely and accurate YouTube video here).

My understanding of this is that there is liquid plastic in a tube being pushed through a fine tip at just the right speed and amount. The plastic is then solidified by another apparatus nearby, allowing subsequent layers of the object to be seamlessly compiled. The program running this machinery calibrates the rate, placement, and amount of plastic coming through the tip to produce the desired object; each object able to be produced has a separate blueprint design and machinery calibration.

DISCLAIMER: Mind you, this is a super simplified and rudimentary understanding of this technology; by know means do I claim comprehensive knowledge of it's capabilities and implications.

Nevertheless, this was the background behind the article suggested to me by the BossMan (computer genius, mastermind, and uniquely patient IT guy).

Now for the article...

"3D-Printed ‘Bump Key’ Can Open Almost Any Lock" Posted Aug 27, 2014 by John Biggs (@johnbiggs) on TechCrunch.com

To read the full article: http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/27/3d-printed-bump-key-can-open-almost-any-lock/?ncid=rss&cps=gravity

In this article they explained one of the potential uses for the 3D printing technology and how this could affect the everyday man--anyone who relies on a lock to keep belongings, and their person-hood safe. Of course, with any technology, there will be those with less than benevolent intentions and altruistic motivations. These particular folks are not to be blamed, in many ways they force the refinement of these innovations, and many previous technologies have been made better after being affronted by such persons. I digress.

The implication of this article is such that simple locks are not nearly as safe as they were intended. With this technology, one could simply take a detail picture of the keyhole, with a focus on the pins at the back of the lock, input this information into a 3-D printer (don't ask me how), and voila! You'd then have a plastic rendition of what locksmiths have been using for years--a "bump key"; which could then be inserted into the lock, whacked with a hammer (it's all in the wrist), jarring the pins and opening the lock to allow entry.

The closing line of the article asks an all too timely question, after wrapping my mind (and maybe yours too) around this concept; "If anyone with a 3D printer and a camera can make a key, why have locks?" How would anyone be able to rest in safety knowing that if someone wanted to, they could bypass moralistic permissions, and basic logistical barriers, to enter our home, vehicle, safe (and the like) for purposes specific to them? I don't have answers to these questions, but I rest knowing that I'm not the only person asking this question, and seeking answers.

This is another prime example of how technology is shaping the lives we lead, the habits we build, and the minute details of daily life. Whether it's feeding the cat, reading the newspaper, getting morning coffee, basic hygiene, commuting to work (digitally or otherwise), meal preparation, relationship building, work completion, monetary acquisition, or securing these acquisitions (digitally or otherwise)--technology plays a large roll in how these are done.

Now, more than ever there is technology to unlock (pun intended) the unfathomable potential of the human endeavor...

my friends, I beg you, use wisely.

-Sarah-