Here is a photo from the newspaper of a communist island.
I'm the one standing. This was 20 years ago.
I've been developing software for 25+ years, and I've learned a few things.
I didn't have Internet back then, but now that I do, I can share 3 lessons with you:
↓
I'm the one standing. This was 20 years ago.
I've been developing software for 25+ years, and I've learned a few things.
I didn't have Internet back then, but now that I do, I can share 3 lessons with you:
↓
Look at that photo again.
This was early 2000.
Those were the best computers Cuba had to offer to our Computer Science faculty. Outdated but good enough.
In a country where owning a personal computer was a crime, it was all we had.
This was early 2000.
Those were the best computers Cuba had to offer to our Computer Science faculty. Outdated but good enough.
In a country where owning a personal computer was a crime, it was all we had.
One thing was missing: There was no Internet.
I know this might be hard to understand, so I'll rephrase:
We were going through our Computer Science bachelor's with no Internet access.
The entire wealth of information we had fit in a couple of books.
I know this might be hard to understand, so I'll rephrase:
We were going through our Computer Science bachelor's with no Internet access.
The entire wealth of information we had fit in a couple of books.
Without Internet, we couldn't learn new things; we discovered them.
We read the heck out of the books and snail-mailed each other anything new we found.
We had little, but we made it work. Scarcity is the mother of creativity.
Lesson 1: Focus on what's right in front of you.
We read the heck out of the books and snail-mailed each other anything new we found.
We had little, but we made it work. Scarcity is the mother of creativity.
Lesson 1: Focus on what's right in front of you.
Books weren't enough.
We traveled to talk to people who knew something we didn't. We had study groups, talked to strangers, and shared everything we learned.
“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Lesson 2: You ain't going far by yourself.
We traveled to talk to people who knew something we didn't. We had study groups, talked to strangers, and shared everything we learned.
“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Lesson 2: You ain't going far by yourself.
70+ of us started that journey. Fewer than 20 graduated after 5 years.
It was hard. College and life, both.
I frequently ask myself about the single most important thing that got me through all of it. If I were to choose, what was it?
It was hard. College and life, both.
I frequently ask myself about the single most important thing that got me through all of it. If I were to choose, what was it?
Something stands out more than anything else:
The people who helped me.
They pushed me, showed me the way, stayed late with me, and made me into the person I am today.
I owe them a lot.
Lesson 3: The people around you are a reflection of your future self.
The people who helped me.
They pushed me, showed me the way, stayed late with me, and made me into the person I am today.
I owe them a lot.
Lesson 3: The people around you are a reflection of your future self.
It's been 22 years since I graduated.
I don't live in Cuba anymore, but I still remember.
The distance and the contrast with my life today have taught me the most important lesson of all.
Bonus lesson: Be grateful for what you have.
I don't live in Cuba anymore, but I still remember.
The distance and the contrast with my life today have taught me the most important lesson of all.
Bonus lesson: Be grateful for what you have.
I usually don't write personal threads like this one.
I'm more of a technical guy and mostly focus on practical machine learning.
If that's your thing, follow me @svpino, and I'll make sure you never lack interesting machine learning content on your timeline.
I'm more of a technical guy and mostly focus on practical machine learning.
If that's your thing, follow me @svpino, and I'll make sure you never lack interesting machine learning content on your timeline.
The TL;DR. for those who don't like threads:
1. You don't need more.
2. Community is everything.
3. Role models shape your future.
And the most important: be grateful.
1. You don't need more.
2. Community is everything.
3. Role models shape your future.
And the most important: be grateful.
The photo was good. The caption of the photo... simply horrible.
I think the reporter aimed for a joke, but it wasn't good at all.
Nonetheless, cool to be able to look back and remember.
I think the reporter aimed for a joke, but it wasn't good at all.
Nonetheless, cool to be able to look back and remember.
https://twitter.com/dalequark/status/1401935893406101508?s=20
At some point, I had access to a service over email where we could send an email with a search query, and we got the results 24 hours later.
Think Google but over email with your results getting back to you with a 24-hour delay.
Think Google but over email with your results getting back to you with a 24-hour delay.
From time to time, I find myself complaining about stupid things that don't matter in the grand scheme of things.
It's a great exercise to go back, remember, and realize how spoiled we are and how much better our lives are.
It's a great exercise to go back, remember, and realize how spoiled we are and how much better our lives are.
https://twitter.com/it_sroshan/status/1401831398541979654?s=20
I'm moved by those mentioning that this story reminds them of their past or inspires them somehow.
Looking back is not always fun.
But it's the only way we can learn from our experiences and make a better future for ourselves and those around us.
Looking back is not always fun.
But it's the only way we can learn from our experiences and make a better future for ourselves and those around us.
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