Tech Has (Some) Answers
A lot will change permanently from here – especially around this tech adoption. Platforms like Zoom will be here to stay.
We are discovering pretty quickly what tech is and isn’t going to help with over the next few months. The things that have been ready to use but were yet to be explored; the things that are being forced to become ready and iron out a few remaining problems; and the things that people are trying to make work that just… aren’t good.
A lot will change permanently from here – especially around this tech adoption. We’re seeing a rapid embrace of group video chat on platforms like Zoom, as people find ways to spend time together remotely while getting as-close-to-together as possible.
Students, families and schools are also going to discover new normals with many kids starting to be educated remotely. One part psychology: learning to be more self-directed and self-reliant; another part technical: discovering how hard or easy it will be to have a class experience remotely.
I feel like the most immediate effect from this will be the old fake sickie for school kids might be less common if kids are told “well you can log on and still participate in class remotely”. I still have to ‘go’ to school but I won’t have my friends around? Might as well just go.
As someone who lives halfway between Sydney and Canberra, it’s already a personal positive to see press events and meetings being held with video options on offer. I hope that on the other side of the crisis these options will remain, not just be put back on the shelf.
Long term, I really hope we see more leaders open up remote working options for people who live regionally. To open up the prospect of finding the best person for a white collar job wherever they may live. To understand they can still contribute fully to an organisation thanks to the digital tools we now have at our disposal.
Great for workers, great for regions.
The NBN will remain a road block for many who still can’t get a good connection. But the biggest road block is business culture.
Remote work is NOT perfect. But is an average team that sits together in one building better than a great team that works together remotely? I’ll try to grow my business based on the second option.
Take care, everyone. Don’t panic, be smart, stay safe.
On Byteside
High Resolution podcast: Ben Lee, co-founder and Managing Director of Blowfish Studios, talks about running an indie studio and publisher on the latest High Resolution podcast.
Byteside podcast: As the coronavirus crisis worsens, tech has a massive role to play in keeping us together while we’re physically isolating ourselves to avoid the virus.
Boardgames in the age of coronavirus
The Game Table podcast: We’re being encouraged to self isolate if we can, which is great news for many geeks. But if you can’t gather around a table for a boardgames because that’s a bit too close – what are you going to do?
The Sistine Chapel of Storytelling
The Scrapyard podcast: We’re not angry about Warcraft 3: Reforged, we’re just disappointed. A deep dive on that in this week’s podcast plus that blasted Corrupted Blood problem.
More nerdy COVID-19 angles to think about
NBN Co's fair value estimated at just $8.7 billion
If we’d built the ‘good’ NBN, I still argue that come 2030 they’ve have built an asset that really would have been worth far more than it cost and, should it be privatised (I hate that bit) it would have raised a lot of money. Instead we’ve built the version that is, generously, only just fit for purpose, and is now valuable at far, far less than it has cost.
Parents, cut yourself some slack on screen time limits while you're stuck at home
Families may want to relax some of their usual rules for digital media use due to social distancing. But keeping bedtime screen-free still makes sense.
Playing Dungeons & Dragons online is easier than ever
We’re here to tell you how to get started with playing Dungeons & Dragons online (not the videogame versions, the actual tabletop game).
8 things remote CEOs do differently
This is from 2017 but holds true, and any business leader right now is probably working with at least some team members remotely. Great advice here.
How to use Discord for your classroom
Discord has removed limits from its free servers at the moment and this is a great template / guide for setting up a classroom focused Discord.
Supercars postpones three events, launches E-series
The real racing drivers will move into a sim racing setup to give fans virtual racing action. Excited to watch these pro drivers (who train in sims a lot anyway) show us what they’ve got in virtual racing.
Folding@Home is putting its processing toward finding answers to COVID-19, and the response has been so good they can’t generate simulations fast enough for the community to process. AAA+++
Please be patient if you experience idle time on @foldingathome as we face the #COVID19 pandemic together! We are working like mad to start simulations of COVID-19 proteins. The enthusiastic response to our effort has been tremendous and has sometimes emptied our queues.
Eurovision Song Contest 2020 cancelled over coronavirus
The 64 year streak that unified Europe in saccharine and weird pop songs is over.
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