Tag Archives: Riparian Data

Office Life, The Intern Diaries

Summer 2013 Interns

Our favorite time of year is upon us. It’s summertime, and that means kayaking down the Charles, BBQ’s in the parking lot, and best of all summer interns. We’re handing over the blogging reins to this talented crew. Each week follow along as they give you an inside look at SoftArtisans and Riparian Data, life as an intern at a start up, and any other random musings that pop into their heads. They’ve already taken over with their podcast. Listen in on itunes!

Summer 2013 Interns

(Top row: Kyle, Justin, Daniel, Front row: Madalyn, Alex, Shane)

The questions:
1. Where do you go to school?
2. What do you study?
3. Give us a unique/random fact of your choosing.

The answers:

Kyle:

1. Olin College of Engineering.
2. Software Engineering and Applied Mathematics.
3. A random fact about me is that I am the music director of Olin’s premier a cappella group, the PowerChords.

Justin:

1. Rochester Institute of Technology
2. Game Design
3. The average color of the universe is known as Cosmic Latte.  (If it was actually supposed to be about me, then… uh… on good days, I could see Canada from the house where I grew up?)

Daniel:

1. Gann Academy

Madalyn:

1. I go to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
2. I study Computer Science and Digital Art.
3. The longest (documented) that a person has ever lived was to the age of 124 years.

Shane: 

1. Olin College of Engineering Continue reading Summer 2013 Interns →

Big Data, The Intern Diaries

Big Data for Dummies. Big Daddy for Geniuses.

[The following is a guest post from our partner company Riparian Data and new intern and data-ist Brennan Full. Happy to have you on board, Brennan!]

I first heard the words “big data” while listening to the radio at the gym, the host’s voice guiding me over the precipice of a “hill” on my humming elliptical.  The words immediately brought me back to my “Sandler period” where Big Daddy was watched on repeat until one had reached comedic enlightenment.  It wasn’t until the 3rd mention of “zettabytes” that I finally came around and realized that this conversation was concerning the mountains of data humans create every day.  Disappointed, I changed the station. Months later, looking for marketing opportunities I came across an opening at Riparian Data, a company that works with “big data”.   Again, the flashbacks returned; Scuba Steve, tripping people in Central Park, teaching Rob Schneider how to read… I have got to find a way to work there!

Before my interview I began researching the company, shocked to find out that I was horribly mistaken/illiterate and that Riparian Data in fact had nothing to do with the magnum opus of my childhood.  I sat for hours, researching, working desperately to understand what this emerging technological field was all about.  Hours passed and I was no closer to grasping NoSQL.  Dejected, I turned to my worn copy of Big Daddy.  As I slowly descended into a meditative state it hit me, BIG DATA AND BIG DADDY AREN’T COMPLETELY DISSIMILAR!

You see, much like shapeless masses of data, Sandler’s character lacks purpose, that is until someone comes around and gives the data/“daddy” meaning.  Big data is the collection and analysis of the information we’re all constantly generating as we text, tweet, buy things, use GPS, etc.  This incomprehensible mountain of information would lack significance if not for the tools brought about by big data.  This, ladies and gentlemen is how my warped mind came to understand what big data is all about.

Thanks for having me on board Riparian Daddy!

NOTES: I never went through a Sandler period, I never use an elliptical, and I’m fairly certain Rob Schneider was acting like he couldn’t read.

Truth in Tech

This Week in Tech

Truth in Tech Series

Claire and I filter through a lot of news on the interwebs. While not all of the stories are pertinent to what we do here at SoftArtisans and Riparian Data (see Gander and OfficeWriter), there is still a mind-boggling amount of industry articles worth talking about. To keep them from rattling around in our subconscious and to stay up-to-date on the latest trends (and because Claire and I don’t hang out nearly enough), a new series was born. Every week we’ll bring you an unbiased perspective on the ever-changing technology landscape, covering industry topics from mobile to startups to news you may have missed. So join the conversation as we talk acquisitions, new apps worth using, and anything else that tickles our fancy.

With two videos under our belts, we’re talking Instagram, Zipcar, and Continue reading This Week in Tech →