I love my computer. I love the principles behind it, and I love how it’s completely changed my life. I still remember the dark ages before computers, and the occasional blackout reminds me I simply can’t go back.

In college, my love for my computer drove me to study the foundations of computing. I searched for answers to the most basic questions: what is computing, fundamentally? What role does physics play? After all, aren’t computers just circuits and transistors, given life and meaning by the electricity that runs through them? While the answers to these questions can be subtle, the explanation I found most appealing is simple: at the heart of computing is mathematics and problem solving. Mathematics gives us the tools to analyze reality. Computing simply automates the employment of those tools to solve problems.

All this theory can distract from one basic fact: computers allow us to do some of the most amazing things. We can sort our entire life’s music collection by artist or album with a single click, and we can get a listing of all the stores within a few blocks of our current location in two. And while I greatly enjoyed the theoretical research I did in college, building things that change people’s lives is the essence of programming, and I needed to be closer to that. So today I run a young consulting company, Phase Six, that builds ambitious applications for other people. Through all my experience developing and using software, I’ve made many observations and come to a few principles that I think are very valuable. Now, I want to get these ideas out into the world.

Each week at Bend the Line, I want us to examine a problem vexing developers, designers, and users of modern computer applications. On occasion, we’ll apply principles to real life by discussing a particular application or device. Ultimately, I want to encourage you to participate in these discussions as well, and the comment section for each article is available for this purpose.

I used to joke that my first words growing up were “I disagree”. I have always been very opinionated, and I don’t take ideas for granted. With this forum, I hope to offer each of you a refreshingly new and different point of view toward computer applications, one that doesn’t necessarily conform to the standard way of looking at things. You may not always agree with me, but my hope is that even then, seeing the problem from a new perspective will help you figure out your own answer.