Serendipity35

I found a reference this past week to the original Apple II AppleWorks and it got me thinking about how amazing the program was for its time. The software was light and efficient, and it ran on limited hardware.

The "light architecture" of AppleWorks (developed by Rupert Lissner and released in 1984 for the Apple II) was impressive for several reasons. It was an Integrated Suite that combined a word processor, database, and spreadsheet into a single application. On the 8-bit Apple II's limited resources (often starting with just 128K RAM), this level of seamless integration was no less than revolutionary. You could easily share data (via a "clipboard") between the modules.

AppleWorks was written almost entirely in assembly language for the 6502 processor. This gave it incredible speed and efficiency, allowing it to perform complex tasks much faster than programs written in higher-level languages like Pascal.

Its memory management system was highly flexible and sophisticated, allowing it to utilize not just the 128K of the Apple IIe/IIc but also various third-party memory cards. It effectively made up to two megabytes of memory appear as one contiguous space on an 8-bit machine, which was a remarkable technical feat.

It became the "killer application" that extended the life of the Apple II platform well into the late 80s and early 90s. That is when I was using it in my middle school classroom, and as the computer coordinator in my building, I worked with every teacher because they all had at least one Apple IIe in their room.

Although AppleWorks was thought of as something teachers would use most of the time, the user experience was very good, and students would use at least the word processing portion. All three modules shared a consistent, menu-bar-driven user interface with simple text-based controls (often utilizing the Apple II's "MouseText" characters for visual elements like folders and separators). This was highly intuitive and much easier to learn than many contemporary command-line programs. The design prioritized ease of use, making personal computing accessible to a much broader audience, especially in homes and schools.

AppleWorks, compared to other productivity suites of the time, such as Microsoft Works or the original Mac software, demonstrates a fundamental shift in design philosophy that prioritized integration and efficiency over raw power. Earlier Apple II programs were often monolithic (like stand-alone VisiCalc for spreadsheets) or required users to switch between separate, disparate programs with different interfaces to move data. This efficiency was its competitive edge, keeping the Apple II relevant years after more powerful Macs and PCs emerged.

In the AppleWorks vs. Microsoft Works (for Mac/PC) battle (Works eventually became Apple's main competitor in the integrated suite market) Apple demonstrated a different design approach. But Apple was constrained by the 8-bit Apple II. Microsoft Works and later versions of AppleWorks/ClarisWorks (for Mac and Windows) were developed for 16-bit and 32-bit systems (Macintosh, Windows PC), and these platforms had more abundant memory, faster processors, and graphical user interfaces (GUIs).

The last time I sat down at an Apple IIe was at a tech conference, it was in a "museum "display. As crude as it might seem to users almost 50 years later, I still marveled at what it could do. I was one of those people who found so many later programs, such as Microsoft Office, bloated memory hogs with more horsepower and features than most users would ever need.

Despite the technical differences, both AppleWorks and Microsoft Works shared the goal to provide an all-in-one, cost-effective, and easy-to-use suite for casual users, students, and small businesses who didn't need the complexity or expense of full-blown professional packages like Microsoft Office or Lotus Symphony. The key difference was that AppleWorks achieved this integration on an extremely limited architecture, which is why its design is often cited as a more remarkable technical feat.

 Modern technology (and its grim efficiencies) has reduced job opportunities for the traditional white-collar population, but the need for artisans --the tradesmen class-- has come on strong.  Training and skills are shifting towards the next generations of the gainfully employed.  Online self-study and instructor-guided courses for topics in HVAC are readily available. These types of trainings are most often created for people whose career path began in the trades.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries faster than ever. In 2025, 85 million jobs may be displaced globally  (World Economic Forum). While AI creates new tech roles, many mid-career professionals—accountants, data clerks, paralegals, programmers, and project managers—find themselves displaced with skills seemingly mismatched for the future. A counterintuitive opportunity lies in reviving artisan trades—fields where the human hand, creativity, and craftsmanship remain irreplaceable.

Trades and artisan skills, so far, have been largely resistant to this wave of job takeovers and are adding AI technologies as trade tools. Plumbing, carpentry, welding, and advanced manufacturing require spatial reasoning, adaptive problem-solving, and tactile precision—areas where AI and robotics still struggle. Modern trades use AI as a tool, not a replacement—e.g., welders using AR-guided precision tech or electricians diagnosing systems via IoT sensors.

The good news, for some, in this murky career landscape is that some professionals aren’t starting from zero. Project management, client relations, and analytical skills from corporate roles translate powerfully into trade entrepreneurship, though they have no direct relationship to the skills required to ply a trade. While a former finance analyst may have the budgeting discipline to construct and follow a profitable business plan for home remodeling, that analyst will still need a supply of talent for doing the actual work.

There are programs available as (re)training pathways to the professionally displaced, but they are young, and their career-shifting success is currently unproven

Program Type	Resource Types	Duration/Cost
Apprenticeships	National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA)	2-5 years (paid)
Bootcamps	General Assembly (HVAC, Robotics)	3-6 months ($5-15K)
Community Colleges	Tennessee Reconnect (free tuition for adults)	1-2 years
Micro-credentials	IBM SkillsBuild, Coursera Trade Certificates	Weeks to months
Trades Incubators	Etsy Maker Grants, Local Makerspaces	Mentorship + equipment access

Funding for retraining in these  programs, as well as some financial support for living, is listed as:

• Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs: Now cover high-quality trade certificates.
• WIOA Funding: U.S. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds reskilling for displaced workers.
• Employer Partnerships: Companies like Siemens and Bosch sponsor "earn-while-you-learn" tracks.

The challenge is both obvious and daunting.  Not only are career paths for entry- and mid-level professional careers at risk, but the need to pivot to new, unfilled, and available careers will be a complicated hill to climb.  This pivot, potentially, is immensely disruptive to the workforce. It may change some of our social constructs as well.  Our hope can be that reskilling displaced workers for trades isn’t a step backward—it’s an economic renaissance. By leveraging existing soft skills, emerging edtech, and a renewed cultural appreciation for craft, we can turn displacement into durability.  Maybe

Marian Croak, a name that may not be familiar to many, has had a profound impact on the way we communicate today. As a renowned American engineer, Croak has spent her career pushing the boundaries of technology, particularly in the realm of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). With over 200 patents to her name, Croak's work has enabled seamless communication over the internet, revolutionizing the way we connect.

Her  U.S. Patent No. 7,599,359 for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Technology was ultimately used to create applications such as Zoom, WhatsApp and many others.

Born on May 14, 1955, in New York City, Croak's interest in technology was sparked by her father, who built her a chemistry set that led to her early exploration of the sciences. She pursued her passion for problem-solving at Princeton University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in 1977. Later, she received a PhD in Social Psychology and Quantitative Analysis from the University of Southern California.

Croak's career spans three decades at Bell Labs and AT&T, where she worked on digital messaging applications and VoIP technologies. Her team convinced AT&T to adopt the TCP/IP protocol, which allowed for standardized communication over the Internet. Croak's work on VoIP enabled the conversion of voice data into digital signals, making it possible to transmit voice, text, and video over the internet.

Another of Croak's notable achievements is her patent for text-based donations to charity. Developed in response to Hurricane Katrina, this technology allowed users to donate to organizations using text messaging. The technology was widely used after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, raising over $43 million for relief organizations. Croak received the 2013 Thomas Edison Patent Award for this innovation.

Croak's contributions extend beyond her technical expertise. As a leader at AT&T, she managed over 2,000 engineers and computer scientists, overseeing programs that impacted millions of customers. In 2014, she joined Google as Vice President of Engineering, focusing on expanding internet access and developing Responsible AI.

Throughout her career, Croak has received numerous accolades for her work. She was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2016 and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022, becoming one of the first two Black women to receive this honor. She has also been inducted into the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

As Croak herself notes, "Inventors are usually people like you. Sometimes they're good at certain things, other times they're not, and that's ok. Just focus on what you want to change, and you become that change and can make that change happen."

Her legacy serves as a testament to the power of innovation and the impact one person can have on the world. As we continue to navigate the complexities of modern communication, we owe a debt of gratitude to pioneers like Marian Croak, who have worked tirelessly to bring people closer together.

 

I wrote earlier about the issues we were experiencing with the blog's backend. I mentioned that Tim, the IT half of Serendipity35, had created a testing version of the blog on an .icu domain. This .icu domain was new to me, and I had to look it up.

The .icu top-level domain (TLD) quite literally stands for "I See You" and was launched in 2018 as a flexible, globally accessible domain option. “I See You” is probably appealing for brands and individuals who want to convey visibility, connection, or care. It also coincides with the medical abbreviation for Intensive Care Unit though I doubt that any brands want that association.

It officially became available for public registration in 2018, and quickly gained traction due to its affordability and the wide availability of names. The original application was submitted by One.com, a Danish web hosting provider.Since it’s relatively new, many desirable domain names are still unclaimed and it has lower costs. Registration fees are typically lower than traditional domains like .com or .net. The .icu domain is not region-specific, making it suitable for international branding.

While .icu domains are popular for their flexibility, one caveat is that they’ve also been associated with spam and phishing, again because of their low cost and ease of registration. This has led some email providers and security platforms to flag .icu domains more aggressively. That said, legitimate businesses and creators continue to use .icu effectively, especially when paired with strong branding and secure hosting.