Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From ThePlaz.com

Jump to: navigation, search
(post new update)
(remove old header)
 
(20 intermediate revisions by one user not shown)
Line 26: Line 26:
 
</div><div style="clear: left"></div>
 
</div><div style="clear: left"></div>
 
<!-- ---------------------- END OF HEADER SECTION -------------------------------- -->
 
<!-- ---------------------- END OF HEADER SECTION -------------------------------- -->
−
 
 
<div class="NavFrame" style="border-spacing:4px; width=55%; -moz-border-radius: 1em; border: 1px solid #FFA0A0; background-color: #f8fff8; vertical-align:top; margin-top:5px">
 
<div class="NavFrame" style="border-spacing:4px; width=55%; -moz-border-radius: 1em; border: 1px solid #FFA0A0; background-color: #f8fff8; vertical-align:top; margin-top:5px">
 
<h3 class="NavHead" style="-moz-border-radius: 1em; background:#FFA0A0;margin:-2px;padding:4px; text-align: left; border: none;">
 
<h3 class="NavHead" style="-moz-border-radius: 1em; background:#FFA0A0;margin:-2px;padding:4px; text-align: left; border: none;">
−
[[Image:Nuvola apps important.png|25px|left]] 7/23/2012 Summer Personal Update
+
[[Image:Nuvola apps important.png|25px|left]] 8/25/2013 Yahoo APM!
 
</h3>
 
</h3>
−
<div class="NavContent" style="padding:6px; text-align: left; border: none;">
+
<div class="NavContent" style="padding:6px; text-align: left; border: none;display:none;">
−
 
+
==Yahoo APM==
−
[[Category:Site]]
+
[[File:Marissa and Michael.jpg|thumb|Me with Marissa Mayer]]
−
 
+
[[File:Yahoo APMs 13.jpg|thumb|The 2013 Yahoo APMs]]
−
[[File:Disneyland.JPG|thumb|200px|Disneyland June 2012]]
+
I am about 1 month into my new job at [[Yahoo]] as an Associate Product Manager or [[APM]].  After I finished classes at MIT, but before I was set to start at Oracle, Yahoo offered me to join Marissa Mayer's new APM program at Yahoo.  Marissa started the program back when she had just joined Google - as a way to find and develop new Product Managers out of school, which she thought would be faster than hiring experienced PMs from the industry.  This article describes the role http://www.wired.com/business/2012/07/marissas-secret-weapon-for-recruiting-new-yahoo-talent/ though that article overblows things slightly.
−
====Disney====
+
−
I am now 8 weeks into my internship at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online.  WDPRO builds the websites and mobile apps for the Disney parks and other travel operations.  I’ve been having a great time here at Disney.  I'm working on a mobile project for Cruise Line and a project to improve reference material here at WDPRO.  I'm a product management intern, working for the VP of the division.  I'm getting great exposure to what it is like to be a PDM intern here.  As at [[Deutsche Bahn]], I have a lot of freedom to use my time where I think is most effective.
+
−
 
+
−
One change from [[NextJump|last summer]] is that Disney cares about quality.  In fact, quality is the number one concern here.  This makes the work environment 180 degrees different.  It means a lot of concern over issues that on the surface look trivial.  But when you consider the millions of people that pour though our parks every year, it starts making sense.  A Disney parks experience means quality.  If you think about the newly opened [http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneys-california-adventure/cars-land/ Cars Land], every little detail from the type of grass to the building architecture has been obsessed over for years by teams of people. Disney has a lot of people, who are managing every detail.  This means there are a lot of people involved in any project.  It’s very different from the small team mentality of other firms – but those companies don’t have anywhere near the integration that Disney has.
+
−
 
+
−
Plus it's my job as a PDM is to manage this.  Somewhat jokingly, my job is meetings and emails.  A PDM is responsible to build the relationships with the business to be able to specify requirements and act as the “product owner” in Scrum/Agile terminology.  Though it’s been somewhat awkward working as a PDM intern.  You won’t be around after the summer, so it’s hard to take over a project full time.  But I’m doing what I expected.  I can envision what things would be like if I was doing this full time here. 
+
−
 
+
−
=====Opportunities=====
+
−
I’ve taken advantage of a number of great opportunities here at Disney.  Every Disney employee goes through a training program called Traditions, where you learn the basics of working in the park and see “backstage”.  They also offer a program called Cross-U where office workers can help out in the park during very busy periods.  I was assigned to measure wait times at the Cozy Cone Motel on opening day of Cars Land.  I ended up giving out more help than collecting wait times, but it was fun to be part of Cars Land’s opening day.  Plus I helped beta-test a new game at Imagineering R&D.  They are working on some interesting questions!  Imagineering also has a big library with lots of books about the topics Disney works on and archives of the behind the scenes on the Disney attractions.  This was fun to pour over.  We can also over to the studio lot any time we want for lunch. 
+
−
 
+
−
I also flew out to [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/collections/72157630614756080/ Orlando] to meet with colleagues.  This was my first business trip by myself.  I stayed at the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614802316/ Yacht Club].  During the day I had set up back-to-back meetings with WDPRO and DCL colleagues in the Disney Celebration offices.  On Saturday, I drove out to the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614854722/ Disney Fantasy] to take a tour and meet with shipboard colleagues.  After work, I visited [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/collections/72157630614756080/ Walt Disney World] – my first time there since elementary school.  I even go to walk around the [http://www.google.com/search?q=Utilidors Utilidors] – it looks exactly like the MIT tunnel system.
+
−
 
+
−
=====Issues=====
+
−
Disney has its typical big company issues as well.  There are so many managers for this and that everywhere that most of every project is simply coordination between different departments.  I realize that as a temporary intern, I might be cluttering up things further.  This is what I am trying to balance. 
+
−
 
+
−
I knew this coming in, but my base salary is quite a fair bit less than last summer and the only thing free in the office is free soda and breakfast one day a week.  We were also promised park passes, but those are still stuck in the Disney bureaucracy.  Also my work address is wrong in the internal company directory.  I think I’ve talked to 10 people about getting this fixed, and while one person was able to fix my work phone number, the address is still wrong.  Disney is very good at being very specific with its polices to the public, but backstage it’s a mess.  It’s certainly not Steve Jobs’ philosophy that good craftsmanship means doing a good job on even the parts not readily visible to the customer.
+
−
 
+
−
=====Culture=====
+
−
That being said there are a lot of very smart people here.  Stuff still manages to get done with relatively little problems.  But I think having a stable operational platform would allow things to get done more efficiently and would be less costly.  I’m writing about this not to criticize, but to wonder if its possible to do better.  Disney is also a very relational company.  I've recognized this and on the advice of others, I’ve set up what seems like 50 informational/getting to know you meetings.
+
−
 
+
−
The culture is also fun here.  Many of the people in other Disney units have worked their way up from the parks so they are always happy and perky.  At certain business units, though not really at PRO, everyone wears their Disney name tags around the office.  It’s a way of showing that you are helping out the parks.  WDPRO Glendale doesn’t require it, but many people still dress according to the fairly strict “Disney Look” – basically be clean-cut and wear business casual.
+
−
 
+
−
====Outside of Work This Summer====
+
−
I'm really happy how this summer is turning out from a friendship point of view.  I'm being a lot more aggressive this summer to reach out and organize weekends with friends.
+
−
 
+
−
=====Travel=====
+
−
At the start of the summer, I went to [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614359682/ Atlantic City] with my dad. 
+
−
I went to [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614507044/ Universal Studios Hollywood], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614526666/ Warner Brothers Studio], and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614539170/ Venice Beach] with Eddie and Jeremy.  On my own, I walked around the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614554252/ Hollywood Walk of Fame],  [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614580024/ Beverly Hills]  and the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614606776/  X-Games at LA Live and Downtown LA].
+
 
   
 
   
−
One week I drove up to [[Silicon Valley]] to meet with many of my friends in the area.  On the Fourth of July, I walked around [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614647334/ San Francisco with Jon], I stayed with [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614662258/ Jeremy in Palo Alto], saw the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614678352/ Computer History Museum], and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157630614696768/ Stanford] with one of my friends from high school, Dave Groff.  
+
I’m super happy where I am at.  This is the type of job I was aiming for throughout MIT; I think I was well-prepared by MIT; and I think .Yahoo is also in a very interesting state at the moment.  They are rapidly redoing everything.  This makes new grads are handed large chunks of the product to manage, because they are so understaffed for what the need is. In addition, they are in the midst of a huge culture change. They are replacing their cube farms with open desks.  They are rebuilding teams, which were previously laid off.  It’s very interesting to work with people on either side of the culture change and to experience the before-and-after at the same time.
 +
 +
I’m in charge of designing the platform Yahoo uses to know where you are, and I help designing the membership, accounts, and security features of Yahoo.  The work is very similar to what I did at MIT – brainstorming solutions, designing schemes, working with other stakeholders to refine plans and achieve consensus.
  
−
=====Cell Phone=====
+
As an APM, I’m part of Yahoo’s inner circle – giving it the feel of a small company.  My experience working with administrators at MIT prepared me very well for working with the executives at Yahoo.  It's probably the best business/leadership/PM experience possible in the world for someone just out of school.  I think it's rivals management consulting in terms of business experience - since you're directly responsible for something, but still involved at a high level.   I think one learns by doing and by being exposed to stuff.  The greater scope and responsibility one has, the more one learns, I believe.
−
While I was in San Francisco, my Nexus S cell phone broke.  It would not boot up past the “Google” screen.  I had to go most of my Silicon Valley trip and all of my Orlando trip without a cell phone!  Luckily I had my LTE iPad which kept me connected.  I could make outgoing calls on Skype, but not receive calls. This made me realize how much I depend on my phone.  My phone has been fixed for a week now, but I still feel like I am without it and disconnected from the world.  Battery life is also a great deal improved.
+
  
−
=====Books=====
+
==Mountain View==
−
I’m also getting to do a lot more driving than I ever have.  I think in my first week here I’ve driven more than I have my entire life.  It has also given me the opportunity to listen to some audio books.  I’ve listened to [http://www.amazon.com/The-Working-Poor-Invisible-America/dp/0375408908 Working Poor], the [http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1451648537/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0 Steve Jobs bio], [http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Deception-Controlling-Security/dp/076454280X Art of Deception by Kevin Mitnick]. I also read a book on the [http://www.amazon.com/Airline-Reservations-Sonic-Hedgehog-Software/dp/1422391760 History of Software Development], and I am reading a book on [http://www.amazon.com/Project-Management-Handbook-David-Cleland/dp/0442221142/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343084222&sr=1-1&keywords=0442221142 Project Management].
+
[[File:Mountain View Home.jpg|thumb|Mountain View Home]]
 +
[[File:Chevy Volt.jpg|thumb|Chevy Volt]]
 +
I'm settled into my new place in [[Mountain View]]. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157634601732288/ Photos] I'm sharing a house with 2 other guys, who were friends of friends.  I've purchased a [[Chevy Volt]].  [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157634595577805/ Photos] It goes 40 miles in a charge, but after that it can use gas. In almost 2 months, I haven't gone to the gas station once!
  
−
====This Past Semester====
+
I'm meeting a lot of new people here.  Everyone seems to be a friend of a friend at least, and about 20-30% have heard of me before!  That's kinda scarey!
−
My [[MIT Junior|junior]] spring semester was a solid semester. I finished 7 classes with a 4.3 GPA average.  This breaks my streak of having my GPA climb semester over semester,  but I still think I learned a lot.  My undergraduate cumulative GPA appears to be fixed at 4.3; this is the third semester in a row where it has not changed.  It's not a particular stunning GPA, but since I chose to focus on breath and leadership opportunities at MIT, I'm by-in-large happy with how this semester ended up.
+
  
−
[[6.033|6.033 Computer Systems Engineering]] covered designing complex computer systems.  Most of my classmates hated this class; I didn't find it half bad.  The class is not well designed - the very thing it is trying to teach!  It seems that too many unrelated components have been slapped in.  In addition, I wish it focused more on the human side of building a system (more of a project point of view).  Anyway, I got an A in that class.  [[6.813|6.813 UI Design]] was right up my alley.  I think most people in the class couldn't care less (it's the easiest AUS and department lab).  Plus the professor was trying hard - too hard - to be objective.  I was not that happy with my final project, [[RScanVP]].  [[6.006|6.006 Intro to Algorithms]] was challenging for me.  I think I easily grasped the basic concepts, but the problems seemed to come out of no where with the TA unable to offer robust strategies to solve them.  I ended up with a C because I did not do well on the final.  Your grade basically dependent on if you "figured out" the problem.  I don't like making excuses, but I really don't know how I end up with a C in every math related class I take at MIT.
+
==Leaving MIT==
−
   
+
I had my best semester ever, my last semester at MIT.  I had 5 As and one B-.  I was literally 10 points away from a 5.0!
−
[[15.565|15.565 Management/Web 3.0]] was a class I required to take.  I didn’t like the class, so I didn’t spend much time on it.  I even got in a big disagreement with the TA since I thought my approach was way better than his.  I ended up with an A-.  [[15.571|15.571 Business IT Strategy]] is perhaps my most favorite Sloan class ever.  I really like the work Jeanne Ross and the [http://cisr.mit.edu/ Center for Information Systems Research] is doing at Sloan.  I ended up with a B+ because the group project (which I really enjoyed) was graded lower than other students and Sloan has grade quotas.  [[15.301|15.301 Management Psychology]] was fun, although I don’t think the other students cared that much, but I really enjoyed the topic.  I ended up with an A.  [[18.06|18.06 Linear Algebra]] was a challenge for me. Unlike other course 18 classes, this one was more about theory than calculations, though I am not very good at that either!
+
  
−
I think at some point I had 6 group projects active!  This was a bit much, because there is a lot of overhead in scheduling group projects.  I think I also did much more group P-Setting this semester versus before.  I was much more conscious to take the time to cultivate relationships and set up times to work on homework.  Overall, I'm glad I'm being more social.  This is one of the life/soft skills where I am 180 degrees different from how I was when I entered MIT.
+
[[File:Pens MIT Spring 2013.jpg|thumb|Pens|200px]]
 +
[[File:Paper MIT Spring 2013.jpg|thumb|Paper|200px]]
 +
This semester I used 32 inches of paper, as well as 31 pens.  Here is a chart of usage over time:
  
−
====Outside of Classes====
+
[[File:Pens and Paper Usage.png]]
  
−
=====Baker House=====
+
I wrote up two white papers on MIT Policy.  [[A Framework for Community Engagement]] is a refinement of the community engagement process which administrators currently follow. [[Problem Solving Teams]] proposes having students work as "management consultants" on the Institute’s biggest problems.  This joins [[Unrelenting Advocacy]], about how stundets should act like lobbyists and consultants.  This rounds up my [MIT Policy White Papers] series.
−
Also I was elected as the President of [[Baker House]], my dorm at MIT.  I was unsure about doing this role initially, but it has turned out to be a great experience.  I have a budget of about $50,000 per year and about 20 people are involved in house government. It really is a fantastic leadership opportunity because you have to recruit really busy people to help out, train them, and then throw great events.  You also have the autonomy to try things out and make mistakes.  Our Piano Drop was a huge success with syndication on over 300 world-wide news outlets. Here is the big one from the [http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/04/24/years-after-quirky-ritual-began-piano-drop-still-strikes-chord-mit/rYJW5zNd356WTSswbwAusJ/story.html Boston Globe]. In addition, we had over 500 people at our annual CPW party.  My term runs one more semester until IAP 2013.
+
  
−
=====MITCET=====
+
[[File:MIT Graduation.jpg|thumb|MIT Graduation]]
−
This semester I continued to be involved in [[MITCET]] [http://mitcet.mit.edu/], the MIT Council on Educational Technology.  I can't believe I forgot to mention it in my last update, but MITCET was one of the groups advising then-Provost Reif on setting up MITx and EdX. I was on the inside on the announcement of MITx and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157629993249096/ EdX] and I met with then-Provost Reif to discuss the issue. I think MITx and EdX has the potential to revolutionize education.  I think education has economies of scale which, if taken advantage of, could radically change the course of the industry.  Why does every school need a different school curriculum?  Instead of having each teacher re-invent the wheel - invest in a few good solutions.  Then you are able to justify the extra work to refine the technology to be able to adopt to people's needs.  
+
Graduation was a super rainy affair - it was pretty miserable. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157634578617238/ Photos]  However, I'm happy to say that I've now graduated.  It was sad to leave all of the stuff I really liked about MIT behind.
  
−
=====ThePlaz.com=====
+
I used the time I was off (3 weeks at MIT, 3 weeks at home, and 3 weeks in CA) to get organized and clean up my stuff. I emptied some boxes I hadn’t touched in years.  I scanned more paper.  However, I have still not managed to post my MIT stuff or more from the archives.
−
I made some small adjustments to the nav bar on ThePlaz.com.  Gone are the separate TI-83 and Video categories and instead I've added an engineering and business header entries, as well as getting all of the classes up to date in the header.
+
  
−
Content from the spring is up.  I have scanned a fair bit of old content that I still need to work though.  Hopefully I get a few moments later this summer.
+
==Personal Style==
−
+
I also spent some time to reflect on my [[Personal Style]].  I spent several months iterating on this - and it ended up being quite lengthy! I wanted to record this, because I know with will update over time, and I wanted to make a record of it.  I think it's also helpful for people to know how I approach problem solving.
−
=====Travel=====
+
--[[User:ThePlaz|ThePlaz]] ([[User talk:ThePlaz|talk]]) 02:55, 25 August 2013 (EDT)
−
My brother is currently looking for schools.  Over Spring Break I was in [http://www.flickr.com/photos/theplaz/sets/72157629993026940/  Pittsburgh with my family].
+
−
 
+
−
====Semesters Ahead====
+
−
For planning ahead, I have 10 classes left in order to graduate with a double major in 15 and 6-3.  I had originally thought I needed 11 more, but I realized I had actually satisfied a requirement without realizing it!  This means I only need a normal 5 classes per semester!  Plus, one of these classes is a PE class, which I have not historically counted in the number of classes I am taking, so we are down to 5 and 4 classes.
+
−
+
−
I am planning on taking [[7.012|7.012 Intro to Biology]].  I've tried taking this GIR class every semester, but it always conflicted with my schedule.  Well I am finally going to take it!  It will be mostly freshmen - I've come so far in terms of my study skills from those years…  (See [[Working out a System]])  I'm planning on taking [[STS.085|STS.085 Ethics Online]].  I think I am going to really like this class; I enjoy working on the topic. It also wraps up my concentration in [[STS|STS: Science, Technology, and Society]].  I will have to take [[6.046|6.046 Advanced Algorithms]].  I'm not looking forward to this class at all!  Plus my extremely smart [[6.006]] partner, Shri, dropped out of MIT (is technically on-hold) to do a start up. What am I going to do?
+
−
+
−
For my AUS class, I picked [[6.858|6.858 Computer Systems Security]].  I heard that in the first lab with write a buffer overflow attack.  I hope to pick up low-level programming skills (i.e. C)  and learn how to actually write attacks.  I heard that the labs are long and hard, but it seemed like the best choice as to what I was interested in.  For my HASS D class, I picked [[14.72|14.72 Capitalism and its Critics]].  This seems like an interesting class about different economic systems - I picked it partially because it is from the econ department, something I want more exposure to.  My top choice was [[17.30|17.30 Making Public Policy]], but this has a time conflict with [[6.046]].  As alternate choices, I put down [[17.40|17.40 American Foreign Policy]] and [[STS.003|STS.003 The Rise of Modern Science]].  I liked the book [http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Ashes-The-History-CIA/dp/038551445X Legacy of Ashes], but I prefer econ more; and I think I've heard enough about the start of science with [[STS.050]] and [[STS.011]]. 
+
−
+
−
So with my 6 classes this semester I might be bored.  I'm considering picking [[2.009]], the famous product design lab.  I've always liked the idea of the class, so when I got an email from the professor announcing that the class was looking for non-course 2's I was intrigued.  I do want to spend more time on self exploration on other topics and greater depth on in-class topics, but I'm skeptical how much that will happen once the rubber meets the road. 
+
−
+
−
So in the spring semester I still have to take [[15.053]] or [[15.058]] as well as [[15.075]], both Sloan math classes.  I probably should not be taking those so late, but that's when they fit in.  Plus I need to do a third HASS D class, as well as my course 6 project 6.UAP.  I also need to take 1 more PE class at some point.  I also want to take advantage of cross registration with Harvard for some class to say that I've done it...
+
−
 
+
−
====After MIT====
+
−
So what am I going to do after MIT?  I don’t think I am going to do grad school immediately.  I don’t feel like spending more time in school.  If I were to go to grad school, and if at MIT, I would do either Sloan for research, or the Media Lab at MIT.  I feel like I’ve already seen what a Sloan MBA would be like.  I don’t quite have the grades for M-Eng and since I don’t see myself doing that sort of work, I don’t think another year of access to course 6 classes at MIT is a good investment of time.  Looking at the class list, nothing really stands out.
+
−
+
−
So what do I want in a job?  I want to be busy – at MIT taking 7 classes at a time forces me to get stuff done.  Without that pressure, I tend to be a lot less productive.  I want to work on hard problems.  I want to continue to have new experiences.  I don’t want to master a job – though I might master and formalize the process of working (as I’ve done at MIT).  I might do business consulting, PDM at Disney, or product management somewhere in Silicon Valley.  I might even do my own thing. 
+
−
 
+
−
I think my 5 internships have given me good perspective on the good and the bad.  For some of the other interns at Disney this is their first internship.  Between my internships, school classes, and MIT leadership opportunities, I think I’m much more aware of the differences between places, the reasons those differences exist, and attempting to answer which is better.  As to another major change I've noticed, I think I've become much more Establishment.--[[User:ThePlaz|ThePlaz]] 21:57, 23 July 2012 (EDT)
+
 
''[http://theplaz.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:ThePlaz&action=edit&section=new Leave Plaz a (public) message] [[Image:File_icon.gif]] or [[User:ThePlaz:E-mail me|send me a (private) e-mail.]][[Image:Mail_icon.gif]]'', ''[http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThePlazPersonalUpdates Subscribe via RSS feed], ''[http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=786542 Subscribe via email]'', ''[http://friendfeed.com/theplaz Detailed feed]'', ''[[Old Updates|See past updates]]''
 
''[http://theplaz.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:ThePlaz&action=edit&section=new Leave Plaz a (public) message] [[Image:File_icon.gif]] or [[User:ThePlaz:E-mail me|send me a (private) e-mail.]][[Image:Mail_icon.gif]]'', ''[http://feeds.feedburner.com/ThePlazPersonalUpdates Subscribe via RSS feed], ''[http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=786542 Subscribe via email]'', ''[http://friendfeed.com/theplaz Detailed feed]'', ''[[Old Updates|See past updates]]''
 
</div>
 
</div>
Line 124: Line 77:
 
Recent Activity from around the Web
 
Recent Activity from around the Web
 
</h3>
 
</h3>
−
<div class="NavContent">
+
<div class="NavContent" style="display:none;">
 
{{#RawHTML:Main_Page:FriendFeed}}
 
{{#RawHTML:Main_Page:FriendFeed}}
 
</div>
 
</div>
Line 131: Line 84:
 
{| style="width: 100%"
 
{| style="width: 100%"
 
|width="55%" class="MainPageBG" style="-moz-border-radius: 1em; border: 1px solid #32cd32; background-color: #f8fff8; vertical-align:top;"|
 
|width="55%" class="MainPageBG" style="-moz-border-radius: 1em; border: 1px solid #32cd32; background-color: #f8fff8; vertical-align:top;"|
 +
<h3 style="-moz-border-radius-topright: 1em;-moz-border-radius-topleft: 1em; background:#90ee90;margin:-2px;padding:4px;"> [[MIT Senior]]
 +
<span class="edittemplate" style="font-size:8pt; float:right; margin:0 7px 0 0;">[http://theplaz.com/wiki/index.php?title=Template:Main_Page:MIT_Senior&action=edit edit]</span>
 +
</h3>
 +
<div style="padding:6px;">
 +
{{Main Page:MIT Senior}}
 +
</div>
 
<h3 style="-moz-border-radius-topright: 1em;-moz-border-radius-topleft: 1em; background:#90ee90;margin:-2px;padding:4px;"> [[MIT Junior]]
 
<h3 style="-moz-border-radius-topright: 1em;-moz-border-radius-topleft: 1em; background:#90ee90;margin:-2px;padding:4px;"> [[MIT Junior]]
 
<span class="edittemplate" style="font-size:8pt; float:right; margin:0 7px 0 0;">[http://theplaz.com/wiki/index.php?title=Template:Main_Page:MIT_Junior&action=edit edit]</span>
 
<span class="edittemplate" style="font-size:8pt; float:right; margin:0 7px 0 0;">[http://theplaz.com/wiki/index.php?title=Template:Main_Page:MIT_Junior&action=edit edit]</span>

Latest revision as of 07:31, 25 August 2013

Resume

Welcome to ThePlaz.com

the site for all things Michael Plasmeier (ThePlaz)

This site is a wiki. That means that anybody (including YOU) can edit and change the information found here. (Editing help)

My site contains mostly my homework and projects as well as various stuff from my life. (Site Mission Statement)

Leave Plaz a (public) message File icon.gif or send me a (private) e-mail.Mail icon.gif

Nuvola apps important.png
8/25/2013 Yahoo APM!

Recent Activity from around the Web

MIT Senior edit

Fall
  • Schedule
  • 7.012 Intro to Biology
  • 6.046 Advanced Algorithms
  • 6.858 Computer and Network Security
  • 14.72 Capitalism and its Critics
  • STS.085 Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier
  • 2.009 Product Design Process (Listener)
  • 15.062 Data Mining (Listener)
Spring

MIT Junior edit

Fall
  • 6.004 Computation Structures
  • 6.005 Elements of Software Construction
  • 6.034 Artificial Intelligence
  • STS.011 Ethics and Politics in Science and Technology
  • 15.387 Technology Sales and Sales Management
  • 15.665 Power and Negotiation
  • 18.03 Differential Equations
  • Working out a System - How I take 7 classes at MIT and thrive
Spring
  • Spring Schedule
  • 6.033 Computer System Engineering
  • 6.813 User Interface Design and Implementation
  • 6.006 Introduction to Algorithms
  • 15.571 Business Strategy and the Role of IT
  • 15.565 Digital Evolution: Managing Web 3.0
  • 15.301 Managerial Psychology Laboratory
  • 18.06 Linear Algebra

MIT Sophomore edit

Fall
  • 6.01 Intro to EECS (Potpourri Introduction)
  • 6.041 Probabilistic Systems Analysis
  • 14.01 Principles of Microeconomics
  • 15.501 Corporate Financial Accounting
  • 15.567 Econ of Information
  • 16.71 Airline Industry
Spring
  • 4.211 The Present and Future City
  • 6.02 Intro to EECS 2 (Communications)
  • 6.042 Math for Computer Science (Potpourri Introduction)
  • 14.02 Microeconomics
  • 15.279 Intro to Managerial Communications
  • 15.401 Intro to Finance
  • 15.761 Operations Research
  • ESD.051 Engineering, Innovation, and Design (Listener)
Politics

MIT Freshman edit

Fall

  • 8.01 Physics: Mechanics - Prof. Greytak
  • 3.091 Intro to Solid State Chemistry - Prof. Sadoway
  • 18.01 Single Variable Calculus - Prof. Brubaker
  • MAS.110 Fundamentals of Computational Media Design - Prof. Bove
  • 6.A53 Entrepreneurship and China Advising Seminar - Dr. Eng
  • SocialSaver UROP at the MIT Media Lab
  • Learning to Learn at MIT - My "near fail" experience that caused me to pull it together

Spring

Other Stuff

Nuvola apps kpovmodeler.png AP Physics (Science)

30px-OneNote.png Open OneNote Notebook

Note: Works only in Internet Explorer and Opera. Firefox refuses to support MHT. More info

Nuvola USA flag.png AP US Government (History)

30px-OneNote.png Open OneNote Notebook

Note: Works only in Internet Explorer and Opera. Firefox refuses to support MHT. More info

Nuvola apps package wordprocessing.png English 12 (English)

Nuvola apps kbrunch.png Calculus (Math)

30px-OneNote.png Open OneNote Notebook

Note: Works only in Internet Explorer and Opera. Firefox refuses to support MHT. More info

Nuvola apps edu languages.png AP Psychology (Psychology)

Nuvola apps package editors.png AP Micro Econ (Economics)

Nuvola apps bug.png Biology (Science)

Nuvola apps kmplot.png PreCalc (Math)

Nuvola USA flag.png American Studies (History)

  • Projects
  • Notes from Out of Many Textbook
  • FTCE test : FTCE test failure reveals how to rip through the FTCE test.
developed Headline Notetaking Format

Nuvola USA flag pen.png English 11 (English)

Nuvola apps edu mathematics.png IAG 4H (Math)

Nuvola apps edu science.png Chemistry (Science)

Nuvola apps package network.png World Cultures (History)

Nuvola apps korganizer.png AP Macro Economics (Economics)

Nuvola apps file-manager.png English 10 (English)

Nuvola apps kig.png IAG 3H (Math)

Nuvola apps bookcase.png English 9 (English)

Nuvola apps kverbos.png Western Civ (History)

Projects
Outlines
Maps and Creative
French Revolution Napoleon-peque.jpg
Essays and Reports

Nuvola apps edu phi.png IPS (Science)

Nuvola apps kcalc.png IAG 2H and IAG 1H (Math)

Nuvola apps kate.png Latin

Latin 3

Projects
Notes
Journals

Double Entry Journals have 2 components: What I Learned (a summery), and Personal Response (a reflection)

Latin 2

Projects
  1. Roman Travel Project
  2. Sejanus
  3. Echo and Narcissus Myth
  4. The Journey of the Hero
Journals

Latin 1

Money-256x256.png Entrepreneurship (Business)

30px-OneNote.png Open OneNote Notebook

Note: Works only in Internet Explorer and Opera. Firefox refuses to support MHT. More info

Nuvola apps personal.png Business Law (Business)

30px-OneNote.png Open OneNote Notebook

Note: Works only in Internet Explorer and Opera. Firefox refuses to support MHT. More info

Nuvola apps amarok.png Pop Music (Music)

Nuvola filesystems folder blue open.png Other edit

Nuvola filesystems folder blue open.png 8th Grade

Nuvola filesystems folder blue open.png 7th Grade

Nuvola apps kuser.png About Me edit

Michael Plasmeier Spring 2009 Narrow.JPG
Michael Plasmeier
"ThePlaz"
Yahoo APM: Membership and Geo Platforms

My name is Michael Plasmeier, but almost everyone calls me Plaz. I am a Associate Product Manager at Yahoo - working on the Membership and Geo-related platforms teams. I graduated from MIT in 2013 in Computer Science and Management. I am halfway between the tech and the business world, doing both web development and product development. My interest in doing both started while I was working on GridView, an app I built after 10th Grade that reached 1.3 million users on Facebook.

Internships

Last IAP, I was a Software Development Extern doing testing in Ruby on the back end at CardSpring. Last summer, I was Product Manager at Disney Parks and Resorts Online where I worked on a project for Disney Cruise Line. Last January, I worked in management/strategy consulting at Altman Vilandrie & Company. The previous summer, I was a web developer at NextJump, an online affiliate advertising firm in New York. Prior to that, I was an extern in the Office of the Chief Scientist at State Street. My freshman summer I worked at Deutsche Bahn, the German national railroad, where I designed the smartphone version Touch&Travel, an app that lets you pay for the train with your phone.

MIT

At MIT I was heavily involved in classes, usually taking 7 classes a term, while being involved in student government. (I wrote about how I do it in Working out a System.) senior was dedicated to wrapping up requirements. Junior year at MIT I focused on EECS classes, as well as being elected president of Baker House. My second year at MIT focused on management classes. I was also involved in the vendor selection and implementation of the new dining plan. Freshman year, I took core classes and served on the Athena and Printing Committee. (I wrote about just hanging on freshmen year in Learning to Learn.)

Websites

I built a lot of web projects in high school. My most popular project, was GridView [1], an app for Facebook which lets you add the profile pics of all of you're friends to your Facebook profile. GridView had over 1.3 million users and made me some money.

I hosted and produced the video podcast Tecker 911 [2] along with some of my friends. Tecker 911 was a series of 100 5-15 minute shows each which covers a technology topic in a way which is relevant for ordinary people, with a focus towards students and our community. Tecker 911 was also shown on our local public access channel Channel 11.

I started SeniorQuoter, [3] an open-source web application for senior quotes collections for high school yearbooks. In 11th Grade, I lead a Dynamic Website Building Instruction and Practical Experience Group Study at my high school. I helped 4 other students learn PHP and MySQL and then I project managed version 2 of SeniorQuoter, the administration interface.

Tecker and Conflicter were question and answer services I built in 10th Grade. They never really caught on, but they were the perfect way to learn PHP. Dictionary Robot is something I tarted last year, but abandoned later. In 10th Grade, I was a member of Team 484 and in 11th Grade I was their webmaster.

In 8th and 9th Grades I wrote bunch of programs for the TI-83+.

Tech

My first two years at MIT, I was a regular on The Weekly Spin, a weekly take on tech stories and tech policy.

On my Tech page I have had a few pages about Devices I own and other small things that I have built. For example, I also made some improvements for MediaWiki, the software that runs ThePlaz.com and Wikipedia. I made a new skin for MediaWiki and a few MediaWiki extensions


Other Accounts

I also tag a lot of stories on Delicious. I also have over 70,000 photos on Flickr. I Tweet kinda regularly. I also post things to YouTube. And of course I have a Facebook. It all comes together on my FriendFeed.

Website Content

On my site you will find:

  • Updates on what I am involved in
  • Links to my other projects
  • My comments on the world
  • Photos and videos I have taken
  • School work and notes I have made
School Work

I hope that this knowledge will help people less-fortunate than me persevere and succeed. All of my work is under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 license, meaning that you may use it and re-post it anywhere as long as you post my name/nickname, provide a link back to my site, and don't make money off my work. Many people visit my site from overseas where the school system is not as good. See Site Mission Statement for more

    • For 9th Grade I have posted projects I did on the computer
    • For 10th Grade I have posted not only my work I made on a computer but laboriously scanned all of my handwritten notes and worksheets
    • For 11th Grade I am only posting my own notes (no worksheets) from very structured classes; I am scaling back
    • For 12th Grade I used a tablet PC, so I have posted my OneNote notebooks from the class
    • For MIT Freshman year, I used a tablet PC for the first semester; realized this was a bad idea; so I used paper which I scanned and released as large PDFs the second semester. Note MIT actually does the same thing I do with MIT OCW.
    • For MIT Sophomore I will continue to post large, comprehensive PDFs.
    • See also my Notes Key
Tech

Theweeklyspin.png The Weekly Spin

The Weekly Spin is a weekly rant about technology and tech policy with Michael Gdovin. We often cover the cell phone industry, the FCC, DRM, and Michael likes to throw in some Apple rumors.

Download the latest episodes: TheWeeklySpin.com Audio Podcast

Nuvola apps laptop pcmcia.png Student Tools edit

Nuvola apps knewsticker.png News edit

ThePlaz in often mentioned or interviewed in the news

MIT
MIT Dining
MITx/EdX
Baker Piano Drop
Tecker 911
GridView
ThePlaz.com Praise
  • Sam's Praise about my site
  • Baron Harkonnen's Thanks
  • Thanks for uploading Flickr photos
  • Uses Many ThePlaz.com Wiki features
  • A Drexel professor told me on the first day of class that I take very good notes and I would graduate suma cum laude from Harvard due to the quality of my notes at Gov School
  • Hi I saw your page about that download for the ferris wheel unit for IMP4, I didn't download it but even the info you had on the page helped me out. I have no idea what I'm doing and just started this year- i really get stuck on my homework EVERY night. Right now im working on HW 2 "As the ferris wheel turns" and i have no idea what I'm doing. But i just wanted to say thanks cause I'm gonna download that once I'm farther into the unit!--A Facebook user (J. S.)
  • Just wanted to let you know: I stole your headline method of note taking from your website and it is completely saving my life in American Studies. -Rebecca C.
  • Hey, you do have one of the best designed websites I have seen lately. Good job. A little flashy, but still functional. --Email comment 8/18/2010
Videos

Nuvola apps multimedia.png Video edit

Tecker 911 Logo.png Tecker 911

Nuvola filesystems camera.png Photos edit

Trips/Vacations
Universities
MIT
Haverford High School
Places/Events/Daytrips

(need to update)

Tech/Unboxing/Products
Pictures on the Wikimedia Commons

TI-83--rotated.png TI-83+ Stuff edit

Nuvola apps kcmprocessor.png Tech Stuff edit

I am a lot into technology. Here are links to some of my web sites as well as modifications and how-to articles about other software.

My Websites
Devices
MediaWiki Tweaks
Essays/Thoughts
Other

Nuvola apps gaim.png Miscellaneous edit

Nuvola apps remote.png Site Statistics edit

For up-to-date info see Special:Statistics

There are 6,499 total pages in the database, including 1,578 pages in the main namespace and 5,000 files uploaded. These counts do not include OneNote notebooks on minisites or SkyDrive, and count multi-page files (PDF and Word) as one page.

There have been a total of 5,163,449 page views, and 16,470 page edits since ThePlaz.com was setup. That comes to 2.53 average edits per page, and 313.51 views per edit.


Retrieved from "https://wiki.theplaz.com/w/index.php?title=Main_Page&oldid=15999"