ncase
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An Interactive Guide to Quantum Computing? & more procrastination
🕑 Added 2019-04-16 20:03:35 +0000 UTCI'm a bit ashamed about this, but I think it's important I be open and transparent with you: I feel stuck.
Specifically, stuck on the Adventures with Anxiety story-game. In February, I made a lot of progress on it! But in March, I gave two talks, so I did zero work on AwA. (Which is fine – I'm glad I did the talks, hopefully they were helpful!) But even after 2½ weeks back, I still haven't regained my momentum on AwA, and I'm worried it's going to take a long, long time.
Yes, the anxiety game is causing anxiety. Whodathunk.
For better-worse, whenever I get stuck on one project, I get antsy and start planning more projects. So, um... here's some concept sketches for a 10-part explorable explanation on Quantum Computing:
(Don't worry if these pictures don't make sense right now, that's what the full explorable will be for!)
(I'm super excited about this way of visualizing matrices as graphs, because it 1) isn't well-known yet, and 2) makes it easy to prove things about quantum circuits!)
Also there's a mascot. It's Schrödinger's Ket:
If you want to see more, here's my rough outline and here's a visual proof of the Quantum Teleportation circuit. Again, they're probably not helpful right now, but that's what the full explorable will be for.
(Huge thanks to Andy Matuschak & Michael Nielsen: I fell into the quantum computing rabbit-hole thanks to their wonderful explainer, Quantum Computing for the Very Curious! Another cool thing about their essay: it has Spaced Repetition embedded inside of it. Thus, you can easily commit it all to long-term memory. If you have a spare 3 hours + know complex numbers & some linear algebra, I highly recommend you check it out!)
・・・・・・・・・・
If you've followed me for a while, 1) thank you 💖 and 2) you know I get stuck a lot.
When I got stuck on The Evolution of Trust, I did two things: 1) I took a week off to make Fireflies, and 2) I rebooted the project so that instead of an "interactive voiceover" format (like Neurotic Neurons), it was a new "interactive slideshow" format I'd never done before.
When I got stuck on The Wisdom and/or Madness of Crowds, the most helpful thing I did was to playtest it with friends. Partly for feedback, but mostly an excuse to hang out with pals. (Since I work independently, it's too easy for me to go whole _days_ without talking to anyone)
When I got stuck on the Learning How To Learn project, two things helped: 1) narrowing down the scope to just Spaced Repetition, and 2) trying an "interactive comic" format I'd never done before either.
In sum, what seems to work for me:
- Rebooting the main project
- Having a side project
- Playtesting (especially with friends)
I don't think I'll reboot Adventures with Anxiety – I'm actually pretty happy with its current design – but maybe I'll try having a side project, and definitely will playtest AwA with friends.
Two questions for you:
1) What strategies do you have for getting "un-stuck"?
2) Would you like me to share more sketches / prototypes / idea-dumps with you, even if they never become full projects?
Let me know! And, thank you again so much for your patience and support. Chat with you again soon!
<3,
~ Nicky
Comments
GooGhoul
It's a compilation of essays by Eliezer Yudkowsky. His essays on quantum physics are helpful, because he challenges the idea that quantum physics is inherently confusing and approaches the subject from the angle that it makes perfect sense and it's just the standard way of teaching it that's confusing.
Michael Huff
What is this link? There seems to be a wealth of talks about rationality. Are these collected in order to be "better" explanations of topics or topics examined through a rationalist lens?
Nicky Case
Thanks for the feedback & link to the QM stuff! I'm surprised my outline came off as Copenhagey, because personally I do *not* like the Copenhagen interpretation. "Shut up and calculate" is very, well, not satisfying. But that's good feedback: I'll make it more explicit in the final project that Copenhagen is not the only, or best, interpretation out there. One interpretation I like is Bohmian (or "pilot-wave") mechanics! Veritasium did a good video on it: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIyTZDHuarQ" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIyTZDHuarQ</a> I don't know too much about how Pilot Wave compares to Everett's Many-Worlds, but your link will help me in my research!
Nicky Case
Thank you Michael! :) And that's really wonderful – and nicely coincidental – that you approach these kind of problems by trying to strike a constructive conversation with a sub-part of yourself. Nicely coincidental, since that's the premise of my next project. ...which, the demo will come out next week! Yay, finally!
Nicky Case
Thank you! And that's encouraging to hear you like the work-in-progress stuff – I'll try to share more of that in the future! (At first I was worried taking extra time to share works-in-progress would be distracting, but I'm finding it's actually kind of motivating to share things)
Iggy C
Strategies on getting stuck. Well for starters, recognizing that you're stuck is a HUGE step. The other part is i remind myself "breakdown leads to breakthroughs". It's kind of dualistic (breakdowns vs breakthroughs), but nothing wrong with getting stuck, keep morality out of it. Getting stuck just means there's now clarity on "what not to do", then you can start thinking about "what to do next or differently", and I see that you're already strategizing. Something like that, if it makes any sense. Anyways, breakdowns lead to breakthroughs. Good luck!
Victoria Li
Yes, please share! I'm actually really interested in quantum phenomena myself and prefer to learn it from the ground up through discussion and wandering...How I get unstuck: Meditate, don't think. Things tend to fall into place...
GooGhoul
Thanks for the recommendation. Quantum Computing for the Very Curious, was a good way to spend my day off sick. I had to relearn some linear algebra.. Your outline summary is very Copenhagen-y. I also read this excellent summary on quantum physics which explains it in a way that really simplified things for me and convince me a many-worlds interpretation is the most probably correct interpretation (and Copenhagen very isn't): <a href="https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Rationality:_From_AI_to_Zombies_Summaries#S:_Quantum_Physics_and_Many_Worlds" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://wiki.lesswrong.com/wiki/Rationality:_From_AI_to_Zombies_Summaries#S:_Quantum_Physics_and_Many_Worlds</a>
Michael Huff
1) what do I do when I'm stuck? I try working on something else for awhile. While I work on this other thing, I try to let my subconscious have a conversation with the other project. "Hey project, why do I feel stuck with you, is it lack of ideas, lack of motivation, is there something in particular with the project that seems blocked and I'm unable to move it on my own?" I then try to let the conversation between my subconscious and the project play out until I have a pretty good feeling about what my next step will be, even if that step is "Looks like this project is finito" or "I'll just come back to this later" 2)Would I like you to share more? OMG YIIIIIIISSSSSSS. MOAR! I really enjoy the things that come out of your head. Even if they don't amount to a project, I really enjoy the way you approach the world and I would value your insights into anything you have researched or are interested by.
Matt Hughes
I love seeing your works in progress, even if they are never finished or released. So often, creators only share their finished projects, which makes it look like they finish all their projects. To see the struggle, the process, and the unfinished work is the kind of authenticity I look value as a backer. When I'm stuck, I like to make a list of all the things I need to do before a project is complete. It helps me in a few ways: to decide what to do next, to increase my pace, and to help me decide if I should be doing something else.
Nicky Case
Thanks Vi! And yeah Michael & Andy's thing was exactly what got me into QC in the first place. That's encouraging to hear you were also thinking QC could use better visualization! And, yup, I still do *not* like standard notation for matrices. yay quantum kitty cats 🐈🐈🐈🐈
Nicky Case
Thank you Ever! And yeah actually since sharing this post, it's been at least one thing off my mind, and I've found myself able to focus a bit more on the anxiety game. Plus, it just feels nice to share works-in-progress with supporters! :)
Nicky Case
Thank you Gaëtan! I'm not sure when I'll be done either, but it's encouraging to hear folks want it now anyway!
Gaëtan Perrault
I don't know when you'll be done it, but I need to see this Quantum Computing explainer... I already love the visuals!.
Daniel Halabe
Here's a get unstuck technique: Micro-to-macro. Stuck on anxiety? Think about healthcare. Q-bits? => national security. Ship-in-a-bottle cognitive load? => school systems. (the latter is a personal favorite. see private email from me).
Vi Hart
also <3s for schrodinger's ket
Vi Hart
I just went through part 2 of Michael and Andy's quantum computing thing and was just thinking how much QC could benefit from better visualizations and how awkward all the notation is, and then I clicked over to Patreon and here you are! :D
Ever Salazar
Love the sketches! Please keep these ideas coming even if they don't become full projects, precisely because they can help you to get unstuck. I say this because this happens to me a lot: I get stuck on something and then I start procrastinating by making more stuff that I find interesting. However, I don't share any of those things, so I feel like I'm wasting time. I think that sharing this stuff will make you feel productive (even if it's not the kind of productive you had in mind) and will keep your brain working on stuff you like.
Seanny123
I enjoy your sketches, even if they don't become final projects. However, if you don't find them meaningful to share, don't bother.
Rhino Stew
I'm working on!
Rhino Stew
Yo Nicky! I know it's been a hot minute (year) since I got in touch but I was wondering if you might be in Boston on April 22nd? I'd love to interview you for a podcast project O
Daniel Delaney
I stop making things. Anything. For at least a week. I take a while to go through the path of why I want to make the thing, from the very beginning to the edge of the idea. It differs by idea from there, but I eventually get the urge to start making things again.
James Zaki
Given the complexity underlying your creations, yet smoothness and finesse that they present as, I'm not surprised things take time. Your endurance through the slower times is greatly appreciated. One way of getting "un-stuck" can be to revisit things a few steps before where you were (or skimming from the start), can help set your mind up to where it was when it wasn't stuck. Oh, and I should add, being well rested, fed, and a bit of exercise to help with energy/motivation etc.
