In my last full-time position, after I had automated and integrated about everything that I could, my manager had me tackle AI as leadership was excited about the technology and its potential for streamlining workflow.I was not excited about this development.
Already AI was being touted ...
Beginning in 2015, I was fully immersed in custom cardlock fuel processing while working for Oly Services, LLC. I developed a new network that would compete with the likes of CFN/Fleetwide. We teamed up with other fuel wholesalers and worked with US Bank to develop a cardlock platform that ...
When I founded this corporation back in 2018, I always planned to create something bigger than myself. While that vision never really changed, the service focus certainly has.
Starting in 2020, I put a lot more effort into my painting, something that I'd done on and off for 20 ...
In my last full-time position, after I had automated and integrated about everything that I could, my manager had me tackle AI as leadership was excited about the technology and its potential for streamlining workflow.I was not excited about this development.
Already AI was being touted as the best thing since sliced bread while programmers like myself were rightfully concerned about our long-term career prospects. As I worked AI into my workflow, I found some benefit in some areas and huge gaps in others.For example, as a programmer, I write code in steps, starting with developing base functionality and adding in more complex features while testing throughout. With AI, you tell it what you want and a few minutes later, it spits out "complete" code. The thing you quickly figure out is that AI is not testing anything. It analyzes the ask, searches through its vast database for code that does what it thinks and writes out something you hopefully can use.
It doesn't analyze or test. The code may not compile - it mostly doesn't. Ironically enough,the process is similar to how a beginner programmer starts. Knowing what you want to accomplish, you start off with little pieces. Maybe you need to open a text file and read the first line. So, you Google something like "c# open text file" and one of the results will explain how to to do it and probably provide a code sample. You copy that code, drop it in your own, test, etc. AI is basically doing the same thing - it's just saving you steps.
The thing is, you still need to be smarter than AI. I've started "small" programming projects thinking I'll just use AI to do the whole thing and after 15 iterations with less and less usable code, I'll throw the whole thing out and start all over coding myself. Other times, AI can help with bits and pieces shortening the project timeline considerably.
On the creative side of things, I've been less impressed with results from the various graphics and video AI generation platforms. Within the IT world, we've laughed at how consistent AI has botched hands - it's been the kryptonite of the technology and the sure tell something has been generated.As I continue to play with it, I'm equally impressed and dismayed since results can be spot-on or a little to way off. And if you ask it to make changes, well, good luck.
But, here's the thing. It's all improving. By leaps and bounds. I started a subscription with Runway about six months ago. It's mostly a video and graphic generation platform and again, I've been amazed and frustrated equally. Early experimentation with the image and then full video generation of a character from a rough sketch I made was impressive at first, but as soon as I asked for additional videos of my new character, the character's features changed significantly on each iteration. This wasn't going to be sustainable for say, a marketing campaign using a virtual spokesperson.
With results that strayed further and further, I all but abandoned Runway as I moved on to other things, but I'll come back to that. I've been using Gemini quite a bit over the last few months and it has been a big help with a variety of things including migrating from a legacy physical dedicated server to a Google VM. That proved to be far more of a cluster#@! than I ever would have imagined, but about what I've experienced with AWS and Azure. Without Gemini, I would have been working through ongoing issues for months rather than just weeks.
So, there have been enough AI wins, that I decided to circle back to Runway to decide whether I wanted to continue my subscription. I came up with a simple idea for a video and gave it a few line prompt and overalll did a pretty good job after a few early rendering mistakes. Once I had a fairly decent result, it handled changes with no discernible differences in the character. Yes, the timing could be more natural and it lacks some natural intonation, but it all looks promising.
All of this is just to lead up to AI's role within SMT Creative. I've always thought I can do something better than AI and I still thinks that's the case. But, if I can use AI to deliver results more quickly and economically, I owe that to my clients.
Beginning in 2015, I was fully immersed in custom cardlock fuel processing while working for Oly Services, LLC. I developed a new network that would compete with the likes of CFN/Fleetwide. We teamed up with other fuel wholesalers and worked with US Bank to develop a cardlock platform that leveraged their Voyager network. When some obstacles were encountered using Voyager, we switched gears and I worked towards building a completely independent platform. Soon after our first successful authorizations and transactions, Oly's parent company decided to abandon the Oly network*.
I subsequently left the company with the goal of continuing development work in the fuel industry. I purchased domains with a fuel and cardlock focus. I developed card processing management applications and a wholesale fuel quoting system. COVID and other business opportunities took me further away from the industry and while I continue to work with fuel companies in a service capacity, I'm unlikely to roll out fuel industry related products. The time has come, therefore, to liquidate remaining fuel industry assets.
I've got the following domains available for sale. I'm open to offers on all but one. You can complete individual transations on the landing page for each.
*[Sigh]
When I founded this corporation back in 2018, I always planned to create something bigger than myself. While that vision never really changed, the service focus certainly has.
Starting in 2020, I put a lot more effort into my painting, something that I'd done on and off for 20 some odd years. The real difference was my decision to work this into my professional life. Since then, smtart.com and its related retail presence has been an additional revenue stream of the corporation. In addition to selling original paintings, smtart.com sells various painting prints, as well as a line of photography prints
Even though I have become a highly competent programmer and database developer, it all started with design. I had been working with Silicon Valley icons back in the 1990's when a client learned I also knew web design. He suggested that might be a lucrative avenue for me in addition to the user interface design I was known for. It set me down a path that moved me further away from my creative pursuits. While I would still take on design jobs over the years, the development work was primarily what kept the lights on.
Despite the obvious benefits of doing the programming work, it takes a toll on my overall well-being. Further, I know I'm happiest when I'm working on more creative pursuits. To that end, I decided it was time to return to my roots and change the company focus to design services. Since smtart.com has been a big factor in helping me to visualize new directions for the company, it made sense that the company would leverage that brand with a new name, SMT Creative Inc.
We will still offer web design and development, but will limit the more advanced application development jobs. We offer graphic design services for both digital and print delivery, and of course, will extend the current marketing of smtart.com. I'm looking forward to this next chapter in the company's evolution.