Tech Talk with Toni

  The formation of snowflakes is a complex and delicate process  This week, I added more tables to a data schema I created a few months ago.  To ensure optimal query performance when checking data quality, I took a deeper look at the differences between the two most popular schemas: star and snowflake. Now, if you are new to this, your first question may be: What is a data schema? To answer that question, let's start with the origin of the word.  "Schema" comes from the Greek word σχῆμα (skhēma), which means shape or plan. A data schema is the blueprint that defines the structure of the database, including tables, columns, data types, constraints, and entity relationships. Naturally, your next question may be: What is the difference between a star and a snowflake? Well, that's a good question! I hope we can both agree that a star may look like a snowflake, but it's not a snowflake. What makes a snowflake special is its tendency to branch out at the end.  Your fi...

  Fun Fact: Luxembourg is the most productive country in the world (2023). In today's world, productivity can be defined as the rate at which value is created is generated per unit time.  This value can be in the form of products, services, or other contributions that positively impact individuals or society.  Coming from a background in Natural Science, I find it hard not to talk about the true producers: plants! As we all know, producers convert three raw materials—water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight—into glucose while releasing oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis. Even though oxygen may not serve a direct purpose for the plant, especially during the day, there is always a demand for oxygen. Therefore, being a producer is more than just making things that are useful to yourself;  it's also about serving others.  CAPE Level Biology truly gave me an appreciation for plants, and just like them, humans also possess the ability to produce. However, unlike...

An inanimate object that takes the beating for us in simulated accidents. When I hear the word "dummy", a clip of an accident loops in the theatre of my imagination. These dummies, carefully crafted from materials like fiberglass, plastic, or silicone, strive to mimic our anatomy and go unnoticed despite their significant contribution to enhancing car safety. Analogous to mannequins, dummy data resembles real data while safeguarding the identities of the population being studied. This enables the study of human behavior without facing any legal repercussions. When creating your own data, you have the freedom to specify the levels of randomness, define field names, establish relationships, and assign data types that best suit your use case. In the context of the Caribbean, acquiring access to a reliable dataset is rare. As a result, I highly recommend generating your own dataset to start building applying what you have learnt.  In machine learning, dummy data helps researchers...

  "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." - Sun Tzu, The Art of War Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Tech Hub Islands Summit (THIS), and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made this year. At the summit, I had the privilege of listening to some of the brightest minds in the industry, who shared their insights on the future, both at a regional and global level. One recurring theme stood out among all the speakers: the importance of continuous learning.   In this era where the status quo seems reminiscent of dystopian TV shows like Black Mirror, adaptability is crucial. Change has always been a constant in our lives, but the emergence of disruptive technologies has accelerated its pace. The days when a degree alone guaranteed a stable job for a decade or more are long gone. Put simply, those who are unwilling to embrace new knowledge and skills will inevitably be left behind in this rapidly evolving landscape. Instead of sitting do...

  A floating cotton candy that brings rain, hail and snow. Since modern day technology is a relatively new invention, we tend to warp the meanings of words a lot.  For instance, a tablet used to be medicine, but now it's a portable computer with touch input.   Naming conventions also draw inspiration from nature, like "ecosystem," "virus," "bug," and "mouse." Today I would like to talk about the cloud as it is now a word that is being used outside of conversations about the weather.  I first learnt about the intricacies of clouds back in Geography class, from cirrus clouds to cumulonimbus clouds, as well as what they meant.   Spot a cumulonimbus cloud? Brace for a thunderstorm! (You're welcome!) Now, "cloud" metaphorically represents remote data storage and processing—ubiquitous, vast, and intangible, like an actual cloud. "So, Toni, what's so special about the cloud?" To answer, let's imagine a cloud-less 2023...

  Fun Fact: Trees in a forest communicate and support each other through an underground network.  As I cross the one-year milestone at the bank, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the significance of networking. When I think about networking, I think of this quote : "Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are".  I would like to reword it to say "Show, me your network and I will tell you who you are". Like it or not, we are all stuck in this human web made up of direct and indirect relationships. Direct relationships encompass parents and peers, while indirect connections involve relying on people overseas for goods and services.  Essentially, you can work as hard as you want alone, but true growth does not take place in a vacuum.  To go up, you must first establish a foundation, part of which is built through your own efforts, such as attending school and achieving good grades.  The Great Pyramid of Giza took 20 years to complete with th...

  XLS is the default format used with Office 97-2003 The iconic logo of Microsoft, with its red, blue, green, and yellow squares, immediately comes to mind when I think about the company. I also think of Excel, Word and PowerPoint but, there is more to Microsoft than these three desktop staples.  My perception of Microsoft expanded when I started my first technology-related role and discovered Power BI, an impressive visualization tool. During the pandemic, I opted for a graphics tablet instead of an iPad due to budget constraints.  It was then that I became familiar with Microsoft's Whiteboard, which proved invaluable for my online tutoring. Given Microsoft's ubiquitous presence across industries and its significance in the modern workplace, investing time to learn their offerings can be highly advantageous for personal and professional growth. With that being said, here are some of my top picks for Microsoft software worth learning:  PowerApps  A low-code deve...