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How Trello Android transformed from Gson to Moshi


Trello Android lately transformed from utilizing Gson to Moshi for dealing with JSON. It was a bit tough so I wished to doc the method.

(For context, Trello Android primarily parses JSON. We not often serialize JSON, and thus a lot of the focus right here is on deserializing.)

There have been three primary causes for the change from Gson to Moshi: security, velocity, and dangerous life decisions.

Security – Gson doesn’t perceive Kotlin’s null security and can fortunately place null values into non-null properties. Additionally, default values solely generally work (relying on the constructor setup).

Pace – Loads of benchmarks (1, 2, 3) have demonstrated that Moshi is normally quicker than Gson. After we transformed, we arrange some benchmarks to see how real-world parsing in contrast in our app, and we noticed a 2x-3.5x speedup:

How Trello Android transformed from Gson to Moshi

Unhealthy life decisions – As an alternative of utilizing Gson to parse JSON into easy fashions, we’d write elaborate, complicated, brittle customized deserializers that had totally an excessive amount of logic in them. Refactoring gave us a chance to appropriate this architectural snafu.


As for why we picked Moshi over opponents (e.g. Kotlin serialization), we typically belief Sq.’s libraries, we have used Moshi previously for tasks (each at work and at residence) and felt it labored properly. We didn’t do an in-depth examine of options.

Step one was to make sure that we may use function flags to change between utilizing our outdated Gson implementation and the brand new Moshi one. I wrote a JsonInterop class which, based mostly on the flag, would both parse all JSON responses utilizing Gson or Moshi.

(I opted to keep away from utilizing instruments like moshi-gson-interop as a result of I wished to check whether or not Moshi parsing labored in its entirety. When you’d somewhat have a mixture of Gson and Moshi on the identical time, that library could be helpful.)

Gson offers you alternatives to override the default naming of a key utilizing @SerializedName. Moshi enables you to do the identical factor with @Json. That is all properly and good, but it surely appeared very easy to me to make a mistake right here, the place a property is parsed underneath totally different names in Gson vs. Moshi.

Thus, I wrote some unit assessments that may confirm that our generated Moshi adapters would have the identical consequence as Gson’s parsing. Specifically, I examined…

  • …that Moshi may generate an adapter (not essentially an accurate one!) for every class we wished to deserialize. (If it could not, Moshi would throw an exception.)
  • …that every area annotated with @SerializedName was additionally annotated with @Json (utilizing the identical key).

Between these two checks, it was simple to seek out once I’d made a mistake updating our courses in later steps.

(I can’t embrace the supply right here, however mainly we used Guava’s ClassPath to collect all our courses, then scan by way of them for issues.)

Gson lets you parse generic JSON bushes utilizing JsonElement (and mates). We discovered this handy in some contexts like parsing socket updates (the place we wouldn’t understand how, precisely, to parse the response mannequin till after some preliminary processing).

Clearly, Moshi shouldn’t be going to be joyful about utilizing Gson’s courses, so we switched to utilizing Map (and generally Listing

>

) for generic bushes of knowledge. Each Gson and Moshi can parse these:

enjoyable  fromJson(map: Map?, clz: Class): T? {
  return if (USE_MOSHI) {
    moshi.adapter(clz).fromJsonValue(map)
  }
  else {
    gson.fromJson(gson.toJsonTree(map), clz)
  }
}

As well as, Gson is pleasant in the direction of parsing through Readers, however Moshi shouldn’t be. I discovered that utilizing BufferedSource was various, as it may be transformed to a Reader for outdated Gson code.

The best adapters for Moshi are those the place you simply slap @JsonClass on them and name it a day. Sadly, as I discussed earlier, we had a variety of unlucky customized deserialization logic in our Gson parser.

It’s fairly simple to write a customized Moshi adapter, however as a result of there was a lot customized logic in our deserializers, simply writing a single adapter wouldn’t reduce it. We ended up having to create interstitial fashions to parse the uncooked JSON, then adapt from that to the fashions we’re used to utilizing.

To present a concrete instance, think about we now have a knowledge class Foo(val depend: Int), however the precise JSON we get again is of the shape:

{
  "knowledge": { 
    "depend": 5
  }
}

With Gson, we may simply manually take a look at the tree and seize the depend out of the knowledge object, however we now have found that means lies insanity. We would somewhat simply parse utilizing easy POJOs, however we nonetheless need to output a Foo ultimately (so we do not have to alter our entire codebase).

To unravel that downside, we’d create new fashions and use these in customized adapter, like so:

@JsonClass(generateAdapter = true) knowledge class JsonFoo(val knowledge: JsonData)

@JsonClass(generateAdapter = true) knowledge class JsonData(val depend: Int)

object FooAdapter {
  @FromJson
  enjoyable fromJson(json: JsonFoo): Foo {
    return Foo(depend = json.knowledge.depend)
  }
}

Voila! Now the parser can nonetheless output Foo, however we’re utilizing easy POJOs to mannequin our knowledge. It’s each simpler to interpret and simple to check.

Bear in mind how I mentioned that Gson will fortunately parse null values into non-null fashions? It seems that we have been (sadly) counting on this conduct in all kinds of locations. Specifically, Trello’s sockets usually return partial fashions – so whereas we’d usually anticipate, say, a card to return again with a reputation, in some instances it received’t.

That meant having to watch our crashes for instances the place the Moshi would blow up (on account of a null worth) when Gson could be joyful as a clam. That is the place function flags actually shine, because you don’t need to should push a buggy parser on unsuspecting manufacturing customers!

After fixing a dozen of those bugs, I really feel like I’ve gained a hearty appreciation for non-JSON applied sciences with well-defined schemas like protocol buffers. There are a variety of bugs I bumped into that merely wouldn’t have occurred if we had a contract between the server and the shopper.

The Wax and the Wane of the Net – A Checklist Aside


I provide a single bit of recommendation to family and friends once they change into new mother and father: Once you begin to assume that you just’ve bought every thing discovered, every thing will change. Simply as you begin to get the cling of feedings, diapers, and common naps, it’s time for strong meals, potty coaching, and in a single day sleeping. Once you determine these out, it’s time for preschool and uncommon naps. The cycle goes on and on.

Article Continues Beneath

The identical applies for these of us working in design and improvement today. Having labored on the internet for nearly three a long time at this level, I’ve seen the common wax and wane of concepts, methods, and applied sciences. Every time that we as builders and designers get into a daily rhythm, some new thought or expertise comes alongside to shake issues up and remake our world.

I constructed my first web site within the mid-’90s. Design and improvement on the internet again then was a free-for-all, with few established norms. For any format except for a single column, we used desk components, usually with empty cells containing a single pixel spacer GIF so as to add empty house. We styled textual content with quite a few font tags, nesting the tags each time we wished to differ the font fashion. And we had solely three or 4 typefaces to select from: Arial, Courier, or Instances New Roman. When Verdana and Georgia got here out in 1996, we rejoiced as a result of our choices had practically doubled. The one secure colours to select from have been the 216 “internet secure” colours recognized to work throughout platforms. The few interactive components (like contact varieties, visitor books, and counters) have been principally powered by CGI scripts (predominantly written in Perl on the time). Attaining any form of distinctive look concerned a pile of hacks all the way in which down. Interplay was usually restricted to particular pages in a website.

The beginning of internet requirements#section3

On the flip of the century, a brand new cycle began. Crufty code suffering from desk layouts and font tags waned, and a push for internet requirements waxed. Newer applied sciences like CSS bought extra widespread adoption by browsers makers, builders, and designers. This shift towards requirements didn’t occur unintentionally or in a single day. It took lively engagement between the W3C and browser distributors and heavy evangelism from people just like the Net Requirements Mission to construct requirements. A Checklist Aside and books like Designing with Net Requirements by Jeffrey Zeldman performed key roles in educating builders and designers why requirements are essential, the way to implement them, and the way to promote them to their organizations. And approaches like progressive enhancement launched the concept that content material needs to be obtainable for all browsers—with extra enhancements obtainable for extra superior browsers. In the meantime, websites just like the CSS Zen Backyard showcased simply how highly effective and versatile CSS could be when mixed with a strong semantic HTML construction.

Server-side languages like PHP, Java, and .NET overtook Perl because the predominant back-end processors, and the cgi-bin was tossed within the trash bin. With these higher server-side instruments got here the primary period of internet functions, beginning with content-management programs (significantly within the running a blog house with instruments like Blogger, Gray Matter, Movable Sort, and WordPress). Within the mid-2000s, AJAX opened doorways for asynchronous interplay between the entrance finish and again finish. Out of the blue, pages may replace their content material without having to reload. A crop of JavaScript frameworks like Prototype, YUI, and jQuery arose to assist builders construct extra dependable client-side interplay throughout browsers that had wildly various ranges of requirements assist. Strategies like picture alternative let artful designers and builders show fonts of their selecting. And applied sciences like Flash made it doable so as to add animations, video games, and much more interactivity.

These new applied sciences, requirements, and methods reinvigorated the trade in some ways. Net design flourished as designers and builders explored extra various kinds and layouts. However we nonetheless relied on tons of hacks. Early CSS was an enormous enchancment over table-based layouts when it got here to fundamental format and textual content styling, however its limitations on the time meant that designers and builders nonetheless relied closely on pictures for advanced shapes (akin to rounded or angled corners) and tiled backgrounds for the looks of full-length columns (amongst different hacks). Difficult layouts required all method of nested floats or absolute positioning (or each). Flash and picture alternative for customized fonts was an incredible begin towards various the typefaces from the massive 5, however each hacks launched accessibility and efficiency issues. And JavaScript libraries made it simple for anybody so as to add a touch of interplay to pages, though at the price of doubling and even quadrupling the obtain measurement of easy web sites.

The net as software program platform#section4

The symbiosis between the entrance finish and again finish continued to enhance, and that led to the present period of recent internet functions. Between expanded server-side programming languages (which saved rising to incorporate Ruby, Python, Go, and others) and newer front-end instruments like React, Vue, and Angular, we may construct totally succesful software program on the internet. Alongside these instruments got here others, together with collaborative model management, construct automation, and shared bundle libraries. What was as soon as primarily an surroundings for linked paperwork turned a realm of infinite potentialities.

On the identical time, cell units turned extra succesful, and so they gave us web entry in our pockets. Cellular apps and responsive design opened up alternatives for brand spanking new interactions wherever and any time.

This mix of succesful cell units and highly effective improvement instruments contributed to the waxing of social media and different centralized instruments for folks to attach and eat. Because it turned simpler and extra widespread to attach with others straight on Twitter, Fb, and even Slack, the will for hosted private websites waned. Social media supplied connections on a worldwide scale, with each the nice and unhealthy that that entails.

Need a way more in depth historical past of how we bought right here, with another takes on ways in which we are able to enhance? Jeremy Keith wrote “Of Time and the Net.” Or take a look at the “Net Design Historical past Timeline” on the Net Design Museum. Neal Agarwal additionally has a enjoyable tour by way of “Web Artifacts.”

Within the final couple of years, it’s felt like we’ve begun to succeed in one other main inflection level. As social-media platforms fracture and wane, there’s been a rising curiosity in proudly owning our personal content material once more. There are numerous alternative ways to make a web site, from the tried-and-true basic of internet hosting plain HTML information to static website turbines to content material administration programs of all flavors. The fracturing of social media additionally comes with a value: we lose essential infrastructure for discovery and connection. Webmentions, RSS, ActivityPub, and different instruments of the IndieWeb might help with this, however they’re nonetheless comparatively underimplemented and arduous to make use of for the much less nerdy. We will construct wonderful private web sites and add to them usually, however with out discovery and connection, it could possibly typically really feel like we might as nicely be shouting into the void.

Browser assist for CSS, JavaScript, and different requirements like internet parts has accelerated, particularly by way of efforts like Interop. New applied sciences acquire assist throughout the board in a fraction of the time that they used to. I usually study a brand new function and examine its browser assist solely to search out that its protection is already above 80 p.c. These days, the barrier to utilizing newer methods usually isn’t browser assist however merely the boundaries of how rapidly designers and builders can be taught what’s obtainable and the way to undertake it.

At present, with just a few instructions and a few traces of code, we are able to prototype nearly any thought. All of the instruments that we now have obtainable make it simpler than ever to begin one thing new. However the upfront price that these frameworks might save in preliminary supply finally comes due as upgrading and sustaining them turns into part of our technical debt.

If we depend on third-party frameworks, adopting new requirements can typically take longer since we might have to attend for these frameworks to undertake these requirements. These frameworks—which used to allow us to undertake new methods sooner—have now change into hindrances as an alternative. These identical frameworks usually include efficiency prices too, forcing customers to attend for scripts to load earlier than they’ll learn or work together with pages. And when scripts fail (whether or not by way of poor code, community points, or different environmental components), there’s usually no different, leaving customers with clean or damaged pages.

The place will we go from right here?#section6

At present’s hacks assist to form tomorrow’s requirements. And there’s nothing inherently improper with embracing hacks—for now—to maneuver the current ahead. Issues solely come up once we’re unwilling to confess that they’re hacks or we hesitate to interchange them. So what can we do to create the longer term we wish for the online?

Construct for the lengthy haul. Optimize for efficiency, for accessibility, and for the person. Weigh the prices of these developer-friendly instruments. They could make your job a bit simpler right now, however how do they have an effect on every thing else? What’s the fee to customers? To future builders? To requirements adoption? Generally the comfort could also be value it. Generally it’s only a hack that you just’ve grown accustomed to. And typically it’s holding you again from even higher choices.

Begin from requirements. Requirements proceed to evolve over time, however browsers have finished a remarkably good job of continuous to assist older requirements. The identical isn’t all the time true of third-party frameworks. Websites constructed with even the hackiest of HTML from the ’90s nonetheless work simply tremendous right now. The identical can’t all the time be stated of web sites constructed with frameworks even after only a couple years.

Design with care. Whether or not your craft is code, pixels, or processes, take into account the impacts of every choice. The comfort of many a contemporary instrument comes at the price of not all the time understanding the underlying choices which have led to its design and never all the time contemplating the impression that these choices can have. Slightly than dashing headlong to “transfer quick and break issues,” use the time saved by trendy instruments to contemplate extra rigorously and design with deliberation.

At all times be studying. Should you’re all the time studying, you’re additionally rising. Generally it could be arduous to pinpoint what’s value studying and what’s simply right now’s hack. You may find yourself specializing in one thing that received’t matter subsequent yr, even when you have been to focus solely on studying requirements. (Keep in mind XHTML?) However fixed studying opens up new connections in your mind, and the hacks that you just be taught someday might assist to tell totally different experiments one other day.

Play, experiment, and be bizarre! This internet that we’ve constructed is the last word experiment. It’s the one largest human endeavor in historical past, and but every of us can create our personal pocket inside it. Be brave and take a look at new issues. Construct a playground for concepts. Make goofy experiments in your personal mad science lab. Begin your personal small enterprise. There has by no means been a extra empowering place to be artistic, take dangers, and discover what we’re able to.

Share and amplify. As you experiment, play, and be taught, share what’s labored for you. Write by yourself web site, put up on whichever social media website you favor, or shout it from a TikTok. Write one thing for A Checklist Aside! However take the time to amplify others too: discover new voices, be taught from them, and share what they’ve taught you.

Go forth and make#section7

As designers and builders for the online (and past), we’re chargeable for constructing the longer term each day, whether or not that will take the form of non-public web sites, social media instruments utilized by billions, or something in between. Let’s imbue our values into the issues that we create, and let’s make the online a greater place for everybody. Create that factor that solely you’re uniquely certified to make. Then share it, make it higher, make it once more, or make one thing new. Study. Make. Share. Develop. Rinse and repeat. Each time you assume that you just’ve mastered the online, every thing will change.

Why Apple Intelligence May Fall In need of Expectations? | by PreScouter | Aug, 2024


Because the tech world buzzes with the revealing of Apple Intelligence, expectations are hovering. The leap from iPhone to AI-Telephone paints an image of a future the place our units aren’t simply instruments however companions able to anticipating our wants and actions. But, amidst this enthusiastic anticipation, it’s essential to look at the potential pitfalls which may trigger Apple Intelligence to fall in need of these lofty expectations.

The very ambition that makes Apple Intelligence appear revolutionary may be its Achilles’ heel. Apple plans to seamlessly combine superior AI throughout its suite of units, promising an ecosystem the place your iPad, iPhone, and Mac work collectively extra intelligently than ever. Nonetheless, the complexity of implementing such deep, cross-platform integration with out glitches, privateness points, or consumer frustration is immense. May Apple be promising greater than present know-how realistically permits?

Apple has lengthy championed privateness as a cornerstone of its model, but the elevated knowledge processing required by Apple Intelligence may pressure this dedication. With options like real-time language and picture processing touted, the quantity of information analyzed by AI might be huge. Even with guarantees of on-device processing, the potential for privateness breaches grows as extra private info is continually analyzed by AI. Will Apple handle to uphold its privateness requirements, or will the attract of AI performance tempt it to compromise?

One other potential shortfall might be within the consumer expertise. Apple Intelligence introduces a slew of superior functionalities — from smarter Siri interactions to complicated picture modifying instruments. Whereas these developments are spectacular, additionally they introduce a steep studying curve. Not all customers are prepared for such sophistication from their units. The danger? Apple may alienate customers preferring simplicity and reliability over cutting-edge options.

One other space the place Apple Intelligence may disappoint is the hole between potential and utility. The tech showcased, like utilizing AI for predictive textual content or superior picture modifying, is undoubtedly forward-thinking. Nonetheless, if these options don’t translate into tangible enhancements in day by day use or if they arrive off as gimmicky somewhat than genuinely helpful, consumer adoption might lag. Apple’s problem is to make sure that Apple Intelligence feels important, not simply spectacular.

Lastly, Apple Intelligence will initially solely be accessible on the newest units geared up with the latest chips. This limitation implies that a good portion of Apple’s consumer base received’t have instant entry to those options. Limiting cutting-edge capabilities to high-end fashions may frustrate customers who’re unable or unwilling to improve, doubtlessly slowing down widespread adoption.

As we edge into the AI-Telephone period, it’s evident that Apple Intelligence may considerably shift how we work together with our units. But, this new frontier is fraught with challenges that might hinder Apple’s imaginative and prescient from totally materializing. Customers, analysts, and fanatics ought to mood their expectations with a wholesome dose of skepticism, specializing in the sensible implementation somewhat than the promised revolution.

Try our full evaluation right here for extra details about Apple Intelligence and the way it will combine generative AI into the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Six-wheeled robotic inspects sketchy culverts so individuals do not need to

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Stormwater culverts may be harmful locations, on account of hazards comparable to crumbling concrete ceilings, submerged obstacles, and poisonous fuel accumulations. The PIPE-i robotic was designed with that reality in thoughts, because it takes the place of a human when inspecting such constructions.

Created by New Zealand engineering agency Beca, PIPE-i was developed over a one-year interval from June 2022 to June 2023.

Its creation was initiated when structural engineers from the corporate had been tasked with surveying a severely cracked and deformed culvert underneath a busy freeway. After discovering that no commercially out there choices may adequately discover that culvert for them, the engineers proceeded to construct a robotic of their very own.

The PIPE-i's six wheels are driven by waterproof motors
The PIPE-i’s six wheels are pushed by waterproof motors

Beca

The ensuing prototype contains a 3D-printed polycarbonate/carbon fiber physique, six individually suspended wheels, 4 850-lumen LED panels, a pan/tilt forward-facing digital camera, a LiDAR sensor, plus a Leica BLK360 3D scanner. That scanner stays protected contained in the lidded again of the PIPE-i when not wanted, then flips as much as scan its environment as required.

The present model of the robotic is radio-controlled in actual time utilizing a dwell feed from its digital camera, though it may possibly carry out some capabilities (comparable to proximity sensing) autonomously. Plans name for the ultimate business mannequin to make use of AI algorithms for elevated autonomy.

The PIPE-i has already been used to inspect three stormwater culverts under New Zealand highways
The PIPE-i has already been used to examine three stormwater culverts underneath New Zealand highways

Beca

Whereas customers can test the PIPE-i’s video for culvert issues proper as they’re working the bot, they’re additionally capable of subsequently analyze a 3D level cloud mannequin of the culvert created through the onboard scanner. The robotic can moreover be outfitted with an omnidirectional digital camera for capturing 360-degree video.

And as an added bonus, the PIPE-i’s adjustable suspension permits it to trip excessive for optimum scanning, but in addition drop down for squeezing beneath overhead obstacles.

Beca’s Marcus Corridor, who’s main the event of the robotic, demonstrates its capabilities within the video under.

Introducing PIPE-i

Supply: Beca



Extra AI Considerations | Nanotechnology Weblog


Final 12 months, the November weblog talked about a number of the challenges with Generative Synthetic Intelligence (genAI).  The instruments which might be turning into accessible nonetheless have to be taught from some current materials.  It was talked about that the instruments can create imaginary references or produce other kinds of “hallucinations”.    Reference 1 quote the outcomes from a Standford examine that made errors 75% of the time involving authorized issues.  They said: “in a activity measuring the precedential relationship between two completely different [court] circumstances, most LLMs do no higher than random guessing.” The rivalry is that the Giant Language Fashions (LLM) are skilled by fallible people.  It additional states the bigger the info they’ve accessible, the extra random or conjectural their reply turn into.  The authors argue for a proper algorithm that may be employed by the builders of the instruments.

Reference 2, states that one should perceive the constraints of AI and its potential faults.  Principally the steering is to not solely know the kind of reply you ae anticipating, however to additionally consider acquiring the reply by means of the same however completely different method, or to make use of a competing software to confirm the potential accuracy of the preliminary reply offered.  From Reference 1, organizations have to watch out for the boundaries of LLM with respect to hallucination, accuracy, explainability, reliability, and effectivity.  What was not said is the particular query must rigorously drafted to concentrate on the kind of resolution desired.

Reference 3 addresses the info requirement.  Relying on the kind of information, structured or unstructured, relies on how the knowledge.   The reference additionally employes the time period derived information, which is information that’s developed from elsewhere and formulated into the specified construction/solutions. The info must be organized (shaped) right into a helpful construction for this system to make use of it effectively.  For the reason that software of AI inside a corporation, the expansion can and doubtless will probably be speedy.  With a view to handle the potential failures, the suggestion is to make use of a modular construction to allow isolating potential areas of points that may be extra simply deal with in a modular construction.   

Reference 4 warns of the potential of “information poisoning”.  “Knowledge Poisoning” is the time period employed when incorrect of deceptive info is integrated into the mannequin’s coaching.  This can be a potential as a result of massive quantities of knowledge which might be integrated into the coaching of a mannequin.   The bottom of this concern is that many fashions are skilled on open-web info.  It’s tough to identify malicious information when the sources are unfold far and large over the web and might originate wherever on the planet.  There’s a name for laws to supervise the event of the fashions.  However, how does laws forestall an undesirable insertion of knowledge by an unknown programmer?  With out a verification of the accuracy of the sources of knowledge, can it’s trusted?

There are options that there must be instruments developed that may backtrack the output of the AI software to judge the steps that may have been taken that might result in errors.  The problem that turns into the limiting issue is the ability consumption of the present and projected future AI computational necessities.  There may be not sufficient energy accessible to satisfy the projected wants.  If there’s one other layer constructed on prime of that for checking the preliminary outcomes, the ability requirement will increase even quicker.  The methods in place cannot present the projected energy calls for of AI. [Ref. 5] The sources for the anticipated energy haven’t been recognized mush much less have a projected information of when the ability can be accessible.  This could produce an fascinating collusion of the need for extra laptop energy and the power of nations to provide the wanted ranges of energy. 

References:

  1. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3714290/ai-hallucination-mitigation-two-brains-are-better-than-one.html
  2. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-use-google-gemini-ai
  3. “Gen AI Insights”, InfoWorld oublicaiton, March 19, 2024
  4. “Watch out for Knowledge Poisoning”. WSJ Pg R004, March 18, 2024
  5. :The Coming Electrical energy Disaster:, WSJ Opinion March 29. 2024.

Extra AI Considerations | Nanotechnology Weblog

About Walt

I’ve been concerned in numerous points of nanotechnology for the reason that late Nineteen Seventies. My curiosity in selling nano-safety started in 2006 and produced a white paper in 2007 explaining the 4 pillars of nano-safety. I’m a expertise futurist and is at present centered on nanoelectronics, single digit nanomaterials, and 3D printing on the nanoscale. My expertise contains three startups, two of which I based, 13 years at SEMATECH, the place I used to be a Senior Fellow of the technical employees once I left, and 12 years at Normal Electrical with 9 of them on company employees. I’ve a Ph.D. from the College of Texas at Austin, an MBA from James Madison College, and a B.S. in Physics from the Illinois Institute of Know-how.