Mike Hammer, the '90s SQL and BPR guru, used to begin his introductory computer science classes at MIT by saying that the course was not about computers or about science but, rather, about a way of thinking.  That "way of thinking" is what is called "General Systems Theory" and more specifically "Systems Dynamics" or "Systems Thinking".

This "way of thinking" forms the hub for a radical (in the sense of "going to the root") approach to "organizational learning" that is sweeping through corporate education circles and even having an impact in educational institutions.  (Click here to send me an email requesting more information on this approach to "organizational learning.")

As you might be able to guess by the title of this series of lunch half-hour "workshops," I've been swayed by this way of thinking.  The import of all this is that once you cut through the "mystification" which surrounds technology, it really boils down to some rather simple principles.

So, we're going to be building a language - words, syntax and grammar - to better understand the foundational principles of the Windows technology that apply generally across the board.

What is a computer?