About

Claude Elwood Shannon published the article “A Mathematical Theory of Communication” in 1948. The paper introduced the terms “bit,” information entropy, and redundancy. These concepts led to revolutionary changes in data storage and transmission. Today, they’re all cornerstones of information technology and the Internet. Without them, it’s hard to imagine any form of digital communication at all.

Shannon was a genius, widely regarded as “the father of Information Theory.” He played in the same league as Einstein, Newton, and Alan Turing. He also had a playful, mischievous side, which earned him the nickname “doctor of juggling.” Many know him for his valuable contributions to MIT, Bell Labs, and science in general. But his lesser-known inventions included a rocket-powered Frisbee—yes, that’s a Frisbee powered by real rockets! He once made a flame-throwing trumpet and designed a “mind-reading” machine.

On his desk, you could find “The Ultimate Machine.” A variation of Marvin Minsky’s “Useless Machine,” it looked like a small box with a single switch. The design was simple, but enough to make people eager to press it. When they did, the box would open and a mechanical hand would shoot out to quickly press the toggle again to turn itself off.

I’ve always pursued my interests without much regard for final value or value to the world, he said cheerfully. I’ve spent lots of time on totally useless things.

I named this website and my company Ultimate Machine, as a tribute to Claude Shannon. I want everything I do to embody his level of passion, curiosity, creativity, grit, and humor. I want to contribute to the world in positive ways, but it’s never been what drives me.

I strive to spend as much time as possible on autotelic experiences, which has landed me in this situation.

What to Expect

On this website, I share my thoughts on whatever I find interesting, stuff I’ve made, and some of my learnings. I’m a 38-year-old from Sweden. I’ve worked with Software Engineering, UX, and Graphical Design for 15+ years—primarily in the freelancing and start-up world, with all that entails.

Human peak performance and health also interest me. For most of my adult life, I’ve always liked to challenge myself both mentally and physically. I read and digest a lot of information because I’m curious, it helps me relax, and I’m always eager to learn new things. When I read, I tend to step outside of my comfort zone a bit and go beyond Software and IT. Anything that’ll give me perspective on things will do. Lately, I’ve been learning about the mind, body, and longevity. I’ve also read everything from Anna Kendrick’s autobiography to books on quantum physics and Siddhartha, so there’s no logic to my book choices.

I dabble a bit in trading in the stock market. I’m not particularly fascinated by the markets themselves. What intrigues me is the challenge of it (it’s very hard to make it as a trader), and the fact that you can win with statistics. The instant feedback makes it a fast, process-driven challenge. I won’t write much about it, though. I’ve tried once before, but it only ended up with lots of people asking me for stock tips.

Mickel