# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Conversation

• Henry Markram's 2008 presentation on "Designing the Human Mind" was shared, discussing biological refinement strategies and the goal to "plug in biological data and get a brain out on the other side," though some participants expressed skepticism about the complexity of the brain being underestimated.

• A portable "brain bucket" MRI technology was mentioned with a link to an ABC News story, potentially representing advances in accessible neuroimaging technology.

• Alternative computational paradigms were discussed extensively, including photonic crystal circuits (with a shared academic paper), DNA computing, protein-based computation, and the ecological advantages of "growing" rather than manufacturing computers.

• The Open Source Hardware Bank (oshwbank.org) was mentioned as a new initiative for supporting open hardware projects through group purchasing and resource distribution, though participants noted it was still unproven.

• Participants discussed career paths in technology, highlighting the importance of formal education (computer science degrees and certifications) versus practical programming experience, with observations about regional differences in tech employment opportunities.

• Technical discussions included logarithmic proportionalities in mechanical design, recursive functions in programming, and questions about specific genetic technologies (mtDNA and SNP chips from Affymetrix).