Seven Brief Lessons on Computing drops today in the US and UK. A radio appearance, a blog post, and lots of press releases the last 24 hours. Here’s one version of what went out. It might help any one who needs help writing news releases.

For Immediate Release

Springdale, MD, February 27, 2026 – William Mapp, Chief Technology Officer of Qlarant, an Easton healthcare technology company, announced the release of Seven Brief Lessons on Computing his latest title helping readers understand computers in a technology driven world.

Mapp announced the book’s release on First News 570, an Asheville, North Carolina radio news program. “If you or someone you know is confused about technology or want to know more about how it’s used, this book is for you,” said Mark Starling, First News’ host and writer of the book’s foreword.

Meant to be enjoyed by new and power users alike, Seven Brief Lessons guides readers from the dawn of computing to today’s most advanced algorithms and AI technologies. William engages readers with wit and doesn’t use jargon explaining how computers, algorithms, and AI works.

“We have always needed to count and compare things,” said Mapp, “I start a technologythe book with a story featuring an abacus.” During the First News segment Mapp shared his inspiration for writing the book and how he wants to help people find success by understanding technology. “I like helping people win, and I’m often asked to explain how technology works.” 

Seven Brief Lessons on Computing breaks down computer technology into its smallest pieces in seven easy to read chapters. Each chapter is dedicated to one aspect of computers. He uses associations to make topics easy to understand like comparing a computer’s main chip to the human brain. Later chapters in the book explain how algorithms work, helping to explain why social networks “mysteriously” show your web searches in their feed. Mapp serves as a guide and closes with explaining how AI works. “I wrote this book so people can feel empowered and make technology work for them,” Mapp says to First News on 570 listeners.

Seven Brief Lessons on Computing is available today at Barnes and Noble and many other booksellers. Readers can purchase the book online at Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. UK readers can purchase the book at Waterstones.com and in Waterstones bookshops. Other press related inquiries can be directed to Kagiso Dipale-Amani (email) at Austin Macauley Publishers, Inc.

About the Author

William Mapp, a native son of Painter, Virginia and 1999 graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore,is eager to spread knowledge and help people learn. He seeks to inspire with wit, humor, and humility, by sharing his experiences running businesses that build advanced technology. He’s a dynamic speaker who has inspired and entertained for SAP Insider, Minority Innovation Weekend, EYECON, the National Retail Federation, RFID Journal, Blerdcon, and non-profits and universities. William isHe’s an award-winning technologist with trademarks, copyrights, and patents attributed to him. Over 1 billion people have used or been impacted by products he’s created. Over the years he has served as radio host, technology analyst, podcast guest, and has written three books.

It’s been a long time coming, but Seven Brief Lessons on Computing is available for Pre-Order!

The release date is February 27th, and available everywhere books are sold!

If you’ve ever felt confused by technology, this is the book for you! I’ll guide you through 7 entertaining and easy reading lessons about computer technology from beads to binary.

You’ll put the book down ready to take on a world filled with algorithms and AI bots!

Order it today!

You know how I know it’s Christmas time?

Someone will send me a link for or against Die Hard being a Christmas movie (it is). There other is when someone asks about The Nog.

The Egg Nog is a commitment. It takes real time to prepare. Flavors are layered upon each other building up to silky smooth and sweet holiday beverage that has no peer.

If you’ve followed me this long, you know I’m always tweaking the formulation. My recipe is based upon Alton Brown’s food science, and Martha Stewart’s heavy handed pour. This year is no different. Uncle Nearest Cognac Cask makes an appearance for Nog ’25.

Yield: 2 Gallons

Tools of the Trade

• A microplane
• A stand mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Metal spoon
• 2 glass, 1 gallon jars

Ingredients

• 1nutmeg seed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 intact, long stranded Madagascar vanilla beans
• 2 Tablespoons real vanilla extract, preferably home aged
• 11 egg yolks
• 1.5 cups of sugar
• 1 to 2 pinches of salt
• 1 quart of heavy whipping cream
• 1.75 pints of half and half
• 2 cups of XO brandy
• 2 cups of Morgan’s Dark Spiced Rum
• 2 cups of high quality bourbon

Preparation

1. Freeze the stand mixing bowl and whisk in your freezer. Make sure they are good and cold.
2. Slice both vanilla beans down the center. We’re going to scrape the vanilla seeds in Step 5.
3. After the mixing bowl and whisk are super cold place them on your counter or table top workspace.
4. Separate 11 egg yolks from their whites. Plop the egg yolks in the super cold mixing bowl.
5. Scrape the vanilla seeds out of the bean pods into the yolks.
6. Pour the 1.5 cups of sugar in the mixing bowl.
7. Dash 1 to 2 pinches of salt in the mixing bowl.
8. Using the microplane, microplane the nutmeg seed in the mixing bowl. Use a lot of it. Be liberal. This is one of the key flavors. We’re going to need it.
9. Using the microplane, microplane the cinnamon stick in the mixing bowl. Less cinnamon than nutmeg.
10. Mount the mixing bowl in the stand mixer, and begin mixing on low.
11. After the sugar, salt, egg yolks are combined, increase the mixing speed.
12. Continue mixing. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary to ensure the yolk mixture is fully incorporated.
13. We have mixed the egg yolks pretty solidly now. The color should have changed from a dark yellow to light yellow.
14. Pour in the vanilla extract, continue mixing.
15. Reduce the speed back to low.
16. Pour in the quart of heavy mixing cream, and resume mixing. Use the spatula to scrape the sides if necessary.
17. The mixture should thicken. You should see black dots of vanilla seeds in the mix.
18. Pour in the 2 pints of half and half. Keep mixing. The mixture should begin to slosh, keep the mixer on low.
19. Pour in the liquors. No order needed, and continue mixing.
20. Keep mixing.
21. Keep mixing.
22. Stop the mixer. Use the spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. If anything comes off keep mixing.
23. Transfer the contents of the mixing bowl into the glass jars.
24. Put the glass jars in the fridge.

If you make this nog today, it’ll be good to go on Christmas Day. As always, a longer aging period removes more of the sting from the liquor.

Rest assured. There’s enough liquor in here to kill anything you may be worried about from those eggs.

I passed out Nog minis which were really popular. This year, I’m just making two vats of the stuff.

Merry Christmas!

Every year, it keeps getting bigger and better.

For many, this has been a challenging year. It seems like thousands of people are getting laid off every week. The government is in constant crisis. And bros are still yapping their mouths off using cheap microphones.

With everything going on, why should we care about cool gadgets, and trendy coffee makers. Why splurge on a gift when so much is going on?

Because life goes on, and there’s always time to smile, or window shop.

This is the third year of opening up the Gift Guide. We’ve started this year’s curated gifts with personal items, gadgets, and for the first time spices have made the list.

Enjoy the Guide. Read the product descriptions, and have a good time!

The 2025 Annual Gift Guide

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