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Tag: software

Second Page News

Second Page News: August Edition

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

There is a strange and for many of us, relentless phenomenon happening in technology news. Open almost any technology publication, news feed or social media platform and you will find AI. AI in your browser. AI in your database. AI in your image searches. AI in your coffee maker. Chances are, it’s AI writing those articles about AI. But underneath all the AI noise, something rather encouraging is happening. Software itself continues to get better. Open-source projects are becoming more secure. Programming languages are getting safer. Databases are becoming more capable. Cloud...

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AI Brain Fry

This is Your Brain on AI: The Hidden Productivity Problem of Brain Fry

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

Remember when the biggest workplace concern about technology was spending too much time in meetings? Today, a new phenomenon is quietly making its way into boardrooms, project teams, and office conversations. It has an unofficial name that is surprisingly descriptive: AI Brain Fry. It is not a medical diagnosis, or a term found in a psychology textbook (yet). Instead, it is the growing feeling of mental fatigue, cognitive overload, and reduced critical thinking that can occur when employees rely heavily on generative AI throughout the workday. For business leaders, this is more than...

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Powering Off

Powering Off: Why Time Away from Tech Improves Performance

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

The technology industry has a bit of a productivity problem. Not because people aren’t working hard enough, quite the opposite, they are masters of juggling full plates with competing priorities. Many IT professionals, developers, project managers, cybersecurity specialists, and technology leaders are working harder and staying connected longer than ever before. Smartphones, collaboration tools, cloud platforms, and remote work have created a world where it is possible to be available around the clock. The challenge is that our brains were never designed to operate this...

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Neurodiversity

It’s Time to Talk About Neurodiversity in Tech

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

The technology industry has always celebrated innovation, creative problem solving, and thinking differently. Here at STEP, we see abstract thinking is a highly sought after feature. Yet many organizations continue to overlook one of the most valuable sources of diverse thinking available to them: neurodivergent professionals. While businesses compete for talent, navigate increasingly complex technology environments, and search for new ways to innovate, many leaders are discovering that neurodiversity is not simply a DEI initiative; it’s a misunderstood business opportunity. With...

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Credential Sprawl

Credential Sprawl: The Hidden Risk Growing Inside Your Organization

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

Over the past several months, we’ve explored some of the biggest challenges facing technology leaders today. We’ve discussed technical debt, AI technical debt, digital sovereignty, workplace mental health, and the importance of maintaining a human-centered approach to technology. These topics may seem unrelated. The reality is, they all connect to a growing problem that many organizations are struggling to manage: Credential Sprawl It’s one of the most overlooked risks in modern IT environments, yet it has direct implications for cybersecurity, operational...

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Technical Debt

Buried in Technical Debt

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

Most business leaders understand financial debt; borrow money today, pay interest tomorrow. Technical debt works much the same way. Every time leadership delays a software update, postpones a modernization initiative, extends the life of a legacy application by opting for a quick fix over a long-term solution, the business takes on technical debt. Sometimes that decision is necessary, budgets are limited, priorities shift, and businesses need to keep moving. The problem is, technical debt accumulates interest, and right now, the interest rate has never been higher and thanks to AI...

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Garbage In - Garbage Out

Garbage in – Garbage Out: The 2026 Edition

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

For years, data cleansing has been treated like a back-office IT task, important, but rarely urgent. Things have changed. In the era of AI, automation, cybersecurity threats, and digital transformation, clean data has become a business-critical asset. Organizations investing millions into modernization initiatives are discovering a hard truth: bad data quietly destroys software projects, weakens AI systems, increases cybersecurity risk, and drives up operational costs. For business leaders responsible for technology budgets, the conversation is no longer about whether data...

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Embedded Devices and Microcontrollers

Embedded Devices & Microcontrollers: The Intersection of Software & Hardware

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

From smart factories to connected medical devices, embedded devices and microcontrollers are quietly powering the modern economy. They don’t get the same attention as cloud platforms or AI models, but without them, most digital innovation simply wouldn’t function. For business leaders managing technology investments, understanding the unique nuances of these systems is becoming increasingly important. What Are Embedded Devices & Microcontrollers? An embedded system is a specialized computing system designed to perform a specific function within a larger device. It includes...

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Well-Architected Famework

What Is the Well-Architected Framework (and Why Should You Care)?

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

According to Gartner, 52% of technical leaders are prioritizing cost reduction over the next 2 fiscal years, including IT optimization. Cost cutting initiatives without cutting staff is a key concern globally, and is echoed in our recent calls with our Clients. Last week we touched on the importance of evaluating Well-Architected Framework as part of an optimization strategy, this week we dive into the details of it. AWS Well-Architected Framework is built around six key pillars: Operational Excellence Security Reliability Performance Efficiency Cost Optimization ...

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Coding with AI

AI Coding Agents: Yes, Maybe, or No?

Written by STEP Software on . Posted in Blog.

If you have been following anything tech or AI related the past couple of weeks your feeds have likely blown up with headlines about Claude Opus 4.6 and autonomous coding agents. The latest flagship model by AI Research company Anthropic is at the center of the frenzy: 16 Claude AI agents tasked to build a Rust-based C compiler is a milestone that feels straight out of science fiction. What’s the real story here, is this 2026’s version of vibe-coding? This week on our blog we dive into the excitement of coding with AI, the approach with caution areas and the disappointing parts of...

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