I use a lot of key commands daily and most of them have been committed to muscle memory where I just think about what I want to do and I don’t think about how to do it. I use cmd-tab and cmd-~ to change applications and windows. In text editors, I’m always using ctrl or cmd with the arrow keys to jump across words and lines of text. In TextMate I use cmd-T to open files, and I use ctrl-opt-V for pasting from JumpCut. In GMail and Google Reader I use j, k, y, [, and ] to navigate (1) through my messages and rss feeds. Amazingly (to me) I seldom confuse these different commands across different applications because their meaning is tied (in my mind, apparently) to specific contexts.
But today, I experienced some bleed-over.
I was just looking at The short - but eventful - life of Ike on The Big Picture and I tried to use j to move to the next picture, rather than scrolling with my mouse wheel. And when it didn’t advance to the next picture, I tapped it a couple more times before realizing that it wasn’t going to help. I think it would be a good feature to add, but for the most part, I just thought it was funny that I kept trying to advance to the next picture without actually thinking about what I was doing.
(1) - GMail & Reader: j = next; k = previous; GMail only: y = archive, [ = archive and move to previous message, ] = archive and move to next message
The Plastic Logic Reader looks like an amazing device. I’m excited to see one in person. I’ve already heard people bandying about the term “Kindle killer.” To me that seems a pretty bold assertion.
The device itself looks like it could definitely be better than the Kindle - mainly in its use of full-device touch screen. However, if you do much input, the real keyboard of the Kindle might be better (but if it’s truly a “reading” device, the keyboard wouldn’t be used much at all).
I hope the Plastic Logic Reader has wifi, as I’ve mentioned before about the Kindle. To be a “Kindle killer” in the consumer marketplace, however, Plastic Logic will need to be able to get books and documents on the device wirelessly. As easy as it may be, people won’t want to plug this device (or any device) into their computer if they don’t need to.
Personally, even as incredible as the device looks, for me to choose it over the Kindle 2.0 (where are you, by the way?), it will need wifi, a browser, and an easy way to get documents onto the device. Count me still hopeful.
Jesse alerted me to engadget rumors about the Kindle 2.0 coming out. Needless to say, I’m excited. To start with, a price of $249 would be much easier to justify.
Looking back at the questions (and complaints) I had about the first generation reader, my biggest hope for 2.0 is wifi. In addition to reading books, I would definitely use the device to read online content. Because of that, I would like the ability to browse the web at home over wifi, rather than EVDO.
In talking about what I’m hoping for, it’s easy to skip over what Amazon has already done right. First, even though I really want wifi access, EVDO is a brilliant idea. Being able to get a book wirelessly any time you want is genius. The readability of text on the device (even over longer periods of time) is great. Since it’s not back-lit, it doesn’t tire the eyes. This is based on online reviews as well as those of friends, rather than the little I’ve actually used the device. I really like the device in theory, I just need a little more (like wifi) before I run out to buy one.
Finally, BusinessWeek quotes a source as saying “They’ve jumped from Generation One to Generation Four or Five. It just looks better, and feels better.” If I were the product manager, at least one of those generations would have wifi, so I’m hopeful.
Bex Huff says that work-life balance is nearly impossible for good computer geeks. I couldn’t disagree more.
There’s a distinction between creative work that people do for “work” and what they do outside of work. Work/life balance for computer geeks, knowledge workers, or artists has nothing to do with not being creative or solving problems. It’s about giving your brain a break from the same, constant grind and giving yourself time to think and be refreshed.
Like Bex, as a programmer and computer geek, when I go home, I still talk about and think about technology. But that doesn’t mean that I’m still “working.” I may be solving similar types of problems, but I get a lot of relaxation and enjoyment from not working on the same exact problems. Outside of work, I do iPhone development, personal Grails and Groovy projects, AppleScript, play with bayesian algorithms in perl, tinker with embedded linux, spend time with my family, and more. Those are all geeky technology things. But that’s my point - that’s still work/life balance because it gives me a break.
Finally, Bex quotes Isaac Schlueter as saying “An artist doesn’t stop being an artist when he goes home.” It’s true, but that artist doesn’t always work on the same projects when he gets there.
There is plenty to be said for (and against) the new iPhone and all the new apps flooding to our screens but aside from the sluggish response times and occasional crashes, the biggest problem I have is keeping track of and organizing all these apps.
Applications of all types are now spread across multiple screens as I try, mostly in vain, to come up with a strategy that doesn’t leave me needlessly flipping through 3 to 5 pages just to find the thing I want. I have tried to organize them by grouping like apps together on screen but I don’t really want a whole screen for music-related apps or games. Then I tried by frequency of use with the most frequently used apps on the first couple screens and then those I rarely use on the last few. This too was less than ideal as it isn’t readily apparent when I am search for something how many times I really use it. I guess I could try alphabetical.
How about adding folders?
The folder is a simple organizational mechanism that could help keep my applications in order: Creating and naming folders and then dragging apps into them could work nicely. (like shown above)
Double tapping the folders brings up a radial menu of its contents - app icons - that can be clicked. I have mocked up how that may look (see below). A simple, dark overlay similar to a lightbox effect to represent the mode change would work well.
This example only shows a folder with six applications in it and I am uncertain how to deal with folders containing more than eight. Perhaps there would be a number on the the folder and then single tapping would tab through them.
Until I get something like this the number off application I will be downloading will be significantly restrained.
Bonus gripes to Apple:
1. Please let us delete (or at least hide) those app you included on the phone that we do not use. I don’t need stock quotes and notes.
2. When updating an app, don’t move its position. This is very annoying.
3. Get the stability and fluidity of the interface back to the point where it was when the phone first launched. I don’t think you can totally blame the apps being installed, but if you can, then be more stringent on the apps you let in the store.
4. For next iPhone INCREASE THE RAM!
At Refactr we don’t often get RFP’s (Requests for Proposals). Most of our consulting project work comes from word of mouth and referral where we help brainstorm what is to be created at the outset. It is the only time in a project where there are routinely meetings for more than an hour - a time of much personal interaction. I would say that sending out an RFP, sends an entirely different message. At best, it is impersonal and puts up walls that must be knocked down. More seriously, when it comes to software development projects at least, RFP’s can set the stage for failure.
An RFP attempts to describe and document the project. The first part of this (to describe) is good, but the intent for an RFP to do anything other than get some ideas down and start a dialog between the stakeholders and developers* is misguided. An RFP is drafted prior to development, when the least amount of information is available and with a small subset of the whole team in place.
Another side-effect of the RFP process is the creation of a mindset that software development is something that happens to an organization by an external source. Software development should be one of the most collaborative endeavors into which businesses enter. Stakeholders and developers should work side-by-side in designing the software, customers and those who use the software should be involved in the use-and-feedback loop.
To underscore the idea that RFP’s are simply the “hello” to a longer conversation, we often informalize the process right up front by meeting in person and responding with text emails rather than fancy Word or PDF file proposals. Our hope is that this helps to establish a new tone for the project and have found that when formality dissolves away, real communication happens.
* The terms developers and software developers are used here to encompass all people who develop software including visual, information, and interaction designers, client-side coders, server-side programmers, etc. I could also have used software designers to mean the same bunch of folks.
Lean-to is live! We haven’t done a great job of keeping the work we have been doing under wraps but we haven’t been promoting it either. Since we gave a demo of our agile project tracking application, Lean-to, at minnebar in May, we have been adding features and tweaking it until we were ready to start talking about it.
We wanted to let everyone know that we have pushed out some significant updates to Lean-to that we hope will get people excited. Here are a few of the highlights:
We hope that you enjoy the new changes in this release and we ask that you don’t hesitate to use the feedback link to let us know what you like and don’t like about Lean-to. We’ve got lots more on our own backlog, but we’d love to hear what you want from Lean-to.
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I personally haven’t heard this question before, but Martin Fowler mentions that he has been asked whether a team should use agile development or lean development for a project. The answer is that they’re not alternatives.
Lean development is a type of agile development.
In fact, Mary and Tom Poppendieck title their book “Lean Software Development: An Agile Toolkit.” And the introduction describes the book as a set of thinking tools for translating lean principles into effective agile practices.
In his post, Martin refers to Richard Durnall’s thoughts on using lean principles with agile projects, which I also enjoyed.
The better question is, how many lean principles are appropriate to implement for this project?
This is a little bit older, but pretty interesting: Nine Things Developers Want More Than Money.
It should be inherently obvious, but seeing lists like this every once in a while is a good reminder that creating and maintaining high-performing teams is clearly more about people than it is about process, technology, or anything else.
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