tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45533566793773759382024-03-05T06:40:52.985-07:00The38thSignalRJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-30213273575138667212007-11-23T10:00:00.000-07:002007-11-24T12:20:07.363-07:00Kindle bursts into flamesYesterday, a lot of bad people took one look at a bad product, Amazon's Kindle, and decided they didn't like it. Why? Because it looked crappy, has an ugly screen, is covered in buttons, and costs a lot of money. But they were premature - they'd never actually touched a kindle; never felt the sweet caress of it's bulky keyboard against their skin; never stared longingly into that beautiful black and white low-res digital paper display. Without actually having used it, without walking a mile with Kindle in your shoes, so to speak, you really have no right to judge. What you need to understand is, when it comes to what <span style="font-weight: bold;">you</span> want, you don't know shit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aHkQrzqlS1gW26GRv_f6b2_PYC3EtnVjdixZutka_WkFmmlcpBWfd5wzRkE8PBidrE-HhD10Rda9-t_s25L-NI4zNKl0Uu25XAlihjzZ-djIjcY0yEzLkOiGDrho2po0ZB2Mlnb_Yb4/s1600-h/kindle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aHkQrzqlS1gW26GRv_f6b2_PYC3EtnVjdixZutka_WkFmmlcpBWfd5wzRkE8PBidrE-HhD10Rda9-t_s25L-NI4zNKl0Uu25XAlihjzZ-djIjcY0yEzLkOiGDrho2po0ZB2Mlnb_Yb4/s400/kindle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136087895187410818" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Trust us - you want this thing.</span><br /></span><br /></div>Many products that look bad are actually great, and it's unfair of you, the petty user, to complain about them before shelling out the ~$400 it requires to test them. Remember the Zune? Everyone said, "What a piece of crap! It doesn't look anything like an iPod! Why would I want to use that?" And then a few of you actually bought one, started "<a href="http://www.portableplanet.co.uk/2006/11/26/microsofts-zune-is-made-for-squirting/">squirting</a>" songs with your friends, and you realized that you were wrong. You realized this was something you could really get into - that what your iPod was lacking was the color <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zune-Digital-Media-Player-Brown/dp/B000H0QDCC">brown</a> (as in 'poop') and the ability to share songs with a plethora of restrictions across certain types of wifi networks. You realized you were wrong, and you humbled yourselves before the feet of Bill Gates.<br /><br />Similarly, we'd like to see you humble yourself at the feet of Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com, personal inventor of the Kindle. He also invested a lot of money in our company, and called me this morning asking me to calm you idiots down. Sir Bezowith spent 3 years of his life and countless sleepless nights building the epic glory that is Amazon Kindle. He worked really hard, all right? And he deserves a break.<br /><br />One of our highest company values here is not judging things prematurely. We never give our opinions on things we don't understand, like <a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/376-cookware-advice">Cookware</a> for instance, and certainly never complain about things we haven't tried. We try our best to be inclusive and insightful, never polemic. We'd certainly never ban comments by bloggers from a parody blog.<br /><br />I'm calling on you, the user, to show the same sort of discretion and good will towards our financier and not bash the Kindle. Please, all of you, think good and hard this Holiday season about whether or not you might be able to spend $400 on something you don't need in order to give a more unbiased, enlightened (en-kindled, if you will) opinion. Then, please come post back on our blog about how much you like the Kindle. It'll make Bezos happy, and might get us a bonus or invited to a party with Bono or at least a good cigar. And that's what I call a good user experience.<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/712-kindle-ignites-the-flames">linkback</a>]RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-9355127524533468432007-10-24T07:20:00.001-06:002007-10-24T08:02:31.134-06:00Ask 38thSignal: Can I build a web business if I'm a jock with no skills?<span style="font-weight: bold;">Johnny Jock</span> asks:<br /><blockquote>Is there any hope for business majors with no technical aptitude in the online entrepreneur world? Or would you say that things like the ability to program or send properly formatted email or even spell "slashdot" are an absolute must?</blockquote><br />Sadly Johnny, the answer is yes, or maybe no, since you asked the question both ways: the four year degree you earned by watching movies, drinking, and "fooling around" with cheerleaders isn't going to get you anywhere when it comes to the internet. All of us geeks remember guys like you, and we hated you and all the fun you were having, so we specifically designed the internet to keep you out.<br /><br />However, if you're really persistent, and if you introduce me to a few of those cheerleaders, I might be able to let you in on a little secret. There's a backdoor to the internet. Here's how you get in.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 1: Hide your jock past and total ignorance</span><br /><br />The first step in harnessing the power of the internet is not to let it know about your past. This is not the place to brag about your bench press or how many times you've "done it" - those things will only earn the wrathful scorn of the internet's minions. You're going to need to re-invent yourself for a while. You're going to need a new persona.<br /><br />Start by memorizing a few computer releated terms. Learn what a gigahertz is, and how it's used in battle against witches. Learn the difference between JavaScript and PHP, and which you should take to cure a hang over. Finally, memorize the names of as many design patterns as you can, starting with the Singleton pattern, the Factory pattern, and the Model-View-Control-Her pattern.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 2: Befriend a programmer</span><br /><br />The second step is to find a programmer friend and ask then to help teach you. If you don't already have one, and you probably don't, start posting agreeable opinions on needlessly polemic websites run by other web companies. Just agree with whoever posted, saying more or less the same thing they said, but change the words around a little, like this:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >Web-company blogger:</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"> We think it's important that people not learn that most web-applications are free these days, because otherwise they won't pay us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >You</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">: I think that's a really great idea. You guys are very inspirational. If someone learned, for example, that most web-applications are free, they wouldn't pay you, and I think you've shown quite well why that would be bad.</span></span><br /><br />Once you've got a few people agreeing with you, get their email addresses and start making friends.<br /><br />If this doesn't work, move to silicon valley (that's in California) and start hanging out in the bars. If there's one thing geeks like, it's hanging out with other geeks and pretending they're not geeks by doing their hanging in bars. Look for the pale, unshaven guy sitting by himself but pretending he's with the people next to him. Sit down and mutter a few of your memorized programmer phrases, complain about your roommate, and you'll have a friend in no time.<br /><br />Now that you've earned some geek-cred, start by telling your potential friend you're thinking about learning how to program and that you've got some books you're going to read. Whether you actually have the books is irrelevant - you're only saying this to make your friend think he's not taking on a full-time project by helping you, and you wouldn't read the books if you had them.<br /><br />Next, find a few web-tutorials and give them a try. When you get confused and it doesn't work (and you will and it won't), email your friend and ask for help. Repeat this a few times, and then start throwing in the occasional instant message to get help in real time. After a few weeks of that, fly to wherever your friend lives for "business" and offer to meet for dinner. Pick the most expensive restaurant and make sure you tell them you'll pay as a thank you for all their helpful help.<br /><br />If at any point during this process your programmer friend gets wise to your incredible ignorance, apologize for wasting his time and find a new friend. Repeat the cycle until you can get someone - anyone - out to dinner.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 3: Bait-and-switch</span><br /><br />When you finally do get your friend back out to dinner, start ordering drinks fast. Make sure you've had at least 3 rounds before the food comes, and make sure they don't order anything big enough to absorb anything. Now, when he or she is good and drunk, announce to your friend that you have a brilliant idea for a web company, and try to get them excited. Next, declare that over the past few weeks and with their help you've realized that you're more of a "business" guy, with a head for people and profit, but not so much programming. Get your friend to sign a contract for 40% (or even 30%, depending on their liver) of your new business's shares in return for doing all the work.<br /><br />Pick a name with no vowels, make sure the logo has a reflection in it, slap "beta" onto your homepage, and you're ready to go.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 4: Keep the programmer happy</span><br /><br />The only way to keep this going long enough to get an actual application is to keep your friend happy, and unfortunately that's going to cost time and money. Invest heavily in alcohol and video games, and force your cool (and cute) friends to hang out with him. Remember: the journey of a thousand miles didn't build rome in a day, and you're here to say "freedom" to your enemies.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 5: You're done!</span><br /><br />Congratulations! You're a business guy doing nothing, leaching off the brilliance and success of your web-able friend. Welcome to the world of web entrepreneurship! Tech Crunch will probably cover you soon.<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/668-ask-37signals-can-i-build-a-product-business-if-im-just-a-designer">linkback</a>]RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-52217233073134175942007-10-22T10:26:00.000-06:002007-10-22T14:36:08.096-06:00How opinionated companies clean up while you're blabbing on the webDistraction can be a painful thing.<br /><br />Remember the <a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/655-price-drop-haters">hubbub when some company talked about what some other company was doing and we all posted comments about the first company on the second company's blog</a>?<br /><br />The Web stood still.<br /><br />Companies that lead need to be able to distract everyone into talking about them instead of getting actual work done. That way they can clean up in the market while everyone is commenting on opinionated blog posts.<br /><br />You may not like the comments or opinions we put up on our blog here, but when you sit here and comment on them instead of doing productive work, we win.<br /><br />Opinions sometimes make people angry. They cause strife and polarize the community. That's great, since it gets conversation going, and that conversation happens on our site, and our advertising is right there.<br /><br />So when you see 500 "I totally agree" comments on our posts, they may look like spam to you, but they look like gold to us.Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-22524099805567116432007-10-16T23:20:00.000-06:002007-10-16T23:26:02.152-06:00Abraham Lincoln's Best Advice"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/653-thomas-jeffersons-best-advice">linkback</a>]Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-86217251673977002322007-09-28T13:40:00.000-06:002007-09-28T13:48:53.048-06:00The Dictatorial Philosophy of North Korea's Dear Leader Kim Jong-il<div style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200709/200709280006.html">This profile of Dear Leader Kim Jong-il</a> briefly summarizes his dictatorial philosophy on running North Korea:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div><ul><li>Listen to what the people want. Nuclear weapons and a state-run economy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>Hire good people. “Our chief concern is obtaining top-of-the-line physicists and technicians.” It pays off: North Korea has maintained a 100% retention rate for over a decade.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>No meetings, ever. “I find them stupefying and useless. Besides, so far, I’ve never been wrong.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>No liberal education. “I’ve always thought this was baloney. It doesn’t take a college degree to realize North Korea is perfect.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>Forget the figures. “We consistently outperform last year without even trying. Our economy has been expanding at a high double-digit rate since the fifties!”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>Occasionally, give people “a very gentle nudge”. Usually, the imprisonment or execution of a family member is sufficient.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>He doesn’t reply to any UN Resolutions. “I’m not that talkative outside party rallies. Besides, my silence generally just increases the size of my aid package.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>Put speed over perfection: “It doesn’t matter that my missiles can’t make it more than a couple hundred miles. Crashing them into the Pacific creates as much buzz as Southern China.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li><li>“Don’t screw up by doing things that let people realize South Korea is right across the border.”</li></ul>[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/622-the-management-philosophy-of-craigslist-ceo-jim-buckmaster">linkback</a>]<br /><div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-30346063863421317902007-09-27T10:24:00.000-06:002007-09-27T10:34:28.877-06:00Hey, you! Wake up! Or else!Sleepers. Customers who signed up for free accounts, but never upgraded. In fact, their accounts have gone completely idle. You had them briefly ensnared, visions of dollar signs dancing in your head. But, for some reason, they didn't need or like your product. And they jumped ship.<br /><br />Those bastards.<br /><br />We have been thinking about how to wake these idiots up, how to snap them out of their drug-induced stupors. Why try to win a new customer -- someone with no preconceptions, someone who might actually like your product -- when you can annoy the folks who have decided your services simply aren't worthwhile? You don't deserve to be treated like this. After all, you have expensive toys to buy, don't you?<br /><br />It's time to get even. Harangue these people. Shout in their ears. Harass and annoy them. Punish them for trusting you with their contact info, but not their money.<br /><br />That's right, baby. Spam them into the next time zone.<br /><br />Spam reminds these people that you're in the driver's seat, that you're not afraid to bring out the big guns. It says, "Fork over the dough, fools, or our relationship is gonna be nothing but a slow tango through a vat of marketing slime! We've got all the time in the world, and an SMTP server to match! Let's dance!"<br /><br />If they still don't respond, pull a fast bait and switch. Tell 'em you'll cut the price for a little while. Then, two months down the road, they'll be right back where they started -- thinking you're product sucks -- but they'll be paying you, too. Now that's customer service.<br /><br />So that's how it's done, kids. Profit at all costs. Your customers don't know what they like, so take what's yours: their inboxes, or their money.<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/611-waking-up-the-sleepers">linkback</a>]Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-24769358351730635682007-09-24T08:54:00.000-06:002007-09-24T09:59:47.291-06:00I'll Buy!!! I'll Buy!!! Please don't hurt me...The internet is full of people that, for whatever arbitrary reason, don't want your product. That's unacceptable. They can't be trusted to know how to spend their money. They need education. They need direction. And if that doesn't work, they need a little "help" making the decision to buy.<br /><br />There's always one more reason not to buy, like "It's not in the budget", or "Your product is terrible", but you know best about your product, not them. Objections like "I really don't ever need to do what your product helps people do" are uninformed at best. The proposition is always clear: "Make something I want, and I'll give you my money for it". There's always that one more thing to do before customers will part with their money. Maybe they have some interesting points, but you can't sit and wait for that money to come to you, you've got a business to run.<br /><br />That's why we've taken to contracting with an outside agency, The Vito Gambrese Family, to help us educate customers about the value of our products. Tony "Knuckles" Cinzetti has done wonders for our customer loyalty. The technique: Get a few key objectors "on the bandwagon" and the rest seem to fall in line. Listen to these customer endorsements:<br /><ul><li>This product is great. I'd never even think of being disloyal to the company ever again.</li><li>I love this product *wimper*. It hurts me to think of not buying another one every week *sniff*</li><li>Not the knees... oh god, please, not the knees...</li></ul>So, let that be a lesson. There's a whole world of potential customers out there with a ton of reasons not to buy. Perhaps you just need the right kind of persuasion.<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/609-ill-buy-if">linkback</a>]Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-85678225612234125822007-09-17T12:21:00.000-06:002007-09-17T13:03:22.910-06:00Secrets to Ninja Assassin's SuccessLow Fidelity offers a <a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/ninjawar/petition.html">some secrets to the success of Ninja Assassins</a> based on the interviews and writings of (now dead) <a href="http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/archives/ninja.php">early defectors</a>. Some of the choice bits are below.<br /><br />—<br /><br />Teams are small. Large groups of black-pajama-clad men tend to attract attention, while two or three can slip past guards like a tigress through the meadows of the Xinjing-Jan province.<br /><br />Focus on the customer. Memorize every aspect of their movement and learn to think as they do. They may become your next target.<br /><br />Less is more. Customer satisfaction means limiting your attack to the target in question. And possibly anyone who may have seen the crime. And the guards. And anyone who may have seen the guards. And their families. Truthfully, anyone within a 2 mile radius is probably fair game.<br /><br />Strictly enforce company standards. Let your team know that certain tools and practices, like five-pronged shirken or fluffy-dice nunchuncks, will not be tolerated. Enforce these policies with a public shaming ceremony in which the offending ninja is forced act as the foot stool of a sweaty sumo during his seventh evening meal.<br /><br />Take it for granted that missions might fail - that's reality; embrace it. Embrace it with the quick and bloody death that failure deserves, but embrace it.<br /><br />Advertise by not advertising. Let drop a few whispers that perhaps ninjas are killing people, and soon every death in the city will be blamed on ninjas. Use the money you would spend on services like Google AdWords and TV spots to buy more shirkens.<br /><br />Protect your secrets. Make sure that anyone caught revealing your techniques is quickly dispatched without warning or cause fo<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/600-secrets-to-amazons-success?6#comments">linkback</a>]RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-29039597102210110762007-09-11T09:11:00.000-06:002007-09-11T10:13:52.893-06:00Been highlighted lately?My patience is wearing thin on this one. There's this super annoying trend on web pages these days -- especially web pages trying to sell you something. You'll be reading along, trying to figure out if a product or service matches your needs, and then it happens: the text's background turns a mucusy shade of pale yellow. This gleaming stain stares you in the face, mocking you, right in the middle of the copy. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">That's right -- you got highlighted.</span><br /><br />Here's a time-lapse <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">of</span> my experience <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">scrolling down</span> a site that uses <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">this</span> effect:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/Ruazr6uhTaI/AAAAAAAAACI/r0V91p4ufo0/s1600-h/graphic.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/Ruazr6uhTaI/AAAAAAAAACI/r0V91p4ufo0/s400/graphic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108968394378530210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You know what that looks like? <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">A bad trip,</span> that's what.<br /><br />There's more than the hallucinations, too. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">Highlighting distracts</span> you, and worse, it makes you feel dumb, like they <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">think you can't read</span> -- it's like the <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);"><blink></span> tag all over again. Every piece of highlighted text is the same, condescendingly <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">coughed up</span> in the same sickly yellow, <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">sucker-punching your ego,</span> cut off and <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">disconnected</span> from your copy, your site, and your design. Using this technique makes everything look <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">splotchy and erratic.</span><br /><br />So next time <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">you're hawking a product</span>, stop insulting me and think twice before <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">you start playing</span> with the highlighter. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">I'll take <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">notes for myself,</span> thanks very <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 203);">much.</span></span><br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/592-been-lightboxed-lately">linkback</a>]Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-70885572946512494872007-08-27T19:57:00.000-06:002007-08-27T22:04:02.485-06:00Five marketing/business lessons from Mata Hari<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Mata_Hari_2.jpg/250px-Mata_Hari_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Mata_Hari_2.jpg/250px-Mata_Hari_2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mata_Hari">Mata Hari</a> was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was executed by firing squad for espionage during World War I. Before she was executed by a firing squad, she was pretty successful at what she did. Here're a few tips from Mata:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Use an exotic name</span><br />Nobody's going to be impressed if you have a name they understand or can relate to. Get a name that means something in a language they don't understand. That automatically makes you more important to them, because other cultures are better than theirs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Give the people what they want</span><br />Sexy Women have been in demand since there were Men. Men are the decision makers. Give them Sexy Women. Come on, it's not rocket science.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Show some skin</span><br />You've got it... don't hide it! Let them call you shallow or decadent or whatever, at least you have a business model that doesn't go out of style. See point number two.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sleep your way to the top</span><br />There are some powerful people out there that know how to get you where you want to go... Britain, Spain, Germany, past enemy lines, wherever. Give those people what they want and you'll go far. See points number two and three.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dress up nice for your execution</span><br />When all else fails, keep your sense of style and mystique until the end. And stay positive! If nothing else, people will wonder if there's something they're missing, which will keep them off their guard. After you're gone, they may make legends about you.<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/580-five-marketingbusiness-lessons-from-harry-houdini">linkback</a>]Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-90371263697781129622007-08-23T14:51:00.000-06:002007-08-23T15:07:46.154-06:00A real estate myth: Your agent is qualifiedThere is undoubtedly a time and a place for agents when purchasing real estate. Maybe you don't know anything about real estate, or anything about buying things, or anything about anything. Getting an agent who does can certainly ease the frustrations of life.<br /><br />But don't for a minute buy the baloney that your agent knows anything about anything either. Sometimes, they know about something, and maybe it's even something that's useful to your situation, like pricing and geography, but other times they simply don't know anything. For instance, I once had a guy who told me to buy a house in the Ural's since it was close to Asia. Right - like I care about Asia. Even if I did eat rice or wear silk, the <a href="http://www.armymuseum.ru/kaz1_e.html">roving Cossacks</a> make the region too dangerous for habitation. Any agent worth his/her salt should know that, but this one didn't. Idiot.<br /><br />The thinking goes that if you hire an expert, they know something about what they're talking about. It's important to question your supposed expert before hiring them to see if they really do. Pick up a book at the local library and ask them some questions on topics from the index. If they seem to know the answers, try some harder ones, and then maybe a word problem or two. The satisfaction of knowing that your agent is qualified will give you better piece of mind and help you find a better place to buy.<br /><br />What this has to do with web design I simply can't tell you.<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/577-a-real-estate-myth-the-buyers-agent-is-free">linkback</a>]RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-89528432757972142462007-07-31T23:08:00.000-06:002007-07-31T23:26:09.188-06:00Scapegoats take the blameThat new feature just isn't working out. It was poorly conceived, poorly implemented, poorly explained, and poorly marketed. Too bad; it had a lot of potential. Remember? A few months ago, we were all so excited about it. We were going to change the world, no two ways about it. We'd huddle around the water cooler and talk in excitedly hushed tones, using big, important phrases like "mitigate" and "utilize" and "synergize" and "paradigm shift" and "There's no I in team." There was a fire in our belly, and nothing was going to put it out. <br /><br />But something did put it out. Our roaring belly fire is now a big pile of belly ash. Our feature is a flop. It isn't useful. It isn't fun. It doesn't make any sense, and nobody uses it. Everybody hates it. A complete disaster. <br /><br />And don't you dare blame me for it.<br /><br />You know what we need? Someone to take the blame; someone to pay the price. A scapegoat. Someone who tried to help the company through innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit. Someone who exemplifies the adjectives on the front page of the company handbook. Someone who would have been a hero if the feature had been successful, but given the circumstances must be painted as a total failure. Someone innocent, but easy to ambush. We all had a hand in this, but it didn't work out. And what do we do when something doesn't work out? Two words, my friends: mob rule. And four more words, too: Survival of the fittest. And an acronym: CYA.<br /><br />Clearly it wasn't MY fault. Billy over there in design is a complete moron. What the heck was he thinking? Only a complete imbecile would think that our customers would want this feature. He should have never come up with it; I was against it from the start! Or that air-headed developer, Neil: could he possibly have taken any longer to implement this thing? Clearly not. How dare he run in to technical hurdles. What a jerk! I bet I could do it in my sleep, on a TRS-80, in BASIC!<br /><br />With a scapegoat in place, it becomes easy work for management to take quick action to enact a paradigm shift wherein future failures are mitigated. New resources are identified and utilized to synergize the i-less team toward excellence. <br /><br />In other words, people are fired. <br /><br />When failure is assigned to the goats, the perceived weight of failure totally disappears. After all, it was all Billy's fault.<br /><br />(The working title for this story: Microsoft Word's Bullets & Numbering Feature)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/540-champions-pay-the-price">[linkback]</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-36695702990349086232007-07-30T19:54:00.000-06:002007-07-30T20:03:31.898-06:00Where's my supper?Sometimes you have to ask the wife where the dinner is. If it's not done, what's holding it up? It may be a hard question to ask, but tough questions like that could shed light on a part of the "process" that's ripe for improvement.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/544-why-isnt-it-done-yet">[linkback]</a>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-73138552558894179862007-07-30T16:23:00.000-06:002007-07-30T16:49:06.747-06:00In the presence of mediocrityLast night a few friends and I went to see the musical, "Lady of Mishap: A Young Girls Tale" at the <a href="http://www.robertaonthearts.com/id381.html">National Opera House in Vilnuis</a> and directed by <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=Kalligram+Vildshnap&spell=1">Kalliglam Vildshnap</a>. If you've ever wondered what happens to the terrible noises animals make during child birth once they leave the atmosphere, I can tell you that Vishnap has found a way to bring at least a few back to earth.<br /><br />I'd never really heard any of the "musicians", if you can call them that, and I hope never to again.<br /><br />Everyone in the crowd was unfortunate to be in the presence of mediocrity last night. We’re all much worse off for it.<br /><br />It reminded me again just how bad it is to be in the presence of disaster. Whether it's watching four-year-olds play soccer or listening to a middle school orchestra or sitting on a hard chair having bad food with annoying people, nothing kills inspiration or suffocates hope like suffering in quiet desperation while lesser men abuse your five (or six) senses. Where else, besides a quarantined ebola village, can just <span style="font-style: italic;">being there</span> be so bad for you?<br /><br />[<a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/543-in-the-presence-of-greatness">linkback</a>]RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-13618946388851522602007-07-24T15:23:00.000-06:002007-07-24T15:27:58.972-06:00Recent Job Board posts: Us<a href="http://www.38thsignal.com">The 38th Signal</a> is looking for a Brad, since ours never writes anything.<br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/532-recent-job-board-posts-happy-cog-jibjab-sapient-etc"><br />[linkback]</a>RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-88778149434044597442007-07-24T10:21:00.000-06:002007-07-24T10:37:18.347-06:00Phone tells you that someone has called.I just noticed something really useful on my cell phone. If you click the All Calls option on the phone, you'll see a list of recent outgoing, incoming, and missed calls. The phone doesn't just keep track of calls you've sent, but also calls you've received. It even tells you who called, displaying their name if they're in your phone book or just their number if they're not, and whether or not you missed their call.<br /><br />That’s just plain thoughtful! I just love stuff like that. The little details that make you go “Ah ha!”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.wirelessinfo.com/images/upload/Image/reviews/images/lg/choclate/screens/call-history-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://images.wirelessinfo.com/images/upload/Image/reviews/images/lg/choclate/screens/call-history-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I didn't recognize the latest number, so I called the number and found out that it was someone I know.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/531-iphone-tells-you-where-someone-is-calling-from">[linkback]</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4553356679377375938&postID=8877814943404459744"></a>RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-79866231196984713042007-07-11T10:04:00.000-06:002007-07-12T11:22:46.861-06:005 business lessons from Optimus Prime<a href="http://www.wikiality.com/Optimus_Prime">How Autobots became the Anti-Decepticons</a> explores the interesting formula for success that lead Autobot Optimis Prime (and his successor Rodimus Prime) implemented: Take care of your robots, fight evil, blow things up, go really fast, and be more than meets the eye. In addition, sell toys - this adds an extra 20 percent in revenue each year to speaking engagements and public demonstrations.<br /><br />5 lessons revealed in the article:<br /><br />1. Take care of your robots.<br /><br /><blockquote>"The Autobots average pay, for example, is 15% higher than Megatron's Decepticons. While Megatron rules with an authoritative iron fist, akin to the early Ford legacy, the Primes have taken a more open model of leadership by empowerment, following trends set by pioneer CEOs Rupert Murdoch and Jeff Bezos. In addition, the Autobots employment package has a comprehensive health plan, including dental, and Ratchet is available for emergency services 24/7."</blockquote><br /><br />2. Fight Evil<br /><br /><blockquote>"Optimus Prime is a huge fan of the Google motto for businesses: don't be evil. He's very open about what people get from his team: world-class defense services against the forces of evil. 'I think people recognize that we're here to fight evil,' said Optimus in a recent interview. 'The Autobot brand is synonymous with waging our battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons. People understand that even though we're robots in disguise, we can't stay worlds apart. I can't stress how important that message is on a personal level, both for me and my leadership team.'"</blockquote><br /><br />3. Blow Things Up<br /><br /><blockquote>"The core of Autobot market appeal is that despite their humble stance towards resolving conflicts without violence, they still seem to wind up in the middle of some of the best pyrotechnics modern science could imagine. Business growth is leveraged from the simultaneous message of peaceful coexistence and near-erotic levels of violence."</blockquote><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhCtVq5iIa0">Continued...</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/505-5-business-lessons-from-costco">[linkback] </a>RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-60994091269909880782007-07-06T09:31:00.001-06:002007-07-08T00:24:39.634-06:00[Screens Around The House] Holes, Tools, Removal Tabs<b>HOLES</b><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/Ro5jexwBJ5I/AAAAAAAAABI/BfHlEM174A0/s1600-h/IMG_0405.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/Ro5jexwBJ5I/AAAAAAAAABI/BfHlEM174A0/s400/IMG_0405.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084110409749833618" /></a><br />Charles Pleasanton writes:<br />"I laughed hysterically at this! There's a big hole, right there in the corner!"<br /><br /><b>TOOLS</b><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/RpCDBxwBJ8I/AAAAAAAAABo/yqBf8Eis3dY/s1600-h/IMG_0413.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/RpCDBxwBJ8I/AAAAAAAAABo/yqBf8Eis3dY/s400/IMG_0413.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084708045859137474" /></a><br />Uma Emerson writes:<br />"This screen is impervious to puncture, so you can rest easy when placing garden tools precariously close by. Bravo!"<br /><br /><b>REMOVAL TABS</b><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/Ro5nARwBJ7I/AAAAAAAAABY/m3B74DFw7TE/s1600-h/IMG_0411.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9A7kCXGGU38/Ro5nARwBJ7I/AAAAAAAAABY/m3B74DFw7TE/s400/IMG_0411.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084114283810334642" /></a><br />Hal Smithburg writes:<br />"This sort of thing never ceases to amaze me... To remove this screen, I <i>guess</i> you're supposed to grab ahold of that tiny little tab, yank on it until the screen has been dislodged, and carefully lift the whole thing to the ground. Ridiculous! A hydraulic ejection system would have been much simpler!"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/481-screens-around-town-xbox-sharp-and-r-mail">[linkback]</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-17995109796669765582007-07-05T09:36:00.000-06:002007-07-05T11:33:04.006-06:00A reminder about the power of going door to door.We've noticed how a lot of our customers don't have computers or phones, and like to spend most of their time in the dark with the shades drawn. That explains why a lot of them hadn't heard about our recent article in <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Stories/SpaceScience/Monstersquid">National Geographic for Kids</a>.<br /><br />Luckily for us we try hard to keep in touch with our customers in the way that makes sense for them: by going door to door. After a recent round of "pounding the pavement" as we like to call it, we got a lot of great feedback about where our company is going and how we're affecting our customers' day to day experience:<br /><br />"You kids get the sam hell off my lawn!!!!"<br />George Smith - Plotzville, NY<br /><br />"Oh how wonderful! Would you like to come in and see my collection of doilies? Please do. Please? Come back!!"<br />Edith Jenkins - Sioux Falls, SD<br /><br />"Oooh, I love web apps! I'll take three! Extra crispy!"<br />Jacob Johnson - Charleston, SC<br /><br />Great feedback, and we couldn't have gotten it unless we'd gone straight to the source. That's the power of door to door.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/483-a-reminder-about-the-power-of-email">[linkback]</a>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-89022967869822779532007-07-03T09:45:00.000-06:002007-07-03T16:59:39.876-06:00The Way to Wealth: Plunder the Saxon Dogs...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KXVCf3mcM4T2Zv1pvil_zdqy_uraMm3vx2Ds7q_cE2B-3AchMETxGH58NBSRqx-eP3ZWSWHX_h8ZYWQxloAiduSW1P9B7A9Y_apmei0pilLjuJMCC_M5R6eZVJ5WSG7hnmPDp2Oi0T8/s1600-h/4600BdMs20_cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 202px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KXVCf3mcM4T2Zv1pvil_zdqy_uraMm3vx2Ds7q_cE2B-3AchMETxGH58NBSRqx-eP3ZWSWHX_h8ZYWQxloAiduSW1P9B7A9Y_apmei0pilLjuJMCC_M5R6eZVJ5WSG7hnmPDp2Oi0T8/s320/4600BdMs20_cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083095351314481234" border="0" /></a>Sometimes the wisest thoughts comes down to us through the ages from the drunken babblings of our barbaric ancestors. Is there really much difference between a salesman in a boardroom and a woad-coated, mead-sotted warrior rushing across a field with an axe besides a nice tie and maybe a bit fresher breath?<br /><br />Every few days, we try to get back to the basics by reading some of the observations from one of the great luminaries of the 5th century, Bjarne Frank's Bane. Listen to a few of his thoughts, and see how easy they are to apply to today's business landscape:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The dull axe hackes no bone<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">If you want to know the value of monie, try hiding it from Thorkal One Eye<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">A fish in the beard is a snack for later<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Buy what you do not need, and soon you will need to pillage Mercia<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />It’s easier to suppress the first desire than to explain it to Brunehilde Ravenscreech<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />A flagon in hand is wurth two spilt on the tabel<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />A peasant on his legs is higher than a peasant with no legs.<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />If you want to bee wealthie, don't farm Northumbria<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Mead-courage is the best courage</span><br /><br />...and so on.<br /><br />If you've ever wondered where gems like "Never trust that thieving bastard Sven Thrall Hewer" or "A life of leesure and a life of lazyness are two excellent things", now you know.<br /><br />Sadly, wisdom like this wasn't often written in books and our only surviving copies are in <a href="http://www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk/">Jorvik</a>. If you're in the area it's worth a visit; if not, you'll can get most of this wisdom listening carefully in the mead halls of your elders.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/503-the-way-to-wealth-the-best-business-book-is-also-the-shortest">[linkback]</a>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-14689268063800724372007-06-28T16:22:00.000-06:002007-07-03T16:48:42.313-06:00[eavesdrop] iPhones, UPS, and Salad<em>Some recent activity at our internal 38thSignal <a href="http://www.38thsignal.com/">FuneralPyre</a> chat room:</em><br /><br /><strong>iPhones</strong><div id="eavesdrop"><table class="convo"><tbody id="talk"><tr class="message" style=""><td class="name">Tony</td><td class="body">AT&T & Apple announce iPhone service plans: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/apple/28807/">http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/apple/28807/</a></td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name">RJ</td><td class="body">My wife gets mad about $3 lattes.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><br /><strong>UPS alert</strong><div id="eavesdrop"><table class="convo"><tbody id="talk"><tr class="message"><br /><td class="name">RJ</td><td class="body">UPS is pretty cool. I just got an automated call from them telling me that my package was destroyed by their handlers in a game of rugby, and I'll need to order a new laptop.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name"><span style="display: none;">RJ</span><br /></td><td class="body">Such a great idea to give me a heads up like that.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name">Brad</td><td class="body">Isn't it?</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><br /><strong>Salad Price Plans</strong><div id="eavesdrop"><table class="convo"><tbody id="talk"><tr class="message"><td class="name">Tony</td><td class="body">Where do you want to go for lunch today?</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name">Brad</td><td class="body">How about Bennys?</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name">Tony</td><td class="body">They have an awesome salad. It has three different price plans.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name">Brad</td><td class="body">I love that there are just 3 plans.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name"><span style="display: none;">Brad</span><br /></td><td class="body">I love that there's unlimited croutons.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name">Tony</td><td class="body">Most places charge through the nose for croutons.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name">Brad</td><td class="body">of course most people will just look at the leaf type.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name"><span style="display: none;">Brad</span><br /></td><td class="body">And when you do that, it looks expensive.</td></tr><tr class="message"><td class="name"><span style="display: none;">Brad</span><br /></td><td class="body">But with unlimited croutons...it's a fair deal.</td></tr> <tr class="message"><td class="name">Tony</td><td class="body">And you can take home a doggy bag too, which is great.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/496-fly-on-the-wall-youtube-commenters-iphone-service-plans-ups">[linkback]</a>RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-14447840156028031582007-06-26T21:42:00.000-06:002007-07-03T16:49:38.509-06:00Ok, That's it, The Web, You're Officially On Notice.Alright, The Web, sit down and get cozy, because it's time we had a good chat. We've noticed how you've been experimenting lately with some new languages, trying some new things, expanding your palette, as it were. Well don't think for a second that we're going to let you get away with it. Nuh-uh.<br /><br />We've notice how you've been acting like you can do better than "web pages". Putting on airs as if you can act like your older brother, The Desktop. We'll, you're not The Desktop, and you never will be.<br /><br />We've worked hard to give you tables and ordered lists and various document object models and this is how you repay us? Why just the other day, we found you using plugins! Plugins!! In our Internet!<br /><br />Is our Javascript not good enough for you? Why, if you can't build things with Javascript how do you expect to build things with simpler, easier to use, more integrated languages? In my day we built web pages the hard way! It builds character! When we ran across a browser that didn't understand what we meant, why we added another "if" statement! And here you are, prancing around the Internet with your hifalutin "Works-the-same-on-all-platforms-with-no-extra-work" friends.<br /><br />Well, not anymore. Until further notice, no more plugins for you, young The Web. From here on out, you're on strictly animated gifs and css. You're going to build web pages the way they were meant to be built, and you'll like it! That canvas of yours is going to be restricted! Mark my words, You'd better believe it! Restricted!<br /><br />And another thing! Turn that Twitter down! An Internet can't think with all that blabber!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/487-what-if-i-actually-like-html-css-and-javascript">[linkback]</a>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-63561253107395485282007-06-22T09:05:00.000-06:002007-07-03T16:50:32.093-06:00Four hours upfront and then hit the barsWe recently decided to stop diving in too deep on tasks, ever. Instead, we're going to work in four hour chunks, and by chunks, we mean days. We start the work day around noon and then, after the first four hours or so, it's miller time.<br /><br />Why? When you've done too much, you get stressed. And stress is bad for everyone. It makes you a bad programmer and a bad project manager and somehow it seems to make your clients worse too. No one likes stress. A famous poet once said, "Stress is the thing I hate in a leisurely fashion." Bold words.<br /><br />Four hours is just enough time to start to see how the project will go from here, which is the perfect time to re-evaluate. It's the perfect time to stop and wonder, are we on track? Are we meshing as a team? Are we mitigating synergy? And nothing helps answer these sorts of questions like a few cold ones, 12 perfect strangers, and a karaoke machine. If you bring a co-worker, spend some time between rounds of darts discussing the different approaches you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">could have</span> taken to the problem thus far and whether the one you've chosen is the best. In agile development, we call this a "scrum". Scrums are always billable.<br /><br />You'll also notice that only working for four hours provides your team with a sense of mission and hope they didn't have otherwise. Ever notice how people are most productive when they know that something good, like a company potluck, is just around the corner? This is like that, only better, since it's beer instead of a potluck, and it's all the time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/469-four-hours-upfront-and-then-reevaluate">[linkback]</a>RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-58016928945911337592007-06-20T23:29:00.000-06:002007-07-03T16:51:22.010-06:00Designing for Lynx is LiberatingReally, how can you go wrong when designing for <a href="http://lynx.browser.org/">Lynx</a>?<br /><br />It's text! That's what HTML is all about. That's where it's come from, that's where it's going. Keep it simple, get to the point, and offer the user a fixed width link to your favorite <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher_%28protocol%29">gopher </a>server.<br /><br />Worried about platform compatibility? worry no more. Lynx supports text on any platform you choose. Just look at these beautiful, elegant designs on Windows:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPWuwYmUFgCRLbvP57AsG9q2dUdfaZa6Tyvy6CjWH3P3F2Y-Q-ClBtWpOu-hc0kHJdEq1F9bY3Cy66y7YNDPJqBQX92ef1VGG-2TqHn2qCbt2KLPHGm5-GN3Z41T4Rfcs3TWP3SAB1kg/s1600-h/lynx_win.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: none; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPWuwYmUFgCRLbvP57AsG9q2dUdfaZa6Tyvy6CjWH3P3F2Y-Q-ClBtWpOu-hc0kHJdEq1F9bY3Cy66y7YNDPJqBQX92ef1VGG-2TqHn2qCbt2KLPHGm5-GN3Z41T4Rfcs3TWP3SAB1kg/s320/lynx_win.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078392086730117890" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then Mac<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYt7CMX3eWNjpwX-017IiXOR-lFKFDCbjNeNkTBu3vPJXkTxzdEPkOAh_LmO9XHb5xpLz-i-8gEMjrp7TC5zKTZ_Yn6sI2if16Zt78yHOVJZ3WwclUp9H_OK3mVKg4gJbN28-bn6r2cUI/s1600-h/lynx_mac.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: none; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYt7CMX3eWNjpwX-017IiXOR-lFKFDCbjNeNkTBu3vPJXkTxzdEPkOAh_LmO9XHb5xpLz-i-8gEMjrp7TC5zKTZ_Yn6sI2if16Zt78yHOVJZ3WwclUp9H_OK3mVKg4gJbN28-bn6r2cUI/s320/lynx_mac.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078394560631280402" border="0" /></a><br />Now that's the Web with the certainty of good design for all!<br /><br />We don't need flashy graphics to make our point. If you really need an image, try some ASCII art. Simple and effective. Liberating.<br /><br /><br /><pre> .88888888:.<br /> 88888888.88888.<br /> .8888888888888888.<br /> 888888888888888888<br /> 88' _`88'_ `88888<br /> 88 88 88 88 88888<br /> 88_88_::_88_:88888<br /> 88:::,::,:::::8888<br /> 88`:::::::::'`8888<br /> .88 `::::' 8:88.<br /> 8888 `8:888.<br /> .8888' `888888.<br /> .8888:.. .::. ...:'8888888:.<br /> .8888.' :' `'::`88:88888<br /> .8888 ' `.888:8888.<br /> 888:8 . 888:88888<br /> .888:88 .: 888:88888:<br /> 8888888. :: 88:888888<br /> `.::.888. :: .88888888<br /> .::::::.888. :: :::`8888'.:.<br />::::::::::.888 ' .::::::::::::<br />::::::::::::.8 ' .:8::::::::::::.<br />.::::::::::::::. .:888:::::::::::::<br />:::::::::::::::88:.__..:88888:::::::::::'<br />`'.:::::::::::88888888888.88:::::::::'<br /> `':::_:' -- '' -'-' `':_::::'` </pre><br /><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/475-designing-for-the-iphone-is-a-refreshing-experience">[linkback]</a>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4553356679377375938.post-52906721818972345272007-06-15T09:16:00.000-06:002007-07-03T16:30:21.458-06:00Wireframing with the blood of your enemiesI’ve always preferred sketching UIs with the blood of my enemies over a thin ballpoint pen or finely sharpened pencil.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrgqY0jXTOBa4YlXqB4MHZzMLCH7kO0uM0PQXL-R9yF9xwB92yy4iurE83adOQpjOg18jFfWvMnOlCLUKIlrktT5qmse5aV_xj9ZP-aVs9VPJ1mciVX_Mm9e47Lq6hCr5Dr2i3tr8x9w/s1600-h/blood_ballpoint_flat_f01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 100%; height: 829px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNrgqY0jXTOBa4YlXqB4MHZzMLCH7kO0uM0PQXL-R9yF9xwB92yy4iurE83adOQpjOg18jFfWvMnOlCLUKIlrktT5qmse5aV_xj9ZP-aVs9VPJ1mciVX_Mm9e47Lq6hCr5Dr2i3tr8x9w/s400/blood_ballpoint_flat_f01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076316237748534706" border="0" /></a><br /><p>Ballpoints and fine tips just don’t convey the same sense of malice and dominance as blood. Fine tips invite you to <em>draw</em> while blood invites you to visualize your concept obliterating the competition. When you sketch with a thin tip you tend to spend too much time worrying about making it look good. Using blood encourages you to ignore extraneous details and focus on what matters: the annihilation of your rivals and the subjugation of their people. You can almost hear the women weeping.<br /></p><p></p><p>If you're a designer, try this out next time you're sketching. You'll find your focus improves, and that's a good thing.<br /></p><br /><a href="http://www.37signals.com/svn/posts/466-sketching-with-a-sharpie">[linkback]</a>RJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02716003236306728379noreply@blogger.com