When interviewing software developers I often ask them to define the term usability. What I’m really asking is, “have you ever thought much about how your users interact with your software?” This is a rather important aspect of software design.
Archive for February, 2009
usability > easy_to_use. Can you define usability?
Posted in How To, tagged design, interaction, usability on February 20, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Number Crunch Brunch
Posted in Hacker Challenge on February 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
We now join our hero, Captain Constructor, at Decidability Deli where he is brunching with his arch-nemesis, Doctor Destructor. (The thoughts and ideas presented herein by Doctor Destructor are expressed in a shade of red, while those of Captain Constructor are blue.)
So you see, my good captain, the number of infinities is itself infinite.
Of course. And the number of finities is finite. By the way, are you enjoying that Pi?
Yes, yes! It’s absolutely irrational! But back to more serious matters. I have just discovered a delightful sequence of numbers which is sure to stump you until well after the end of the universe.
On second thought, perhaps inviting you to brunch was a sub-good idea. Must we talk numbers now?
Usually you are quite game, Captain. There must be something debilitating in that Turing Tart of yours.
Sadly, I think you’re right. Yet I cannot resist.
Every Achilles has his heel. Just like every cowboy sings a sad, sad song.
Every villain likes to hear himself talk. On with the number sequence!
Dr. Destructor clears his throat and begins…
Power to the People: Rackspace Cloud Files and Amazon S3
Posted in Random Stuff on February 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Amazon was first, but Rackspace/Mosso is giving them something to think about. Check out this quantitative comparison between the Rackspace and Amazon cloud storage solutions.
The Limelight metrics are especially awesome. CDNs used to be ridiculously expensive and difficult to use, usually requiring massive amounts of cash, lawyers, paper, and coffee. Now, all that power is in the hands of the people. I’m excited about the trend toward democratization in the broader market. I hope the trend continues with other areas of tech and communication services. What would you like to see?
Full disclosure: I work for Jungle Disk, a fully-owned subsidiary of Rackspace.
Gone in a Moment: What Really Matters
Posted in Essays on February 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
A few days ago my family called to tell me there had been a fire at my parent’s house. Luckily, everyone got out OK. But they lost almost everything they owned.
It’s made me think a lot about what’s really important. When I leave this life, I won’t even get to take the clothes on my back. All I’ll have is my legacy, my relationships, and my soul.
Hackers tend to get obsessive about projects they are working on or companies they are trying to start. They would do well to ease off some and spend more time serving their community and being with the people they love.
Because, at the end of the day, that’s all you’ve got.
