March 2010

December boys got it bad

Merlin Mann does the late Alex Chilton more justice than I could have. No matter if you are a fan or never heard of Alex Chilton of Big Star, this post give the goods.

Rest, we will miss your inspiration.

Even if he hadn’t written and performed about 10 of my favorite songs, Alex Chilton would still be a giant influence on me. The guy was a totally self-defined and unflappable contrarian.

Read on kung fu grippe “December boys got it bad”

The real Rx for iPhone - Let Apple Be Apple

Another piece that has me wondering how these authors and analysts are able to meek out a living from writing baseless opinions on how Apple could better it's products. If Apple were in a downward spiral or even just plateauing I could see a market for these articles.

The thesis of the latest piece from Rick Merritt or EE Times asserts the following pearl of wisdom

The Apple iPhone should embrace Adobe Flash, microSD cards, multitasking and near-field communications.

The article is based on an opinion piece sent out by J. Gerry Purdy of MobileTrax LLC. Since MobileTrax and Mr. Purdy are already household names, we should be listening intently.

Mr Purdy is quoted as saying:

"It befuddles my imagination to figure out why Apple refuses to do things that would further please customers"

That iPad, would clearly further please customers if it came packaged with a free iMac. Said iMac would further please if it included a free iPhone. Lastly that iPhone should have a Palm Pre and a Moto Droid duct taped to it.

B. James MacDonald of FunctionSwitch.net wrote in this piece:

"it appears Apple is doing just fine, with the stock over $200.00 and over 100,000 pre-orders for the iPad they are stuck in a rut. The rut just happens to be a successful rut."

We won't even get to the part where they say the iPhone needs Verizon or Sprint.

Michael Vaughn Wants To Adapt Gaiman's Sandman

Oh I am so unsure of how I feel about this. Stardust was a fine movie, but it was a simple story comparatively.

Sandman was the comic that brought me back to comics. Reading Sandman was a very special part of my life and introduced me to one of my favorite authors.

If any outfit could give it the correct footing HBO is it.

Read more here

Michael Vaughn - Wants To Adapt Gaiman's Sandman | Geekosystem

The iPad is a failure!!

The iPad pre-orders started last week, reports have placed them at over 100,000 so far. After the start of the frenzy the PC anti-Apple trolls started spewing their hate. One of my favorite pieces so far was this from PCWorld's Galen Gruman in his article iPad Pre-Orders: For Idiots Only

After all, the first-generation iPad is particularly likely to have disappointments, as it's the version that will tell us what, after the hoopla dies down, Apple should have done.

You know what, shut up! THis is the same crap that preceded the iMac and the iPhone both of which have been spectacular successes. I reserved on myself, I admit want one even if I don't know what to expect. Will it fail, I doubt it, but if you look at the numbers from Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt the jig is up.

After the initial burst of excitement on Friday that saw iPad pre-orders coming in at the rate of 25,000 per hour, there was a dramatic fall-off over the weekend.

Any idiot could have predicted a drop off, why is that news? If they completely stopped selling, that would be news.

I predict that iPad, iPhone and Apple bashing will take a dramatic drop-off after hell freezes over.

Ownership

Now a few months into 2010 and I've become somewhat reflective about the past 10 years. This is a bit of a followup to my Lemons post this week with a different bent.

My adult life started in 1998 when I graduated from college, moved to DC from Michigan and thought I knew what I wanted to do.

I was wrong, but it turned out just right.

My role has evolved over time but I've been in front of one or more computers doing technical work for over 10 years. I am not a developer, but a technical project manager, analyst and strategist. I love that I am in this arena, I thrive on the potential of breaking ground, exploring uncharted territories, improving a faltering system and just utilizing technology to make things better.

Thinking about what I love and hate in my part of this industry leads to an internal debate of "do I prefer working in software products or services?" When I've worked directly on an internal software solution, I've had the pleasure of direct intervention and a certain dedication to my work. Services on the other hand typically have me working on someone else's designs. This often leaves me little or no control in how development is shaped and what the final product becomes.

What really ends up speaking to me in the end is simple.

Ownership!

I have to have buy in or interest in what I am working on. If the project I'm involved in allows me to truly be integral and an interested party, I thrive. A project driven by a client or manager with no interest in making the project great, I falter. I want to own my work even if I don't own the end product. I want to be able to stand next to my work and state with no hesitation that I did something I measure as great.

My Dad has often given me some wonderful advice, things that drive him. His wisdom does not come in direct action on a problem, but more of overall guiding principals.

I am in charge of my own happiness.

Cameron Moll: Designer, Speaker, Author New Design, New Host, and Tumblr: How, Why

Cameron Moll on his site redesign and homage to Gruber.

The premise for this realign encompassed a concept that wasn’t original, but one that I felt better suited my style of blogging.

This style of blogging was most likely pioneered by John Gruber and has been repeated several times over by others since then.

Cameron Moll: Designer, Speaker, Author New Design, New Host, and Tumblr: How, Why

Lemons

Last week I began posting obscure messages about change and opportunities for change using a lemons to lemonade theme.

One post that resonated with me is this

I'm ready to be better than some perceive. Forget my worth and I will forget you.

It sums up my feelings to a T.

I readily admit that I'm human and require others to value my contributions.

As such I am seeking just that, I am seeking a value from those around me. My life has followed a steady theme, move around often enough to keep fresh and make changes when things are not in my favor, remain as long as I have value and receive value in turn. I have no allusions about what I can and do contribute to my field. I am a very strong personality, I have a solid and comprehensive base set of skills and expertise and I am as loyal as you deserve.

I thrive in community environs, I like interaction, give and take and respect foreach individual's role in the entire process. No one person should ever be the sole source of credit for a team's accomplishments, just the same for failures.

In order to make a team work, each member from the top to the bottom needs to understand and work with the other members specific abilities. When you forget the value of an individual, you forget the value of a team.

All this said, I am seeking a recipe for the lemons I see ripening on my trees.