Archive of March 2008
Enterprise PC shop's switch to Apple hits an unexpected snag
“I didn’t see this coming at all,” said Dale Frantz, CIO of Tacoma, Washington-based Auto Warehousing Co.
See the technology nightmare that changing over to Macs would be, right? Nope. The reason for Auto Warehousing Co.‘s difficulties isn’t the technology; it’s employees thinking that an Apple infrastructure is exorbitantly expensive, when, according to Frantz, it’s actually about $1.5 million cheaper than Microsoft’s.
04:13 PM[Frantz] spent the next month explaining to everyone who would be affected the many reasons for the technology swap. Among those is the more than $1.82 million the company calculates it will save over the next three years. That’s what it would cost to upgrade [Microsoft] software licenses if the company remained on PCs; in contrast, the total cost of switching to Macintoshes is $335,000.
Dvorak: The iPhone is No Desktop
Venerable PC Magazine curmudgeon John C. Dvorak’s most recent rant argues that the iPhone is not going to replace the PC. Only problem is, no one ever said it would.
Everyone thinks that the iPhone is going to be the next major computing platform. Some even hope that it will replace the laptop as the primary PC platform.
Who, exactly, is hoping the iPhone will replace the laptop as the primary PC platform? And what does “primary PC platform” even mean?
Dvorak goes on to conflate the terms platform and form factor, and then introduces the problematic term model:
The desktop computer—whether it’s a Mac or PC—is the best model for computing—certainly better than an iPhone.
What are we talking about here? What does “best model” even refer to? What kind of “computing” are we talking about? Working on a giant spreadsheet, or checking our email in a cab?
This article showcases a complete lack of intellectual rigor. Dvorak, in typical form, is making cooky, idiotic, unsubstantiated statements to draw attention to himself. Either that, or he’s just an idiot.
01:08 PMRosencrans Baldwin on Obama
My sentiments exactly.
And then I say Obama is the first candidate in my voting experience who seems like he means what he says, and says what I feel. Who is of my generation; whom I get, and who inspires me. I’ve read his book, I’ve watched his speeches; I am head over heels, with no compunction. Because I feel myself taking a risk when I say I believe in him, since in my reflexive skepticism I rarely say I believe in anything. If Obama is elected president, of course the game will stay crooked; and instead of speeches we’ll get compromises; and something will fall apart. But for now I prefer the fantasy of what might come to pass, rather than the realpolitik of recent history.
From his letter published in The Morning News, March 18
11:22 PMA new era in web typography starts today
Apple released Safari 3.1 today — the first major browser that I’m aware of to include downloadable web font technology using the CSS @font-face rule. This means that you can now spec non-standard fonts for your web pages without using workarounds like sIFR. Of course, this won’t become widespread until more browsers implement this technology.
Check out this test page (it’ll only look impressive in Safari 3.1) and the A List Apart article on how to implement it.
Immediate drawbacks I see:
- could raise font pirating concerns, since URLs for downloading the source fonts are publicly accessible
- it only appears to work with TrueType fonts, not PostScript or more modern OpenType fonts (though this makes sense since only TrueType has truly widespread support)
Apple design methodology: 10 to 3 to 1
Apple senior engineering manager Michael Lopp reveals Apple’s process for designing software. Nothing shocking, but (obviously) good thinking, including these highlights:
- create 10 different pixel-perfect mock-ups of how a feature could be implemented
- whittle down to 3, then explore further
- whittle down to 1
- take months, not weeks, to do this
- meet twice a week with the whole team; one meeting to be creative and come up with ideas, one meeting to talk about implementing those ideas
(Via IxDA.)
10:31 PM“The ones that said I was talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn’t sing, that I was a one-hit wonder,” she said. “They pushed me to be better, and I am grateful for their resistance.”
No room to spare: creating a product definition statement
Apple released their iPhone Software Development Kit yesterday for developers looking to build bona fide, native iPhone apps. Along with it, they included a new version of the their iPhone Human Interface Guidelines.
Apple’s HIGs are fantastic in how readable they are — they’re written in such simple, inviting language. (Check out the icon design guidelines for Mac OS X.) No jargon that you’d usually see in this type of technical guideline documentation.
One thing in particular that struck me in the iPhone HIG is a section on creating a product definition statement (requires free registration). An excerpt:
Before you begin designing your application, it’s essential to define precisely what your application does. A good way to do this is to craft a product definition statement—a concise declaration of your application’s main purpose and its intended audience. Creating a product definition statement isn’t merely an exercise. On the contrary, it’s one of the best ways to turn a list of features into a coherent product.
How cool is it that Apple is providing guidelines not only for how an application should look and feel and behave, but even a process for how you should go about conceiving your application?
The HIG continues:
A good product definition statement is a tool you can use throughout the development process to determine the suitability of features, tools, and terminology. It’s especially important to eliminate those elements that don’t support the product definition statement, because iPhone applications have no room to spare for functionality that isn’t focused on the main task. [Emphasis added.]
This idea of creating a definition statement at the outset is so important; it could apply just as well to someone starting a company, or even just writing an email. In either case, it’s so easy to get distracted and to lose sight of your core goal. In today’s information-overloaded and attention span-underloaded world, we rarely have “room to spare”.
11:35 AMGood writing is good user interface design
Writing is an exercise in user interface design. You have to think about your readers — anticipate their expectations, their level of knowledge about your subject, how much time they have, and so on — and then craft your text to accordingly. Just like good UI design, good writing is all about respect.
I’m always blown away by the lack of consideration shown when someone forwards an email or sends an email with an attachment and no additional description. Can you imagine plopping a package into someone’s lap without saying a word, and walking away in silence?
When you’re crafting your next email (or whatever you’re writing), think about the interface you’re designing between your message and your readers. Give ‘em a little respect!
11:14 PM