Using Mission Control Desktops
In order to reduce distractions while I am working, yet still have the benefit of having these applications running, I use multiple Mission Control desktops on my Macintosh computers. In short, I work, with focus, on Desktop 1; respond to email on Desktop 2; IM and Tweet from Desktop 3; and manage my time and activity on Desktop 4. Here’s why and how it works. Each desktop has a purpose Desktop 1 is my work desktop.
Project Specific Data
One of my personal workflow bugbears has always been managing project specific data. Data like project specific contacts (who to call for what for a given project); IP’s, logins and passwords (for servers, VPN’s, specific applications, client LAN’s); and account information (hosting, third party vendors and project specific subscriptions). I have finally nailed a way to do this that works just great for me and my markdown flow (See The Markdown Mindset).
The Missing Feature Fallacy
If I had a dollar for every time a potential customer told me that they would buy my product if it just had this one missing feature, I’d have enough to pay rent, in a penthouse, in New York, with a view, for a year. The assertion is that the customer would buy the product if I would implement the specified missing feature. The counterpoint assertion is that the customer perceives the product as useless without this missing feature, and the product becomes useful only because of the missing feature.
Old Farts Know How to Code
Nick Bradbury nails it in Old Farts Know How to Code: “Old farts” are often excluded from that (Ed: startup) culture, not because we’re lousy coders but because we won’t put up with that shit. We have lives, we have families, we have other things that are important to us. We’re not about to sleep at our desks and trade watching our kids grow up for the promise of striking it rich.
Please Learn to Write
Michael Lopp, writing in Rands in Repose, counterpoints the current meme of “Learning to Code” in Please Learn to Write, great article. Love how he compares writing to programming: Writing appears more forgiving because there is no compiler or interpreter catching your its/it’s issues or reminding you of the rules regarding that or which. Here’s the rub: there is a compiler and it’s fucking brutal. It’s your readers. Your readers are far more critical than the Python interpreter.
Stylizing my Services Agreement
I believe that everything that a person or company delivers to another should reflect their image, style, nature, professionalism and character. Which is why the look of the Noverse Professional Services Agreement drove me mad. Don’t get me wrong. My attorney and his team are absolutely brilliant. The contract content is the best, it’s well written, well balanced, contains all the right terms and conditions for both sides, and my clients are all very happy to sign it as is.
Distributed Note Taking
I have switched over to and finally locked in on a new distributed note taking process, using Elements on the iPad, Dropbox synching, TextExpander file naming and nvAlt on the Mac. Here’s how I got to this point, and how it works. Going electronic, the old way Since I switched over to the iPad from a paper notepad about two years ago, I used Penultimate and a stylus to scribble notes.
Zombie email
So, I decided today to archive my old emails, and that meant connecting to the Google Apps holding pen for my last hedge fund which closed in 2009. This is a zombie email account I have not looked at in more than two years. There were a lot of emails in it. None of which I wanted or needed. Surely by now, everyone knows that the company is gone and the email address is defunct.
My own support call line
My ideal vendor support line is a direct number to call the exact person I need to speak to for support. Unfortunately, this is not economic for vendors, especially since I may never call this lucky, and quite bored, person for support. My second worst vendor support line is the most common, a 1800 number that puts one in the queue, where you wait, listening to a robotic voice tell you how long you still need to wait, like a lump.
Apple Cinema HD Display circa 2003
That’s right kids, I am still using the old 23" Apple Cinema HD Display I purchased in 2003, 9 years ago, before Apple went all aluminium. I use an ADB to DVI adapter to connect it to the Mac Pro. I love its matte screen, 1080p support and the fact that I have to prop it up using old Final Cut manuals. It still works great, though.