Sep

23

Mini-Book Review: A Case of Exploding Mangoes

Filed Under In the life, Musings, Review | Leave a Comment

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Book Cover: A Case of Exploding Mangoes

Yikes! This is waaay overdue (sorry about that) The Mini-Book Expo concept is , yet I managed to blow Rule # 4:

Blog it.

* Post something about the within a month of getting it

So, without further ado, here’s my mini !

Title: A Case of Exploding Mangoes
Author: Mohammed Hanif
Publisher: Random House (Canada)

Quick Takes

Pre-read thoughts: This might be interesting. A newsy event (death of Pakistan’s leader) related as a mystery. And other reviews seem to think it mildly amusing. Who knows, I may learn something.

Part-way through: This is one weird-ass .  There’s not enough of a distinction, so maybe the humour is subtle. Yeah, that’s it. Or ironic satire…hmm, but wait, it’s based on reality so maybe there’s something here. I mean, our main character (the son of a disgraced (or not) famous general) is variably infatuated with a military academy room-mate who’s gone AWOL.

Then there’s this crow. A cursed crow. A crow carrying a curse against the dictator of the country!

Basically, there’s a lot of motivation in a lot of characters built up by this point. But the pace of the plot was slow! I could have ridden a Pakistani Pachyderm faster than this developed. Or maybe that was deliberate — an invisible homage to the slower pace of life in Pakistan.

But I’m still engaged, that’s a good thing.

The End: Ok. It’s over. Not a bad read. I learned a bit more about Pakistan. I learned more about the events surrounding the death of General Zia. I learned that I could read a that wasn’t a fast-paced Tom Clancey action adventure, and still pull some enjoyment from it.

My Take: Frankly, not my cup of tea. It was an interesting read, especially over the summer, but not my normal fare. I found myself wanting to skip ahead as the plot unfolded; yet hesitant to do so as there was the promise of brilliance here. Meh, it didn’t happen.

Sep

14

Google Chrome: a quick look and how to block ads with Privoxy

Filed Under Doing, How to, In the life, Review, Web | 4 Comments


Google Chrome Logo
Creative Commons License photo credit: Randy Zhang

Google Chrome is no Firefox (yet).

For the last week and a bit, off and on,  I’ve been using Chrome (’s new entry into the browser wars). On the 3 XP-based systems I’ve used it on, I’ve found it to be very fast, very efficient, and stable. Pretty good performance for a ‘beta’.

I do have concerns about the way Chrome appears to ‘monitor’ my surfing activity (by using Google Gears functionality), but then again, I use Gmail and other Google Apps so I’m sure the Big G knows all about me at this point.

But, without plugin extensibility, Chrome is currently a curiosity. I won’t be using it for my daily work.

One major annoyance is the lack of Adblock. The is a very marketing-heavy place, and I prefer to selectively view my advertising. The Adblock extension for Firefox allows this.

To achieve an advertising-reduced surfing with Chrome, I need to use Privoxy, a local managing Proxy server. It’s a quick install and seems to work flawlessly.

A solution to this for now is http://www.privoxy.org/

1.) Install Privoxy
2.) Click on the Wrench icon in Chrome in the upper right corner
3.) Choose options>Under The Hood>Change proxy settings
4.) A box pops up, choose LAN settings (at least this is what it’s called in Vista)
5.) Check off “Proxy settings” and in the address setting add127.0.0.1 and in the port 8118
6.) If you have the option, you can also check off “Bypass proxy for local settings”
7.) Click “Ok”, close chrome and restart it. 

Tada. Enjoy.

Geekzone provided the process (thanks guys!)

Aug

12

A fast and fun way to mockup almost anything

Filed Under Blogging, Doing, Review, Social Media | 3 Comments


A fast and fun way to mockup almost anything (image: )

Mockups…easy!
Part of the regular cycle is the user interface mockup. I’ve worked with many different including Google Sketchup and Adobe Photoshop to build representations for clients.

But nothing has been as quick, easy, and as Balsamiq Mockup, and (and /offline) user interface mockup tool for PC, Mac and .

version is $79, but the version is , with some limitations.

I’ve done a couple of small projects for personal work using the (5 minute nag screen) version.

Mocking up
Here’s how easy it is to use:

  1. Load up the default ‘demo’ page.
  2. Press Ctrl-A to select all default elements
  3. Press Delete to remove all default elements
  4. Start selecting and dragging in elements from the element bar at the top of the page (over 60 of them)
  5. Double-click on an element to edit its properties
  6. Repeat until you’ve got a mockup you’re happy with

A fast and fun way to mockup almost anything (image: )

Yes, it’s that easy.
With the version, you’re prompted every 5 minutes with an advertisement, but you can still save your work or print it out. Ads don’t get in the way of your workflow.

Developers have chosen a , look for the presentation because:

Balsamiq Mockups intentionally uses hand-drawn UI elements, so that don’t get attached to “that pretty color gradient” or think that your mockup has actual code behind it and is “practically done”.

A fast and fun way to mockup almost anything (image: )

This lets your focus on the functionality of the item and is generally more open to honest critique (which is what you want at the mockup stage).

Some other features of the version:

  • Export to Human-readable text
  • Import from text
  • Integrated into Confluence, with other apps in the pipe
  • Pre-drawn controls and icons
  • Very easy to use
  • :)

So, if User Interface , User , or website is your thing, you need to check out Balsamiq Mockup.
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Jun

20

How has the Logitech G15 (v2) fared after 6 months?

Filed Under In the life, Review | Leave a Comment


How has the Logitech G15 (v2) fared after 6 months? (image: 300px-Logitech_G15_v2)You may remember that I went through a rather interesting guarantee replacement with Logitech over the wearing paint on my original G15 keyboard. The short version is that they happily replaced it with a new, Version 2 G15.

I thought I’d take a moment and update my thoughts about it.

  1. I miss the three-key wide layout of the original G15. for , the bank of keys laid out three wide were much better than the existing single bank vertically aligned.
  2. I miss the blue key lighting. Amber is neat, but I still like the blue.
  3. The LCD display is a bit smaller. I may have to get glasses (not yet) to read my custom LCD Studio display…and that’s a neat thing.
  4. LCD Studio works fine with it. This allows for custom displays that you can configure for anything from in-game messages to current ammunition levels.
  5. USB Ports seem more stable. On the original G15 the seemed to draw more power, causing my computer to give me issue. With this the V2 G15, they’ve all gone away.

And as for the key paint? I’m getting a bit of shine on the space-bar and other commonly use keys, but the paint isn’t wearing through. I’m keeping my fingers crossed (which makes typing darned difficult!).

Jun

19

Key Messages from the Gerry McGovern Masterclass, Ottawa, May 5-6, 2008

Filed Under Blogging, How to, Review | 1 Comment


Wild Abandon
Creative Commons License photo credit: dandy_fsj

To wrap up this interview series with Krista Vieira, we’re featuring the Key Messages generated by conference attendees.

If you missed the interview series read these:

Key Messages from the Gerry McGovern Masterclass, Ottawa, May 5-6, 2008

  • We need a clarity of understanding of what our website is for.
  • To much choice = no choice.
  • We must focus on what our customers want. Why are they coming to our website? What task are they trying to complete?

Customers

Customers are:

  • Harsh, demanding and difficult
  • Skeptical and cynical of authority
  • Have the power on the - not the organization
  • Dictators, not kings
  • Impatient
  • Quick to use they’re favourite button - the Back button

reality #1: The takes the power to control information away from the organization and gives it to the .

The is about giving real information and facts. The allows to get to know a subject better or make a better decision. can comparison shop; read reviews; find out what other think, etc.

The is the land of A.D.D. We live in a money rich, time poor economy. Time is our most valuable resource. We measure our website’s success by the time it takes users to do something; the quicker they perform the task, the better. The sin of the modern economy - though shall not waste my time.

reality #2: Using the is not a planned activity; it’s rushed, impatient and hurried. are searching the in between commercial breaks, after they’ve put the children to bed, when they’re tired. Accept this: the is ALWAYS fitted in between something else.

Building

  • like themselves, not authority figures. They will the factory worker more than the CEO.
  • Give the truth on the not or marketing. This will build .
  • No one believes an organization is perfect, so they don’t expect it.

Importance of Simplicity

  • We read on the like we’re riding down an escalator.
  • needs to be direct and to the point. Think speed of action and clarity of message.
  • The is an active doing medium, so use the language of action. Don’t talk about what you’ve done or what you’re going to do. Don’t become the passive communicator, become the active facilitator of the .
  • Every time you add to your website, you complicate things. There is always a trade-off with simplicity. To make something more means something else will be more complicated. Focus on doing your top task well, then worry about the rest of the website.
  • Something that’s easy is immediately doable. Show by doing; don’t talk about it. For example: doesn’t have to explain to you how to search. The simplicity of it immediately makes it usable.
  • Don’t talk about an form, let use it.

Remember, websites are built from, and function, on words.

The is Self- or Having a Customer-Centric Website

Only having information on the is the greatest mismanagement of a website. are not coming to websites looking for information. Do you go to an information booth and just them to give you information? come to the to solve a problem.

Information only has value when associated with a task. Identify the most important tasks and make sure your customer’s can find them and complete them quickly.

reality #3: Sometimes we spend so much time doing things wrong, that we don’t have the time to do things right. The best websites focus on their top tasks and keep improving them. They find out how are reacting.
3 core rules of self-:

  1. Convenience
  2. Speed
  3. Price (the is the land of the cheap deal)

If you can’t do price, you’d better do the other two really well.

reality #4: Having a customer-centric website means the focuses on what the customer wants. When an organization doesn’t know its customers or what they want, they end up with a put-it-upper website: can you put this up for me by Thursday? The 20,000 page website is built by put-it-uppers.

Economies that aren’t successful put numerous steps in the way of their customers. For example, in Peru it takes 289 steps to set up a company.

We measure success by the amount of time it takes to do something.

To have a customer-centric website:

  1. Identify the top tasks
  2. Speak the language the customer is using. Don’t make them use the organization’s language.

The is where you go to do stuff. In order for a person to do something, a website must be useful. We must potty train our websites so we get rid of the we-we’s: We did this; we launched that.

We must focus on what the customer wants to do.

Additional Resources:

Jun

13

More cool sites from the Blogging Pack

Filed Under Blogging, Review, Social Media | Leave a Comment


Oh no, here come the Bloggers
Creative Commons License photo credit: Brett L.

It’s been a busy week, but I’ve always made time to visit some sites (and Digg/Stumble posts) within the Pack, which I describe in previous post. Only two sites profiled today…but they’re chock full of bloggy-goodness. Enjoy.

Jun

5

Just how easy can publishing on a Wordpress blog get?

Filed Under Blogging, Review, Social Media | 4 Comments


LCD Smartie running the BigNum plugin on a 20x4 Parallel LCD displal

via Wikipedia

Very easy. Ridiculously easy. Deliciously easy!

Zemanta is a plugin that works on the administrator side. Basically, it analyzes your post content, then starts recommending (like the one to the right) and links to other articles based on your post .

As well, when you set it up with your Amazon.com partner information, it’ll even automagically build links to they carry, such as this classic usability Don’t Make Me Think. Though I’m not sure how that’s working…need to play with it more.

Anyway, it is an interesting way to include more from around the web in your post, if you feel the need to use a utility to help you with your research :)

Just how easy can publishing on a Wordpress blog get? (image: )

Jun

2

Why trust strangers when you can trust your friends.

Filed Under Doing, Review, Social Media | Leave a Comment


Why trust strangers when you can trust your friends. (image: 1zoi5jt)GigPark is a new / word-of-mouth referral 2.0 and Facebook (whew!)

What all that jargon means is that if you’re looking for a plumber, accountant, real estate agent or magician you have a convenient place where you can your friends (or their friends).

The concept is ; invite your friends to GigPark, and then start asking them questions. Your questions are immediately visible to your friends, and their friends.

Friends, not strangers. What makes GigPark different is that you have a with the making recommendations - they are your friends or the friends of your friends, not weirdo strangers who may be plugging their own businesses.

When I signed up, one of the GigPark founders immediately became my ‘’ (through the magic of programming, I’m sure, since I never him). Lucky for me, he has 342 friends (everyone signed up to date?) so my query will have some pretty good reach.

To add friends, GigPark makes it easy, hooking into popular services. They’ve also developed a GigPark that you can add to your account.

Removing the complex and leaving the , this is similar to the ‘ & ’ feature in LinkedIn. You a of a trusted group and expect that the replies should be of higher quality, or so the theory goes.

My take: it’s a new so the jury is out. GigPark is still in , and from the FAQ, it looks like they’re going to be expanding the to individuals and businesses (they call them providers).

Eventually, I’m thinking it may have value, as the number of users increases. Then again, when you add more to the mix, the greater your chance of diluting the value of responses. And we’ll have to see how the providers fit into the mix.

Your thoughts? Are you on GigPark? If so, what’s your ?

Update: It’s only been a few hours since I posted my query on GigPark, and I’ve already received one response.

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