Aug

12

A fast and fun way to mockup almost anything

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

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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 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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Jul

24

Fear. Uncertainty. Doubt. Hyped DNS Exploit reporting helping or hurting?

Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment


That's interesting
Creative Commons License photo credit: kevindooley

Headline: Researchers unleash DNS attack code
Headline: Vulnerable to a DNS cache poisoning at home?
Headline: Attack Code Released for New DNS Attack

First off. This is a serious issue, make no doubt about it. But is the reporting hype surrounding this exploit appropriate? Here’s some quotes of that hype:

Yesterday’s exploit, explained Storms, lets an attacker poison a DNS server’s cache with a single malicious entry, but today’s attack code allows a hacker to poison large quantities of domains with one fell swoop. “This second exploit has the potential for a much larger impact,” said Storms, “and could result in potentially thousands of fake addresses inserted into a DNS server’s cache.

There is a risk on the horizon, according to experts that work
with and computer networks, and it is a sizable one.

A DNS Checklist would have sufficed.

  1. Become better informed about this issue. Here’s an overview of the exploit and what it means to you.
  2. Test your DNS service from your (Home & Work).
  3. If you fail the test, check with your Provider to ensure their DNS servers are going to be patched.
  4. Consider using OpenDNS if you aren’t convinced your is handling things correctly.
  5. Use a ‘phishing aware’ browser such as FireFox3.

That’s it. Peace-of-mind can return.

Or can it? What do you think? Have you tested your DNS? Post your thoughts or results in the comments below.

Jun

4

Absolutely the best explaination of Social Media — Common Craft delivers, again!

Filed Under Blogging, How to, Social Media | 1 Comment


A great and video explanation of Social Media. Wikipedia couldn’t do better :)

I’m sure you’ve heard the buzz. may be the next big thing. What’s it all about? This is in Plain English.

Let’s take a visit to Scoopville - a town that’s famous for ice cream. For over 20 years, Big Ice Cream Company has been making high quality ice cream with a big factory in town.

A few years back, the company did focus groups and found out that they could maximize profits by offering three flavors: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

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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May

29

Use Web 2.0 tools to save time and be more productive

Filed Under How to, In the life, Social Media | Leave a Comment


Someone's Lost Schedule Book
Creative Commons License photo credit: ASurroca

For a while I’ve been using a few 2.0 applications that, on their own, are great, but when when partnered with other 2.0 apps, become superstar efficiency optimizers.

The applications
Consider Jott, IWantSandy, and Twitter.

Jott is a to text . You call a number, say your message, and moments later it’s emailed to you (or a group), turned into a reminder, added to a list, or sent to 2.0 applications (called Jott ).

IWantSandy is a ‘virtual assistant’. She’s able to manage your , build and manage lists, manage groups, and share your lists with others.

is a ’status update’ that allows you to post your status (your to the “What are you doing?”).

Connections are key
Standalone, they’re all good, solid, 2.0 applications. But where they really begin to shine is when you let them talk to each other, and other applications. Here’s a example:

  • Use to have Sandy remind you to backup your blog on the 13th of each month
  • In the window type d s r the blog on June 13, 2008 @monthly
  • which means Direct message to Sandy (s is Sandy’s name), Reminder (r) …(the text Sandy is to remember) on June 13, 2008 (the start date of the reminder) @monthly (a special Sandy tag to make the event repeat.

Depending how you’ve got Sandy set up, you’ll be reminded through , or SMS message to your mobile device (or all three).

AFK? Use Jott When I’m out and about, I use Jott to work with Sandy to get things done. Here’s the same example using Jott:

  • (Dial into local Jott number, Jott answers) Who do you want to Jott?
  • (Me) Sandy.
  • (Jott) Sandy.(repeats to confirm) Is this correct?
  • (Me) Yes.
  • (Jott) Got it. BEEP-TONE-TO-RECORD
  • (Me) Reminder. the Blog on June 13th 2008. Tag Monthly.

Extending further
, Jott and IWantSandy all embrace openness, to varying degrees. Depending how you configure each, they can update your calendar ( Calendar, 30Boxes, etc), your local through CSV or iCal files, really the sky is the limit.

So, what have I missed? How are you using these (or other applications) to make your life easier?

May

27

Things I learned moving my blog to a new hosting service (it’s easy!)

Filed Under Blogging, How to | 3 Comments


Things I learned moving my blog to a new hosting service (its easy!) (image: 2526037333_07b840e3ec_o)Over the last few weeks you’ll may have noticed that I’ve been and twittering about my blog from the .net to .com.

A few years ago I managed to grab BradGrier.com when it came open, but I’d not decided what to do with it until recently. I’d been having some performance issues (my blog, that is) and decided to test a new hosting provider.

So, the issue. How to move the blog, keep the same look and feel, not lose any Google Juice, and not lose any feed subscribers. Not a trivial set of considerations!

Of course, I turned to my good for advice:

  • How to Move Your Wordpress Blog To A New Web hosting - great technical advice on backing up and restoring your WP blog
  • Use the WordPress Database Backup plugin - I wrote about it recently when my blog crashed, but backups created with it are entirely suitable for use in blog migration
  • Redirecting incoming traffic to the new blog - well, since I’m using the same data structures and permalink structure, the only is one from .net to .com, this was quite ; a .htaccess 301 redirect as described here and here. Slightly technical, but not really too tough.
  • subscribers was also quite , since I use Feedburner to manage subscriptions: simply the Feed Title and Original Feed URL on the Feedburner Feed Details page. DO NOT THE FEED ADDRESS as this will disconnect your readers from your feed — a bad thing :)

A couple of other observations:

  • Set up your new blog/destination site first. Complete importing your data and building your look and feel. Yes, also duplicate posting to this site. You will want to make sure as your readers move they don’t lose any …especially for the tardy ones.
  • Immediately the Feed address in Feedburner. Any new subscribers will never notice, as you are posting to both sites right?
  • Prominently post about the fact that you are your blog. Add a widget or two to the sidebar (make them obvious) to alert your readers to the fact that you are . You want them to begin to identify with the new URL, not the old one, as soon as possible.
  • After a week or two, close commenting on the old feed, with a message directing readers to the new site.
  • After another week or two implement 301 redirects. And test them! @hownottowrite and @lijit both recommended, through twitter, this HTTP header scanning tool and FireFox plugin to validate the redirects (thanks again!).
  • Finally, remember every place you’ve ever used the URL / name, and it.

So, after all that…did you notice? :)

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May

23

On time management and GTD

Filed Under Doing, Review, Social Media | 6 Comments


Moleskine Concept Diagram 1
Creative Commons License photo credit: jazzmasterson

Lately I’ve been working with a few that help me streamline my various tasks and workflows. Over the next few posts, I’ll dive into them and my reasons for using them.

First off, the Two Minute Timer.
If you’ve been been under a rock for the last few years then this to David Alan’s , Getting Things DoneOn time management and GTD (image: ) and the Two Minute Rule applied to Processing will be meaningless. The following is for you (via Wikipedia):

Process

When processing a , a strict workflow is followed:

  • Start at the top.
  • Deal with one item at a time.
  • Never put anything back into ‘in’.
  • If an item requires :
  • Do it (if it takes less than two minutes), OR
  • Delegate it, OR
  • Defer it.
  • If an item does not require :
  • File it for , OR
  • Throw it away, OR
  • Incubate it for possible later.

If it takes under two minutes to do something, just do it immediately. The two-minute rule is a guideline, encompassing roughly the time it would take to defer the formally.

The Two Minute timer in actionAll right then, you’re up to speed on the Two Minute Rule. The I’ve been using to help me keep track of two minutes isn’t the ‘official’ two minute timer, rather an un-official one created with .NET.

Elegant in its simplicity, the Two Minute Timer works. Plain and . Easy to read, and easy to use. Not much more to say but that’s part of beauty. It simply works.

May

13

From the ’so simple why didn’t I think of it’ category

Filed Under How to, Musings | 3 Comments


From the so simple why didnt I think of it category (image: scancard)A friend of mine pointed me to this brilliant post (via iPhone Central)

The concept is ; the front and back of all your barcoded membership cards, and carry them around in your .

To test it out I went to the local store and asked the girl
behind the counter if she could the barcode from my . The
first look I got was pure amazement. To her the physical card was
transformed into a picture on a shiny device. On top of that the
barcode was scanned successfully. The result; a slightly confused girl
and a happy me.

My take: I’m going to try this on my card and see if this works on my Pilot T|X.

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