http://www.geekslens.com The world through my eyes... Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:37:59 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en A friend recently sent me a great pitch video that Steve Jobs gave while he was at NeXT. The video is a fascinating piece of marketing history, especially because the endeavor turned out to be such a failure. While I realize that this is a pitch, pitches, like any other ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/10/20/pick-the-right-product-for-the-right-customer/ There are many times when repeating things is necessary and helpful. That is certainly the case with a strong QA/testing/feedback process in software development. The key is getting feedback early and then often. In my most recent project at Fog Creek, we took a product from concept to release ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/10/15/iterations/ It is Fall, and the foliage in southern New York is putting on a spectacular demonstration of the awe-inspiring beauty that still exists in the world. Running around with my camera in one hand and J by my side made it a weekend where every second paid double, or ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/10/14/the-world-is-putting-on-a-show/ It seems to be the single word that describes the last few weeks. On Wednesday morning, I looked out over the Hudson River on my way to work and felt like nature was acting as a mirror. Here's to hoping that the fog lifts. http://www.geekslens.com/2008/10/10/uncertainty/ I hated going to the dentist. I have great strong teeth, have only had 2 cavities in my life, but I hated going to the dentist. Why? Because the dentists I had seen before were almost universally nasty. Nasty and condescending. Every time I would go, despite having no cavities and ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/10/06/a-soft-touch/ I have been caught many times by the feeling that things used to be simpler, sweeter, or better. When enveloped by the warm blanket of memory, I recall all of those wonderful little details of the holidays with family, or the rampant productivity in the weeks prior to the launch ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/09/30/the-trouble-with-nostalgia/ There are a lot of people completely cheesed off at Apple right now. Rejecting iPhone applications for seemingly undefinable reasons has been going on for a while, but the latest row is over the fact that some of those rejections have been accompanied by an NDA warning: THE INFORMATION CONTAINED ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/09/26/but-the-juice-is-worth-the-squeeze/ On Sunday, I took a walk through a nearby town with my wife and our dog. The main street is littered with dusty antique stores. You pass dozens of them in a matter of minutes and there is really nothing to help you distinguish between them. Then I came upon ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/09/22/interesting-but-not-remarkable/ I was asked recently why it seemed as though 37Signals did nothing BUT create interesting products, and quickly at that. Interestingly, my answer came quickly and I suspect it is not far from the truth. 37Signals has made the act of creation a goal, and not just something that you ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/09/20/a-culture-of-creation/ While traveling in Boston, I happened to pass by South Station. On its own the building is imposing but somewhat unremarkable in the downtown cityscape. What interested me enough about this building was that is quite literally on the border with Boston's Chinatown. Old culture and the new Boston ... http://www.geekslens.com/2008/09/12/terminal/