Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene #2
29 Jun
- Why don’t laptops come in colors? Why are they all black and gray and dull-colored? Wouldn’t you like to have a lemon-yellow or candy-apple red laptop? I know I would.
- Keep your eyes open for a weekly Delphi podcast. We are looking at putting together something in the coming weeks. If you’ve got any ideas on what you’d like to see happen on a Delphi podcast, let me know. If you’d like to make a guest appearance, I can probably make that happen. The first one is schedule for 12:00pm Pacific Time on 12 July (FIXED). They will, of course, be archived.
- One of the things I’m figuring out in this job is that before I can figure out what is important, I have to figure out what there is. There are tons of people around here with lots of terrifically good ideas, and there are lots of problems to solve and lots of new things to keep up with. Before I can decide what we should go ahead and do, I have to know what are all the actual choices that there are. One thing that there is no shortage of around here is things that we could do.
- Marco was kind enough to blog about me again. I don’t know what is worse — the fact that he called me the “new guy“ or that I’ve posted over 120 messages in delphi.non-tech in the last week.
- I tell ya, I don’t get no respect around here — I had to enter the Delphi product address into the Call for Papers application just like the rest of you! Hmmph!
- What are some websites that you guys like? I like a lean and mean look with links that get right to the point: “Buy Here“, “Download Demos“, “Support“, etc. Easy access to product information. I can’t stand pictures of nameless beautful people all staring at a computer screen. I personally don’t like popup menus, but some folks do. For instance, InstallAware has a nice site. Doc-o-matic is another nice site. What are some sites you guys like?
The first podcast is scheduled for 12pm Pacific Time on 12 June? I new that here in Oz we were ahead of the U.S. time-zone-wise, but by that much? (Posted 12:35 p.m. 30th June, Australian Eastern Standard Time).
June 29th, 2006 at 7:37 pmDid you mean the first podcast would be the 12th of July?
June 29th, 2006 at 7:42 pmLike this ?
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=6344
A Delphi podcast would be a great idea. Althoug I would prefer it to be devco instead, and include things like interviews with employees about tech related matters.
It would be great if it was listed at iTunes as well. A video blog would be even better
June 29th, 2006 at 7:57 pmYeah, it should read 16 JULY.
Nick
June 29th, 2006 at 10:50 pmJohn –
That notebook rocks! How cool is that?
I’m surprised there aren’t more notebooks like that.
Nick
June 29th, 2006 at 10:52 pm12 July or 16 July?
Joel Spolsky’s sites always look good. Instead of meaningless photos of airheads they have meaningless photos of New York. Perhaps some shots of downtown Scotts Valley would be good?
June 29th, 2006 at 11:05 pmHow about this one http://www.asus.com.au/products4.aspx?l1=5&l2=25&l3=0&model=1188&modelmenu=1
June 30th, 2006 at 1:01 amColourful laptops have been around for a while. 4 years ago I bought a blue and silver Sony Vaio for my Sister when she went to Uni.
June 30th, 2006 at 1:30 amThe Acer Ferrari notebook used to be bright red, although I think they have toned it down now. Maybe the demand isn’t as great as you think.
June 30th, 2006 at 1:37 amHi,
of course I like my own website:
http://www.dummzeuch.de
As for a podcast: What’s the point? I mean, it takes time away from in my eyes more important things, like getting the BDS Help Wiki online. Sorry to be the spoilsport here.
twm
June 30th, 2006 at 2:16 amHow about another 24 hour chat?
June 30th, 2006 at 4:59 amI’m looking forward being able to buy licences (Delphi/Interbase) direct from your DevCo website as an European resident.
Pay -> Download -> Register -> Ready!!!
June 30th, 2006 at 7:52 amSites? Well glad you asked. If you are asking because you are thinking of redesigning some of the DevCo pages then I’m doing a little dance. I’ve always thought the Borland site looked too 80’s buisness. Everytime they try a new look it always looks a day late and dollar short on style and layout. It has never looked fresh, clean, easy-to-use. It’s always looked like an off-the-rack suit, not bad but not really all that good either.
basecamphq.com
June 30th, 2006 at 10:49 amblinksale.com
cssvault.com
simplebits.com
corkd.com
bergsoftware.net
http://www.webdesignfromscratch.com/current-style.cfm
flickr.com
atlas.asp.net
colored laptops:
http://www.colorwarepc.com/products/select_macbook.aspx
June 30th, 2006 at 11:34 amActually, some laptops do come in colors. My wife’s, for example, has a "curly maple" pattern. Of course, she had to pay extra for that option.
July 1st, 2006 at 11:21 amOMG, not another salesman-at-heart running the helm.. just kidding, couldn’t resist, sorry!
I’m sidestepping the notebook color comment for now. Sure ya don’t need an old timer like me droning on about that old subject ;D.
My most commonly used links include:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/ (suprised not to see it here, among other IT people??(
http://slashdot.org/
http://www.softwarereality.com/ (I highly recommend this one to all developers - and people in charge of development IDE teams - to look over the true stories section).
And for rounded thoughts on what I check often:
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/
Bugs/etc:
1)If there is one thing I really, REALLY would like to see improved, its the documentation interface. It’s pretty much shameful how a really expensive Dev suite can have such a bad documentation interface.
It’s bad enough that I don’t even bother using it since Delphi2k5.
2) There is an annoying memory leak that causes a severe crash of the IDE when using the clipboard for D2k5, and in D2k6 there is a different issue that causes the entire system to fall over if you access a certain portion of memory (bug is consistant on several different pc’s; yet reproduction is fairly random).
Well, that’s it for now. I guess I’ve annoyed ye all enough for the time being.
July 6th, 2006 at 4:18 pmSo Nick, I understand you’re the new guy who’s going to figure out what’s important for DevCo. Dear Nick, friend
Here’s a little suggestion from my part:
The top-most-main-important-thing for ANY commercial organization is……."making profit". (which is not the same as having the biggest market share) So just scrap the non-profitable problems and ideas of your long-list. I’ve seen lots of software-companies going down due to slowly loosing or not focussing on the-top-most-important-thing. Your real challenge is to solve this problem for DevCo and its customers.
Best wishes, Peter.
July 7th, 2006 at 4:18 am@Peter:
I’m sorry, I have to add something to that. Don’t, under any circumstances, follow profit like Borland have done since Delphi hit the streets a decade and some ago. You do that, might as well give up now.
You need to focus on the developer. The developer is the one that decides to use your IDE, and they do not have the money - but the company hiring them does. Take a leaf from Microsoft, NI, Xinox, and make a version that developers can use without charge (even something like Delphi.NET only to show off the IDE), such as in the old days - that’s what pulled me in. To date, I’ve contributed over 150′000 in various companies I have worked for - all from one gesture.
I have worked for many software companies, from the mundane, ask-and-ye-shall-recieve contractor shops, to working in secure industries such as the Stock Exchange’s software maintennance back home. And I’m telling you honestly, focus on the developer, convince them why they should use your IDE (everything short of PAYING them in fact), and you will see a return.
But that’s your choice, and your cross to bear.
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