Hacking is Important
randsinrepose.comThe story of every company begins with a clever hack.
Estimated reading time: 6 min
Someone is Coming to Eat You
randsinrepose.comYour enticing success has your competition chasing you, and that means that, by definition, that they need to run harder and faster than you so they can catch up. Yes, many potential competitors are going to bungle the execution and vanish before they pose a legitimate threat but there’s a chance someone will catch up, and when they do, what’s their velocity? Faster than yours.
Estimated reading time: 5 min
A Precious Hour
randsinrepose.comIn my precious hour, I am aware that it is quiet. During this silence, maybe nothing at all is built other than the room I’ve given myself to think. I break the flow of enticing small things to do, I separate myself from the bright people on similarly impressive busy quests, and I listen to what I’m thinking.
Estimated reading time: 7 min
Please Learn to Write
randsinrepose.comWriting 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. Not only do they care about syntax, but they also want to learn something, and, perhaps, be entertained while all this learning is going down. Success means they keep coming back - failure is a lonely silence. Python is looking pretty sweet now, right?
Estimated reading time: 3 min
Two Universes
randsinrepose.comGreat design makes learning frictionless. The brilliance of the iPhone and iPad is how little time you spend learning. Designers’ livelihood is based on how quickly and cleverly they can introduce to and teach a user how a particular tool works in a particular universe. In one universe, you sport a handheld Portal gun that cleverly allows you to interrupt physics. In a slightly different universe, you have this tool called a cloning stamp that empowers you to sample and copy any part of a photo.
Estimated reading time: 8 min
One More Thing
randsinrepose.comIt's frustrating and at times demoralizing, and it meant that there was a good chance, even as an Apple employee, that when a keynote rolled around you were going to be just as surprised by a majority of the announcements as the rest of the audience. But when Steve walked on stage, you forgot about the secrecy and you began to anticipate. The show started and you realized there was a good chance that your world was going to change in the next 90 minutes. You realized: it's not secrecy, it's theatre.
Estimated reading time: 4 min
N.A.D.D.
randsinrepose.comThe presence of NADD in your friends is equally detectable. Here’s a simple test. Ask to sit down at THEIR computer and start mucking with stuff on their desktop. Move an icon here… adjust a window size there. If your friend calmly watches as you tinker away, they’re probably NADD-free, for now. However, if your friend is anxiously rubbing their forehead and/or climbing out of their skin when you move that icon 12 PIXELS TO THE RIGHT, there’s NADD in the house. BACK AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER.
Estimated reading time: 6 min
One Job
randsinrepose.comI want to be busy. Not “I’ve got a bunch of stuff to do” busy, but “The weight of the important work I need to do is literally crushing me” busy. This state is not for everyone and while I’m extremely appreciative of the fact you’re reading this site, if you’re at work and you’re reading the site at 10:35 am then I question your busy.
Estimated reading time: 2 min
How to Write a Book
randsinrepose.comIn writing a book, you’re going to find all sorts of interesting ways to mentally beat yourself up. You’re going to consider new tools and different writing schedules. You’ll discover that inspiration can be encouraged, but never created. You’re going to find constructive ways to procrastinate and your friends are going to stop talking to you because all you talk about is that damned book. Super. In the meantime, let’s write.
Estimated reading time: 11 min
Erik recommended this story.
The Process Myth
randsinrepose.comIt’s a myth, but healthy process is awesome if it not only documents what we care about, but is willing to defend itself. It is required to stand up to scrutiny and when a process fails to do so, it must change.
Estimated reading time: 8 min
herrbrendel recommended this story.
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