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web-based clone of MindManager mindmapping application. very impressive. in semi-private beta.
links for 2007-04-01
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Monthly Archives: March 2007
links for 2007-03-31
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Second Life marketing efforts not so impressive after all. Welcome to the trough of disillusionment.
Landlocked Salmon
links for 2007-03-30
links for 2007-03-29
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open-source server monitoring software
links for 2007-03-27
USB Speakerphones?
Dear Lazyweb: If you have had good (or bad) experiences with USB speakerphones, I’d love to hear about it.
My gut instinct would be to spend the $129 for the Polycom Communicator, since Polycom has a pretty good reputation for quality speakerphones. But I’d love to know if there are decent quality alternatives.
links for 2007-03-25
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really nice study on what motivates people from interest to action
links for 2007-03-24
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a pure-zope issue tracker
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a nice paper that connects the collaboration lessons of the open-source world to other kinds of projects.
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video of a talk from Subversion developers. good airplane watch.
I’m loving The Agitator
It’s been a while since I’ve fallen in love with a new blog (over-exposure breeds cynicism I suppose), but I’ve just been turned on to The Agitator and I’m head over heels for it.
The Agitator is the blog of Roger Craver and Tom Belford, both of the well-known DC-based fundraising/marketing consulting firm Craver Matthews Smith. What I love is that they’re not afraid to challenge “conventional wisdom” of the nonprofit sector with respect, integrity and data.
For example, their most recent post, “Just Write The Check, Please” eloquently and respectfully sums up their misgivings with donor-centric (rather than cause-centric) thinking, currently riding a wave of popularity.
Digging through their archives, they’ve clearly got a great track record of politely but credibly calling out well intentioned but less-than-excellent ideas and also highlighting the really good stuff that’s out there.
More Process Maps
Steve Andersen continues his series of relationship management process maps with a great “donation procesing” map:
links for 2007-03-23
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New recordkeeping requirements for cash contributions. You cannot deduct a cash contribution, regardless of the amount, unless you keep as a record of the contribution a bank record (such as a canceled check, a bank copy of a canceled check, or a bank sta
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audio transcription service – $0.75/minute. ($0.45/min for a recurring podcast)
I’m engaged
[Feels a little funny to write a blog post about this, but such is life in the modern age, I suppose!]
Molly and I are getting married!
We’ve haven’t set the date just yet, but are planning on late September or early October. More details soon. We’re very excited.
There are those who thought it would never happen, but, as I’m discovering, not too many who thought it shouldn’t. 
[We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.]
Mystery creator of anti-Clinton ad identified, linked to Obama camp – Los Angeles Times
A Blue State Digital employee confessed, just before being outed by Huffington. Fascinating. I reckon he won’t go begging for work this election cycle.
More Sprint Wisdom – Getting Your Sprint On
Whit Morriss, who recently led the fantastic Plone commuinty “BBQ Sprint” in North Carolina, published a few great bullet points of sprinting wisdom titled “Get Your Sprint On.”
- Don’t [work|code|drink] alone
Sprints are social event above all and you plural are the main resource. - Socks, then shoes:
Start at a starting point, move in a direction.- Start with a plan
your POA. Maybe you POA is a part of a five year plan for world domination. Maybe you just want to learn how to write better doctests. All that matter is that you have a plan so you have a plan you can change. - Focus
the main things is keeping the main thing the main thing. - Flow like water
The A stands for adaptation as well as action… a project’s POA is determined by it’s participant’s needs and desires. As new information becomes available, plans change. - Do First Things First
don’t expect to code features if your project don’t have tests, packaging, docs, buildscripts etc. - Do what you need to do
If things aren’t working, adjust your POA to focus on making them work
- Start with a plan
- Test first and [ask questions | talk trash] later
Everyone has questions and opinions. Make yours better by doing everything you can to test them before you disseminate. Sometimes the best question is “how do I test this?” rather than “How do I do this?” or “why doesn’t this work?”.
As for opinions, sharing information is the greatest part of opensource. The better the your information, the better you can contribute, the better F/OSS is. Good tests are golden, talk is cheap.
- Code Club is a state of mind
Live this priceless advice from the people who brought you SVN. - Have Fun!!!!!
links for 2007-03-22
links for 2007-03-21
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The number-one question lurking in every executive’s heart, whether he’s a corporate titan or founder of a Valley startup, boils down to this: Just what should I be doing with my Web site to engage with my customers? You know what? Nobody has the answe
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Microsoft market segmentation in action
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“Rather than statements that scare people into Earth-friendly behaviors, one scientist says a better approach would be to play to a person’s herding tendencies.”
Fishing vs. cutting bait
I often find myself confronted by the choice between doing what I know how to do, and helping other people learn to do those things.
A few years ago, I finally figured out that in the long run I am better off spending time teaching other people to do things I know how to do and learning how to do things I don’t know how to do yet.
As in so many things, the trick is in the practice.
The Sun Never Sets on ONE/Northwest
Well, um…
“Pintification” – a new speed geeking technique
Chris Johnson describes a new innovation in speed geeking/lightning talk technique, pioneered at the Plone community’s recent BBQ Sprint:
Pintification : The act of conveying your idea before the judge finishes his drink
An interactive variant on lightning talks
The rules for pintification are simple.
- the new speaker buys the last speaker a drink
- The speaker must finish his talk before the drinker finishes his drink.
- Drinker may drink at any speed he or she feels is appropriate given the quality of the speaker.
- Crowd may encourage the drinker to drink faster
- Crowd may refill the drinkers glass in order to force the speaker to talk longer.
- If the speaker declares his or herself done, drinker must finish drink.
- When drinker finishes, the speaker takes his place with a new drink of his or her choice and a new speaker starts.
I love it!