Life Blogging: Going Away?
I’ve been reading blogs and writing one in some form or another since they first started to make the scene way back in the day (OK, OK — a few years ago). I remember all the rage then was to write about what kind of Pop Tarts you had for breakfast that morning. Some folks got really consumed in the idea of reading all of the "life blogs", as I call them, so they don’t feel as lonely. Remember too, this was all before the technology / business / political specific blogs really started to gather steam.
Now that everyone and their grandmother has a blog (and they all seem to be focused on topics that are based with current affairs, or underground technology yet to break into the mainstream, is this life blogging phenom that started the trend going away? I see few and few — they are all transferring over to topics that every other blog talks about. It’s becoming more of a forum to discuss opinion on similar topics. Sure, there are the odd posts thrown in that are off-topic, but that’s just a reality check.
I don’t know. I like it better now than it was. The whole "blogsphere" has started to evolve upward and away from where it was when it caught on fire. Maybe I’m missing something here and there is actually an increasing amount of posts being written about someones Friday night date (I had mine with my girlfriend and Gil Grissom on CSI).
I’m going to love to see how things push forward in the years to come. Blogging is a really cool thing that’s happened on the ‘net, and as more technology is developed around it, and that technology is embraced by more of the important companies (MSFT, AAPL, etc…) I’m looking forward to seeing how things evolve even further. I mean, a couple of weeks ago, we had our first PodCast from space. It’s only a matter of time before someone starts doing the first PodCast from their bathroom after the morning coffee.
Have a good, lazy Sunday all.
One Happy Camper
I received the Apple gear today that I ordered a while back. To make a long story really short, my PowerBook is totally futzed. The LCD screen has come unhinged on one side, so I needed to improvise.
I received a 20" cinema display for a birthday a while ago, and it hasn’t worked with my PowerBook for some time. I had a feeling my DVI -> ADC adapter was fried, so I finally went out on a limb and ordered a new one. I figured, worst case, it doesn’t work and I return it. I picked it up today after work — brilliant! It works!
In addition to the screen, I’m also typing this post on a new Apple keyboard. Nothing fancy (my PowerBook is old, so definitely no BlueTooth), but it’s got great keys and is as sexy as hell. Plus, since I love using my 2003 Mac so much, the "-" and "s" keys had both started to go. Sadly, I don’t know if I’ll ever open up the LCD screen again. I love this computer, and when I start making some dough, I’ll be getting a PowerMac, for sure.
It really is a shame that more software / websites are not built for OS X. They truly are fantastic machines, and anyone that has ever owned one will vouch for that, I am sure. Don’t get me wrong, I love my ThinkPad and it’s a workhorse, but there is something so cool and just damn slick about Apple’s stuff. They really do a fantastic job, and I’m proud to be a customer.
This weekend is going to be extremely exciting and I can’t wait for it to start. A buddy of mine and I are going to sit down and start mapping out some business ideas we stumbled on to this week. Obviously, not something I can write about yet, but trust me, it could be very, very cool. We’ve been talking about it constantly, and now it’s a function of figuring out the right one to tackle first. Since he came up with one of them and I came up with the other, we’re pitching the reasons to start one or the other first.
Hell, I just want to sit down and start coding something exciting with my new Mac stuff!
Have a good night, all.
Not This Time
I am in the middle of writing my own content management system. Yes, they are becoming a commodity. But, I’ve always wanted to write my own and now I am. I’ll find time to fit it into my busy schedule — I’ve bought into it, and I think I can make it pretty damn good. I’ll post up some screenshots when I can; I have a ton on the agenda to finish off today.
In accordance with this software development, I’ve realized some things that have totally hindered me in the past:
- You don’t need a plan to create software on a whim
- Fight through complexity
First, the aspect about not needing a plan. It’s very easy when it’s just you to get totally immersed in "analysis paralysis". Could I create Gantt charts, work charters, and a detailed WBS? Of course. Would that help me get the software done. No way, not in 1 million years. I’ve found it’s best to do it on a whim, because I have gone the "planning" / project management route with this stuff. When you are attempting to create a one-off, sweet-ass functionality & technology type thing, it’s best to stay as far away from the structure as possible. Entrepreneur’s will also attest to this.
Fighting through complexity has always been a tough one for me. I usually get to a point where I think, "my code is a mess, I need to make it cleaner". So, I’ll erase it all, start again and never end-up getting very far. The code becoming messy is a function of it’s complexity. Again, the planning comes into play here — through caution to the wind and just get it to work. Write the crap you need, and move on — nothing more.
I finally broke down and ordered the parts I’ve needed for my quickly aging PowerBook. I actually need a new PowerBook, but they are a little out of my price range / budget at the moment. So, I hope my new keyboard and DVI -> ADC adapter allow me to use my Mac freely and with my old school 20" cinema display once more.
One thing that I have realized over the last few days while starting to coding process of my CMS is that I love OS X for coding — WAY more so than Windows. I can now say I’ve tried both, and BBEdit with CVS works best for me. That’s not to say Windows is bad for development — not at all. There are plenty of great tools out there to make it a smooth process. It’s just not for me.
Back to the code!
