optimal

That's where I'm at, too--just keep it simple. vim, svn, FoxBug, and I'm all set. I believe simplicity correlates with productivity.

I don't have much to add, but how do you like your MBP so far?

I've had mine for almost a year and like it very much. I liked my Dell laptop running Ubuntu, but I do prefer the (more expensive) Mac hardware. The fan runs almost silently when compared to the Dell and, okay, it's just a nicer design too.

Or you might end up with people who just play games all day.

[Unlike us serious-minded folks who read message boards. Because we don't, um, waste time at all.]

Is this specific to math, or is all standardized (bastardized?) education this way?

I can't remember doing any creative writing in elementary school, but I do remember diagramming sentences, much like the musician's nightmare in the article.

There was a good segment on earmarks recently on Bill Moyers Journal. I found it online here:

EXPOSÉ on the JOURNAL: Mr. Heath Goes to Washington http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02222008/watch.html

"The broadcast profiles SEATTLE TIMES reporters on the trail of how members of Congress have awarded federal dollars for questionable purposes to companies in local Congressional districts—often to companies whose executives, employees or PACs have made campaign contributions to their legislators."

The show describes the amount of work the reporters had to do just to decode the various earmarks in the DoD appropriations bill. For example, $4m was earmarked for "NG4BW," and the paper had to locate additional documentation--and it's not conveniently attached to the bill--just to determine what this actually represented.

Ideas are dead--it's all been thought before. Man is vain.

Cherish your privacy. The cost of fame (to any degree) is too high.

To the OP: be careful, you'll worry your peeps.

I think she should cross her eyes when you put the cursor on her nose.

This article reminds me that if I really, truly want to "help people" in this world, I have to put my hands in the gutter and not on a nice, clean computer keyboard.

Anything else is just trying to put a shiny halo on a moneymaking scheme.

I agree--at minimum make the bio the width of the name header, and put the navigation links above the bio. The "Feedback" link could be made the same color as the backing oak leaf/acorn cluster, or green for more contrast and consistency with the organic theme.

I don't mind the name so much. It's almost like "Biographic Icon." Or perhaps "Biography Con" (just kidding).

Wishing axod would elaborate . . .

The money always comes from somewhere, even it's now twice- or thrice-removed.

Follow the money.

Give them bones--they especially like to crush bones to get at the tasty marrow inside.

Oh wait, that's hyenas.

How much value do the lawyers bring to your business, and are the services they're offering specialized, or of the commoditized, cookie-cutter, boilerplate variety?

Developers continuously push the envelope, so building state-of-the-art applications will always be difficult and time consuming. It's the last 10-20% of development--the truly hard finishing part--that takes an application from "good enough" to "really cool" (also from being permanently labeled "beta").

As an analogy, there was a time when breaking the four minute mile barrier as a runner was considered impossible. Now it's quite common. Yet it's just as difficult to be the fastest runner.

My advice would be to become familiar with a number of web frameworks _and_ understand how to build your own. This will take some time, but the benefit will be your understanding of when to use frameworks and when not to. One question to consider is what sort of projects are you planning to build? If it's a one-off for a client, would a framework get most of the job done? If it's a product you'll be hosting or distributing, will you be living with the code base for a long time and therefore benefit from the investment of your time in development?

Verizon just sent me a flyer advertising an LG that looks much like an iPhone. I don't have either, but am extra proud of my four-year-old LG with a liquid crystal display.

When I first saw the headline, I thought it read "How to prevent social news sites from developing."

'Cuz that might work, too.

Franchise? ;)

Er, catsup?

Timely post, because that's what I'm doing today. Or I was doing it, until I started procrastinating here.

I should really go now.

Good point. It seems there's no "free lunch"--the body will maintain equilibrium (for example, see caffeine or alcohol consumption).

You said it. I couldn't understand all the vitriol from the manufacturers when this project was announced, other than in the context of a perceived threat. Surely it would succeed.

No clue on the chart, but you might try Investopedia:

http://www.investopedia.com/search/results.aspx?q=gearing

I think the Web may be less like the kitchen, and more like television. Shows come and go every year, so there will always be a need for new ones.

In an attention economy you're fighting for eyeballs. And there's a smaller group that's always looking for what's new and different. If you want to pursue this demographic, and the larger, lagging crowd behind them, then you have a chance at capturing attention.

I share many of your concerns, and personally use very few Web applications--basically maps and mail. I often ask the same question: what can I build?

Perhaps it's better to choose a pre-existing category/market and try to win through better execution. I also think success is more likely when building software as a product instead of a free service.

I just ordered an industrial-size vat of Crisco. See your future, be your future.

Traditionally it was "the fat kid" who played goal, since anybody who could skate would rather put the puck in the net than get whaled in the nords.

I believe this changed when modern netminders brought more skill, athleticism, and even dignity (really) to the position. Plus, people love all the cool-looking gear.

The tide goes out, then comes back in. Those not on the margins should be fine.

Carpe, are you sure you don't want to keep your govjob while working on the startup?

I hope this article isn't too off-topic/political. I just thought it was damned interesting.

"Verily I say unto thee: three rights do indeed make a left."

- Lord Turnington

Here in DC Georgetown has a bunch of job listings that seem to average about half the market rate. The non-profit sector pays slightly better, but it's far more lucrative to work for a contractor or one of the product companies in NoVa or DC (my strong bias is toward the former). As stated, it's profit-center vs. cost-center dynamics.

Nah, this is all about redistributing the gains of the previous bubble.

"The correct answer is, The Moops."

Nice topic--I'd really enjoy seeing more discussion of this kind here.

>>why, oh why are we all chasing the same ad biz model?

I think this may be--at least partially--a case of "get rich quick" versus "get (sort of) rich slow."

I believe if you follow the pay model you go your own way and forget about VC and GYM money, at least until you're successful enough for others to notice. This may never happen, however. I used to work for a guy who was probably one of the first ASPs in existence, only it likely never even crossed his mind because he's a businessman and not a techie. I'll bet he's barely even known in his niche, but he owns a successful business with about five employees and just keeps on adding customers.

I don't think the most tangible benefit of MVC is reuse, but rather code organization. In MVC, if you're looking for something, you know where to find it. That saves a lot of time. It's easy to write an application, but harder to maintain it.

Also, imagine an application with a Web view displaying a data set returned from a controller. Now the client/user wants an OS-native version of the app. That's simple, just build a native (OS-specific) window view and call the same controller for the data set (model). Or maybe an API is needed for external consumption. In that case a web service "view" can be built to return the same data set from the same controller. We're just swapping views here--it's plug-and-play.

It's a clear separation of responsibilities. I believe that used to be called "modular" programming. ;)