S Anand

Why I don’t use a registry cleaner

Jakob Nielsen’s old write-up on how users read on the web. Actually, this is how people read anything. I write my e-mails, PowerPoint presentations, and Word reports this way.

Sketchup (from Google) is now available for free download. It’s a 3D modelling tool.

The Long Tail of information sharing. Even on Wikipedia, fewer than 2% have contributed over 100 articles. Over 85% have contributed fewer than 5 articles. A Wiki inside an organisation is unlikely to reach critical mass, left to itself.

What Drives Bloggers?

I think what most bloggers are doing is thinking out loud.

It’s a little misleading to talk of “putting things into words,” because that implies the ideas come first. In fact, expressing thoughts creates them. And especially expressing thoughts to other people, even people you don’t know. So I think the reason many people like blogging is that they like the thinking it causes.

Why are you afraid of process?

… we bristle when we’re asked for our weekly goals sheets, or when the boss wants us to use a database or when the insurance company requires docs to follow data-driven guidelines. We pass up the tenth novel by a successful author… because the process has become too transparent.

And yet, in many cases, process is underrated.

Process is your ace in the hole when your intuition stops working.

Process is the system that doubles a plant’s efficiency when you’ve done everything you can think of.

The Great Google Float. Interesting article on how Google makes money by holding Adsense payments until it hits $100.

How to get Yahoo Mail Beta. Since I’m in the UK, I have it already. It’s excellent. I now actually check my Yahoo mail thrice a week, and feel happy while doing it.

Create Google calendar events via SMS. Just SMS 48368 (in the US) with a message like “dinner tomorrow 7pm”. 48368? GVENT?

How to tie a bandage without it falling off. It’s in Japanese, but the video is pretty clear.