Day: April 27, 2003

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: read Tim Bray’s ongoing. It’s the only site I’ve found time to add to my links for this site, and it’s worth the text. Another article about Unicode today… a topic I don’t really care much about, but I feel informed, without being knocked about the head with a dull paddle. That may sound like faint praise; it’s meant as high praise. You try and make Unicode interesting! 😉

I updated my son’s photo page, for the first time since September 2002, and I got in my second run of the weekend, a short, sharp jaunt in Buena Vista park (3 hill repeats). And, yes, I added a few notes here. Maybe this site shouldn’t be on the list, but it is… I only wish I could mesh/meld my work blog and my home blog more easily, but the stuff at work needs to stay behind the firewall, literally and otherwise.

I need to read more of Johanna Rothman’s product development blog. I forget who pointed me to one of her posts in the first place, but I’ve certainly found her point of view clear and appropriate for my job. I just found this older post, on the value of short iterations, and that rang the bell. Two quotes:

Short iterations are fun. Everyone gets to make progress and cross things off their list.

One week is probably too small. Six weeks is probably too long. Think about how much work you’re willing to throw out if it’s wrong, and that’s the right size of your iteration.

I need to segment the big project I’m trying to corral at work using some of this thinking.

Check out this two minute long ad for a Honda stationwagon. The funny part is that I just watched it and I guess I remember, barely, that it’s an Accord. Here are some details about how it was made, in a Daily Telegraph (UK) article. 606 takes. Ouch. [via Scoble]

Here’s the first book about Napster. I’m surprised it took this long to come out, honestly. I was wondering if John Borland would write such a book. I’ll have to check in with my friend Rich and learn what he thinks of this telling of the tale, since Rich was there for much of it. I’m not sure I’ll read this book, except to scan for people I know… I’ll have to borrow a copy somewhere.

Ten years ago, I would have been sitting in the six seat for H in this race (scroll down to the April 26th results). I honestly can’t remember whether or not we won 10 years ago, although I think my overall history at HYPs was not strong in my three years of the race… Sprints usually went better. I know I was stroking the eight when we lost at Y in 1991… after that race I was moved to the six seat. Ten years ago, in 1993… I don’t remember where it was (!), but I don’t think we won. In 1994, on the Charles, I can still remember the P coxswain saying “I’ve got John Roberts” somewhere in the last 500m. Yes, you’re not supposed to hear these things, but your name catches your ear even with your head in the boat. We didn’t win that race, as far as I can remember. Why is it hard to remember these races?