Here’s a small (and growing) list of meaningless, negative words that I’d like to strike from my world. User Consumer Content Sticky Leverage Synergy Facilitate Doc Searles has a nice follow-up on these terms and language in Relating to Customers …customers don’t like being “consumers” or “targets.” Being “reduced” doesn’t stir their hearts, either. Least …
Author Archives: Garrick van Buren
Introducing the ProjectMaker Dashboard Widget
The ProjectMaker dashboard widget is quick and easy way to create consistent groups across your iApps (Mail, Address Book, iCal) for your projects. Download the ProjectMaker Dashboard Widget Drop your comments and suggestions to the ProjectMaker Widget’s permanent home.
Designing for Beausage?
One of the things that continues to inspire and intrigue me is how the marks of previous uses communicate how to use something to a new audience. In the non-electronic, non-disposable world of say, a rural Midwestern farm in the 1980s; the wear on the barn door shows you how to open it, the path …
A Business Model for Abundance
Heretofore, most business were founded on the idea of scarcity. Being the One and Only as Seth Godin describes. If you’re the only vendor offering something, it used to be easy to make money. Just convince people you’re the only one that can solve their problem. Then surround yourself with huge barriers to entry while …
A Call for Dashboard Widget Evaluators
Last night, I was poking around Apple’s Dashboard Documentation and starting building a couple widgets. If you’ve upgraded to Tiger and interested in kicking the tires on them, drop me a line. Widget #1 released 18 May 2005: The ProjectMaker Dashboard Widget
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Review
Despite my earlier prediction, Jen and I went to the new Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy this weekend. Being a huge Hitchhiker addict since way back, I can confidently say it was: Good. The intro dolphin song was a wonderfully amusing touch that stuck in my head all the way through. The screenplay adaption was …
First Crack 42. Sam’s Cupping of the Malabar
Sam Buchanan follows up our home roasting with a cupping and tasting of the Indian Monsooned Malabar. He walks you through the cupping ritual and provides his impression of this unique coffee. Listen to Sam’s Cupping of the Malabar [11 min]
Setting up a Web Development Environment in Tiger
This message means the upgrade is complete. Last week I started the upgrade Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger” around the house. To my pleasant surprise, it went extremely smoothly. The most tedious and frustrating part was waiting for my newly enclosed external hard drive to copy tens of gigs of files back and forth for …
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Even the Almost Perfect Customer Experience Takes 15 Years
I bought a car last week. We’ve been looking for another one for some time and not been real happy with what’s available (anything under 20 mpg just seems irresponsible). My father-in-law has a fantastic, nearly 15 year old relationship with a dealership. He’s purchased every car I’ve ever seen him drive there. When Jen …
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Another Minnesota Coffee Podcast added to PodcastMN.com
Looks like First Crack isn’t the only game in town. Coffee-n-Caffeine puts the PodcastMN count to 18.