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It’s been rather quiet around here for the past couple of weeks. This is why:
After I get back from a much needed break, I’ll get an alpha release ready. In the meantime, use the source, Luke.
Update: If you haven’t figured it out by now, we’re holding off on future development until Apple releases the SDK in February 2008.
One of the great things about my job is that I get to work with some very creative people. Both inside our organization and with our partners.
We’ve had a great relationship with Panic since the early days of both our companies. So when Cabel showed us some early screen mock-ups of their new web development application, the only thing I could say, after picking my jaw up off the floor, was: “I want it now.”
Of course that means I was an early beta tester of Panic’s latest product, Coda. It also means I took a journey of self discovery because each release started with a new personal insight:
Dear Coda Beta Team: Special Force Delta
Dear Coda Beta Power Team,
Dear Coda Beta Magic Crew,
Dear Coda Beta Cyber eForce Craig,
Dear Coda McCraig,
Dear Coda Team Member “Sparkles” (a.k.a. “Craig”)
Dear Super-Craig,
Dear Craig Baldwin,
Dear Craigolio,
GREETINGS HUMAN “Craig” == AUTOMATED MESSAGE FROM BETABOT v1.542 HELLO,
Hello Elite Special Agent Craig,
Dear Craig, the world’s greatest living magician,
When was the last time you looked forward to getting a beta announcement with its engrossing “This is what has changed” content? Leave it to Panic to find a great way to engage beta testers in an otherwise dry affair.
As us magicians are fond of saying, “Voilà!”
Now that I’m writing in public again, I’m reminded of a simple trick I learned while working with professional writers: read whatever you write out loud. Your ears are much better than your eyes when it comes to finding problems with flow and poor sentence construction.
Personally, I like to write a few paragraphs and then edit them as I read aloud. Another take, one which my friend Jeffrey uses, is to type as you talk. Both accomplish the same goal: creating a post that is easier for your visitor to understand.
At first, this technique will feel a little strange and unnatural since most computer use is non-verbal. But keep talking, because you’ll quickly find it a valuable tool while writing. And thanks to Bluetooth headsets, having a conversation with yourself no longer has the social stigma it once had :-)
That chilly day in hell is finally here. I’ve started a weblog.
For those of you wondering who the hell I am, here is a long story of what’s led up to this crowning achievement.
(The more technically adept amongst you will realize that the real crowning achievement is bending WordPress and its templating system to my will. But normal people, like my Mom, won’t understand that so I went with the entertaining story instead. If you’re a glutton for punishment, try the résumé, too.)
You’ll notice that there are no comments or trackbacks on the site. I don’t have time to spend on comment SPAM and following discussion threads so I’m leaving them disabled for now. Hopefully this strategy will give me more time for new content.
The big question, of course, is what am I going to write about? Stay tuned, we’re all going to find out.