Since the family is still enjoying the mildly cooler weather of Bicol, I'm left to take care of myself here in Manila. For the past few days am really appreciating the simplicity of this washing machine. Unlike most automatic washing machines which tend to have a number of variable settings for speed, time, etc., complete with LCD's and ability to program your own washing routine, this whirpool model only consist of three big buttons and four led indicators. The three buttons are bred for a simple purpose: power, fast forward, and water level (full or half, default is full). For the most part you just toss your laundry inside, connect the water hose, add some detergents, put ample amounts of liquid softener and press the power button. The machine, soaks, wash, rinse and dries (you can fast forward to a phase using the other button mentioned above) your laundry without any fuss. I do the this before I go to bed at night and collect the clothes the following morning, sweetly ready for ironing.
And yet, behind the simple interface, make no mistake, its a damn effective machine. Its innovative design gracefully mimics washing the laundry by hand. Using a counter rotor pole at the middle, it emulates the technique of using friction to clean your clothes, just like manual handwash.
The point is, as nerdy as I maybe, loving the complexity of the enevitable tech driven lifestyle in the office, at the end of the day, I just want my washing machine to work effectively without me reading the user manual from time to time. Shift that perspective to the majority of computer users (obviously the non-techie outnumber the geeks greatly), they just want their computers to work and would love if they can simply do it without much fuss. After all, for most of them computers are just tools to help with their jobs. They would rather spend more time focusing on their primary job functions, than the complexity of the technology.
Tech shouldn't get in the way. Specially on laundry days. :-D
- treonox
Friday, May 05, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
village idiot savant: Unexpected conversation with Mom
Way to go. Pretty shiny! I like the "kid tested, mother approved part". :D
This is the opportunity for FOSS to really accelerate adoption. We now have the means to conquer the newbie walls. Unlike uhm, my floppy based encounters during the tender years.
As long as we don't have much of arrogant, out-of-sync-with-reality FOSS advocates to ruin the momentum, were in pretty good shape.
This is the opportunity for FOSS to really accelerate adoption. We now have the means to conquer the newbie walls. Unlike uhm, my floppy based encounters during the tender years.
As long as we don't have much of arrogant, out-of-sync-with-reality FOSS advocates to ruin the momentum, were in pretty good shape.
lawnormscode ? Blog Archive ? Freedom to Run Means Freedom from Complexity: An Argument for Running FOSS on Windows
This is highly relevant to the Simplicity vs Complexity approach in FOSS advocacy I had been talking about for the past few weeks.
Found it via slashdot. And as the poster commented, What good is good if it cannot be used? Without "simplicity" in mind by a FOSS advocate, it could easily be construed as a hard sell by the non-technical audience.
How can you effectively advocate FOSS as freedom to run a program, if the exercise of such right excludes people who do not possess high technical knowledge or advanced skills sets?
It still boggles the mind why some people really want to start an advocacy with complexity, when there is an option to use simplicity. At the extreme, its like saying that FOSS is heaven, but to the newbies mind you are showing the gates of hell. Sigh... They don't just fracking get it.
Found it via slashdot. And as the poster commented, What good is good if it cannot be used? Without "simplicity" in mind by a FOSS advocate, it could easily be construed as a hard sell by the non-technical audience.
How can you effectively advocate FOSS as freedom to run a program, if the exercise of such right excludes people who do not possess high technical knowledge or advanced skills sets?
It still boggles the mind why some people really want to start an advocacy with complexity, when there is an option to use simplicity. At the extreme, its like saying that FOSS is heaven, but to the newbies mind you are showing the gates of hell. Sigh... They don't just fracking get it.
Apple - Get a Mac - Watch The TV Ads
Frackingly hilarious Mac Ads!
Check it all out, from Viruses to WSJ!
Check it all out, from Viruses to WSJ!
Monday, May 01, 2006
ArticleS.UncleBob.TheNextBigThing
Picked this up from the PinoyJUG ML. This really drives the point home. Any developer who thinks otherwise is downright arrogant.
The best thing one can do is accept the fact, and do something about it.
The best thing one can do is accept the fact, and do something about it.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
SCIFI.COM | Battlestar Galactica
Frackin' season 2 finale. This aaaaaaa fracking awesome mini-series.
Oh yeah, I guess its inherently human that most of us learn our lessons the hard way. The politics in the story reflects exactly the complexity that any government must be facing. The complexity too of human relationships is vividly depicted. Not the typical good vs. evil stereotypes we often see. The philosophical arguments are difinitely relevant, and would likely be still be true in the near future. I also think this movie would make good ol' Freud proud. :D
We are all after all still human. Or aren't we all?
Oh yeah, I guess its inherently human that most of us learn our lessons the hard way. The politics in the story reflects exactly the complexity that any government must be facing. The complexity too of human relationships is vividly depicted. Not the typical good vs. evil stereotypes we often see. The philosophical arguments are difinitely relevant, and would likely be still be true in the near future. I also think this movie would make good ol' Freud proud. :D
We are all after all still human. Or aren't we all?
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