This photo (direct link) has got to be seen for its enormous size to be comprehended. Zooming appears almost infinite, without loss in quality. The site provides the tools for viewing and interacting with the data in real time.

If this photo were printed, it would measure 6.67 m by 2.67 m (300 dpi). The photograph shows Delft and its surroundings in the autumn of 2004.

On the right: my illustration of the extent of magnification

Big trouble lies ahead if planning is neglected before a project begins. This statement extends beyond the field of software development and reflects on situations in many aspects of work.

Spolsky who authors Joel on Software phrased this rather nicely:

Software engineers who dive into code without writing a spec tend to think they’re cool gunslingers, shooting from the hip. They’re not. They are terribly unproductive. They write bad code and produce shoddy software, and they threaten their projects by taking giant risks which are completely uncalled for.

It is amusing (with mixed feelings of sympathy) to see job ads from small IT companies. Here is a snippet from one of them:

…Right now our focus is on less experienced, thus less expensive people…

…We do not have an office so there is almost no social life here…

Almost?!?! Will you meet your colleagues on the sidewalk?

Eric Meyer pointed out the strange policies that some corporations instate:

We reserve the right to require you to remove links to the Site, in our sole discretion.

Linking to any page of the Site other than to the homepage is strictly prohibited in the absence of a separate linking agreement with Orbitz.

About a month ago I heard that Sainsbury’s require you to apply in order to get a permission to link. The only worry one can think of them having is a link name with an unflattering title, which then associates them with inadequate words in search engines. Try for example, ‘f**kwit’ in Google and the first result (as of the time of writing) will be John Prescott, the British Deputy Prime Minister. Ironically enough, the top SERP for this site is Teresa May, the Tory MP, though most visitors are after a porn star with the same name.
 
 

ardware and software support for multi-head displays continues to improve. In practical terms, more and more computers under a wide variety of platforms allow you to extend your workspace (Desktop) to additional monitors. Most people do not take advantage of this convenient extension. Some even prefer to stick to virtual desktops (switching between several desktops within a single monitor), yet it is important to remember that what is out of sight is out of mind. With a large workspace, you need never minimise an application.

Next time you invest in a new workstation, ask the salesman about dual-head support. Going to the extreme, can anyone argue that the individual below does not enjoy playing Quake?

Picture from PlanetQuake

Numerous people argue that Web browsing will be replaced by feeds of information. one can get everything from film reviews, weather, and the news to photo galleries of friends, all in a matter of seconds. Heavy pages with varying design and navigation methods are cumbersome. Consequently, content becomes king.

Here is the word from Robert Scoble, a popular Microsoft evangelist:

…RSS news aggregator. That’s where I spend 90% of my Internet time now anyway. Are you still using a Web browser? Good. I’ve been telling audiences that those of you still using Web browsers are wasting your time…

…Think I’m alone? Audiences at SXSW and Northern Voice have been very heavy RSS users. So much so that at SXSW there was a panel discussing whether or not design mattered anymore…

If you do not know where to start, visit RSSOwl.org where free software is available. You can find links to feeds in extensive directories, or maybe among the local links.

If you have worked on more than one computer, you probably had difficulties in keeping bookmarks (favourites) synchronised, or at least keeping them all in a single location. There are at least 3 ways to tackle this problem.

Method #1: Merge

Synchronise with the aid of tools, e.g. BookmarkSync, which is free.

Method #2: Upload

Use an on-line bookmark service like Yahoo! Bookmarks. It makes a single bookmark accessible (and modifiable) via the Internet.

Method #3: Centralise

Is you have Web space available, this method will suit you well. Upload all your bookmarks to the server and create links to them. This essentially builds a portal, which you probably want to make password-protected.

Part of an on-line bookmarks collection; click for full view