“A tool addresses human needs by amplifying human capabilities.” ~ Bret Victor The above definition, from A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design might just be the best definition of ‘tool’ we’ve ever come across.
On dullards, form and function
From The New Adventures of Stephen Fry Only dullards crippled into cretinism by a fear of being thought pretentious could be so dumb as to believe that there is a distinction between design and use, between form and function, between … Continue reading
Great artists steal the future
Steve Jobs once said: “Good artists copy, great artists steal”. Jobs’ statement has been misinterpreted, and misconstrued as frequently as it has been misattributed to Pablo Picasso. Brian Ford, in a great essay on the difference between artists who copy … Continue reading
On entrepreneurs and exit strategy
Speaking of young entrepreneurs focused on exit strategies during the first dotcom boom: “It’s such a small ambition and sad really. They should want to build something, something that lasts.” ~ Steve Jobs [Via The New York Times]
On genius
“A genius is someone who enters a field and works in it, and when they leave it, it is different.” ~ George Melley
On paradigm changes
“A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” ~ Max Planck Eerily similar … Continue reading
Inspiration, perspiration and planning
“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” ~ Thomas Edison “If Edison had a needle to find in a haystack, he would proceed at once with the diligence of the bee to examine straw after straw until he … Continue reading
Leadership in colors
Miguel Helft and Shan Carter, The New York Times “The one thing Apple’s providing now is leadership in colors. It won’t take long for us to catch up with that, I don’t think.” ~ Bill Gates, reacting to the launch … Continue reading
On anecdote and data
“The plural of anecdote is not data.” ~ Anonymous
On knowledge and measurement
“In truth, a good case could be made that if your knowledge is meagre and unsatisfactory, the last thing in the world you should do is make measurements; the chance is negligible that you will measure the right things accidentally.” … Continue reading