Discussion on browsing your local retailer then shopping online

Conversation about using apps like ShopSavvy and RedLaser in your local brick-and-mortar retailers, then shopping online.

Cadence & Slang, a small book about interaction design

Cadence & Slang achieved its funding goal 2 days ago, and is now available for preorder, with a release date of late 2010.

Based on the initial outline (pdf), I pledged to the project. (It might’ve had something to do with me itching to fund something for the first time on Kickstarter, but only a teeny tiny bit.)

Help support independent makers; if interaction design is your thing, consider preordering a copy for yourself. Or if you know somebody who would be interested, please send them to the C&S site.

The two rules of life

There are two great rules of life: never tell everything at once. Ken Venturi

(via ashleysimko.com.)

Looking to hire a Rails teacher

An intensive round of 1-on-1 instruction

I’m looking for somebody to help me take my development skills up a notch. Portland, OR-based preferred, but finding the right situation for a successful outcome is most important to me.

I’ve got a number of holes in my knowledge (I have ideas of what I don’t know) and it’s too time-intensive to fill them on my own. While DIY-for-life is what my heart says, my brain is overruling with a demand that I speed things up and fill in the gaps with just the best knowledge, pronto.

Ideally, you

  • are an excellent communicator
  • are patient
  • develop on a Mac using TextMate
  • practice BDD using Shoulda (I’m somewhat open to change but Shoulda syntax clicks for me much better than Cucumber/RSpec)
  • won’t stick to a predefined “course”; I might not get something you’ll assume is obvious, I might be past whatever you assumed you’d be teaching that moment. I’d love somebody that can read cues and is flexible enough to fit what they’re teaching to me.
  • (I’m repeating the last one in a different way ’cause it’s so important); initiative is awesome. See the gaps before I can define them and fill them in. Don’t plan on running me through Depot from AWDwR and calling it a day.

My best-case scenario is one where we start off by examining my current codebase together. I’ve gone through and documented all the things I think I’m doing less-than-ideal but am unsure of how to appropriately refactor. (I’m sure there are other issues as well.) Hopefully from there you’ll be able to craft a customized curriculum that fills in the gap between what I’m doing and where I’m trying to go.

Code review + consulting

On top of a round of instruction, I’m looking for somebody that can provide code review services and consulting, both on an as-needed basis. (We’ll hash out a scenario that works for both of us.)

Moving forward

I’m open both to individuals as well as companies. Email me (jacob@ this domain) and let’s work something out. I’m looking to get started ASAP.

It changes the perception of everything

The trailer for Art & Copy. I can’t wait for this to come out.

Manton Reece: Go without food

“I honestly don’t care if I have to go for a week without sleeping more than 5 hours a night to be able to ship on time.”

A great deal or a rip-off: Which is it?

Dear Condé Nast,

Are you trying to rip me off? You’re definitely confusing me.

I just got this in the mail:

wired.gif

but I can’t figure out if I’d be paying $12/year for both subscriptions, or $12/yr for each subscription I order (myself + any gifts).

As a preferred subscriber (it says so in big bold slab serif!), I’d like to think I’d get a better deal than say, what they offer to everybody else on their own site:

wired-wired.jpg

Or on Amazon:

wired-amazon.jpg

instead of paying $2 more. I don’t want Wired to go the way of the dodo, but come on. Let’s not take advantage.

I spoke with a nice lady over at 1-800-SO-WIRED, who had absolutely no clue. She wasn’t exactly making an above-and-beyond effort to help me find the answer either, but I wasn’t expecting her to. (<self-promotion>Low expectations are a problem we’re aiming to tackle with Wantist.</self-promotion>)

Anybody know the answer?

Our newest: Wantist

Our newest baby, Wantist, has been out of the gate for a couple of weeks now; I’ll just let us say it for me:

I also published our first behind-the-scenes development video blog. Aiming to do these once a week; I won’t be republishing them here though, if you’re interested please subscribe over at Ideademic.

Truer words…

“…if you don’t have a taste for masochism, you shouldn’t be in design, because the hurt will kill you.”

pork nacho lunch, documented

everything chopped up

spice rub for the pork

put down your first layer of goodness

ready to go in the oven

freshly baked

topped with slices of avocado & ready to eat

yes, it was tasty.