“And of course this was published by Huffington Post, the blog equivalent of Jenny McCarthy.”
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Leica Sofort 2June 13, 2024
Grand Seiko SBGX261February 23, 2023
Casio Duro MDV-106 Re-ReviewDecember 15, 2022
Recent Articles
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Quote of the Day: Jason Kottke
“And of course this was published by Huffington Post, the blog equivalent of Jenny McCarthy.” — Jason Kottke
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Why I Am Switching to Interleaved Email Replies and Why You Should Too
Which is more readable and understandable: Q: How old are you? A: 28. or A: 28. Q: How old are you? We read from top to bottom on computers, which leads most people to say it is more helpful to read the question first, then to see the answer first. This is all rather logical…
Which is more readable and understandable:
Q: How old are you?
A: 28.or
A: 28.
Q: How old are you?We read from top to bottom on computers, which leads most people to say it is more helpful to read the question first, then to see the answer first. This is all rather logical — we need the context before the content. Saying ‘28’ could mean far too many things, but by knowing that the 28 is referring to an age gives us the needed context to properly comprehend the answer. Except, apparently, when we deal with email. The typical emailed response looks like this:
In this sequence neither person can easily look back at the email and find what was being replied too. There is loads of confusion with this email. That type of response is called ‘Top Posting’ and it is the most common type of email response you will get and it is the type that you are most likely doing. How often do you end up having to read the entire chain of emails before you figure out what in the hell someone is answering? I find that it is a constant problem.
Top Posting as defined by Wikipedia:
In top-posting style, the original message is included verbatim, with the reply above it. It is sometimes referred to by the term TOFU, an acronym for “Text Over, Fullquote Under”
Recently I found this plugin for Apple’s Mail.app that forces the email client to create ‘Bottom Posted’ responses. Bottom posting in its raw form looks like this:
This method is much easier to read for most people, since we are used to seeing the question first, followed by the response. Even with how short this email is, there still can be a lot of confusion. Many people on Twitter can’t fathom why I would switch to this method — everyone does top posting, why be different?
Well I actually am not trying to be different. I want to copy several of people that I really like, two of which are: Shawn Blanc and John Gruber. Usually when you get a response from either of these people you are going to get a bottom posted reply, but it will not look like the bottom posting you see above. Typically these two use a bottom posting method that is more accurately referred to as: Interleaved Posting. Interleaved posting is the style that I have actually switched to, while keeping some emails Top Posted if the situation doesn’t warrant interleaving. I think most people lump interleaving and bottom posting as one in the same, either way it doesn’t matter much to me what the correct terminology is.
John Gruber says on the subject:
Writing an email is like writing an article. Only quote the relevant parts, interspersing your new remarks between the quoted passages. Don’t quote anything at all from the original message if you don’t have to.
It is a short read, so jump over and read what he has to say on the matter, then come back. Now, if I was actually to respond to the above email example I would do this:
Which is more helpful: top posting, or interleaved posting?
These are extremely short examples, but imagine you got an email that contained multiple things you wanted to respond to — interleaved posting becomes far more efficient than top posting:
This is much more efficient than stacking three answers at the top of the email and leaving the recipient to wonder which answer goes with which question. I have been doing this for less that a week now, but I can say that I have yet to see one person complain, or be confused by this. ((Nor has a single person commented to me about this different style: good or bad.))
If you don’t take the time to edit down what you are replying to, then yes, top posting is the best method. For those of us that want to cut out extraneous emails from our day: why wouldn’t you take the extra bit of time to answer the email properly? Better yet, why wouldn’t you spend an extra 30 seconds and put effort into better email responses? The argument I hear from most people is that they don’t have the time to do this — to which I often wonder if they aren’t just lazy.
Daniel R. Tobais on the matter:
This set of characteristics leads naturally toward a preference for the traditional Internet (geek/academic/Usenet) style of using carefully trimmed quotes followed by the reply. This allows point-by-point inline rebuttals, minimizes bandwidth use, is a format well-suited for digesting and archiving, and minimizes the ability of various mail programs to mangle an entire thread.
Well said. I don’t care much how you reply to me, but I do care what all of my outgoing emails look like. Lastly, if you reply top posted to me I won’t think twice about it. If you reply interleaved to me: you bet your ass I will look at who sent me that email.
[Updated: 1-13-11 at 9:36 AM]
Here are some links to get going in Outlook and Gmail.
[Updated: 1-14-11 at 10:32 AM]
Here is one for CLI mail agent users.[h/t to Soliman Sylvain][This part of an ongoing series on dealing with email, to see more posts look here.]
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Home Buttons and iPad 2
Boy Genius Report is saying that the new multi-touch gestures in iOS 4.3 beta and a tip they have received, confirms that the next generation iPad will not have a physical home button. I would call BS on this if it was anyone other than BGR reporting it. That said, I played with iOS 4.3…
Boy Genius Report is saying that the new multi-touch gestures in iOS 4.3 beta and a tip they have received, confirms that the next generation iPad will not have a physical home button. I would call BS on this if it was anyone other than BGR reporting it.
That said, I played with iOS 4.3 last night and the multi-touch stuff for switching apps and getting back to the home screen is awesome, but it means one thing: two handed operation. You simply cannot pinch with all 5 fingers to get back the home screen unless you are resting the iPad on something or holding it with your other hand.
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Marital Deafness
Scott Adams in what I can only describe as: my life. Has this to say: Recently I discovered that spouses, like computers, must be booted up before they can hear what you say. Try walking into a room where your spouse is otherwise engaged and simply launch into your statement or question. Notice that your…
Scott Adams in what I can only describe as: my life. Has this to say:
Recently I discovered that spouses, like computers, must be booted up before they can hear what you say. Try walking into a room where your spouse is otherwise engaged and simply launch into your statement or question. Notice that your first sentence doesn’t count.
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A Safari 5 Extension for Twitter for Mac
A great little Safari extension that makes that bookmarklet I posted about obsolete. You don’t need the icon in the toolbar, just use the CTRL+T shortcut. Sweet.
A great little Safari extension that makes that bookmarklet I posted about obsolete. You don’t need the icon in the toolbar, just use the CTRL+T shortcut. Sweet.
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Quote of the Day: Noah Stokes
“Facebook will ruin more relationships than it creates” — Noah Stokes
“Facebook will ruin more relationships than it creates” -
Carrier Wars Reborn
Matt Drance on the coming carrier wars between AT&T and Verizon (with the iPhone market being the land they are fighting over, or more specifically the contracts that come with iPhone users): Grab your popcorn.
Matt Drance on the coming carrier wars between AT&T and Verizon (with the iPhone market being the land they are fighting over, or more specifically the contracts that come with iPhone users):
Grab your popcorn.
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John Carey on the Jambox
I got a Jambox the other day and I was in the process of writing the review. Then John posted his review and I agree with everything he said and can recommend his review as the best one on the Jambox. Now John is an excellent photographer, but by day he is a live audio…
I got a Jambox the other day and I was in the process of writing the review. Then John posted his review and I agree with everything he said and can recommend his review as the best one on the Jambox. Now John is an excellent photographer, but by day he is a live audio engineer — which means he is actually qualified to review a speaker. ((Unlike me.))
John Carey:
I have never head a small speaker system hold up as well as the Jambox. It’s an incredible feat for such a small enclosure but the low end really does have a substantial kick to it. I won’t recite their marketing jargon here but I can say that I am amazed at what a well rounded sound this little speaker emits with little sacrifice to the higher or midrange frequencies.
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“The Verizon iPhone Is Too Late”
The once relevant and somewhat funny guy who wrote the “Fake Steve Jobs Blog”, Dan Lyons, had this to say: But Apple’s big weakness is its control-freak nature and insistence that there is only one way to make a smart phone. No matter how many carriers sign on to carry the iPhone, in the long…
The once relevant and somewhat funny guy who wrote the “Fake Steve Jobs Blog”, Dan Lyons, had this to say:
But Apple’s big weakness is its control-freak nature and insistence that there is only one way to make a smart phone. No matter how many carriers sign on to carry the iPhone, in the long run, Apple has again set itself up to be a niche player in smartphones, just as it is in PCs.
Clearly the iPhone is niche — I mean it isn’t like your mom or grandparents want one. Obviously people hate the fact that Apple insists you do it their way, that is why iPhone sales are just tiny.
Wait actually my Mom does have an iPhone as do many grandparents and Apple is selling iPhones left and right.
The only thing clear is that Dan Lyons has now taken to writing garbage sensational headlines.
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Personal Hotspot feature coming to all iPhones in iOS 4.3
Boy Genius Report says it is confirmed and I don’t doubt that. Geller also states that technical acceptance will happen in March, so I would guess that this update would be out in early April.
Boy Genius Report says it is confirmed and I don’t doubt that. Geller also states that technical acceptance will happen in March, so I would guess that this update would be out in early April.
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Simple Questions
Google needs to answer these three four five questions. [Assuming Gruber doesn’t sneak in any more questions…]
Google needs to answer these
threefourfive questions.[Assuming Gruber doesn’t sneak in any more questions…]
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Twitter for Mac Bookmarklet
A nice little bookmarklet that allows you to tweet a webpage from your browser to Twitter for Mac. [via Macstories]
A nice little bookmarklet that allows you to tweet a webpage from your browser to Twitter for Mac.
[via Macstories] -
HIG HIG HIG HIG HIG HIG HIG HIG
Jason Z. shaming the ‘Read the fucking HIG’ blog: How can we expect our clients or users to respect the care we put into design if we don’t respect it ourselves? Instead of considering what went into the design, we point at laugh at someone’s “terrible design”, retweet and reblog then go on with our…
Jason Z. shaming the ‘Read the fucking HIG’ blog:
How can we expect our clients or users to respect the care we put into design if we don’t respect it ourselves? Instead of considering what went into the design, we point at laugh at someone’s “terrible design”, retweet and reblog then go on with our superiour existence.
Worth a read.
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Quote of the Day: John Gruber
“I don’t see how Google keeps Flash but drops H.264 in the name of “openness” without being seen as utter hypocrites.” — John Gruber
“I don’t see how Google keeps Flash but drops H.264 in the name of “openness” without being seen as utter hypocrites.” -
“Twitter Beta-Tested a Spine”
Ryan Singel reporting on Twitter getting a gag order removed from a subpoena to turn over records: That’s what makes Twitter’s move so important. It briefly carried the torch for its users during that crucial period when, because of the gag order, its users couldn’t carry it themselves. The company’s action in asking for the…
Ryan Singel reporting on Twitter getting a gag order removed from a subpoena to turn over records:
That’s what makes Twitter’s move so important. It briefly carried the torch for its users during that crucial period when, because of the gag order, its users couldn’t carry it themselves. The company’s action in asking for the gag order to be overturned sets a new precedent that we can only hope that other companies begin to follow.
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What the Verizon iPhone Means for AT&T iPhone Users
Since 2007 AT&T has held one massive competitive advantage over their biggest rival Verizon: the iPhone. Nothing else mattered, if you wanted the hottest phone the market has ever seen in the U.S. then you needed to be on AT&T. Verizon had nothing to compete with it and even now the Android phones are only…
Since 2007 AT&T has held one massive competitive advantage over their biggest rival Verizon: the iPhone. Nothing else mattered, if you wanted the hottest phone the market has ever seen in the U.S. then you needed to be on AT&T. Verizon had nothing to compete with it and even now the Android phones are only just starting to keep up.
Now though for the first time we essentially have two different iPhones: Verizon’s and AT&T’s.
I fully expect many people to argue with me on this, but there are only two reasons to choose the Verizon iPhone over AT&T:
- You already have a contract with Verizon and you don’t want to break it.
- You get terrible AT&T service where you live.
Mobile Hot Spotting
In the coming months there is going to be a lot of advertising from Verizon showing off how great their iPhone is because you can create a mobile hot spot with it. Likewise AT&T will start promoting the fact that you can do data and voice simultaneously on their iPhone.
So naturally one would think that you should choose the Verizon iPhone, because after all how often do you really use data while you talk on the phone?
Well you are wrong to choose Verizon just to get the mobile hot spot. The reason being: AT&T can add a mobile hot spot feature, Verizon on the other hand can’t magically make their network so that it can do voice and data at the same time.
My bet: come June AT&T has the competitive advantage once again. (Meaning they get the mobile hot spot and still allow simultaneous data and voice transmissions.)
June
One more thing about June. Say you buy the Verizon iPhone on 2.10.11 when it comes out — what do you do if the iPhone 5 is launched in June? Pay a penalty to upgrade or wait another 1.5 years to get the latest iPhone?
Patience
Patient Verizon diehards finally got what they wanted, an iPhone. AT&T users may also get what they want: less network congestion. Likely patient AT&T users will also get the same features as Verizon iPhone owners in just a few short months (rather than waiting 3+ years).
Basically AT&T users will get the mobile hotspot.
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Verizon iPhone Can’t Handle Data and Voice Simultaneously
Huge reason for me not to go Verizon. That mobile hotspot thing will be great until it stops a blog post in the middle of its tracks to receive a text message. Also I realize that AT&T doesn’t have that mobile hotspot feature, but do you honestly think that come the next version of the…
Huge reason for me not to go Verizon. That mobile hotspot thing will be great until it stops a blog post in the middle of its tracks to receive a text message. Also I realize that AT&T doesn’t have that mobile hotspot feature, but do you honestly think that come the next version of the iPhone they won’t have it?
Also the existing iPhone cases may not fit the Verizon iPhone (WTF is that?).
[h/t to Ian Hines for pointing at the case differences (via IM)] -
Verizon Announces End of ‘DROID’ Advertising, World Thanks Them
You don’t honestly think they are going to waste more money on Android now that they have the iPhone do you?
You don’t honestly think they are going to waste more money on Android now that they have the iPhone do you?
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Mac App Store & Trials
I wanted to try out a new calendar program called “Caliander” and when I visited their site just now I saw this: I thought that was a rather clever way of circumventing a major Mac App Store flaw.
I wanted to try out a new calendar program called “Caliander” and when I visited their site just now I saw this:
I thought that was a rather clever way of circumventing a major Mac App Store flaw.
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Twitter for Mac, Worth the Wait?
What happens when a user base that has been begging a developer everyday since they shipped version 1.0 for a version 2.0 release finally gets the 2.0 version? Well, there is a lot of rejoicing followed by a general feeling of being let down. At least that is how it has played out for Twitter…
What happens when a user base that has been begging a developer everyday since they shipped version 1.0 for a version 2.0 release finally gets the 2.0 version? Well, there is a lot of rejoicing followed by a general feeling of being let down. At least that is how it has played out for Twitter for Mac (aka Tweetie 2.0).
In this review the only time you will see me write ‘HIG’ is in this sentence.
Real-Time
When I did my Tweetie competitor round up a while back I found that a lot of new Twitter clients are providing access to the ‘streaming API’, giving you a ‘real-time’ Twitter feed. Now instead of checking every 10 minutes you get tweets as they are sent out. In theory this sounds great, but when I tested most other apps I hated it.
I still dislike it. I like to read all tweets that come through my feed and Twitter for Mac’s real-time streaming of tweets means that I am constantly reading tweets — real-time tweets are very distracting. I much preferred checking only 5-6 times and hour, not 30-40 times to read 1 or 2 tweets at a time. (On another note turn off that auto scroll to the top crap [there’s an option for it] — that is a massive place loser.)
For me I have found that the best way to work with Tweetie 2 is to leave the window closed while you work and check on our own schedule. This is the complete opposite of how I worked with Tweetie 1, but I asked for Tweetie 2 ((A lot.)) so this is a minor thing to complain about. ((I have plenty of other complaints.))
Hidden Features
By now I am sure that a good many of your have heard that Twitter for Mac has a ‘super secret’ preference pane that you can enable if you bought into the MacHiest Bundle. ((Said bundle promised buyers an advance copy of Tweetie 2.0.)) To be honest I would still be using Tweetie 1 if it was not for this menu.
You can see the menu options here:
You can see the options that I have checked. For me the critical option is ‘ESC closes compose windows’. The option that I would hate to not have is: Type Anywhere. Type anywhere is a great feature for Tweetie to implement.
Dragging the Window
Much has been made about the difficulty that people have when they need to move the window. There is no title bar on the app, so grabbing the window at the top won’t work.
You need to click the black areas along the left side — but only in the black areas that don’t have actionable click zones. ((Spots that do stuff when you click them.))[Updated: 1/11/11 at 9:06 AM] Actually even clicking on the buttons on the black sidebar (as long as you hold the click) will allow you to move the window — nice touch.
Is this annoying? Yes.
Do you get over it after 5 minutes? Yep.
I guess my question is this: how often are you moving this window? I find a place that I like it and there is stays. If you are someone that constantly moves stuff around I am sure that you would get used to it after a bit. Either way this issue has been way over blown.
Direct Messages
I have a love-hate relationship with the direct message implementation on Twitter for Mac. On the one hand I love that it has auto completion for usernames when you start a new DM, and that it asks specifically if you want a new DM or Public Reply — that is always good.
What I hate is two fold:
- The flow is backwards. In the Twitter stream new stuff is at the top, old near the bottom. In the DM view the opposite is true. Don’t change that up within the same app, I mean read the HI… (oh yeah never mind). ((Also I don’t even know what is in the H*G.)) It would make sense to put the new DMs on the bottom if you responded with from a text box on the bottom, but you don’t. You respond in a window that isn’t even really connected to the DM list.
- Why do my sent messages display at the top of all the DM conversations? What could I possibly want with that view? Seriously, this makes no sense to me.
These aren’t deal breakers, but they certainly annoy the crap out of me.
Searches
Tweetie used to auto check for new search results — one of the better features of the app. Twitter for Mac doesn’t do jack to check for new results until you click on the saved search. Guess what Twitter? I save searches because — wait for it — I want to revisit them to see what new results are there. Foreign concept I am sure.
I just can’t fathom why you wouldn’t update saved searches, even hourly would be great.
Indicators
You know what sucks? The dock indicators that Mac 10.6 uses on the 3D dock that runs along the bottom. You know what the new tweet indicators in Twitter for Mac look like? Yeah, they are not so great.
Perhaps it is my advanced age, but they are very difficult to notice. I keep wanting them to be brighter and just pop a little more. Especially for the Twitter account that is not active (if you use more than one account you know what I mean).
t.co BS
I get adding auto shortening using Twitter’s super short t.co URLs. What I don’t get is shortening my already short URLs (like TBR.mx and d.pr), that kind of stuff is just lame. ((I call on Ian Hines to elaborate on this.))
Free
I must have complained a lot about wanting Tweetie 2.0 because I have never gotten so many app recommendations from people before (thanks BTW). I feel pretty confident in saying that I have tried most all Twitter apps available for the Mac. And even with the annoyances that Twitter for Mac brings there are a few things that you just can’t argue with:
- It is beautiful looking.
- It is free.
- It interfaces with Twitter perfectly.
Take it from a guy who has spent a lot of time with other Twitter clients: Twitter for Mac may have annoyances, but they are minor in comparison to what the others apps are missing.