SIGNAL VS. NOISE

37signals: Chicago, New York, Copenhagen

While David makes the move to 37signals, I've made of move of my own this weekend: to NYC. I'll still be 37signalling but will be working remotely from here. Why the move? After over a decade in Chicago I felt the need for a change of scene. I had great experiences out in Chicago but I felt like it was time for me to escape the midwest.

So I drove all my stuff out to my new apartment in the East Village on Saturday. Moving was hell but it was also a great purge. I had accumulated so much stuff during my years in Chicago and it was amazing how much of it was just crap. It's a tough challenge to fit your whole life into a 10' truck but it makes you realize what you really need and what's just taking up space. It feels great to be streamlined.

So I guess our email signature just got a lot cooler..."37signals: Chicago, New York, Copenhagen."

David Heinemeier Hansson is now a signal

This has been a long time in the making, but today in Seattle we put pen to paper -- David Heinemeier Hansson, aka Mr. Ruby on Rails, Mr. Instiki, and the technical brains behind Basecamp, is now part of 37signals. We're thrilled to officially have him on the team.

David is one of the sharpest, most practical, visionary developers I've ever met. He understands that programming isn't just about the code you add, but the code you take away. He understands that design and the customer experience drives the back end. He understands what building something useful is all about. And he understands how to communicate clearly. He powers our Less Software movement. He's 37signals through and through.

Welcome aboard, David. Here we go!

Philip Johnson, dead at 98

Philip Johnson, well known for his glass box skyscraper post-modernist architecture, has passed at 98.

"I like the thought that what we are to do on this earth is embellish it for its greater beauty," he said, "so that oncoming generations can look back to the shapes we leave here and get the same thrill that I get in looking back at theirs -- at the Parthenon, at Chartres Cathedral."

I like that thought too.

The Lines Are Crossed

Arrows, bubbles, letters, numbers, crossed lines...this chart from Road Runner's FAQs has got it all:

See, it's easy as 1-2-3. Or is that A-B-C? Or 1-A-2-D-C-G-3-H?

Self portrait observation

People don't like to smile when they take their own picture (of course there are exceptions). Think this means people take themselves too seriously?

Horseshoe Reviews at Amazon

Dartmouth professors are working on software that uses Amazon rankings to determine the "controversiality" of a book. Why? Controversial books tend to sell better. The software is based on the premise that ratings of controversial books tend to have a horseshoe-shaped pattern (i.e. reviews tend to skew to either one-star or five-star ratings).

Bear With Me

The Morning News hosts a collection of Witold Riedel's photos that feature a little bear trying to make his way in the world.

Typing, the new white noise

I'm in Seattle at the Blog Business Summit. Heating and air conditioning sounds used to be the white noise during a session. Now it's typing. Click, click, click. Non-stop.

A dream job at T26: Font Tech

Carlos Segura is looking to fill a job at T26.

Font Tech: Applicant requirements are Macintosh and cross-platform (PC) proficiency, strong organizational and communication skills, and has knowledge of typography. Duties primarily include overseeing daily operations, online and phone customer service and tech support, type maintenance, and other type trouble-shooting. Other tasks include contract administration, distributor and designer relations. knowledge of fontographer, Illustrator, ATM, Flash, and HTML a plus. Position available immediately. Ask for Sun Segura by phone at 773.862.1201 or email [email protected].

This job rarely opens up so if you're into this sort of thing, this is your shot. Don't pass on this one.

Battle of the Bestsellers

Two current "it" books seem to offer competing theories. "Blink" says experts succeed when they go with their guts (''decisions made very quickly can be every bit as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately.''). But "Moneyball" argues that baseball execs who analyze stats outperform scouts who go with instinct. David Brooks points out the interesting theoretical split between the two in his NY Times review of Blink.

The thick-slicing part of the brain reminds me that not long ago I read Michael Lewis's great book, ''Moneyball,'' about a baseball executive who used rigorous statistical analysis to clobber fuzzy-minded old pros who relied on their gut impressions. What is the relationship between self-conscious reason and backstage intuition? Which one is right more often?

Blog of mouth

A few weeks ago I posted about the power of blog-based marketing and today I have some more news to report.

In just the first 24 hours of operation, and just through blog word-of-mouth (and subsequent real word of mouth), over 2500 people have signed up for Ta-da List accounts. We haven't even sent out a note to our few-thousand strong mailing list. 2500 accounts started from a single blog post on SvN. And then more blogs took note. And the beat goes on.

It amazes me how this network operates.

LAUNCH: Ta-da list - Simple, sharable to-do lists

A few weeks ago I posted a logo and asked what it was. The guesses were entertaining. Some were really close.

Well, now we can share. It's our new FREE product called Ta-da List. Ta-da list lets you make simple, sharable to-do lists. You can keep them to yourself, share them with only specific people, or share them with the world.

Why did we do this? Well, one of Basecamp's most popular features has been its to-do lists. People just love them. So we figured we'd share some of that love and build a little free tool based on Basecamp's to-do lists. We put together a chart showing the key differences between Ta-da's lists and Basecamp's lists.

So, go sign-up for FREE and check it out. You'll be up and running in 10 seconds. We think you'll find it really useful — and fast (thanks to XMLHTTPrequest, things that you'd normally think would require a page reload don't require a page reload).

Note: Ta-da is only guaranteed to work with Internet Explorer 6, Safari, and Firefox. It will not work on IE 5.

Back to basics

From time to time, when things get complex, I go back to Taxi Driver Wisdom for a good dose of common sense and clarity. Some of my recent favorites:

On being fickle: The things you love are as stupid as the things you hate and are easily interchangable.

On humility: If you're a smart person, you can see what's smart about the next guy. If you're secretly afraid you're a moron, okay, then to you everybody's a moron.

On out-of-the-tunnel vision: I see more of what is going on around me because I am not concerned with finding a parking place.

On culpability: Democracy is only because everyone wants others to share the blame.

On 20/20 vision: As soon as you meet someone, you know the reasons why you will leave them.

On high blood pressure: Everything comes out the same, no matter whether you make it hard on yourself or not.

On temporal pleasures: I enjoy fireworks, but stars is nice too.

On alternate routes: Everybody go different way to see the same thing.

On his new cab with driver-side airbags: I'm for better always. I'm for future.

Older and wiser: Old people, they like to get to the airport early.

On identity crisis: Whatever you become, someone will long for what you were.

On checking yourself out in rearview mirrors: If your driver have nothing interesting to say to you, maybe because you have nothing interesting to say to him.

Go buy the book.

Juxtaposition

Question: Why are most web apps designed to put the focus on viewing data first and entering data second? From my own personal experience, and I'm just speaking for myself here, I end up entering data more often than I read it. Even with something like Basecamp I find myself typing a lot more than reading, yet the UI is definitely focused more on reading.

Lately I've really started to notice how much of a pain it is to get something into an interface. From content management apps to online trading apps to online banking apps, you almost always have to pass through the viewing UI first before getting to the entering UI. There's a lot of viewing before there's a lot of typing.

For example, with a popular content management app I've used I've had to log in → new screen → pick an object → new screen → click the link to add a new item → new screen → then enter the data. Why can't I just enter the data first and then decide where to put it? If I have an idea, let me get the idea down first and then figure out where it fits best. Let me create the content then file it instead of filing it first before it's even created.

On the desktop software side it's mostly about entering. A word processor starts with a blank slate. You write and then you save (and figure out where to put it). Photoshop starts in "work mode" — not in a mode where you first look at all the stuff you've already designed and then decide to design something new.

This is more of an open observation -- I'm not sure anything should change, but it's worth thinking about. Care to share any thoughts of your own?

Corrupt Presentations

Earl Peacock quote cited by Edward Tufte in "Corrupt Techniques in Evidence Presentations" (a new chapter from his forthcoming book Beautiful Evidence) [via Kottke]:

"A very important surgeon delivered a talk on the large number of successful procedures for vascular reconstruction. At the end of the lecture, a young student at the back of the room timidly asked, 'Do you have any controls?' The great man hit the podium and said, 'Do you mean, "Did I not operate on half the patients?"' ... The hall grew very quiet and the voice at the back of the room very hesitantly replied, 'Yes, that's what I had in mind.' The surgeon's fist really came down as he thundered, 'Of course not, that would have doomed half of them to their death!'...The room was then quiet, and one could scarcely hear the small voice ask, 'Which half?'"

Another interesting bit is when Tufte issues a takedown of the 9/11 commission for overuse of the passive tense which advances "effects without causes." He writes, "By means of the passive voice, the Report evades attributing any responsibility for the security lapses."

MoMA Online Store

The MoMA online store features a lot of cool design knick knacks, books, furniture, etc. by designers like Charles & Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Le Corbusier, and Philippe Starck. They also do a nice job replicating their print catalog with this online version (in Flash). If you're ever in NYC, it's worth stopping by one of the real stores to see it all in person.

Macs for the Masses

Paul Nixon has created a great info-graphic illustrating Apple's drive toward the "mass market" middle of the consumer landscape. Only time will tell if Cupertino's current strategy was the result of clear-eyed wisdom about the marketplace or the result of an ongoing string of luck.

Hat Tip: Airbag

Resetting Margins and Padding

Resetting all margins and padding, a method discussed at leftjustified.net, gives you complete control over styling and positioning semantic elements. Add a global { padding:0; margin:0; } and you can then apply padding and margins where you see fit instead of relying on browser defaults.

Now we have the basis for a site whereby all side margins are controlled by browser width and all vertical spacing is controlled by font size. Quick, simple and highly usable this could easily be used as the basis for a solid but highly flexible fluid layout.

Sitting For Annie Leibovitz

Brett Leveridge, a first-time author, describes having his book-jacket portrait taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz in "The day Annie shot me" [Salon]. The resulting photos are posted at his book site.

Leibovitz's witty artistry and my pedestrian puss -- there hasn't been a pairing this unlikely since Michelle Pfeiffer dated Fisher Stevens. I feel like the schmo who stops in for a pack of gum and is awarded a shopping spree when it's announced that he is A&P's millionth customer.

Mac mini

If anyone is wondering where the market is for the Mac mini, well here it is: for the first time you can get an iPod and a Mac for under $1K. You've already got a screen at home from your PC. Bingo. I'm sure we'll see them packaged together shortly.

Griffin SmartDeck

Griffin is going to sell a zillion of these SmartDecks. Man, innovations like this are so inspiring. They took the standard cassette adapter that has been around for years and said, "Hmm... we can do better for people who use one of these and an iPod." And out comes the SmartDeck...

Users can utilize the cassette deck's forward and rewind buttons to advance to the next or prior songs in the iPod playlist. In addition, pause and stop buttons do what pause and stop buttons are expected to do. When the user hits the cassette deck's Eject button or switches from Cassette to Radio, Griffin's SmartPlay technology automatically pauses the iPod.

So smart. Good on you, Griffin. My order is placed.

Some stuff of note from friends of 37s

Some of our friends have some new stuff out that I wanted to plug.

R.Bird just launched Lavaluva -- royalty free, custom photographed "luscious landscapes." Available in downloadable single image (example) and multi-image libraries (example). Pretty cool niche stock photo site.

Carlos Segura just launched Cartype, his neverending work in progress. Cartype is Carlos' personal collection of images, comments, links, information and general interest related to cars and motorcycles. I especially love his library of annoying dealer logos.

Clip-n-Seal is now available for sale on Amazon.com. If you need to seal something, or scare a goldfish, you really should use Clip-n-Seal.

Green/White Tea Tip

I'm a bit of a tea snob so I thought I'd share this little discovery with some other tea snobs. Green and white tea is best brewed at 180 degrees F (unlike black and herbals which are best at about 210). The problem for me has always been trying to figure out when the water was at the ideal temp. Until now. Adagio Teas (a fantastic site, BTW) now sells the UtiliTEA Kettle that has a setting for green/white tea. It shuts off when the water temp is around 180. You can still take it to a roaring boil for other teas, but this is a great little appliance for green/white tea drinkers. Highly recommended.

Abbas or Jackson?

Mahmoud Abbas or Phil Jackson? You make the call.

Oh the irony

I'm aware this is a tough one to explain away, but I happened to find myself on a page detailing the age of consent in Arkansas. It was research for a bit of a joke that needed to be factually correct. I know, tasteless. Anyhow...

The irony on this page is overwhelming. Ok, they're talking about rape and consent at the age of 14, but there's a Viagra and "Cool Teen Sites" ad at the top and happy flowers and waterfalls behind the state logo. It's all too much.

Mercedes gets back to design

I've been pretty down on Mercedes design lately. It's been flat and uninspired except for their SLR (although it's a bit gaudy for my tastes). And, yeah, it costs like a billion dollars. But, I have to say, the new CLS 55 really got me. What an elegant silhouette. Really pretty. There's something very modern about this car, although from some angles it has a touch of Toyota Camry Solara. Barely.

For sale: Apple 22" Cinema Display - SOLD

For sale: Apple 22" Cinema Display. Great condition. 1600 by 1024 resolution. 160 degree viewing angle. ADC connection for one-cord hookup to many Power Mac G4s (will also work with a Powerbook G4 via the the Apple ADC-DVI adapter). Built-in two-port USB hub. Priced to move at $700. I'll throw in a copy of our book too (what a deal, eh? ;) I hope it finds a great home -- it's really served me well. UPDATE: SOLD.

Casting shadows

Former Coudalian, Kevin Guilfoile, is giving you a peek at his first novel (congrats Kevin!), Cast of Shadows. I just started it last night, but everyone I know who's read it here in the office is absolutely in love with it. Knopf has a hit on their hands. You can pre-order it from Amazon.com.

And how about the site design by Coudal? Check out the cover page -- yes, that headline is all CSS. Coudal takes CSS-based type to the next level. Anyhow, pretty cool way to to read a book online -- LIKE A BOOK. Sure works for me. You?

DDftW = 2004 Best Book

Defensive Design for the Web was named the best web design book of 2004 by Design, Typography and Graphics Magazine. Thanks DT&G!

This excellent book...completes the circle in the maturation of the web. Building web sites is not enough. Learning and using CSS is not enough. Now we have to make sure it works and keeps on working...If you design for the web, you'll be needing this.

Threadless Threadless Threadless

Our buds at Threadless have redesigned. Once again they've done a great job combining HTML with Flash to make browsing, using, and buying the site a fun experience. I especially like the rate a submission page -- cool little effect as you mouse over the numbers. And then there's the good bling bling humor on the gift certificate page. Well done guys.

And, oh yeah, a free 1-year Basic subscription to Basecamp is included in the 1st Prize Package for their latest contest. Check it out!

Ugh, I hate coming in second

Digital Web asked some folks to make a list of their top 10 favorite web companies to work for. It wasn't scientific and no considerations were provided -- they just wanted to poll people's guts. And here's what they said.

Now, normally I hate coming in second (when you come in second you're the first to lose), but in this case I'll happily take the place. We're pretty humbled to be on this list at all, and to be second, well, it makes us swell up with pride. Thanks to everyone who voted. I'm just glad they didn't ask Ryan and Matt -- that surely would have tanked us.

Sorry, we aren't hiring.

Building of Basecamp Seattle nearly sold out

There are less than 10 seats left for the next Building of Basecamp workshop in Seattle on January 27. The workshop will sell out in the next few days, so if you are interested in attending sign up today.

Launch: 43 Things

43 Things has launched. Kudos to the robots for building a solid team and an inspirational product in only a few months. This is the way to do things. Have the vision, find the people, and build. No BS. Building on rails helps too.

It was really a pleasure working with the Robot Co-op. Thanks for asking us to be involved guys. This was definitely one of our favorite projects ever.

So, go sign up and get started building your list so you can change your world.