intercrastination

We all know procrastination i.e. when you start pushing your tasks forward and end up doing little or nothing.

Over at Lifehacker a reader popped the question about a similar phenomena: procrastinating your spare time in between to tasks or parts of a task.
(Like taking a small sanitary break and ending up reading the entire newspaper or more familiar: just checking your mail and finishing your evening still behind the screen reading all wonders of the internets.)

As this is a procrastination alike issue but then in between tasks the proposed term is "inter-crastination".

For those curious about the relation to the image : "Thief Of Time" should suffice.

the future of 2007

Like every year around this period, Robert Cringely posts his predictions on IT for the coming year.

Apart from the fact the a lot of these predictions are spot on - which is rare in the IT prediction world, some analysts even manage to make no correct prediction at all for one quarter, let alone a year- he is the kind of guy who's not afraid to look back and evaluate his last years predictions.

With an average prediction rate of around 75% I'd say he does a great job.

Here's one that, IHMO could also happen here in Europe :

10) The year the net crashed (in the USA). Video overwhelms the net and we all learn that the broadband ISPs have been selling us something they can't really deliver.

(via /.)

GTD martha steward style

Lifehacker features this weeks martha steward style getting things done home improvement.
The general idea is to paint a chalkboard calender on your wall with about six weeks worth of days on it. This you can do with special chalkboard paint that renders any surface it's put on into a chalkboard.

Although I feel quite opposed to ruining my walls with this kind of paintjob, the picture joining the article demonstrates what a nice set of web 2.0 colors can do to your wall.

As an extra I suggest to first coat the wall with a paint that has a high level of metal particles in it. You will then end up with a wall you not only can write on but also stick magnets onto.

no good deed

Following the outrage these last days when some bloggers announced microsoft gave them a shiny new laptop (apparently the new Acer Ferrari is the only machine apt to run vista at a decent speed) pre-packed with vista, it seems it's now time for a big 180.

After Laughing Squid announced they would auction of the laptop and send the money over to the Electronic Frontier Foundation,
Marshall Kirkpatrick, one of those lucky being on the receiving end of one of these "demo-models", mentioned he got a follow-up message from microsoft telling him - contrary to the original letter joining the laptop gift - to either give it away or send it back.

After all ... "I strongly recommend you disclose that we sent you this machine for review, and I hope you give your honest opinions."


(via slashdot)

simple project management

I wish all those project owners would take a little time to read this one through.
Although no shocking new ideas come up, it contains a clear an concise explanation on how to run a project and not run it into the ground from step one.


An excerpt about communication :

Being a good, clear and consistent communicator is the one thing that will give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to project management.
Give weekly updates and make sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing at all times.
Make yourself available for questions and concerns.
By simply taking the time to communicate well and on a regular basis you’ve one half the battle.

(via Lifehacker, image a shameless rip from some project software site)