rationality and randomness http://awmitchell.posterous.com a personal blog of eclectic interests posterous.com Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:10:16 -0700 A List Apart: Articles: The Myth of Usability Testing http://awmitchell.posterous.com/a-list-apart-articles-the-myth-of-usability-t-0 http://awmitchell.posterous.com/a-list-apart-articles-the-myth-of-usability-t-0
Usability evaluations are good for a lot of things, but determining what a team’s priorities should be is not one of them. Fortunately, there is an explanation for these counterintuitive outcomes that can help us choose a more appropriate evaluation course.

This is a good article exploring some of the boundaries of usability testing.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:56:41 -0700 alexmanchester.com: Videos on the intranet http://awmitchell.posterous.com/alexmanchestercom-videos-on-the-intranet http://awmitchell.posterous.com/alexmanchestercom-videos-on-the-intranet
Media_httpwwwalexmanchestercoma6a00d83451b7cd69e20120a58444c9970b320wi_ggqaacljbvwgiho

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:57:01 -0700 Dyyno Personal Channel - Dyyno http://awmitchell.posterous.com/dyyno-personal-channel-dyyno http://awmitchell.posterous.com/dyyno-personal-channel-dyyno

Dyyno Personal Channel

Broadcast Live & Recorded Videos Instantly - FREE

Engage your audience with high quality video and rich media using Dyyno Personal Channel. With a click of a button start broadcasting LIVE videos, demo videos, product how-to recordings, PowerPoint presentations, graphics-intensive applications, entire desktop, and many more. With a click of button your viewers can then watch in real-time, high-quality video and audio within a simple web page.

Why Dyyno Personal Channel?

  • Setup is easy and takes just a minute; no need for IT
  • Easy to use; 1-click to share, 1-click to view
  • HD quality, full screen videos; highly reliable broadcasts
  • Chat support for viewers and the broadcaster
  • Supports over 1000 different applications plus webcams & camcorders and several media file formats

Benefits

  • Create interactive, engaging presentations
  • Easily record your product demos
  • Reduce travel costs — get your message across to a global audience instantly

Start Broadcasting! - Free

Get started in minutes. Dyyno Personal Channel is FREE.
Collaborate, Communicate. Enjoy!

This might be worth trying. And Skype. And DimDim. And GoToMeeting. And WebEx. And... there's a lot of them out there.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:40:03 -0700 Gmail just got pretty. Introducing Helvetimail. http://awmitchell.posterous.com/gmail-just-got-pretty-introducing-helvetimail http://awmitchell.posterous.com/gmail-just-got-pretty-introducing-helvetimail

First there was Jon Hicks’ Helvetireader, then Ad Taylor’s Helvetical, then Jose Frichter’s Helvetwitter and now, Frichter has done it again with a gorgeous revamp of Gmail called Helvetimail.

Jose deserves as much credit as he can get for this, so rather than give full instructions here as to how to install, visit his site for the instructions. What I will say however, is that if you want to take things a step further, check out ZenHabits’ take on a minimalist Gmail.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:17:19 -0700 NASA test fires Ares 1 first stage: watch 22 million horsepower light light up the sky http://awmitchell.posterous.com/nasa-test-fires-ares-1-first-stage-watch-22-m http://awmitchell.posterous.com/nasa-test-fires-ares-1-first-stage-watch-22-m

Impressive.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:33:46 -0700 Another reason to dislike my Sony Vaio - disabled virtualisation http://awmitchell.posterous.com/another-reason-to-dislike-my-sony-vaio-disabl http://awmitchell.posterous.com/another-reason-to-dislike-my-sony-vaio-disabl
It's not looking good for Sony Vaio owners who were looking to get their hands on a hot, fresh release of Windows 7 - Sony has disabled hardware virtualization in their laptop range, thus rendering Windows XP Mode in Windows 7, and many other Virtual Machine Based products, such as VMware and Virtualbox pretty much useless.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:37:03 -0700 Millions set to disconnect their fixed-line phones http://awmitchell.posterous.com/millions-set-to-disconnect-their-fixed-line-p http://awmitchell.posterous.com/millions-set-to-disconnect-their-fixed-line-p

ABOUT 2 million people are considering ditching their fixed-line home phones, as Australians move closer to becoming one of the world's first wireless economies.

For the first time this year, the communications giant Telstra has had more mobile phone subscribers than fixed-line subscribers. Mobile phones now outnumber fixed lines by more than two-to-one.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:35:00 -0700 How the internet works http://awmitchell.posterous.com/how-the-internet-works-4 http://awmitchell.posterous.com/how-the-internet-works-4
Media_httprack1vladstudiocomjpglow800x600vladstudiohowinternetworks800x600jpg_gckfimvghcubnoh

Nice and simple explaination. But it happens really quickly. Thanks to @andrewsayer on Twitter.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:38:01 -0700 Snowleopard: About incompatible software http://awmitchell.posterous.com/snowleopard-about-incompatible-software http://awmitchell.posterous.com/snowleopard-about-incompatible-software

Software restricted during installation and migration

During installation, Snow Leopard moves known-incompatible software to a folder named Incompatible Software at the root level of the hard drive. If you see this folder on your Mac, use the table below to check with the software vendor to see if any Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard-compatible updates are available.

None of my software is on this list.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:13:00 -0700 Impact of telework on the accounting profession http://awmitchell.posterous.com/impact-of-telework-on-the-accounting-professi http://awmitchell.posterous.com/impact-of-telework-on-the-accounting-professi

Impact of telework on the accounting profession

This report contains research into the incidence of teleworking in the accounting profession and its impact on the working and private lives of CPA Australia members.

Also, hear Dr John Campbell CPA MACS, one of the report's authors, discuss how teleworking enhances the work / life balance for employees, promotes staff retention and saves organisations travel time and costs.

From the executive summary:

Telework can introduce distinct discontinuities from
traditional face‑to‑face work environments including new
communication flows and changes in work patterns. These
changes can have a significant impact on work and family
relations. Teleworkers report more job autonomy, greater
organisational commitment, and less intention to leave
their current organisation. However, they also report more
work/private life conflict.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:10:00 -0700 Those plucky little rovers... http://awmitchell.posterous.com/second-robot-deployed-to-help-free-stuck-mars http://awmitchell.posterous.com/second-robot-deployed-to-help-free-stuck-mars
Media_httpwwwnewscientistcomdataimagesnscmsdn17673dn176731300jpg_rxjcllucaaghcyh

Spirit has been stuck in a sandpit for nearly four months. Since late June, engineers have been trying to determine the best moves to extricate it by driving a test rover around a sandbox at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California.

Those little rovers have done incredibly well. One of NASA's success stories. Unlike all this manned space flight stuff.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:14:59 -0700 What's Next on the Web: a ReadWriteWeb Toolkit for 2008 http://awmitchell.posterous.com/whats-next-on-the-web-a-readwriteweb-toolkit http://awmitchell.posterous.com/whats-next-on-the-web-a-readwriteweb-toolkit
For each of the 5 big topical trends described below, I've assembled some resources I think will be useful for anyone who wants to keep up with cutting edge developments in these fields in the next year.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell
Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:44:35 -0700 How to use Windows 7 for free for 120 days, legally - Ars Technica http://awmitchell.posterous.com/how-to-use-windows-7-for-free-for-120-days-le-0 http://awmitchell.posterous.com/how-to-use-windows-7-for-free-for-120-days-le-0

Just like Windows Vista, Windows 7 can be used legally for up to 120 days without activating with a valid 25-character alphanumeric product key. Windows typically comes with a 30-day time limit for users to activate their copy of the operating system, but there's a command that is often used by corporate administrators to reset the 30-day countdown. The rearm command can be used up to three times without violating the Windows 7 EULA. Thus, if the user resets the countdown on the last day each time, he or she can gain up to 90 extra days to use Windows 7 legally and for free. The Windows Secrets newsletter outlined the step-by-step instructions for extending the grace period:

  • Step 1: Click Start, All Programs, Accessories. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run As Administrator. Enter your administrator password.
  • Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter: slmgr -rearm (note the space after slmgr and the hyphen in front of rearm.)
  • Step 3: Restart Windows 7.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

]]>
http://posterous.com/images/profile/missing-user-75.png http://posterous.com/users/4aQUIzR5baEN Andrew Mitchell awmitchell Andrew Mitchell