I have a keyboard with GMK firmware. This is fairly easy to do. In combination with layers, my hands don't have to move around as much. Easier on the tendons and possibly faster.
Yes. I have thought about this a lot. There are cycles...
Like thin client (VT100), to thick (client/server desktop app), to thin (browser), etc.
Similarly, console apps (respond to a single request in a loop), to event-driven GUI apps, to HTTP apps that just respond to a simple request, back to event-driven JS apps.
It depends on how you define the boundaries, but history rhymes.
I could get the retina screen with 16GB RAM, or 32GB RAM with a lower res screen. It was a few months back, so hopefully that has changed. I'm no longer looking though.
I've certainly been keeping my eyes open for a MacBook Pro alternative. On my last time looking, I thought I'd try to find something with:
- retina-like resolution 15" screen
- 32GB RAM
- slim and light without a flimsy plastic case
- good battery life
- good trackpad
- keyboard home row centred
I could not find anything. I couldn't even find something with the first three items.
I remember looking for a house to rent in Mexico and wondering why some places seemed to be much more expensive than similar properties. Took me a little while to figure out why ;)
I had a small company that did software consulting work for one of the provinces. Around 10+ years ago governments started requesting "off the shelf" solutions instead of custom-developed software. This led to a situation where they didn't own the code, were tied to vendor upgrade schedules, and had to pay a premium for customizations. This had the result of spiralling costs.
Each time there's a scandal, they tighten the rules so that ultimately only large companies with teams dedicated to writing proposals can compete.
To be fair:
- we worked on smaller projects of a scope where one person could maintain a mental model of the system
- nothing so mission critical as payroll
I expect the pendulum to swing back toward more internal development and greater ownership and autonomy. So far, not much has changed.
I do notice that while I can't keep the 30th API I've used in my head for instant recall, I am much faster at finding the big picture. I'm a big fan of diverse teams. A younger programmer can just plow ahead without my careful consideration, but that helps keep me from stagnation. Similarly, I can contribute the big picture stuff to make the long term smoother and reduce technical debt.
I haven't seen brain.fm, but there's so many tools that can help me improve the way I work.
I never devoted any effort to learning how to listen until the past few years. It makes a huge difference in having a good conversation. It's lots of fun to bring back what someone said earlier, often in a humorous way.
It helps to show interest in your conversation partner, not as technique of influence, but because people can be generally more interesting if you pay attention.
The number one indicator of poor listening for me is holding a response in my head and just waiting until the other person finishes talking so I can spew my wisdom. Taking an improv class or three helps a lot in learning to listen.
If you go to a random spot anywhere in the world, there's a good chance there's not a lot of people there.
The site http://confluence.org/ catalogs visits to intersections of latitude and longitude. Drill down into one of the maps and you'll probably find mostly empty spaces.
If it's for a trip mad you don't need it afterwards, you might think about a refurbished MacBook. The initial outlay will be more, but the resale value is good. I know people who've done this and actually came out a little ahead.
I pay for single sport subscriptions (UFC and MotoGP). I think they work out to about $10/mo for each. I don't follow the major US ball sports, but it seems like they're a bigger deal with more games than you can watch. Spending $25 doesn't seem outrageous, of you're a fan.
I plucked an Aeron out of the garbage. The frame for the seat was broken, so I just ordered the replacement part. I guess that makes it more than $10, but still a great deal.