Slack (a book review)

   "Slack: Getting Past Burnout, Busywork, and the Myth of Total Efficiency"
   by Tom Demarco
     < http://www.amazon.com/Slack/dp/0767907698/ >

   Don't get too excited.  The book doesn't conclude that being a total
   slacker is good for your employer.  Instead, it's main argument is that
   if an organisation's workers are always 100% "busy", and therefore
   working at 100% efficiency, then the true effectiveness of the
   organisation actually suffers.  By allowing some "slack", workers
   (especially knowledge workers) can produce better output, express
   themselves more creatively, feel less stressed and ultimately feel
   happier.  The organisation also benefits: it becomes more responsive
   to change, quality improves and it becomes more profitable.

   The author challenges many of the pillars of modern management:
   * "Fungible resources" e.g. interchangeable staff
   * "Management by Objectives"
   * Rigid processes with high ceremony
   * "Productivity" measurement
   * "Quality" programs
   * "Motivational" material and seminars

   Another interesting book co-written by this author is:
   "Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams"
   by Tom Demarco and Timothy Lister
     < http://www.amazon.com/Peopleware/dp/0932633439/ >

   I try to re-read it once every couple of years.  There's lots of great
   stuff covered on how to create a productive environment for IT workers.
   It all seems like common sense, but you need reminding every once in a
   while because many employers seem to do the opposite.

Poking Fun At Microsoft

   ... just because I haven't had a dig at the Evil Empire for a while and
   they've done so much lately to deserve a serve :)

   1. "Lies, Damned Lies, and Bill Gates"
     < http://daringfireball.net/2007/02/lies_damned_lies_and_bill_gates >
   Maybe Chairman Bill sick of everyone loving Apple's products and hating
   the stuff his company makes, or perhaps he's just a little bit scared?

   2. Praising Vista - Not!
   * "The Trouble with Vista"
     < http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9009961 >
   "It isn't the features you can see in Vista, or the lack thereof --
    it's the priority shift at Microsoft's core"

   * "Uninspiring Vista"
     < http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/17992/ >
   "How Microsoft's long-awaited operating system disappointed a stubborn
    fan"

   * "Few rush out to buy new Windows Vista"
     < http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070130/ap_on_hi_te/microsoft_vista_launch >
   "Consumers can finally get their hands on Microsoft Corp.'s long-delayed
    Windows Vista, but unlike the mad midnight rushes retailers saw with
    the recently released video game consoles, stores saw only a trickle
    of early adopters Tuesday"

   3. Vista Upgrade Path
   * Vista and Mac OS X Leopard Upgrade Chart
     < http://macintosh.wordpress.com/2007/02/02/vista-and-mac-os-x-leopard-upgrade-chart/ >

   * "Windows Vista Product Editions Preview"
     < http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_editions.asp >
   A look at the various Vista editions - so much choice it's enough to
   give you a headache ...
   "In the Home category, Microsoft will create four product editions:
    Windows Starter 2007, Windows Vista Home Basic (and Home Basic N for
    the European market), Windows Vista Home Premium, and Windows Vista
    Ultimate (previously known as "Uber" Edition). In the Business category,
    there will are three editions: Windows Vista Small Business, Windows
    Vista Business (previously known as Professional Standard Edition;
    along with Business N for the European market), and Windows Vista
    Enterprise (previously known as Professional Premium Edition)"

   4. "Microsoft Confirms it Originated iPod Box Parody Video"
     < http://www.ipodobserver.com/story/25957 >

   5. Zany Zune
   * "Avoid the loony Zune"
     < http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/147048,CST-FIN-Andy23.article >
   "Yes, Microsoft's new Zune digital music player is just plain dreadful.
    I've spent a week setting this thing up and using it, and the overall
    experience is about as pleasant as having an airbag deploy in your
    face."

   * Microsoft Zune Review
     < http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/zune.asp >
   "I'm sorry if I'm beating this to death, but seriously, there seems to
    be nothing about the iPod that Microsoft is unwilling to copy. It's
    pathological."
   "The bottom line is that Microsoft should have waited until it had a
    more compelling product to sell. I can't imagine what they were
    thinking."

   * Zune Setup - Installation Error
     < http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=294929001&context=set-72157594292367584&size=o >
   This is an actual error screen from the Zune Setup program.  Many
   people have speculated as to what exactly is going on in the photo.

   Flickr has some amusing photoshopped Zune screens, if you dare.

   ----

   In the tradition of "fair and balanced reporting", as made famous by
   Fox News, I offer you my criticism of Apple's Mighty Mouse:
     < http://bruno-rants.blogspot.com/2007/02/apples-mighty-mouse-not-so-mighty-in.html >

Something Rotten + The World Is Flat

   Mini-reviews of a book I read, and another book I only skim-read ...

   1. "Something Rotten" by Jasper Fforde
     < http://www.amazon.com/Something-Rotten/dp/014303541X/ >

   This is the fourth (and latest) book in the "Thursday Next" Series,
   following on from "The Eyre Affair", "Lost in a Good Book", and "The
   Well of Lost Plots".

   This time Thursday Next returns the real world after spending more than
   two years in BookWorld (the world that exists within books).  She has
   recently given birth to her eradicated husband's son.  Hamlet (from the
   play of the same name) is taking an officially sanctioned break from the
   slings an arrows of outrageous fortune to live at Thursday's mother's
   house.  Meanwhile, Yorrick Kaine, a fictional character from an obscure
   book, has made an unauthorised exit from BookWorld to become leader of
   the Whig Party.  With the assistance of Goliath Corporation he is within
   a whisker of becoming England's Dictator for Life.  He has already led
   an anti-Danish movement, and is hell-bent on starting a new World War
   that will ultimately lead to the end of civilisation.  Unless of course
   Thursday can help fulfill the seventh and final "revealment" of St Zvlkx
   and, despite overwhelming obstacles, guide the Swindon Mallets to
   victory in the World Croquet League "Superhoop".

   Jasper Fforde has delivered another very entertaining read.  However
   you will probably need to read the earlier books in the series to get
   the most out if it and for it all to make sense.


   2. "The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century"
      by Thomas L. Friedman
     < http://www.amazon.com/World-Flat/dp/0374292795/ >

   I started reading this book, essentially about globalisation, but I gave
   up after the first two chapters.  I ended up just skim-reading the rest
   of the book in the hope that I would find anything worth reading.  Alas,
   I didn't find anything to redeem it.  Don't get me wrong: I'm not
   opposed to globalisation.  What I am opposed to is people trying to
   argue that it is a panacea to the world's problems and that it is 100%
   beneficial.

   The book starts out describing how modern communications and events have
   rendered the world "flat" (hence the book's title).  We're talking meta-
   phorically here of course.  Basically, the removal of political and
   other barriers, along with new technology, has made the world more
   connected and reduced the tyranny of distance.  I don't have a problem
   with this, and anyone who has worked with other people around the world
   via the internet will probably yawn at this "revelation".

   The author then proceeds to cite examples of the new world order.  He
   namedrops and quotes from interviews with many high-flying CEOs.  If you
   were to believe him, globalisation is unquestionably a Good Thing (TM).
   There are no side-effects, and as long as everyone embraces it we can
   all live happily ever after.  I suspect the hidden agenda is to promote
   globalisation via the "flat world" metaphor, almost throwing up a smoke
   screen to make you think that "flat world" equates to "level playing
   field".  In my opinion, globalisation does not guarantee this at all.

   Perhaps I'm being too cynical, but a couple of examples highlight my
   concerns about the book.  Firstly, the book starts off praising call
   centres such as those in India.  While I'm sure they do good and useful
   work on behalf of many leading companies, some also act as annoying
   telemarketers bombarding us with unsolicited phone calls to get us to
   take up a particular mobile phone plan or switch to a different energy
   provider.  The author obviously doesn't see this as a problem.  A second
   example is the author's assertion that everyone using Microsoft Word to
   prepare documents is unquestionably positive.  To think that some people
   actually use MS Word to compose emails and send them as attachments.
   Aargh!  Email is a flattener, Word is a boat-anchor.

   If you're looking for a balanced, well-argued case about the merits of
   globalisation, then this is not the book.  You will probably need to
   also read an antidote book, such as "The World Is Flat?: A Critical
   Analysis" by Ronald Aronica and Mtetwa Ramdoo:
     < http://www.amazon.com/World-Flat-Critical-Analysis/dp/0929652045/ >

   But better still, save some time and try looking for a single book by an
   impartial author (if that's even possible).