What did we learn today?

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293671892009-10-13T14:14:33.814-07:00What did we learn today?Lessons learned from twentyfive years building software, recruiting teams, and managing growing firms.William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-28923986051932730082009-02-26T07:48:00.000-08:002009-02-26T08:35:25.426-08:00Thoughts on Safari (browser)

I just downloaded and installed the Safari 4 browser from Apple and it is, well, ugly! The ugliness is particularly bad on the rendering of its' tabs. The tabs are integrated into the window title bar with clumsy 3-D affects. It also eschews the former brushed aluminum theme for drab beige. I find this particularly disturbing since the software comes from one of the few technology companies that

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-86866757061352215842009-02-20T13:38:00.000-08:002009-02-20T13:50:20.896-08:00Tweetdeck

I've been using TweetDeck lately to submit my Twitter tweets. At first this seemed like a convenient way to tweet in absence of the instant messaging capability. While that is true, TweetDeck's real benefit comes in reading the tweets that I follow.I always found the Twitter website a little clumsy for reading the streams of messages. That's because Twitter presents a single thread of messages

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-28172668916185842252009-02-20T13:23:00.000-08:002009-02-20T13:37:49.123-08:00Atlantis found?

CrunchGear posted a blog indicating that Atlantis has been found. Sure, the source is a British tabloid, but apparently the ancient city was found using Google Earth.While Atlantis is interesting in and of itself, the real story here is the technology. Google has been collecting data on the ocean floors using sonar. Impressive as it is that Google hired drivers to snap pictures of our major

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-4628248050482547982009-02-18T06:39:00.001-08:002009-02-18T06:41:20.636-08:00Don’t think of BI as an all-in-one solution

I recently had a short conversation on Business Intelligence with one of my peers. I tried to explain the premise that a Business Intelligence application in our industry (Health Care) should not be a one-size-fits all solution. Instead the technology should be tailored to the types of questions that it will need to answer most frequently.When he claimed "of course it has to be able to answer any

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-47672223199803283422009-02-17T17:39:00.001-08:002009-02-17T17:41:07.343-08:00I might have saved a life

I might have saved a life today. In truth, my actions were more instinctive than intentional; I had prevented a stranger from being struck by a car by grabbing his coat as he stepped off a Manhattan curb and into traffic. The oncoming car was speeding fast down the narrow street, trying to make a green light. The stranger was concentrating on his iPhone and was oblivious to the danger. It was

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-9467684906677217192009-02-17T15:19:00.000-08:002009-02-17T15:28:23.882-08:00Every second

Every now and then I come across a web site that seems like nonsense, but then turns out kind of cool. Such is the case with every second, a simple web site with several animations representing events in the world (or universe).Visually, the site is attractive; it is rendered in gray-scale with a modern sans-serif font. There is one UI anomaly though, the links for Category, and item seemed

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-90926993091801694472009-02-12T06:40:00.000-08:002009-02-12T09:33:27.373-08:00Sad saga of a three and a half hour commute

Wrong decisions aren't necessarily bad decisions. After all, choosing to walk from Maze on 54Th street to Penn Station on a beautiful night isn't a bad decision. As it turned out, though, is was the wrong decision. So shortly before 10pm I set out on foot to enjoy the night and sights of midtown Manhattan.A wise man would have checked his watch. And a wise man would know the train schedule. I did

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-34045442613482230182009-02-10T04:58:00.000-08:002009-02-10T05:14:35.137-08:00Somebody agrees with my Chrome prediction

When Google introduced its' Chrome browser, I posted a short article on my thoughts (see Thoughts on Google Chrome). One of my conclusions was that the browser which would most feel competitive pressure would by FireFox."...If my browsing patterns are common, though, then Firefox will suffer more. In the end, Firefox and Chrome may just duke it out..."Today I read an article with a similar

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-17054774633925397482009-02-09T06:28:00.000-08:002009-02-09T06:54:54.902-08:00Meme

My introduction to YouTube was a viral video titled "Boom Goes the Dynamite". As it turned out, the video became part of Internet lore, and the term part of American vernacular. There are dozens of similar videos that have become what is called "meme" (pronounced meem). For those of us who quickly delete chain email, or don't have the inclination to follow viral stories, there is a source for the

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-9903096536258102022009-02-05T07:14:00.000-08:002009-02-05T07:35:37.201-08:00More web nonsense I don't need but will probably sign-up for anyway

Google has recently announced Latitude. This service allows you to track your friend's location using Google Maps. At first blush, I would categorize this service much like Twitter, as one of the dumbest services on the Web.I'm a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to Twitter. I use it to update my Facebook status from my cell phone. As yet, though, I don't see how Latitude will provide a similar

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-326577520039483322009-02-04T14:48:00.000-08:002009-02-04T14:56:27.654-08:00Some cool green transportation

An RSS from Fast Company just popped into my inbox. It describes the coolest electric vehicle I've seen. This is no Prius dork-mobile; no it's a hot super-bike capable of using it's electric motor for mind numbing acceleration. The bike is from Mission Motors, but go to Fast Company for the low-down.

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-90963334988129645682009-02-04T06:29:00.000-08:002009-02-04T14:56:43.619-08:00Natural oraffice surgey; maybe it's cool, but it gives me the creeps

Apparently Johns Hopkins research doctors have successfully removed a kidney through, um, the donor's oraffice. It's called "transvaginal nephrectomy" or, more broadly, "natural orifice" surgery. In the case of us guys, the idea would be to use the rectum.The procedure reduces external damage or injury to the donor. The necessary incisions are smaller. Recovery time is quicker. And pain in

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-60486900295081082682009-01-26T15:59:00.001-08:002009-02-10T09:15:46.614-08:00Engaging the entrepreneurial power of employees with a venture capital model

The entrepreneur in us sees opportunities everywhere we look, but many people see only problems everywhere they look. The entrepreneur in us is more concerned with discriminating between opportunities than he or she is with failing to see the opportunities - Michael Gerber, author, entrepreneur This year I participated, in an innovative project as we prepared for review by an internal

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-38922063905740263702008-10-13T05:57:00.000-07:002008-10-13T06:28:30.764-07:00Twitter gives up on Instant Messaging (for now)

Twitter, one of Web 2.0's most pointless sites, is giving up on their Instant Messaging capability. According to their status page, Twitter is changing the classification of the feature from something needing a fix to something they will build. Apparently their implementation of the feature is neither scalable nor reliable.Twitter's existence is based on their invention of "micro-blogging." Micro

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-59494962669907556232008-09-05T15:32:00.001-07:002008-09-05T15:45:19.632-07:00Thoughts on Google Chrome

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine said "everything Google does is excellent". He was showing me Google Maps, which at that time, was revolutionary. Until then, I considered Google another search vendor of Yahoo and Alta Vista ilk. Shortly thereafter I signed up for Google Mail (remember when it was by invitation only), then Google Talk, and later Google Docs.Although I like Google Docs a

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-38386296294064288332008-07-08T19:30:00.001-07:002008-07-08T19:40:42.236-07:00eWeek looks at Computing on the Cloud

My paper copy of eWeek is generally fodder for the circular file. In fact, the magazine rarely makes it as far as my office. Instead it stays in our reception area on a coffee table along with other unread magazines. This week, though, I picked up a couple of editions to browse while taking lunch. In the process I discovered some interesting cloud computing technologies.The first is old news for

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-51877889833126990932008-07-03T08:38:00.001-07:002008-07-03T08:50:36.548-07:00Once You’re Lucky

I often pick books based on reviews from Wired Magazine. This was true when I picked up Once You're Lucky, Twice You're Good. In Mark Horowitz's review, he claimed that "Sarah Lacy…hangs with [entrepreneurs] them, gains their trust, and gets the goods. No other recent chronicle delivers such intimate, behind-the-scene glimpses into Silicon Valley startup life." It's an entertaining read

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-30547765415522652562008-06-30T18:54:00.001-07:002008-06-30T18:59:58.461-07:00Thoughts on Innovation

It is not easy to foster a culture of innovation in a corporation. Ironically, I have not always felt this way. I have spent the great majority of my career at start-ups, entrepreneurial charged companies, and software makers. Each of these environments relied on the creativity of their people to remain competitive.When I joined my current firm, we were a small and hungry software supplier in the

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-42911758441614676982008-06-20T21:02:00.001-07:002008-06-21T16:29:56.581-07:00Thoughts on some Web 2.0 Sites

The expression Web 2.0 has been with us so long that we can consider it a Tired term. Founded on the principles of collaboration, and built on highly interactive technology (read AJAX), Web 2.0 sites represent the post bubble rebirth of an industry. Some of these sites offer fairly valuable services and some of them are nonsense. Here are my thoughts…Facebook is seen as the company with the most

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-40812446100285458452008-04-30T09:40:00.001-07:002008-04-30T10:02:38.919-07:00Stay away from Fanbox

I am normally a proponent, and sometimes early adopter, of new technologies including Web Sites and Web Services. I'm also a believer in the value of personal networking. I have accounts all over the web including Face book, LinkedIn, and Plaxo Pulse. I've even signed up for some of the losers such as Friendster, Naymz, and Spaces. I never had a bad experience until I came across Fanbox (notice

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-58567599196510932372008-04-16T08:40:00.000-07:002008-04-16T08:41:33.252-07:00Plant a Billion Trees

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-71181090650653031232008-04-16T07:55:00.001-07:002008-04-16T08:02:19.226-07:00Brainteaser

See if you can solve this problem.Each number shown below follows a certain rule. Figure out the rule and determine the missing number.January20March5April10December15July?Is the answer?510152025Check back in a couple of days. I will post the answer in a comment.

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-59164373338287166912008-04-16T07:30:00.001-07:002008-04-16T07:59:40.581-07:00Cash is King

There is a common notion that most start-ups fail for one of two reasons; either they are under capitalized or do not sell aggressively. In both these cases, the firm fails to raise the appropriate amount of cash needed to sustain operations. Of course all failed businesses run out of money, but some never give themselves a chance.A firm that never gave itself was chance is Elite Technology

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-63229392995047026312008-03-25T11:22:00.001-07:002008-03-25T11:40:05.379-07:00Here’s a Good Read

I just finished Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. The book has to be one of my most favorite non-fiction reads. I have to admit that Mr. Ariely had me engaged from the first page of the introduction.Here's the premise; we believe we make perfectly informed decisions, but truth be told we are a product of our nature. That nature makes decisions that are irrational; not only are our decisions

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29367189.post-43154567304368449032008-03-14T10:02:00.001-07:002008-03-14T10:28:45.025-07:00Middlesex

I recently finished the book Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. The book is a Pulitzer Prize winner and Opra Book Club award winner. It is a well narrated but strange tale of a hermaphite exploring the roots of his condition.It's hard to compare the story to another book. It spans three generation like many classic "come to America" novels. The subject matter will make some people uncomfortable,

William McCannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10597135674499892345noreply@blogger.com0