siong1987

It is easy when you are doing something. Then, you get disturbed suddenly by some exciting news or new technology that impresses you in your Rss Reader. You put down all the works on your hands and continue reading the news or technology. Suddenly, you think that this new technology may help you to improve your productivity if you implement it in your current work. But, it needs time to adjust to the new technology. So, it keeps bugging you in your mind whenever you are working or even you are sleeping. Thus, your productivity drops…

Anyway, I write this post to share a way that is very useful for me to tackle this problem - Set Up a Someday/Maybe Folder. This is actually an idea originated by David Allen in his famous book - Getting Things Done. The book said that it is useful to have a Someday/Maybe context in your Todo list so that you can put everything that is not important or might be important in future here. For instances, these may be your ideas, something that your want to read or everything.

So, basically, I expanded this idea to everything. I have a Someday/Maybe folder in my cellphone, a Someday/Maybe bookmark folder in my Firefox, a Someday/Maybe project folder on my computer, etc. So, whenever you find something interesting but it may disturb your workflow, put them in Someday/Maybe folder. And, come back and empty it in the end of the day or maybe in the end of the week( Anyway, I suggest that you read your Someday/Maybe folder in the end of the week. ).

Then, you will find that actually the news is not exciting at all after certain timeframe. So, create a Someday/Maybe folder everywhere!

Did you ever think of some big ideas that are cool? But, when time passes, you realize that it is not a cool idea anymore. But, why? Because you have broadened mindset now and you know that your idea is not going to work anymore? No, it is because that you are trying to rationalize yourself. There is no cool idea in the world that you are not working on it. The coolest idea is the idea that you are actually working on it right now. And, the worst idea is the idea that comes to your mind and fades away when time passes.

A successful idea is an idea that you can work on it when it first comes to your mind. You don’t have to worry about much whether your idea is going to work or not. You just have to work on it and demo it to anyone you know. Then, the feedbacks you get are actually the clues that make you realize that your idea is working or not. Remember. This is not an ideal work. No one is going to understand you if you do not show a real working demo.

Look at the above graph. A idea is an idea that comes fast and fades fast. But, it may not be a successful idea. But, you must know that the faster you start working on an idea, the higher chance that you can make the idea successful. But, why?

1. You may lose the interest working on the idea because you are not interested on it anymore. Even you start working on it now, it is still an OLD idea. You may have a new idea that anticipates you more.
2. Someone in the real world has implemented your idea. And, you said: I am the one who comes out with this first. But, no one is going to believe you. Shame on you.

So, don’t let time fade your idea. Start now.

Disclaimer: I have no real world experience to make a successful idea. But, I am a real world example that don’t follow the above rules. I failed. So, a failed person can always make you not to follow his path.

( Last week, I came out with this idea that I might make a command-based search engine. Then, within a week, I came out with Geeky. I thought that it was cool. But, maybe you are not. Anyway, I demo it at the Yahoo Hack U event. And, it seems like it is not a cool idea anymore because I didn’t win anything from the event. T_T )

Imagine if you are a website developer, what is the first thing you are going to do when you download the brand new Google Chrome?

Ya, the answer is definitely: I have to test my developing websites on the new Google Chrome. I have to make sure that everything looks fine in this new browser!!!

In fact, this is the problem that has been torturing web developers for more than 10 years since the Browser World I. But, it seems like the war is not going to stop( Maybe it will stop after Browser War XIIIIXIVIV… ). Nowadays, there are so many different browsers in the market - Opera, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Flock, and the new Google Chrome. And, they all use different layout engines - Gecko, WebKit, etc. So, basically, the page you view by using Firefox may be different by using Opera or the new Google Chrome.

Besides that, even if you are using the same web browser, the page you view may be different between the versions you use. And, this is especially obvious between Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7. But, it seems like this is not a major problem anymore because people tend to update to the latest version of browser since the speed of Internet is faster than last time( 56Kbps VS 10Mbps ).

So, as a web developer, what is your approach to tackle this rendering problem?

In fact, my solution is very easy. I only design and write web applications for Internet Explorer, Safari, and Firefox. Why? Because these are the browsers that people usually use and occupy big nations in the Browser War.

Lastly, I believe that Google Chrome will definitely be included in my list very soon( Clue: See how Google markets Gmail. ).