The Briefcase » I read this http://blog.thelettercase.com Simplicity is harder than it looks. Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:38:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 37signals Illustrations http://blog.thelettercase.com/37signals-illustrations http://blog.thelettercase.com/37signals-illustrations#comments Thu, 11 Nov 2010 19:49:15 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=248 This is another great post from 37signals.

Jamie describes the product illustration process for Basecamp. You should go read it. It’s not long and it gives some great insights.

It’s not an easy task to give a sense of an app from a small drawing of some icons. What I love about this post is that it shows iteration. It shows that the first idea really wasn’t the best idea. Still the first idea had to be executed so that we could see what was or wasn’t working. And get feedback. If he just thought and thought and thought until it hit him like a bolt of lightning, he wouldn’t have come up with that final illustration which is by far my favorite. It says what it needs to say in a clean way.

This is something I need to work on. There are too many ideas in my head that stay there because they’re not good enough yet. They only way for them or me to get good enough is to do those ideas as best I can. Put them out there. And do it again and again.

But men above 35 also could be its victim but now is the time viagra sales in india to flush it out of your life and welcome new beginnings and happiness. Before you will delve into using one such treatment, it’s best price viagra vital to establish the cause of your hair loss. You also need to avoid fats in the meal as viagra properien heritageihc.com it takes more time to show their result. Men buy cheap cialis click here with this mental state can completely deny the fact that both are completely different disorders.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/37signals-illustrations/feed 0
Design inspiration in new places. http://blog.thelettercase.com/design-inspiration-in-new-places http://blog.thelettercase.com/design-inspiration-in-new-places#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:39:48 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=221 As a graphic/web designer, every once in a while you may find a need to explore the web for lovely looking things and find some inspiration. I don’t think there’s a better place to look than BIKEEXIF.

I look upon these motorcycles with envy.

When a man suffers from the problem, he does levitra sales online not keep any violent side effect on human body. If you experience severe side effects when taking Kamagra, you should talk to your physician if you suffer from allergies, anemia, eye diseases, cancer, high blood pressure or low blood pressure, irregular heart rhythm, heart failure, unstable chest pain, certain eye disorders, deformation of the reproductive system or have history of such conditions or take protease inhibitors for the treatment of ED. buy generic tadalafil levitra samples A doctor or dentist may prescribe physical therapy for TMJ is commonly prescribed for patients with TMJ disorder, both as a conservative treatment and after TMJ surgery. Each senior, cheap cialis australia junior and young ones needs their personal home care treatment from their very nearest one.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/design-inspiration-in-new-places/feed 0
David Gewirtz on Apple ruining lives. http://blog.thelettercase.com/david-gewirtz-on-apple-ruining-lives http://blog.thelettercase.com/david-gewirtz-on-apple-ruining-lives#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:16:16 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=180 I just read David’s post via Daring Fireball.

This is an article about how many lives and businesses have been ruined by Apple. And I’m not going to debate that. It’s not like the App Store is the most successful developer market place in the history of any platform or anything. But that’s not the point.

The point is that for every developer that is crying about Flash, there are several new companies excited as hell about iOS or HTML5 or whatever other awesome thing Apple is pushing. I’m a good example. I wouldn’t even be learning programming if it weren’t for my exposure to Apple’s products.

If monetary reward is the only way we’re going to judge anything, than just kick me in the balls now and call it a day.

Apple really is a big start-up. They do some risky stuff and they turn on a dime. When you’re as big as Apple, those decisions effect more people. They take the heat and they keep selling a ton of products. There must be something to this. They must be doing something right.

Good and evil is a gradient scale. And Apple is defintitely on my good side.On the contrary, the same thing is advised to motorists who after buy cialis in australia suffering an accident usually have knee injuries and wrists. Digestive brand cialis for sale regencygrandenursing.com system: Shilajit Gold capsules can bring about a balance in the vata and pitta levels in the body. If you or someone you know is sildenafil tablets facing through ED, Kamagra is one of the best solutions. The causes of Osteoporosis vary and may cause psychological problems due to their feelings of inadequacy. https://regencygrandenursing.com/PDFS/Regency_Outbreak_Plan.pdf cialis professional uk

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/david-gewirtz-on-apple-ruining-lives/feed 0
Merlin Mann on Future Proofing Your Passion http://blog.thelettercase.com/merlin-mann-on-future-proofing-your-passion http://blog.thelettercase.com/merlin-mann-on-future-proofing-your-passion#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 18:51:32 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=176 Merlin Mann distills the unbelievable amount of over lapping anxieties in my head into small chunks of advice that make me think there might be another way of doing things that isn’t so painful. His new post on 43folders is no exception.

Just go read it.One of the most important things is that your ability to continue in the state cialis line order creativebdsm.com of your health. Today, adrenaline addiction is also becoming buy cialis more widely discussed with its harmful effects on people’s personal health and professional endeavours. That is why I have reviewed the cialis from canadian pharmacy top four erectile dysfunction treatments for you. Intercourse plays an essential function within your existence, so creativebdsm.com purchase cheap levitra really don’t just ignore it and try to find the resolution as soon as possible.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/merlin-mann-on-future-proofing-your-passion/feed 0
Violation Report. http://blog.thelettercase.com/violation-report http://blog.thelettercase.com/violation-report#comments Fri, 07 May 2010 06:45:08 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=174 So designworklife posted about Violation Report. It’s a site where you can post pictures of people being discourteous in public. A way to humiliate them. Shame by fame, if you will.

I didn’t find the site very funny. It’s a great idea that should have remained a funny forum thread on some site I never visit. Okay, that was harsh.

But seriously, it’s like flirting with a girl you don’t care about so the one you do care about will care about you. Could we get any further removed from actually getting what we want?

Aside from Violation Report being rude, it’s indirect. It’s a way for us to feel better about our shit day by being completely un-courteous , behind someone’s backs for the entire world to see.

Here’s an idea. The next time someone’s doing an “Alpha-male Stretch”, politely ask them to move! If this person doesn’t immediately say “Sure” and scoot over, you have my blessing to post pictures of him and his kids on whatever public shaming site you want. But if you just sit there stewing in your own self-pity and hating this person for sitting comfortably, you’ve got some serious seat entitlement issues.Use chocolate or vanilla syrup on your partner’s body cialis tablets india to seduce them. So, correct vardenafil price yourself if think so. It relieves you from cheapest line viagra asthma, heart problems, constipation, indigestion and infections. Kamagra is the leading online website for the medicine for free tadalafil greyandgrey.com.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/violation-report/feed 0
iPad. I want one but until then… http://blog.thelettercase.com/ipad-i-want-one-but-until-then http://blog.thelettercase.com/ipad-i-want-one-but-until-then#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:28:16 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=157 John Gruber wrote his review of the iPad. It’s really good. It’s extensive but in the right way. Hater or lover, you’ll get a sense of the possibilities and limitations of this beautiful piece of delish.

I’m a little tired of the “closed system” argument although Cory Doctorow’s post is very thought provoking. This device is bringing joy to a lot of people and a ton of inspiration. You may not be able to create apps right on the device or open it up or geek out customizing the core functionality but I have a MacPro and I’ve never written an app and wish I never had to open it up and have opened the Terminal once. I’ve never been more inspired than right now to write code, create, design and help others to do so with my mac, the iPad and the web. It may not give you tools that directly allow tinkering but it gives you a reason to care about tinkering. It doesn’t make tinkering easy, it just makes it worthwhile. At least for me.

So, stop your whining and do something. I know that education about our culture and what it should be is doing something. But education will only change things when those you teach actually build something real. So build something. Use the limitations of the iPad to inspire creativity or use your hatred of closed systems to build something open and better or encourage others to do so. Apple is a company putting out products that they (Steve) love and that others love too. It’s as simple as that.

I don’t wish the iPad was more open. I hope that Steve Jobs and those at Apple, stick to their guns and keep making things the best way they know how. But I want thousands more people to do the same. I’m not in the cult of Mac. I’m in the cult of Make Shit You’re Proud Of. And Apple does that better than anyone. More please.Below are stated buy cialis professional the reasons why a man faces erectile dysfunction. Although the relationship is somewhat vague, scientists levitra sample learn more about it. Discontinue of levitra canadian pharmacy intake is also recommended that you lay flat on a bed or a sofa while you use the pump. on line viagra Kamagra male enhancement drug is available in many versions* Executes well to supply best results* Quickly works to give sexual enjoyment to the males, but it is now being done online.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/ipad-i-want-one-but-until-then/feed 0
The Law of Anti-Attraction by Sonia Simone http://blog.thelettercase.com/the-law-of-anti-attraction-by-sonia-simone http://blog.thelettercase.com/the-law-of-anti-attraction-by-sonia-simone#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:57:23 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=144 The law of Anti-Attraction.

Just a quick link to a post that really makes sense to me. The big secret in business or anything for that matter, there are big secrets.Unhealthy lifestyle has already online cialis supplementprofessors.com a toll on his life. Apart from this, some medical conditions like infected or penile damage, obstructed pulmonary diseases and sleep apnea just to name a online prescription cialis few more. It is a medically certified Way to delay ejaculation and allow you and online cialis pills https://www.supplementprofessors.com/levitra-6570.html your partner to enjoy a longer lasting and more satisfying sexual experience. I spend a fortune in search of an ideal medical formula to find an generic viagra cheapest effective medication for my hair loss problem.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/the-law-of-anti-attraction-by-sonia-simone/feed 0
Usability or Usefulness: the forgotten side of user experience. http://blog.thelettercase.com/usability-or-usefulness-the-forgotten-side-of-user-experience http://blog.thelettercase.com/usability-or-usefulness-the-forgotten-side-of-user-experience#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:09:24 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=77 Usable: capable of being used.

Useful: being of use or service; serving some purpose; advantageous, helpful, or of good effect.

Kathy Sierra is awesome. I didn’t know much about here until she was interviewed on the web 2.0 show. It’s amazing that you can design websites for a while and still not be fully aware of the people that matter on the web. Anyhoo…

Since that interview I’ve been completely stuck with the idea of making people kick-ass. Or at least asking myself how I can help people kick-ass. I’m a designer not a programmer, although I build the sites I design. But I have users too. People use my design to communicate. And if I’ve done my job, it helps them kick-ass at communicating to their audience.

This brings me to my point: Useful is way more important than usable. Usable seems so obvious to me that I don’t know why it gets so much attention. But usable implies that someone wants to use it. That they’re trying to use it. But why would they even try in the first place? They’ll try it if they think it will be useful.

The tools that exist now are unbelievable. We have it so easy with Photoshop, Coda and Final Cut that by myself, I can do what it used to take 25 people and 20 machines to do. And I can do it faster. Yet there is a relatively small amount of people who have taken the time to learn any one of them, much less all three.

Making a product simple or usable reduces the friction of getting people to use it. But it doesn’t motivate people to do so.

The value is not in usability but in usefulness. To the degree that usability makes something more useful is the degree that your user and you win. But everything, even Basecamp, has a learning curve. And people need to know why they should bother. Or better yet, how it will help them kick-ass at whatever they want to kick-ass at. I’m excited to see applications, sites, posters, video games, movies, blogs and books that really take into consideration how to help people kick-ass and remind them how much they want to.Also you can try a few techniques so as to reduce buy levitra check it right here now the sensation that trigger premature ejaculation. Studies show that over 3.2 million people in the epidermis when it is revealed to ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays generico cialis on line [2, 2a]. How cool is that? Duration of few buy cheap levitra hours: the course is only of few hours – which mean that you don’t have to invest too much time in order to learn how to drive. Men suffering from erectile dysfunction need not worry about the price of the medicine as Ajanta Pharma kamagra cheap order viagra price is very low compared to other ED drugs.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/usability-or-usefulness-the-forgotten-side-of-user-experience/feed 0
A design inspiration blog with a bit more. http://blog.thelettercase.com/a-design-inspiration-blog-with-a-bit-more http://blog.thelettercase.com/a-design-inspiration-blog-with-a-bit-more#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:10:20 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=71 I’m a big fan of design blogs. I have my favorites that I check about every day: Swiss Miss, It’s Nice That, FormFiftyFive. The usual.

But I recently ran into Design Work Life. A blog by New York based design studio, Seamless Creative. (who also has some great work!)

It is rad because they don’t just post great stuff but they also write a bit of info about the studio or designer or concept behind the work. And that is really valuable to a learning designer like myself. Plus, I’ve seen quite a few things on there site that I haven’t seen featured anywhere else. Check it out and tell me what you think.David Cameron took questions from backbenchers at Prime Minister’s this page viagra on line sales Questions prior from unveiling latest tax and spends plans from Chancellor. These terms of endearment conjure up viagra from canada portraits of matchless tenderness, caring and love. The question is, how does Sildenafil reduce the risk of diabetes, and improve one’s general health? Dr. donssite.com viagra no prescription A man is said to be complete when he is able to satisfy viagra no prescription woman’s desires and fantasies.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/a-design-inspiration-blog-with-a-bit-more/feed 0
Fast Company Magazine: Ads vs. Content http://blog.thelettercase.com/fast-company-magazine-ads-vs-content http://blog.thelettercase.com/fast-company-magazine-ads-vs-content#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:37:35 +0000 Benjamin W. http://blog.thelettercase.com/?p=28 A scan of the most recent cover of Fast Company with a hand drawn tally of how many ads there are versus how much content.

A scan of the most recent cover of Fast Company with a hand drawn tally of how many ads there are versus how much content.

I’m a big fan of the Fast Company site. I’ve been introduced to all kinds of great new ideas and ways of thinking about design, business and entrepreneurship. It’s got great community features and pretty much makes the magazine obsolete. And here’s why…

I went through the most recent issue of Fast Company (October, 2009) and 33% of it is ads. A THIRD! It is almost one for one except for the feature section Masters of Design. But up until then, the ads we’re winning.

Is this surprising to anyone else? If I bought this on the stand for $4.99, a third of what I just paid my hard earned cash for is 54 full page ads.

Barnes and Noble should have created Amazon. Tower Records should have come up with iTunes. How can Fast Company change the game for everyone instead of hoping the game stays the same?How about we begin generic prescription viagra on the following page with an examination of elective meds for ladies’ wellbeing issues. It is the exact adaptation of the branded levitra 60 mg as it also contains the same active constituent i.e. They help in promoting sex activity for a longer period of time with the help of just a single pill. free viagra tablet And some very interesting findings and results cialis prescription cost were found.

]]>
http://blog.thelettercase.com/fast-company-magazine-ads-vs-content/feed 0