SAST Wingees

Excellent Article on UI

If you havent come across Jensen Harris’ post already, it is a great read for anyone using software, and a must read for anyone in s/w development. I especially like the concept of MileHigh menus that explains the usability of Mac’s to an extend. I guess the same concept/theory can also be used to explain the usability of the iPod interface. This also means that thick client UI applications will always be inherently easier to use than web applications – unless you somehow lock the mouse within the browser window to make it artificially ‘infinite’. Hope all this will work out great for MS in Office12. Well, it better blow away all expectaions because we all know now that Google is behind.

Reporters must reveal grand jury leak sources

I listened to a conversation this morning about this article. Here is the crux of the matter – A federal judge has ruled that two reporters must reveal the sources of grand jury testimony. The reporters, their lawyers and SF Chronicle want to keep their source(s) confidential. Their argument is that the overall good for the public must prevail over the judge (or judicial system) wanting the source(s) to be revealed. Though I do not agree with this particular line of argument of the lawyers, I still think that the reporters should not be coerced to reveal their sources – even if the source(s) happened to leak grand jury testimony. Otherwise, where is the protection for the fourth estate?

Biomemetics – a building modeled after termite mounds

I had written a while ago about how termites farm fungi inside their mounds by maintaining a constant temperature throughout the year using their own air-conditioning techniques. Now,  the Eastgate Center in Harare, Zimbabwe has been built mimicing the same techniques. The kicker is the fact that this building uses less than 10% of the energy a typical building of that size would use. This building was built in 1997. Wow!
<Via Treehugger>

Case Study Method makes way for the newspaper headline method

Came across an interesting report in yesterday’s ET about a new method of teaching that is taking root in B-Schools in India. In addition to the usual Case Study Method that is used in B-Schools the world over, this new method is being used:

The sessions — consisting of all the participants, a couple of  professors and an industry expert — are interactive in nature. Participants are expected to browse through major headlines from some of the
leading financial publications, especially The Economic Times and The Economist, covered in recent issues. They are then expected to deliberate on those issues for some time before coming to the session, to attain an insight into the subtleties of each issue, headline or news item. 

Book Buzz – India’s newest literary star is Baby Halder – a maid

Baby Halder, a maid in New Delhi, encouraged and coached by her employer Prabodh Kumar, has a written a poignant book titled “A life less ordinary”.  She recounts events from her own life making it  a major hit in the literary circuits. Well done Baby Halder!
<Via NYTimes>