Graphics Quality Settings

You play at "Great" graphics? That's cute. I use my GTX 670 to pump it all the way up to Fantastic. 

I am the worst at this

I draw art that is fridge-worthy. By fridge-worthy, I mean terrible in every way other than the amount of effort that went into it. My drawings are those that people look at and hesitate, searching - deeply searching - for something kind to say about it. Because you wouldn't want to hurt my feelings.

Drawn from reference by a 19 year old in 25 minutes

Why do I bring this up? Because I am trying so damn hard! I have set a lofty goal of one digital painting every day. Ever. Single. Goddamn. Day.

So everyday I will make an art. Create something of some kind, while I work towards being a better drawer and digital artist/painter. Everyday I will upload the piece here: creation.hunterdyar.com. Why upload my terrible art? Is it because I enjoy criticism? Well, no. In fact: I don't care what you think! haha! I am showcasing my work as a motivational technique to keep myself creating. I have to post something every day.

This took almost 1 1/2 hours, and I was tracing.

If I miss one day of practice, I notice it. If I miss two days, the critics notice it. If I miss three days, the audience notices it. - Paderwski

It's about being productive and getting better at things. More specifically, getting better at things that I suck at.

In the future, it may be fun to look back and see just how bad I was, and note my improvement. More likely, I will look at that blog months from now and start crying at the clear evidence that shows so little improvement. (ctrlpaint.com, help me!)

If nothing else, it will remind me to practice juggling, writing, unicycling and billiards more often. Because If I don't do that, my self-confidence and self-esteem might drop to dangerously low levels.

Why todo list apps suck

There are a lot of todo list apps. I am working on designing another one, because the market apparently isn't flooded enough. Actually, it is more than flooded, and here is why: Developers use todo list's. They like having apps to help them out. They try to find a good todo list app. Every todo list app is complete rubbish, and they think "I can make something better". So they do. And then it's slightly better rubbish. Some todo apps are gorgeous, others are feature filled, others are themed for specific things like weddings or travel plans. They all suck. Why is this?

I have tried about a thousand todo list apps, the one method I stuck with for over a year was this: Every morning, or the night before, I would write the day's todo's on a post it note, and stick it in my back pocket, or to my notebook in my side pocket. I would check it often, and get things done. It didn't help me manage any long projects, but it worked well for daily tasks and as a reminder. A todo list app needs to have that quick-check daily items, as well as be able to help manage long tasks. 

I am going to try really hard not to call out any individual app, unless it's in at least some positive light.

My hand writing really is this terrible

Only available in one place

People may carry their phones everywhere, but damnitall, I don't want to take my phone out or reach for my iPad when I am sitting at my computer. There are a lot of todo lists apps that are just for iPhone or iPod, not nearly as many for the web, as software, or for android devices. There are even less that are available on all of these platforms. A good todo list needs to follow the user, and sync across devices. I want an app that can sync across devices. I don't even need offline support! (but it would be nice). Existing on ones phone is essential these days, which sucks, because there are a lot of web-only todo list apps that are really good except for that one thing.

They are ugly as hell

There is a problem trying to put a host of features one-click away. You have a lot of stuff to click on. Also, a lot of todo apps still believe very strongly in the glossy button, and don't we hate that? Todo.txt may be powered by a great txt file system, but it came from a command line and it's apps are also ugly! Other apps rely on some tricky interface to separate themselves, like super-advanced post-it note emulation or a wooden theme, looking like a "real" piece of paper, and these all look like crap! The novelty wears off very quickly and then the design gets in the way. Frankly, list's arn't that hard to make look good, but they are really hard to make look great. And most apps just look OK. Completely average. Who wants that? Notable exception: Clear.

Many todo lists would look the same even on this phone

You only have one type of item

Most todo lists treat all tasks the same. Something that is either DONE or TO DO. This is a simple and not very useful way of looking at things. An essay due in 3 weeks is the same as a daily reminder to do some pushups. This is wrong! Items that are different should be treated differently. I want to create a daily item (for me, things like juggle, practice piano, exercise, stretch, etc) that automatically gets added every day. It would be nice to be able to look at stats/history of these daily items. Todo list apps should be able to work with the Don't Break The Chain technique (which I am fond of).

No Hierarchy

Todo list items are not simple. The best todo list items (that is, things that will actually help you get things done) are small single-minded tasks. There is one action to complete them. One should break apart items as much as possible, and watch their progress. Many todo list apps have one level of hierarchy: projects. There is no reason not to treat any task as something capable of having children. I may have a project a boatload of branching children tasks. Often, todo list apps get too intrusive at this step, and there are too many steps to jump through to create a project, which - inside of the todo list code - is a whole separate and frustrating process with deadlines and Gantt charts and a slew of other unused features.

Free Services that disappear

Read this blog post, written better then I could. Basically good services that are free go away because they arn't making any money. This is why I am afraid of Wunderlist, which seems to be one of the best services out there.

This is how much I hate useless features!

Filled with useless features

Wow, app, I am glad somebody thought ahead to password protect my todo app inside of my password protected app, And golly-gee I sure am glad you mark the location I create and complete my todo's! That is super-duper helpful and not bloating or slowing down your app at all!

Other Minor Annoyances

• Character limit on tasks
• Dedicated for daily tasks, no long term tasks (TeuxDeux, you are almost a winner)
• No customizing font, color, etc. Damnit, I want yellow Comic Sans!
• More than two buttons to create a tasks. 1 to open the app, the other to create task. Any more than that, and something is wrong.
• Only good for one thing - (such as just daily tasks, or project management). When somebody needs something else similar, they have to find another tool.
• Typing on a phone stinks, compared to pen and paper.
• No offline access
• Force sync on every app launch slowing you down
• Writing on paper, crossing things out, crumbling things up - it just feels better.

Difference of Opinion, Bertrand Russel

If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way. Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion. So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.

– Bertrand Russell, “An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish,” 1943

Read from here: http://www.futilitycloset.com/2012/07/13/heat-and-light/

Go follow Futility Closet, its a fantastic blog!

This blog is not to be where I share things, but I just had to post this.

The Effects of Alcohol

A new type of software learning tutorial

The Problem

I am trying to learn Maya right now. Maya is very complicated 3D modeling and animation software. To help myself get kick-started in it, I am using a 7 day trial of Lynda.com. Lynda provides video tutorials to learn software, and they are of a very high quality. They can be slow at times, but are solid.

Even these professionally produced expert guided video tutorials are not perfect, but of no flaw to Lynda. Rather, the problem stems from ones attention span. One cannot focus on two things at the same time. Using dual monitors, I like to put the software on one screen and the video on another, and then I follow along to the tutorial. This forces my attention to constantly switch back and forth between the two screens, and I often miss what the tutorial is saying. This is especially frustrating because at other times the tutorial is painfully slow. Most users are forced to watch a chapter, then do the lesson, then go back and watch it again. If they forget anything, it's rewind-buffer-rewatch time.

In Other Words

Software tutorials suck because they force you to switch attention back and forth, and it is hard to follow along while the tutorial is going on. It is hard to learn by doing.

The goal is to keep attention focused inside of the software one is learning, while still following instructions and explanations. The first idea was some overlay software that would point to different parts of the program and text would appear. This is possible, but too problematic and potentially buggy. What could I do to simulate a goatee'd man standing over a shoulder and pointing out different parts of the software?

Like this, but less creepy.

My Solution

My own solution/idea is very simple. Painfully simple, really: Audio-instructor. Audio lesson files to listen to while in the software, doing. (yes, DOING).

Wow, that sounds simple and awesome.

It certainly does. Let me some answer possible questions.

What about the pace? Couldn't users get lost?

As lost as "MOG" the cat

Most users have a pause button on their keyboards or nearby. I have one mapped onto a button on my mouse. Even if they do not, alt-tab + space +alt-tab will probably do the trick quickly. The idea is that the instructor would work at a quick pace, and the users could pause and get themselves caught up. This would mean all learn-ee's are are learning at their own pace, and faster than any video tutorial. Certain parts of the lesson could even command it. For example, learning vim. "Pause now and type a few lines. Resume when you are ready". or Maya "Load 'tutorial file one' and try to use the camera navigation tools to go through the maze. Pause now, and resume when you have finished this."

How would a pupil find his way around or understand icons?

The lack of any video should not be considered a disadvantage. The user has the software open. They can see it. They can follow along and would be looking at the same thing as any video.

Aside from "click the blue arrow, or press the w key to go to <tool>", which wouln't be terrible, one could have bundled with the audio file(s) would be a screen-cap image of the software with different, special, parts pointed out and labeled. One can always check this file if they get lost or do not understand where the instructor is asking them to go. (remember... pause is easy, and can be done without leaving software)


Heck, additional supplements, such as a short video tutorial to explain software layout and terminology, the previously described screen-shot, or tutorials created by other people in other places (all over the internet! hell, what's this "the documentation" anyway? F1? Crazy-talk).

This is better and easier.

Software tutorials do not need to have two images (video and open program) of the software visible at the same time. Keep the pupil inside of one and let them do the lessons for themselves at the same time as it is explained, as opposed to watching, then doing, then watching, then doing, etc. These tutorials are easy to create and audio files are universal, they can be implemented anywhere with already existing technology.

It's universal!

But what am I going to do about it?

I want to try this out on some software I know well. I could easily create a lesson plan for google docs, a short one, and give it away for free. I know a hell of a lot of software well enough to get many started (my secret: learn and recognize UI standards, and your in-software goal). I certainly am going to make an attempt at this, and let other's try it out. If it works, 1) Woohoo! and 2) I will pursue further, possibly setting up a website/small little tutorial creating company creating lessons for sale. The tough part is a witty name that wouldn't age like crap. (the MP3-tuts of today is the Beta-Max followalong's of tomorrow).

This has more uses than just software learning

This sort of package could help explain more than just software use, One could also teach specific things, like setting up/configuring a computer or server, programming, basic tech support, website using, or.. well, anything, really. The premise is solid enough one could take it out of the digital realm. Ipods and phones and possibly even my new toaster all play mp3 files. If a pause button is easily accessible, one could create follow-along listening tutorials for just about anything, from gardening to driving (OK, maybe not driving).

To the classroom!

Have you ever been taught software in a classroom setting? It's painfully slow and terrible for a million reasons I do not need to list. Instead, lets give each student a copy of the lesson, stick some headphones (that they have) on them, and let them at it. The faster pace would keep kids attention focused and have them learn more, faster. Online access would let students complete the lessons from anywhere, with their own machine they are comfortable using. This is the type of technology that could easily find use with the 'flipped classroom' methodology [Learn more about that here]. I have sat through way to many terrible computer apps classes that teach out-of-date software with out-of-date lessons, simply because there is no access to up-to-date resources that are cheap and easy to implement without retraining teachers. This can be fixed. So lets fix it!

These kids are having fun because they are AWESOME and agree with me.

A list of some good programmers font's

I am trying to find the best monospace font, specifically one for programming. Presented in no order are the results from my search, a small list of really good font's for programming.

I was trying to figure out what made these font's good for programming. It all comes to attention to detail. These font's all do a good job paying attention to details programmers notice. Some are easier to read than others, others strive for clarity and clean lines.

• Courier/Andale Mono/Monoco (defaults) Why mess with what works?
• ProFont - Use this one if you want a readable small (9pt) font.
• Proggy - Also good for small sizes.
• Deja Vu Mono - Panic ships with a modified version of this font
• Droid Sans Mono
• Inconsolata - Really good, and free?
• Consolas - You may already have it
• Ubuntu Mono - I used this for a long time
• Anonymous Pro - Many people swear by it.
• Gohu - free, legible, unambiguous
• Twiskweline - legible, neat and tidy.

There are a lot more, but this is a good list to get one started with finding their own font. I use Inconsolata, but have been playing around Proggy and proFont. In the end it all comes down to personal preference. (read: there is no 'best'. But there is 'damn good')

Further Reading:

• http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/30040/Font-Survey-42-of-the-Best-Monospaced-Programming
• http://hivelogic.com/articles/top-10-programming-fonts/
• http://rsms.me/2007/06/11/monaco-inconsolata-and-panic-sans.html
• http://keithdevens.com/wiki/ProgrammerFonts
• http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/The_perfect_programming_font
• http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/GoodFonts