Factory Resets are a Terrible Fix
Phone running badly? Factory reset it to fix things.
Pardon my interrobang moment, but that’s ridiculous. Not that it’s bad advice because it can often fix things, but it’s a thing we should never have to do. When the “fix” for your software is to delete all its associated data and start fresh, that means your software is bad. Full stop.
There have been times where people have had to do this on iOS as well, so don’t take this as an Android vs iOS thing. Having to do a factory reset is a terrible fail state.
I’d say the same thing about anything that asks a non-developer from opening a command prompt.
#OpenWeb
#OpenWeb is a new website from Michael Rockwell, and I think it’s a really great resource. The site essentially amounts to a collection of indie, solo bloggers who focus on Apple. You can either go to the site and check out links there, you can download the OPML file which will subscribe you to every site in the feed reader of your choice, or you can subscribe to the #OpenWeb feed and just get everything delivered wherever you want.
There are currently 22 websites on the page, and I have never heard of a few of them. If I wasn’t already included on the site (thanks, Mike!) then I would be petitioning to get on there.
Podcast #76: 3 Ways I’m Stepping Ever So Slightly Outside my Comfort Zone
I’m experimenting with computer platforms, media, and content creation mediums, all in the interest of challenging my own assumptions about who I have decided I am. These are not life-changing differences, but they are small steps to challenge some decisions I made many years ago.
Why I Love Link Blogging
More often than not, I write articles for this site after reading something someone else wrote. I browse the web for articles and tweets that I find interesting, and the ones that make me think are very often the ones that inspire me to write something myself.
This leads to a funny situation as a writer though: do I write my article as a brand new post that gives the impression I thought of something in a vacuum? Do I write a normal post and link to the article/tweet that inspired me inline? Do I do a full block quote that shows off what idea got me going and write from there?
I personally love the third option. Link to someone else, provide a relatively short block quote of what idea set me off, and then take on the topic from there.
The web allows us to create content that is connected with the rest of the web. Everything we do, especially us writers, is kicked off by something someone else said, and we should embrace that. Make your blog a part of a conversation, not an island that feels like you’re just doing this all on your own. None of us are, and we should be proud of that.
Besides, if someone reads my site and I link somewhere else, hopefully that will make people click that link and some of them will discover a new writer they had never heard of. If that linked article also links somewhere else, then the rabbit hole can get very deep, but that’s just more chances to find some gems out there.
I do see the irony in this post not linking anywhere else, but let’s just call this the exception that proves the rule, alright?
Podcast #75: Drafts 5 Micro-Review
Drafts 5 will be releasing today and it’s a great update! I am not going to post a full review of the app because I’m far too casual of a user to provide much insight into it, but I had to take a few minutes and talk about why I love it and how it fits into my very specific workflow.