Category: General
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Information Science > Computer Science
We are no longer coding primarily for “computers” in the strict sense of the world. Post PC devices including smart phones, tables, IoT sensors and devices, wearables and smart appliances all point to a future were computers take a back seat. In light of the many shifts taking place since the last couple of decades I guess is time we start using other terms to refer to the field traditionally called “computer science”. What about…
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Managing Gridlock
Gridlock is a common situation for traction-less startups. Your ratings on the App Store are falling, there’s no growth in your monthly visits and revenue couldn’t be more stagnant, so what do you do? What can you do when VCs are pushing one way, employees on another and competitors won’t let you move forward (via lawsuits or otherwise)? The first step is to assess the situation finding key avenues for change and identifying the key…
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Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is key. We have been highly conditioned to evaluate things according to their superficial qualities and, in all fairness, in an increasingly virtual world, superficiality and reality often collide. Be fanatical about details. Go over each screen at least fifty times (literally). Sit down with designers and work on color coordination, branding, alignment, and overall UX. Your app’s design is telling users how much you care. Your app’s design is an ever-present…
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Model-View-Controller and the Separation of Labor
Few architectural choices are more critical for your project’s success than MVC (model view controller). The idea being that by separating code into three separate entities, the application can grow more naturally and be easier to update. To give some context around the premise for MVC, here are the words of Trygve Reenskaug, one of the first MVC practicioners: I have sometimes been given more credit than is my due, so I should stress that…
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Less is More
Instead of trying to pack yet another feature into your app, why not refine and polish your product? Simplicity is an asset because it increases engagement and customer retention. Thinking in terms of excellence, in terms of quality and not quantity is a recipe for success. Simple products are more likely to fit into your customers’ lives. Focused products are cheaper to produce and cheaper to refine. Moreover, you can craft simple products that only…
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Clash of Giants: Apple vs Google
Google and Apple are chasing the same customers from seemingly orthogonal angles. Apple wants a design conscious, privacy guarding customer with a refined taste and a fat credit card. However, Google is content with just about everybody as long as they open up their lives to the borg. Free vs paid, open vs closed, client vs cloud, is there a clear winner? In the article, Google on Apple: The end is near, Mike Elgan argues…
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Don’t Wait for Internationalization to Pursue the Hispanic Market
America is a multilingual country. With over 50 million Spanish-speaking citizens, and a wide presence in American culture it’s clear that America has a multilingual side. Now taught in most schools and present in American street names and culture, Spanish is becoming a new language for commerce all around the country. However, most businesses only translate their pages to Spanish when they seek to internationalize their operations. In this essay, I’ll explain the most fundamental…
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Can Startups Learn From Comparables?
A pivotal change is taking place in Startup land. Business stories and models are being open-sourced along with a plethora of metrics and financial data, courtesy of services such as CrunchBase, Tech in Asia and Mattermark. With these relatively new tools you can now benchmark your performance against that of the industry and other probably similar startups. If your project is pre-money you can also use Angel List and discover what people in your space…
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The Startup War Chest
A war chest is a metaphor for any collection of tools or money intended to be used in a challenging or dangerous situation. Historically, it referred to the chest located in the homes or barracks of soldiers, in which the soldier kept arms and armor. In the modern era, it more often refers to a collection of funds (or less occasionally special tools or equipment) intended to allow a person or organization to get through…