The Flop

Prior to seeing The Flop, you make judgements as to how strong your hand could be based on two cards dealt to you, face-down. You peek at the cards, calculate the odds, then call, raise, or fold, knowing the flop is coming. Remember, the flop can change everything in an instant. Just don't get too cocky, because a turn and a river are potentially just around the bend. continued

 Apr 1, 2005 | 47 comments

Capturing SXSW

When I finally met Hugh Forrest for the first time in Austin this past week, I told him I keep thinking each year that SXSW is the biggest it can possibly get. That there’s no way the following year can top the previous year in terms of the talent he pulls in for speakers, and the amount of interesting people attending who are so open and receptive to new ideas. Each time I’ve been wrong.

Last year’s thinking and this year’s festival was no exception. As the plans started to come together for this year’s event, it was obvious there were going to be lots of people converging in Austin from all over the globe. Friends from previous years returning again. And people I’ve gotten to know virtually over the past year whom I was looking forward to finally meeting in person. continued

 Mar 18, 2005 | 25 comments

Staying organized

Joshua Heyer wrote me today with a question which I’ve never given much thought. Writing out my answer surprised me in how much I could articulate that which I do almost subconsciously. Joshua wrote: “I have a simple question for you. How do you stay organized? I’m struggling with keeping things on point and I’m wondering what you use. […] Any thoughts on how to improve my organization with software, practices, etc… are much appreciated.”

I’ve never answered this question, even to myself, so it’s a little tricky to think about it. I’ll do my best. It’s a pretty broad question that can get into all kinds of areas. I think I’ve been organized most of my life. My mother would probably back this up. I was always rearranging my bedroom, or tearing apart my closet growing up, reorganizing so everything made sense to me and looked the way I wanted it. To do that, I often pulled everything out, and only put back in the things I knew I wanted/needed to keep. Everything else either found a new home, or eventually got donated or tossed. I can see relationships in organization with both my physical and digital worlds. continued

 Mar 4, 2005 | 62 comments

Stopdesign finds new office

After two years of sharing space with good friends at Adaptive Path, Stopdesign finally moves into its own office. Over the past week, I’ve been painting, moving, and assembling, creating a clean, comfortable space that Stopdesign calls home. I now sit high above Market Street in a funky little office with lots of windows and incredible views over downtown San Francisco.

Stopdesign is actually back in the same building it used to share with Adaptive Path: The Hobart Building. A charming historic landmark, built in 1914, at the intersection of Market, Montgomery, Post, and Second Streets. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m told repeatedly the Hobart is in the opening scene of The Maltese Falcon. I’ve even seen doors in our building that still say Spade & Archer on the windows. I guess I know my next movie rental. continued

 Mar 3, 2005

Secure wireless email on Mac OS X

After more than a year of implementing my own measures, I think it’s time to help raise awareness of email security. And in doing so, document the way I use SSH to secure email when I’m on a wireless network. If you’re concerned about strangers having open access to your usernames and passwords, and all the email you send and receive while connected to a public wireless network — whether you use a Mac or not — you’ll want to read this.

Know what happens to your usernames, passwords, and personal email messages when you use public wireless networks? Know that this data often travels freely through the air in clear text? And do you know how dead simple it is for anyone else on that same network to intercept your information and use it against you? On the flip side, did you know you can scramble this data to make it completely unintelligible, even if someone else does intercept it?

With SXSW Interactive and several other upcoming conferences looming on the horizon, I’m reminded once again that I’ve promised quite a few people that I’d write out my steps for securing email on the Mac as it passes from my computer over a wireless network.

There are many means to an end when it comes to security. No one solution is the best for everyone. I am, by no means, a security expert. I don’t claim to know all the answers, nor the best means of securing your data and communication. Some of the tips below are Mac-specific, and will only prevent other people on a wireless network from easily sniffing your information. Not all of them may be relevant to you. It shouldn’t take someone longer than 15-30 minutes to configure a Mac, once they understand what needs to be done. continued

 Feb 7, 2005 | 71 comments