Disqus - Latest Comments for eastgate

Re: the desires of the teaching of writing

eastgate — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:53:36 -0000

Twenty years from now, if you want to learn about physical organic chemistry, you'll do it by reading. You may be reading hypertexts; you'll probably be reading on the screen (or what replaces the screen), but you'll be reading.

And if you want to explain something new about physical organic chemistry, you'll do it in writing. The journal may look bloggish by 19th century standards, but it'll still be a journal. (And some of those journals will still be called "Letters", even though chemists don't primarily publish through circular letters anymore. And some will be called "Transactions", even though hardly any chemists report their results in after-dinner speeches to a club meeting upstairs at a tavern.)

Re: Pimp out your Quicklook.

eastgate — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:13:59 -0000

Joshua Schnell:

Relax. " Grim" apologized in advance, and he's right. Typos are typos. We understand that it's a blog, and we understand that mistakes happen.

But mistakes are mistakes. Fix it if you can, resolve to get it right next time if you can't, it's not a big deal.

Re: What the hell Apple, why kill OpenClip?

eastgate — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:39:54 -0000

It's a security issue; see Gruber's recent explanation

Re: People are Complicated

eastgate — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:52:52 -0000

One of the best advocates of the contrary position, I think, is Jason Fried of 37 Signals.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05...
http://37signals.com

Re: Microsoft to buy Yahoo: Ray Ozzie roars

eastgate — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:16:57 -0000

>Both companies also have lots of fat that can be cut, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Microsoft keeps the fat around (on both sides, as they have done so far) or if they cut back to make both companies together leaner and meaner.

Oh, good. Just what the world needs, a meaner Microsoft.

Re: Tribes author Seth Godin discusses free content and the publishing industry

eastgate — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:32:50 -0000

You can enjoy a song in 3 minutes. You can enjoy an entire album in 40 minutes. Lots of people listen to a lot of music; you don't need to charge a lot for each piece.

Few readers purchase more than 50 or 100 books a year. There's just not enough time! And many fine books require hours and hours; you just aren't going to zip through your textbook on quantum thermodynamics, whether it costs $1 or $100.

The print publisher focus on pub day arose from the dynamics of booksellers and their unique requirements. It's silly to complain to a publisher about this focus; they can't control it. The focus on pub day will erode as internet booksellers gain even more traction, and perhaps as POD gets an effective retail channel.

In advising an industry, it's really important to consider the specific needs of the industry. The book trade and the music business have vast differences in their economics, their products, their audience, their channels past and present; you can't ignore this.