Just as much as some software is a pain in the arse to work with (even though it may be totally essential) on the other side of the coin we discover things like the CSS editor in the Firefox/Web-Developer Toolbar!
Working on a significant look&feel upgrade for the farm website, I tripped across this thing today. "Oh!" says Jason, "I've known about it for ages -- can't work without it. I thought you knew..." Well, call me Mr Slow...
Despite its few quirks and oddities, the ability to fiddle with CSS -- especially the somewhat complex CSS I'm working with, where there is a cascade of CSS files, each one overriding another -- and see the results as you type...
That rocks!
10 March 2007
06 March 2007
Software That Makes You Angry
Isn't it peculiar? Some pieces of software are actually an almost physical pleasure to use. Others make one actively angry. Or is that just me?
I will refrain from mentioning a specific piece of software, here -- it would just be a distraction. The software in question has been pissing me off the whole afternoon. All I want is to make a simple change to some templates. But it turns into a huge bloody performance: hoop jumping, contortions, hystrionics and hysterics, all resulting in a Resort to Strong Drink.
The software itself is not such a terrible piece of work. In some places it is excellent, and the rest of it certainly gets the job done. But the thing taken as a whole just makes me angry. Microsoft Windows has much the same effect on me.
On the other side of the fence are pieces of software that just slide effortlessly into your life. When you stop and bother to notice them, they're just... effortlessly there for you. No muss, no fuss. They just get out of your way and work.
So what's the key? I would certainly only like to write the latter kind of software and avoid foisting the former on the world. I think it boils down to "Do things my way or else" vs. "Let me serve you; here's what I do... I'll stay out of your face, now."
What software pisses you off? What software do you love?
I will refrain from mentioning a specific piece of software, here -- it would just be a distraction. The software in question has been pissing me off the whole afternoon. All I want is to make a simple change to some templates. But it turns into a huge bloody performance: hoop jumping, contortions, hystrionics and hysterics, all resulting in a Resort to Strong Drink.
The software itself is not such a terrible piece of work. In some places it is excellent, and the rest of it certainly gets the job done. But the thing taken as a whole just makes me angry. Microsoft Windows has much the same effect on me.
On the other side of the fence are pieces of software that just slide effortlessly into your life. When you stop and bother to notice them, they're just... effortlessly there for you. No muss, no fuss. They just get out of your way and work.
So what's the key? I would certainly only like to write the latter kind of software and avoid foisting the former on the world. I think it boils down to "Do things my way or else" vs. "Let me serve you; here's what I do... I'll stay out of your face, now."
What software pisses you off? What software do you love?
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