I have been a fan of Robert X. Cringely for a long time. Back in the day I used Bob's Nerds 2.0.1 PBS documentary to train new hires on the basics and history of the Internet. While I am not big enough of a fan to know what the X. is all about I must admit much of my writing style is a poor man's knock off of Mr. Cringely.
If Nerds 2.0.1 was back in the day, Accidental Empires: How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foreign Competition, and Still Can't Get a Date is back in the yesterday. It was written in 1992. But nearly 20 years later remains an entertaining and insightful read about the birth of the personal computer industry.
The chapter entitled "The Prophet" is worth the price of admission. The prophet is Steve Jobs and what Cringely writes is prophetic.
Steve Jobs sees the personal computer as his tool for changing the world. I know it sounds a lot like Bill Gates, but it's really very different. Gates see the personal computer as a tool for transferring every stray dollar, deutsche mark, and kopeckin in the world into his pocket. Gates doesn't really give a damn how people interact with computers as long as they pay up. Jobs gives a damn. He wants to tell the world how to compute, to set the style for computing.
Pretty spot on.
Some of the passages in the book are clearly timeless in the land of the geeks.
People who actually rely on computers in their work won't tolerate being more than one hardware generation behind the leading edge.
And this one could be ripped from many articles on impending IPOs today.
Companies don't go public to raise money; they go public to make real the wealth of their founders.
Accidential Empires is both an enjoyable and must read for anyone that cares about computing.
Posted in Books, Computing |
It is rare that I do book reviews on FoG. It is even more rare that I do them before finishing a book. But here goes.
I am about a third of the way into Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod. It's supposed to be a book about being creative. But it is much more then that. If you read it through the eyes of an entrepreneur that wants to change the world it is brilliant. Or in the spirit of the book, totally f-ing amazing. Not the tactics of making your venture successful, but the strategy of making your life successful. Here are some gems from the first 11 pages:
"GOOD IDEAS ALTER THE POWER BALANCE IN RELATIONSHIPS. THAT IS WHY GOOD IDEAS ARE ALWAYS INITIALLY RESISTED."
"Your
idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours alone. The more
the idea is your alone the more freedom you have to do something
amazing."
"Doing anything worthwhile takes forever. Ninety
percent of what separates successful people and failed people is time,
effort and stamina."
"If somebody in your industry is more
successful then you, it's probably because he works harder at it then
you do. Sure, maybe he's more inherently talented, more adept at
networking, but I don't consider that an excuse. Over time that
advantage counts for less and less. Which is why the world is full of
highly talented network-savvy, failed mediocrities."
"Being
good at anything is like figure skating - the definition of being good
at it is being able to make it look easy. But it never is easy.
Ever. That's what stupidly wrong people conveniently forget.""
Hugh's writing is based on his own experience as a creative type. Back in 1997 he started doodling on the back of business cards. Seems like kinda a stupid idea. But it was his idea. And he worked it. Made it work.
Buy the book, borrow the book. Do whatever you can to read the book. Lacking your ability to do that go read the blog post on which the book is based.
Best way to sum up the book is the way Hugh did. "Work hard. Keep at it. Live simply and quietly. Remain humble. Stay positive. Create your own luck. Be nice. Be polite."
Rock on.
Posted in Books |
Over the weekend I finished reading The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. I purchased the book last year and let it sit until the heart of the football season. After you read it you will never watch a football game in the same way again.
The book is two intertwined stories.
First Lewis analyzes the evolution of football strategy over the past 30 or so years. The rise of the West Coast offense, the appearance of a new breed of defensive player such as Lawrence Taylor, and the resulting need for quarterback blind side protection. This ultimately led to other changes in strategy with the end result being the left tackle spot becoming highly valued with those playing the position generally being the second highest paid person on the field (behind the QBs they are protecting).
Second Lewis adds a layer of color tale of Michael Oher. Oher is a homeless Memphis ghetto kid taken in by
a rich white family with ties to Ole Miss and a Christian high school. At 6'6" and 350 pounds Oher develops into an top ranked left tackle prodigy
with every major college coach in the country recruiting him. Oher ends up at Ole Miss, under NCAA investigation, but with a bright future ahead of him in the league. This personal story brings fresh insight into how hard it is for an inner city kid to break away from his past as well as creates great interest for one to follow Oher's career.
The Blind Side is a fascinating book that is a must read for any football fan.
Posted in Books, Sports |
I have been reviewing "Citizens Marketers" the new book by Ben and Jackie over at Church of the Customer.
It is hard to fathom someone five years ago making a post on the Internet for a bunch of unkown and non book industry people to review a draft of a book.
Jackie only asked for two things. Honest feedback and not to distribute the contents of the book. I can tell you they are getting great feedback.
They are also responding to it like you would expect. With a healthy respect for those that are representing the viewpoint of their potential customers.
I can also tell you that based on what I have seen so far, the final product is going to be an interesting read.
We live in great times.
Posted in Books |
