Onboarding Tutorials vs. Contextual Help
Tutorials interrupt users, don’t necessarily improve task performance, and are quickly forgotten. Contextual help signals can avoid these pitfalls but require unintrusive ways to activate.
Development
2023
91 posts
Useful macOS defaults: Control Centre
Handy defaults write commands for com.apple.controlcenter, controlling which items appear in the menu bar.
Mac
Monthly update #0393 • January 2023
Monthly update 393 • January 2023 • 2023-01-01 - 2023-01-31
Monthly Updates
What is usbctelemetryd?
If you see usbctelemetryd running on your Mac, here is what this USB-C monitoring process does.
Mac
What is lightsoutmanagementd?
If you see lightsoutmanagementd running on your Mac, here is what this power management process does.
Mac
Quiet 4.0 and a commitment
TLDR: Quiet 4.0 is a restart of Quiet and a commitment to support it for a while.
Projects
The Cab Ride I'll Never Forget
We were like strangers on a train, the passengers and I, hurtling through the night, revealing intimacies we would never have dreamed of sharing during the brighter light of day.
Gems
Your own personal website
Owning a corner of the internet gives you control. A personal website lets you build something lasting. Here is why you should create one, how to start, and what to include.
Essays
The Strangely Beautiful Experience of Google Reviews
I slept under the overpass that night, and in the morning, I wrote a review: “Reasonably good bridge. A little loud for sleeping.” I gave it four stars. After I set off on my bike, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Gems
What is srp-mdns-proxy?
If you see srp-mdns-proxy running on your Mac, here is what this smart home networking process does.
Mac
20 years of Safari
Safari was introduced in Mac OS X Panther on January 7, 2003. It was also included with the first generation iPhone, which was released in 2007.
Mac
New Year, New Me
The Vapor team has launched a new design for their blog, marking the initial step in updating all Vapor websites to reflect the framework’s maturity and provide a consistent, modern look.
Development
Using RSS feeds
RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, offers a clean, efficient way to stay updated with your favourite websites without the distractions of modern web browsing.
Essays
Build by Tony Fadell
Tony Fadell’s Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making distills lessons from his 30-year career in Silicon Valley, where he led teams creating the iPod, iPhone, and Nest Learning Thermostat.
Books
Monthly update #0392 • December 2022
Monthly update 392 • December 2022 • 2022-12-01 - 2022-12-31
Monthly Updates
Goals of 2023
This year’s theme is being more positive. I am pessimistic.
Journal