Proximity is a key indicator of function


A bathroom sink. The taps are on the opposite site of the sink to the faucet

I walked into an unfamiliar toilet recently. You've probably done the same, looking around to find the stalls, work out whether the driers are near the sinks, if there's soap available. I was completely taken aback when I saw this monstrosity of a sink. It's well known that we Brits love our separate hot and […]

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This blog strips off for CSS Naked Day


Firefox menu. Go to View, the Page Style, then No Style.

Half-a-dozen years ago, I proposed that web developers spend one day a year browsing without JavaScript. It's a great way to see how the web works when things break. Similarly, April 9th is CSS Naked Day. A chance to throw off the shackles of good design, and see the raw beauty of your HTML. Today […]

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WTF - Welcoming The Future!


App screenshot saying it is now updating the firmware of Liz's bed.

My wife wasn't allowed to go for a post-lunch nap yesterday. Our smarthome wouldn't let her... OK! OK! It wasn't as bad as all that. I built an Internet-connected electric blanket so I can yell at the Alexa to pre-warm the bed. One of the IoT switches needed a firmware update. All over and done […]

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Pause Internet Access on Virgin Media


App screen showing a paused device.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the WiFi router supplied by your ISP is crap. It will be slow, buggy, and have an atrocious user interface. This is especially true of Virgin Media. The Arris manufactured router is so bad that they've released a supplemental app to help you manage your Internet connection. The […]

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Racist Stickers off our streets


Horrible sticker saying "Europe belongs to the Europeans". Torn down and destroyed.

I've got a "fun" new hobby! Step 1) Find a racist sticker. Step 2) Remove it. Decentralised sticker production is a mixed blessing. Anyone with a printer and an Internet connection can print off dozens of lo-fi propaganda hits. Of course, the crappy stickers were of crappy quality. All the stickers in my community were […]

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Netizens or Webizens?


Screenshot from a Guardian article about Chinese Webizens.

Way back in the 1990s, the word "Netizen" was coined. I always took it to mean "someone who lives on the Internet". In modern times, the neologism has been superseded with "webizen". I find this an interesting development. It is well known that people often confused the Net with the Web. Hence the need for […]

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The Laptop of Theseus


Laptop covered in stickers.

My laptop battery has died. It was working fine yesterday, but today I shifted slightly on the sofa, dislodging the power cable and the laptop blinked out. It still works when tethered to the wall - but the battery is shot. TIME TO BUY A NEW LAPTOP! Because shipping in non-essentials from China is so […]

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Common CV mistakes made by Senior Leaders


Skills with arbitrary scores on them.

I hate writing CVs. But I love reading them. I recently had the chance to review applications for some fairly senior positions at work. I'd like to talk about some of the common - and downright weird - mistakes people make on them. I promise you these are all real - only lightly adjusted for […]

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How I'd redesign Twitter (and why it won't work)


The Twitter logo drawn in circles.

Way back when Blackberry was the smartphone, my team at Vodafone obsessed over the idea of the "Unified Inbox". "What if," the marketing chaps said, "you could see all your notifications in one place!" Imagine a single inbox where your MySpace friend requests mingled with your Email. And your Facebook and Google Buzz notifications were […]

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Things I think I'm wrong about - part 1 - Online Voting


A pet cat typing on a computer keyboard.

I'm right about everything. My opinions are wholly rational and a product of logical analysis. Your opinions are scattered thoughts and half-remembered fairy-tales. That's how most of us think, right? The only way we can get through the day is by thinking we're correct. I want to examine some of the things I think I'm […]

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