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The list applies to developers too. I like these in particular:

#5: Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.

(substitute characters for features)

#7: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

(when starting a new project, there's so many different directions/visions)

#11: Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you'll never share it with anyone.

#12: Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.



#12: Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

"I don't think it's good that Apple is perceived as different. I think it's important that Apple is perceived as much better. If being different is essential for that, then we should be different, but if we could be much better without being different that would be fine with me."

-- Steve Jobs at WWDC 1997


Interesting that the marketing slogan for that year was 'think different' rather than 'think much better'...


There's some peculiar similarities between writing an application and writing a novel.

This is where most start-ups stumble:

"What's the essence of your application? Most economical way to explain it? If you know that, you can build out from there."


Yeah, definitely. It applies to making songs as well. It probably applies to any creative, competitive endeavor in which a stranger consumes the end result.




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