Wednesday 10 October 2007

Why I Don't Use Homescreens

For some time, Homescreens have been the mainstay of modern portable computers and mobile phones. An accomplished homscreen will tell you what appointments you have coming up, what tasks are needing to be completed and what messages have been received.

But not for me. No more. I've decided I'm not into that any more and I'll tell you why; I don't want to be nagged every time I look at my phone.

Let me give you some background; I tend to not tell my parents when I intend to leave one place to get to another, I tend not to tell them when I intend to be somewhere and I tend not to tell them the details of my transport. The reason? If I did tell them, they'd be phoning me to remind me that I need to get some stuff done because I'm going somewhere important and I need to be ready.

It was worse when I lived with them because I'd then get knocks on the bedroom door, shouts up the stairs or comments at the dinner table, reminding me that I have to do something or other, telling me that I need to be somewhere and that I need to be ready to go to it. Sure, I know that they did it because they cared and for that I am truly thankful, but I could feel my skull being crushed under the pressure of the constant reminders of the things that were coming up.

That's what homescreens do to me. With a homescreen turned on, every time I look at my phone or PDA is like I'm getting nagged all over again about unread messages, constantly being reminded that there are unfinished tasks that may not need to be done until next month, and that tomorrow, I have to go do something somewhere with someone, somehow.

Imagine, if every time you picked up your phone you heard a nagging voice telling you stuff that you already know or you don't need to know. That's why I don't do homescreens any more. That's why I now do a simple, paper-based diary - Because I know where to look if I need to know what is coming up, I know there's a place where this information is stored and I know that it is stored somewhere. When I want to know that information, I'll go there to get it. If I don't need it, I won't go there to get it. I don't have to worry about synchronising it across platforms and devices and services and hard drives and memory keys and websites and flippin' intergalactic satellite to-do lists with their laser-guided calendars and integrated 3D holographic contacts lists! I don't get interrupted!

I hate being nagged at the best of times and so, as long as I can maintain control and discipline, life is much simpler and far more pleasurable without an infernal homescreen telling me stuff all the time. Far better to have a pretty picture to still my restless mind.

If anybody can tell me where that photo is from on the right, up there, I'll be well impressed (there's a clue in the file name and no, Mr. Spoon is not allowed to guess).

Monday 8 October 2007

Moleskine Templates for Apple Pages

I wanted to be able to easily put content from my Mac into my Moleskine collector so I opened up my Apple Pages application and decided to put this little file together. Each of the three templates are media placeholders which makes it easy to add graphic elements such as maps or simple backdrops.

The first element had, as can be seen, a map in mind. I wanted to be able to paste text into a box (for example, if details had been sent to me in an e-mail or there was something dead useful on a webpage) and I wanted a page dedicated to added some contact details. I can also add these to the pocket at the back of the book should I need.

If you want a copy of the
Apple Pages file, just drop a line to rcopeh at google mail dot com and I'll send it to you as soon as I can.