Before software can be reusable it first has to be usable. -- Ralph Johnson

Philosophy: the finding of bad reasons for what one believes by instinct. -- Brave New World (paraphrased)

What do Americans look for in a car? I've heard many answers when I've asked this question. The answers include excellent safety ratings, great gas mileage, handling, and cornering ability, among others. I don't believe any of these. That's because the first principle of the Culture Code is that the only effective way to understand what people truly mean is to ignore what they say. This is not to suggest that people intentionally lie or misrepresent themselves. What it means is that, when asked direct questions about their interests and preferences, people tend to give answers they believe the questioner wants to hear. Again, this is not because they intend to mislead. It is because people respond to these questions with their cortexes, the parts of their brains that control intelligence rather than emotion or instinct. They ponder a question, they process a question, and when they deliver an answer, it is the product of deliberation. They believe they are telling the truth. A lie detector would confirm this. In most cases, however, they aren't saying what they mean. -- The culture code.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not so sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein

Rules of Optimization: Rule 1: Don’t do it. Rule 2 (for experts only): Don’t do it yet. -- M.A. Jackson

Remember: you are alone. Every time you can get help from someone, it is an opportunity: you should eagerly size it. But then, promptly return to normal mode: you are alone and you must be prepared to solve every problem yourself. -- Eric KEDJI

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. –Dalai Lama

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. –Plato

You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals. ~Booker T. Washington

Fall seven times and stand up eight. –Japanese Proverb