Monday, February 21, 2005

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The My Convenience Pattern In this pattern, a person or entity does something because it is convenient for them, even though this way of doing it sub-optimizes overall performance, because their position in the process (usually at the front), conveniently allows them to do it as a fait accompli, or de facto standard. One very common example is the prevalance of web-based corporate apps. High-interaction apps are architected as thin-UI web apps, at a very high price to users productivity and satisfaction, for the convenience of administration it provides to corporate IT. Another example of this is the brain-dead way our HR department typically notifies people of training via email, rather than an actual Outlook appointment. They do this so that they can make the inevitable changes in attendees list in their poxy HR app, and only have to export the attendee list one time, the day before the training. Convenient for them, but that means 30 other people need to manually create their own Outlook appointment. I also strongly suspect something like this is behind our weird SecurID deployment, wherein we still have to use our network login, in addition to the SecurID PIN and Readout. 11:07:50 PM    comment []

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Ford Focus Cargo Test I just gave my Ford Focus its first real hauling test. In the midst of putting a laminate floor in the dining room, I was predictably at Home Depot. We had purchased Pergo flooring that was 25% off in-stock, and had agreed that, if the DR project went well, we would do the rest of the vinyl-ed downstairs. As I was in the flooring aisle for other purposes, it occurred to me that they were getting pretty low on the in-stock stuff. So I did some quick calculations and decided that I needed 17 cartons (on the safe side; I can always return the 2-3 I don't use) for the remaining downstairs. Which was about all they had left. So, some more quick mental calculations, and I decided I could in fact fit it all in my Focus. So, I lugged it all out of the store, and to my Focus. The rear seats have a 60-40 split, so they can fold forward to accomodate longer cargo in the trunk. That is a nice feature, common now, I know, but it's the first car I've had with it. And in such a small car, it really improves the versatility. No more carrying a 2x8 by angling it through the interior and out the window! Or cross-country skis up in the rear window, running the length of the cab, tilted down between the front seats. The seats don't fold flat, they are at about a 30-degree angle, so they don't accomodate nearly as much as I had though when I envisioned them going flat, and also, if the cargo is heavy, is mashes the seats against the seatbelts. Nothing devastating, but the kind of wear and tear, with repeated use, that results in a well-used look in the interior. UPDATE--I found out, from a comment in my blog, that the bottom cushion does flip forward. It requires moving the front seats pretty aggressively forward (my normal position is all the way back), but it would be manageable in a pinch. Anyway, after I put the contents of my trunk into the front seat, they all fit, with a little room to spare. But much more of a chore loading and unloading, compared to the van. Next time I will plan ahead. 10:59:44 PM    comment []