The computer scientist, author, and interface rebel hangs out in the FEED threads this week.
One of the most useful ways to detect potential new avenues in the software world is to observe the unusual ways in which people interact with their interfaces, pushing them in surprising directions and using tools to do things that they weren't originally designed to do. For the past year or so, I've found myself using my mail client, Eudora, as my default scratch notepad; when I need to jot down a number or sketch out a few quick ideas or take notes during a meeting -- anytime I'm doing quick, spontaneous writing -- I find myself doing it in an email message, and not a word processor or a notepad application. It took me a while to notice that I had developed this habit, but once I did, I tried to figure out what was drawing me to Eudora over more conventional tools.