the thinking blog

MemberKit Lets Non-Programmers Create Their Own Facebook-style Site

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:15:00 +0000

The astonishing popularity achieved by social media sites like Facebook has spurred developers to try and imitate that kind of success, and although a number of web form builders have been rolled out lately, one of the most promising is Memberkit. It's an online membership content management system for websites that can be used on new or existing sites.

Memberkit stands out from the crowd by being aimed not at other developers but by regular folks like you and me. In effect, someone with only minimal knowledge of programming - or at least, can follow WYSIWYG directions - can set up their very own Facebook-style website. Once up & running, your Memberkit site will allow you to collect subscription payments from your members and create an advertisement based community on a fully custom, professional looking site.

The man behind Memberkit is Aytekin Tank, cofounder of Interlogy Internet Technologies and the creator of JotForm, from which Memberkit has its roots. Memberkit is more general in scope compared to JotForm but still relies on the user-friendly WYSIWIG interface and a straightforward drag and drop builder similar to the builder used in Visual Studio. It's been three years in the making but Tank & company have used the time well, as anyone who takes the software for a test run will learn. It should be mentioned that right now Memberkit is compatible with both the Firefox and IE browsers and plans are in the works to extend support to Safari.

In a nutshell, you can use Memberkit's drag and drop tools to create listing pages, display pages or search forms. Not only can you can create multiple forms, but it's easy enough to program working relationships between them. All of this - and more - is possible without having to write a single line of code!

After reading through the information at the Memberkit website, I thought I'd give it a spin and was pleasantly surprised! The interface seems quite polished and responsive, and I like the narrow focus. It'll be interesting to see how Memberkit evolves over the coming months but I'm very impressed with its practicality, flexibility and above all: ease of use. I heartily recommend visiting the Memberkit website where you can check out a demo of the framework, view a flash-based screenshot tour, even watch a video:

At its present stage of development, Memberkit is targeting a particular market niche but it has ambitious plans for the future. Explains Aytekin Tank, "We have released this first version specifically for membership and social sites. Our plan is to first make it perfect for these specific tasks before turning it into a complete web framework."

Indeed, Tank is not letting the grass grow under his feet. As of March 19 of this year, the full Memberkit documentation file "Memberkit: The Definitive Guide" is now available. The full-featured guide is over 100 pages long and can be downloaded as a single PDF book or can be referenced from the online version which is searchable and commentable. Check it out - the next great social media website just might start here!

Claudiopolis: Legendary History Weaved Into Nature of Mut

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Fri, 22 May 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Not only is “Mut” the first syllable of "Happy" in Turkish but it is also the name of a historic town nestled in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains. This part of southwest Turkey has been settled for many thousands of years. Hittites, Cilicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans came, saw, conquered and stayed to enjoy Mut's refreshing climate and delightful scenery. Please allow the post to be loaded for there are many HD wallpaper images [click to enlarge].

Mut (Claudiopolis)

The history of Mut which carries all the tracks of Anatolian and Mediterranean civilizations dating to the years of 2000 BC. Mut, which was in the hands of Selefkos in 300 BC, the name of ‘Mut’ was originated from the King’s name who governed here, which was captured by the Romans after the year 60 BC. Then, Mut, according to the documents in hand, has been found as a colony in 41 BC by one of the kings of the Romans, ‘Oudiopolis’, Mut has been annexed to the Ottoman Empire by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1466 AD. Mut became a township in 1868 and the municipality was founded in Mut in 1869.

Mut Today

Mut and its surrounding district is situated in the province of Mersin. It is a rough land; the Taurus Mountains boast lofty peaks 10,000 feet high or more, and the area around Mut is home to the rare and endangered Anatolian Leopard. It is this isolation that has allowed the preservation of the old ways of doing things. Contemporary Mut demonstrates its strong connections to the past and its friendly people still hand down the old traditions from one generation to another.

Kozlar Plateau

This high plateau is favored by Mut locals who come here to stay during summer. The plateau is 1300 meters above sea level and attracts people for its natural beauties, clean weather, and cold spring water.

Yerkopru

It is a natural ground bridge over the Ermenek River and is about 35 km away from Mut. It flows into the Goksu River and joins it near the Village of Sucati. The river flows into a deep calley and passes through a tunnel which is about 250 meters long. If you go to Yerkopru you can see this wonderful natural miracled with its waterfall and spend an unusual day.

Kirkpinar

This village provides water for drinking and plants to villages surrounding it. Its name "Forty Springs" comes from the abundance of offspring water to be found in the region. Kirkpinar isn't known much but is a very pleasurable tourist destination.

Dere Canyon

Located near the village of Mut, this canyon can be observed from the stairs on a rock. Even though there is not much information about this canyon, you can still see a few bridges around the village left from the Ottoman dynasty.

Kestel Canyon

The Kestel Canyon is five kilometers long and its wild goats flock within. It is worth seeing with its awesome view from the steep rocks.

Apadnos Monastery (Alahan)

It is on the road of Mut-Karaman, about 20 km away from Mut and 3 km far from the main road. It was built on a rocky side of the Toros Mountains. The monastery contains the church first, church second, church third, famous portik and surroundings for monks. Its altitude is approximately 1200 meters. The monastery complex is thought to have been built in AD 440-442. It is deemed as highly important due to its historical and institutional value. Also the building shows typical architecture of the fifth century.

Corapissus Church (Dag Pazari)

It is 35 kilometers to the north of Mut. Its ancient name is Corapissis and the ancient road highlights the importance of it’s historical environment. It shows a compromise between the barrel-vaulted churches of mesopotamia and the Isaurian basilica with central tower as found at Meryemlik and Alahan.

Mavga Castle

The Castle of Mavga is about 16 kilometers from Mut, near the plateau of Kozlar which is a resort site for tourists. The castle was built carving in the steep rocks of the side of the mountains. The inscription of the north side of the castle has shown that the fortress has been used by the Seljuks in 1230 AD. There are stable feed racks and cisterns carved into the rocks. It has been suggested that the castle belonged to the Hitittes.

Mut Fortress

The first construction of the castle in the centre of the city has not yet been identified. The keystones of the castle demonstrate a small farrison built by rectangular flat cutting stones. The castle which was restored by the Byzantine and Karamanogullari has four towers along with a tower called the “inner fortress” inside the castle.

Laal Pasha Mosque

The mosque was constructed by Laal Pasha upon the orders of Karamanoglu Ibrahim Bey (1356-1390). The mosque is square planned and the middle dome has been constructed with the flat cutting stones. In one of the tombs there are 3 graves and in the other one are 4 graves. According to Evliya Celebi’s Travelbook, Laal Pasha was buried in one of these tombs.

Mountain Mosque

Its 2 kilometers south-west of Mut. It is claimed to belong to the Seljuks era. It was constructed with the stones which were collected in the same era.

Handcrafts

In all villages of Mut, you can see the coloured world of loom. Different kinds of weaving, sack, haircloth, player rug developed here. Especially in Haciahmetli village weaving is done traditionally through use of madder roots. Rug making is one notable craft, perfected over the centuries, that has brought the weavers of Mut recognition the world over. These rugs are "kilims", flat-woven rugs without a raised pile that often display complex patterns and magnificent colors.

Mutlu Kilim

It is thanks to the efforts of the Public Training Center (PTC) in Mut that many of these charming patterns and distinctive weaving techniques have not only been re discovered, but taught to a new generation of self-sufficient weavers.

In the words of a Mutlu Kilim spokesperson, "Our purpose is to keep the regional kilim models, colors and handcrafts of Mut alive. Before starting this business we searched the region for authentic models of kilims which reflect our old traditions." The search was a difficult one - kilim rugs do not have a pile to protect their structure and it is rare to find a used kilim rug more than a couple hundred years old. Finally however, after visiting outlying farmsteads little changed from the pre-industrial age, enough original patterns were found to jump start kilim production on an organized basis.

Mutlu Kilim knows that the best kilim rugs are crafted in the weavers' comforting home environment. Most kilim weavers contributing their wares to Mutlu Kilim are housewives whom, by working in a supportive network of weavers, can help their families economically and expose their skills to future generations. Happy crafts-people leading productive lives creating a world-famous product - handmade rugs - that's the name of the game at Mutlu Kilim.

How appropriate, then, that Mutlu Kilim weaves happy rugs in traditional ways in a town as old as the hills!

The House with the Sliding Roof

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:46:00 +0000

'The brief was simple: to build a house to retire to in order to grow food, entertain and enjoy the East Anglia landscape.' The owners said they were "prepared to be radical." 'The outcome was as unconventional as they come. A structure that has the ability to vary or connect the overall building's composition and character according to season, weather or simply a desire to delight. Wallpaper* took a trip to the site to capture the physical phenomenon in the only medium that serves it justice - film.'

Google Chrome: Tough Stuff Beneath a Shiny Wrapper

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:34:00 +0000

You've likely heard about Google Chrome, the new browser from the world's leader in search engine technology. What you might NOT have heard is what makes Google Chrome different - and in some ways, better - than the web browser you're using right now. With the announcement this past December 11 that Google Chrome is not in beta anymore, we have done considerable testing and it is now time to write a review.

Even though Chrome does not have that many features, the browser still lives up to its advance hype by rethinking many of the general features a standard web browser has. By doing that, you get a different web-browsing experience compared to what you'd get with Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) or Mozilla's Firefox. Currently Chrome is only for Windows but soon we should see some ports for Apple's Mac OS and Linux, though when these ports will be released is unknown.

Let's get down to business. Chrome auto-detects whatever browser you use and prompts you through installation (telling you how to access downloaded files within Firefox, for example). When you first run it, Chrome imports your bookmarks, passwords, and settings from either IE or Firefox. After that, you can start using Chrome. The layout is extremely simple; you will see a row of tabs along the top, an address bar (Google calls this "Omnibar") and a bookmarks bar under the Omnibar. A separate recent-bookmarks bar appears at the right.

Like much of Google's other apps (GMail, for example), Chrome has a very minimalist user interface (UI). There is no menu bar and no title bar, and therefore few distractions. All the settings are to the right of the Omnibar: the page icon manages tabs and utilizes Google Gears to create app-like shortcuts from your desktop to the web, and the wrench accesses basically all the other settings. You can either use a home page or a most visited sites page as the starting point. This page provides thumbnails of the frequently visited sites, shows recent bookmarks and a search box allows for history searching. You can even change the default search engine: you can find the option in the wrench under "options".

Another innovative thing about Chrome is the fact that it bridges the gap between offline and online (so-called Cloud Computing) applications. Chrome can allow you to make a desktop, quick-launch or start menu shortcut to any web page or web app. I, for example, made a desktop shortcut for en.wikipedia.org. When run, Chrome removes all the toolbars and tabs from the window, making Wikipedia look like a desktop app rather than a web page. There are, however, no dedicated back or forward buttons but you can right-click to navigate backward or forward.

Other features Chrome has that some of the other browsers also have include a private-browse mode (Incognito), tools for developers for use in troubleshooting and viewing source code, and the immensely-helpful ability of restoring all tabs from the last session. Chrome has a cool feature known as tab isolation: if a site crashes, it will freeze the tab but not the entire program. IE8 offers a similar feature but Chrome takes it a step further by offering a task manager that shows how much CPU and RAM a page is using. This allows you to crush anything that is causing a problem. You have to configure this tool manually, though.

Also, unlike the beta version, Chrome now includes an actual bookmarks manager (the beta had
only a drop-down menu at the right of the bookbar). The "Bookman" (as I call it) lives in a separate window and utilizes a dual-pane layout: the left pane displays folders and bookmarks and the right pane displays the contents of a selected folder in the left pane. A search box appears in the upper right corner of the Bookman window and displays results as you type. If you have ever used Apple's Safari browser, the Bookman will look very familiar.

By default, Chrome will not auto-restore your session. In other words, if Chrome crashes, you're screwed unless you configure the browser to do otherwise. You can find the settings in the wrench under Options/Basics. Firefox and IE8 both restore the session when they crash. Also, sites that use Javascript and Ajax code work fine, but Microsoft Silverlight isn't supported yet despite the fact that it works with Safari which uses the same WebKit browser code. We also do not have any kind of add-on system.

All-in-all, Chrome is a decent browser for basic browsing all the way up to advanced browsing. The built-in search system that the Omnibar offers is a major plus, along with the general speediness. The task-manager is also something that caught my eye. Last but not least, the fact that Chrome no longer carries the "beta" logo like other Google products is a relief.

Based on the above review, I would like to recommend that everyone give Google's Chrome a try. Google's first attempt at creating a web browser has a lot to recommend it and considering it carries the respected Google brand, one can be sure it's a serious effort that if anything will be improved even further as time goes by.

Article by Rey Matsuda-Levenstein is the owner, operator and webmaster of Yersys Technology Blog, posting news and stories concerning technology, computers, and general information & resources on a near-daily basis.

Wallpaper: Merry Christmas Everyone!

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 21:36:00 +0000

Pictures Worth A Thousand Words - Post 19

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:13:00 +0000

"Pictures Worth A Thousand Words" series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Ignorance is Bliss?

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:50:00 +0000

The first caveman didn't fight dinosaurs with a bag of lithium in his hand, he had a spear! He used his brain on how he could out wit the dinosaur and capture it for a feast. Studies do not prove that medication even works properly but one thing it does for certain is that it hooks you. Once you take that medication and continue it you need a long period of detoxification to completely free yourself. Click here to continue reading..

Are You Smarter Than 2-Year-Olds?

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:39:00 +0000

Oh sure, you may sit there nodding smugly but when you think about it - how well do we really know the world? Many probably know about the popular American TV show, "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth-Grader?" - but I think fifth graders are so overrated in an age of information and technology where even 2-year-olds can use the Internet. Without going any further click here to take this quick quiz and see how many countries you can you name in under 5 minutes, then come back to this post. On the other hand, keep reading if you are scared.

Alright, here is a world map that could refreshen your minds. Now are you ready to take the quiz?

With all due respect to the less worldly among us, though, kids are pretty darn smart when it comes to the world we share with several billion others. For instance, how would you stack up against a cute, 2-year-old, map reading wonder named Lilly? Check out this video in which the budding scholar shows off her vast geographic knowledge:

Pretty impressive, huh? She now knows over 80 countries. So whaddya think, can you do better than li'l Lilly? Keep in mind, she had no trouble pointing out island nations you might only know if you were Survivor fans. Perhaps you think she was "specially trained" for this or that she is exceptional and just a one off phenomenon. Wait till you see Krish, another 2-year-old geography whiz kid, who can name up to 90 to 100 countries when their flags are pointed out:

Astounding isn't it? There are many more videos of young brains out there, but I digress, time to share a few fast facts about our ever more multinational globe:

There are 195 official countries in the world.
45 nations are landlocked, ie having no seacoast.
44 nations in the world are officially monarchies.
The United Nations charter was ratified in 1945 by its 51 members.
English was an official language in 87 nations and territories by 1994.

Now that your brain cells are juiced, it's time to get jetpunked. According to Jetpunk, the average score is 53, which doesn't sound like a lot afterall. Remember, you've got 5 minutes to name as many countries as you can and you've got to spell them correctly. 300 seconds.. not a lot of time to name a lot of countries, but hey - there've been 14 editions of Survivor so you're 7 percent there already. You can do it!

So, how did you score up this time? Still not good enough? Then I guess it's time you watch this video:

Written by Steve Levenstein, sponsored by Jetpunk.

What If Matrix Ran on Windows XP

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:42:00 +0000

Top 10 Most Annoying English Phrases

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:29:00 +0000

Irregardless, could you care less? A bunch of Oxford researchers got together and compiled a list of the Top 10 most irritating expressions in the English language. "The scholars in question keep track of linguistic mangling and overused buzzwords in a database called the Oxford University Corpus. The voluminous record keeps track of books, magazines, broadcast, online media and other sources, watching for new overused, tiresome phrases and retiring those that fade from use (or misuse)." Here is the Top 10 list they came up with:

10. It's not rocket science
9. 24/7
8. Shouldn't of
7. It's a nightmare
6. Absolutely
5. With all due respect
4. At this moment in time
3. I personally
2. Fairly unique
1. At the end of the day

In your opinion, what are the most irritating phrases in English?

Pictures Worth A Thousand Words - Post 18

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:29:00 +0000

"Pictures Worth A Thousand Words" series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

What Really Causes Falling Stars

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:10:00 +0000

Digital images of a "falling star" or a "shooting star" shows that it actually has nothing at all to do with a star! These amazing streaks of light you can sometimes see in the night sky are caused by tiny bits of dust and rock, in other words, meteoroids, falling into the Earth's atmosphere and burning up. The short-lived trail of light the burning meteoroid produces is called a meteor. If any part of the meteoroid survives burning up and actually hits the Earth, that remaining bit is then called a meteorite.

At certain times of year, you are likely to see a great number of meteors in the night sky. These events are called meteor showers and they occur when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left by a comet as it orbits the Sun. These showers are given names based on the constellation present in the sky from which they appear to originate. For example, the Leonid Meteor Shower, or Leonids, appear to originate in the constellation Leo. It is important to understand that the meteoroids (and therefore the meteors) do not really originate from the constellations or any of the stars in the constellations, however. They just seem to come from that part of the sky because of the way the Earth encounters the particles moving in the path of the comet's orbit. Associating the shower name with the region of the sky they seem to come from just helps astronomers know where to look!

The dust and rocks that cause meteor showers come primarily from the Earth passing through the debris stream left behind by a comet as it orbits the Sun. Usually, the Earth's orbit and the comet's orbit are slightly tilted relative to one another. So the paths only intersect on one side!

Annual Meteor Showers
Name	When They Occur
Quadrantids	January 1-6
April Lyrids	April 19-24
Eta Aquarids	May 1-8
Delta Aquarids	July 15- August 15
Perseids	July 25 - August 18
Orionids	October 16-27
Taurids	October 20-November 30
Leonids	November 15-20
Geminids	December 7-15

Note that one of the best meteor showers, the Perseids, happens in August. "Peak time" is when you are likely to see the largest number of meteors per hour. It occurs in the middle of August and it can be quite spectacular to see!

source

Animals Gone Wild: Homosexuality In Animals!

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 19:08:00 +0000

In compiling past and current research, it has been determined that thousands of identified animal species have demonstrated homosexual behavior. "Homosexuality has been observed in more than 1,500 species, and the phenomenon has been well described for 500 of them," according to Petter Bockman, project coordinator of the University of Oslo's Natural History Museum's exhibition display. "Against Nature?" Let's look at some specific examples.

Monkeys (both Old World and New World) use sex as a tool to solve struggles between each other. Unlike humans, they do not have any sexual taboos; nor are they concerned with age or numbers of partners. The only practice that is "disallowed" are sexual unions between mother and son.

It appears as though almost all Bonobos (Pigmy Chimpanzees) are bisexual. They mate like wild and they commonly express their joy by screeching. 66 percent of all females partake in active homosexual relationships.

The females of Japanese Macaque packs have strong connections between each other and during mating seasons they accompany each other as temporary lesbian partners. They demonstrate the sexual bonding between each other and then chuckle to show that they have received pleasure. Male macaques also perform homosexual acts but not among other pairs. They prefer one-night stands. They are male after all! =)

Although it may be hard to believe, American Bisons perform more homosexual intercourse than heterosexual intercourse. The females only have a relationship once when they are on heat, but bulls have homosexual sex multiple times during this period and mating among young males is 55 percent more likely to be with other males.

Homosexuality is also apparent among dolphins. The Bottlenose Dolphin is known as a species which experiences a homosexual period of time and is reputed for this characteristic. Males have oral sex between each other: one dolphin caresses the other dolphin’s penis with his nose and they also rub their penises upon each others’ body.

Homosexual behavior is equally common among Giraffes and they even stroke each others necks for 1 hour before mounting each other. It has been observed that %5 of male Giraffes partake in homosexual activity at any given time.

Kob Antelopes experience lesbian sex twice every hour (wow!) and 8 percent of their activities during mating is homosexual orientated. One female approaches the other female from behind and touches the other female by lifting her leg between the other antelope’s legs.

25 percent of all Australian Black Swans are homosexual and the activities between such pairs can last years. During this period a male may partner another female but then the other male may chase her away after she has laid her eggs. Sometimes homosexual couples may steal the eggs of heterosexual couples or even claim the nest for their own.

Additionally, Walruses have a time frame when they are involved in homosexual activities. When males reach the age of 4, they reach sexual maturity and up to that time may have experienced many homosexual encounters. Older males are bisexual
because they mount females during mating season and spend the rest of the year in homosexual endeavors. Not only do they rub their bodies against each other; they hug and fall asleep together.

Amongst male Grey Whales, homosexual orgies (group sex) are quite common: 5 or so partners perform sliding movements, race around each other, squirt water and rub their penises against each other.

A surprise awaited scientists most prominently in the activities of the beautifully colored Guianan Cock of the Rock which lives in the mountains of South America. Almost 40 percent of males were homosexual and only a few of them mated with females.

When asked why animals engage in homosexual behavior and/or activity, Linda Wolfe, head of East Carolina University's Department of Anthropology replied, "You can make up all kinds of stories: Oh it's for dominance, it's for this, it's for that, but when it comes down to the bottom I think it's just for sexual pleasure."

Is Chocolate That Irresistible?

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:01:00 +0000

The Cost of Open Source Software

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:45:00 +0000

What is the meaning of open source software freedom? The interesting thing is that these open source software are written by many people without any expectations (financial at least). I'm starting to think that so many people from so many different countries have never before actively cooperated and shared like this before.

There is a site called Ohloh which can be seen as a portal that follows the progress of open source software. Usually every open source project is accompanied by interesting statistics and predictions.

These statistics shows how many lines a code is composed of, how many active developers there are, what language the software was written in and many more bits of information. Yet I find the prediction part most interesting. This prediction shows what the total cost would be if the project was re-made from scratch. This prediction is based on the COCOMO model. The predictions showed many compelling values. Moreover these predictions imply that developers should gain a yearly income of 55.000 dollars!

Here are some total costs of some of the most popular open source projects so far

Mozilla Firefox: $830.000
Apache HTTP Server: $2.983.791
Linux Kernel (Seed Only): $177.004.094
PHP: $25.023.881
Open Office: $138.706.367
GIMP: $19.527.651
VLC Media Player: $7.163.299
GNOME: $285.322.119
KDE: $66.999.594
MediaWiki (The software behind Wikipedia): $16.792.050
Wordpress: $1.108.448
Blender: $31.507. 688
Debian GNU/Linux: $334.229.025
Pardus: $19.195.422

We must not forget that these software are only a chosen few. Hence the tip of the iceberg. I think this is very profound situation. What do you think?

The Onset of the War on Piracy in the World of Design

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:53:00 +0000

The cultural production is overwhelmed with the discussion on intellectual property and piracy. That's actually true only to a certain extend. The cultural production of the intangibles is, but the design of the tangibles is not. So far. The architects and product designers does not suffer from insomnia for the reasons that some musicians and filmmakers do (not to mention all the international music and film corporations, but some of the artists on the other hand take advantage of the situation just quite great. Examples are all the musicians at Jamendo as well as creators of The Corporation.

Unfortunately designers' calmness might not last too long. What if you wake up one day to find out that the virtual model of your newly finished building (or just marketed piece of furniture) is available to be downloaded for free at Bit Torrent and it was downloaded few thousands times already? Some would say that you should be quite happy. It's a good design - few thousand downloads in few hours in not a common thing. But I wouldn't be surprised if you would feel the opposite asking where the heck will I get money from now?

Microsoft's Photosynth might herald a whole new kind of debate in the design world. It's an online software (for Windows only) which creates a 3d virtual model out of a set of pictures in order to display as a continuous 3d scene. The direction of it's development might however become focused on the 3d model itself. "Synths constitute a whole new kind of trouble", one might say, but only if he or she is not familiar with the channels of cultural production suitable to web 2.0. The mistake of intellectual property holders of the intangibles should not be repeated in relation to the tangibles. The designers need to begin with licensing under CC and publishing work in order to harness collaboration, so that it simply doesn't make much sense to copy it illegally from the 3d model/photo.

We should simply chase the technology advancement with adaptation of our business model. Since Kurzweil, we know that technology develops exponentially. It might not be an easy thing to do, but it also means that we should start doing it right now. Some companies such as Ponoko are working to achieve this goal (and there are even companies like Genometri, who specialize in online design solutions), but my point is that we need a much broader debate starting at the arts and design universities (to which, as far as I know the topic is yet completely unknown).

Article by Michal Piasecki. Michal writes many times a week about design in the era of Web 2.0. Submit your thoughts - click here!

Taking Advantage of Suicide Discount in Real Estate

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:12:00 +0000

Finding an apartment in one of the world's most expensive cities is a grave matter, but some savvy renters in Tokyo have more than a ghost of a chance of finding prime digs – they seek to rent where someone else bought the farm. Imagine lying awake at night in your new apartment, restless and not yet accustomed to the usual night noises. Your mind drifts, then settles on the great deal you got on this place – and WHY you got it. A creak; a sigh; is it just the evening breeze, or something more sinister?

If you're not an insomniac now, living where a suicide - or worse, a murder - has occurred just might make you one. The flip side? Who needs sleep when you're paying only ¾ of what you normally would?

The so-called suicide discount is an unwritten rule adhered to by most Tokyo real estate agents and doubtless by realtors worldwide. In Japan at least, the law compels real estate agents to make potential tenants aware if a death occurred in the unit being offered. One small catch is that the law applies only when the unfortunate event concerned the occupant immediately previous, but as one realtor admitted, "Even if we didn’t, neighbors would certainly tell new residents about the gruesome details."

While few people can completely shrug off the fact their new abode has a questionable history, it's likely everyone expects a substantial cut in their rent as a result. "I definitely agree that there is a suicide discount," stated a local Tokyo real estate agent. "Late last year we bought an apartment for a client where the previous owner had committed suicide. In this case the discount over normal market prices was about 25% even though the apartment had been completely remodeled and a purification ceremony had been held by the local shrine." Seems like Tokyoites have more faith in the power of the yen than in the local ghostbusters!

One curious point brought up by a Tokyo real estate company owner was that young women are the most typical renters of apartments with shady histories. "Men, rather than women, tend to be superstitious and think the place will be haunted by the victim or something," he stated. Women are also well-connected with the online real estate scene. "They exchange information on the availability of such places and what the rent is likely to be with each other online."

I don't know about you, but nothing says "bad karma" more than moving into an apartment whose last resident dies un-naturally. It's a plot used in many a movie, most recently "1408" the number of a horrid hotel suite where 56 met their deaths, one after another in the grisliest of manners.

Save money? I'd prefer to save my life.

Article by Steve Levenstein from Inventor Spot. Submit your thoughts - click here!

TTB is Back: Bigger, Better, Stronger!

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:02:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce that we overcame the technical difficulties and are back to regular publishing of posts on eccentric topics. As you might already know, we've also been publishing interesting posts from guest thinkers in the past such that The Thinking Blog went multi-author about 10 months ago. One of our regular contributors, Steve Levenstein, who also happens to be the Japanese Innovations Writer at InventorSpot, is now an Associate Editor here at TTB - bringing the craziest ideas from where else but Japan!

Here is Steve in his own words:

I live in Canada and I’m married to a lovely and charming Japanese woman. Between our visits to Japan, watching Japanese TV at home and listening to my wife for more than 15 years, I’ve really gained an appreciation for the many ways Japan is different from the rest of the world.

Some of the best things about Japan and Japanese culture, though, are their embrace of modern technology and the effortless way they have made the latest gadgets & gizmos a part of their daily lives. Especially interesting are the ways that Japanese sensibilities have affected the design of the gadgets, such as the need for “cuteness” and, as you well know, the power of high status as exemplified in “Born Rich”.

Stay tuned for his new post tomorrow and let's all welcome Steve to his new 'second' home at TTB!

Nikola Tesla Invents Phone Before Bell Or Meucci

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:58:00 +0000

This Thing is Thinking Too Much!

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:32:00 +0000

We are not gone, just having some technical problems. Will be back soon with a bang!

Blurring the Boundaries of Reality: Photo Realistic CGI

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:35:00 +0000

via

Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable?

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:10:00 +0000

Botanically, a tomato is the ovary, together with its seeds, of a flowering plant: therefore it is a fruit or, more precisely, a berry. However, the tomato is not as sweet as those foodstuffs usually called fruits and, from a culinary standpoint, it is typically served as part of a salad or main course of a meal, as are vegetables, rather than at dessert in the case of most fruits. As noted above, the term "vegetable" has no botanical meaning and is purely a culinary term.

This argument has had legal implications in the United States. In 1887, U.S. tariff laws that imposed a duty on vegetables but not on fruits caused the tomato's status to become a matter of legal importance. The U.S. Supreme Court settled the controversy in 1893 by declaring that the tomato is a vegetable, based on the popular definition that classifies vegetables by use, that they are generally served with dinner and not dessert (Nix v. Hedden (149 U.S. 304)). The holding of the case applies only to the interpretation of the Tariff Act of March 3, 1883, and the court did not purport to reclassify the tomato for botanical or other purposes other than paying a tax under a tarriff act.

Due to the scientific definition of a fruit, the tomato remains a fruit when not dealing with US tariffs. Nor is it the only culinary vegetable that is a botanical fruit: eggplants, cucumbers, and squashes of all kinds (such as zucchini and pumpkins) share the same ambiguity. [source]

Editor's Note: Tomato is a great source of Vitamin C with 100 grams (3.5 oz) containing 13mg, serving 22% of daily intake recommendation for adults. Speaking of personal experience, when I get the common cold I eat two mid-sized tomatos -- instantly my nose stops running and I get well (miracoulously) the next day. Highly recommended ~~fruit~~ ~~vegetable~~ whatever it is!

BONUS: Caption me! =)

Interview With A Graphic Designer

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:37:00 +0000

Those on the forefront are the first ones being put under the spotlight. Sure, it's not unexpected if you are famous. What's interesting is that it happened to me quite a few times in the short span of my online presence as well - and I, Ilker Yoldas - am not famous. Thinking that this is the beauty of the new Web 2.0 movement, I've responded many readers and friends, from beginners to probloggers, who send me questions via email. Most usually ask me questions about The Thinking Blog and blogging in general. This email I got today was different though.

For the first time I got an email interview about design to the email address on my graphic design portfolio page. This may seem insignificant but I've been designing for over 10 years now, both in agencies and as a freelancer. On the other hand, it hasn't even been 2 years blogging! Strange isn't it? The email was really concise and honest that not only I've replied it but also thought it would be worth sharing it here. Without further due, let the question answer session begin!

1. How did you become a graphic designer?

It all started when I got bored playing games a kid and decided to make my own games. First I drew some concept art using classic pen and paper. Then I took these drawings and digitized them on the computer, more specifically with Paint (yes, Microsoft Paint!), and created sprites out of them. Then came the programming bit where I got a little stuck because it was harder than I thought it would be. It's not that I gave up but it was just frustrating to find out that I couldn't put down what I had in mind like I could do with the graphics. Alan Perlis said "to understand a program you must become both the machine and the program." The machine part got me. What I learned from this experience though is that I really enjoyed designing and so I continued it as a hobby (while still going to school) until I started doing commercial works as a freelancer.

2. What do you most enjoy about being a graphic designer?

As apposed to popular view, I think of design as problem solving rather than art. Sure, design doesn't have to be pretty to solve the problem. Then again, it doesn't have to be ugly. If you can design something practical and make it look good at the same time - then it's perfect. "Perfection is reached not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away." Or so once said a wise man called Antoine de Saint-Exupery. In the real life though, designs are rarely "perfect" and are often repetitive. A design may simply be a repetition, a copy of a known preexisting solution. That is where creativity kicks in and the problem is solved like never before. I have a utilitarian point of view, that is how I design my work and I really enjoy the process a lot.

3. What's the most challenging part of your work?

Deadlines. Sometimes it takes quite a while for you to find the solution that works best and other times you jump out of the bath tub screaming "Eureka!" like the ancient Greek scholar Archimedes. The reasons as to why the former happens depends on a lot of factors. For example, there are times when I find myself getting off track with my process design (as apposed to "design process"). When I can't see the solution of the problem instantly, there is a process which I follow with steps to what I believe as the best possible outcome. I start with identifying the problem, analyse it and then I conceptualize some designs. It is all about experience, how focused you are at the time and how you pace yourself through your steps. Keep in mind that every designer has his or her own way of problem solving.

4. What skills are most important for a designer?

Logic and imagination. It's important to have a sense of what works and what doesn't. You can ask many questions to yourself at this point. Does the logo communicate what the business is trying to portray as a brand? Is the user interface of the website intuitive such that you don't need tutorials? How can you make life easier without all these buttons on this MP3 player? Does this ad campaign interest the market it is targetted to? The list stretches as long as your imagination. Albert Einstein says "logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." He is right. I for one try to find that balance between A, B and everywhere. How? I'm not exactly sure and it's hard to put it into words - and that aspect of communicating with graphics is why I love design so much.

5. If you had a chance to undo things, would you like to change your career path?

I wouldn't change a thing. Steve Jobs has a great speech about this and I love to quote:

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards."

2 Ghosts 1 Belt

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:51:00 +0000

No Brand: The Zen of Living

noreply@blogger.com (ilker) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Is the ultimate brand, no brand at all? It may seem strange, but in this world of pervasive advertising and relentless globalization a quiet movement is underway that rejects distinctive branding in favor of pure, unadulterated design. In Sweden, there is IKEA. In Canada, No Frills. In Japan there is Muji. What these three companies have in common is, outwardly at least, a single "no brand" for all the products they sell. Surely they are brands themselves. However, at the end of the day, the product comes first and foremost.

For example, No Frills' products maintain distinct design ethos: black on yellow with a set type face, regardless of the type of product. Taco mix, tuna cans and tapioca pudding are all very different on the inside yet outwardly they look the same – first among equals. Even the shopping carts at No Frills are yellow! What the "no brand" revolution seeks to project is a concept that establishes a brand from within.

Muji has arguably been the most successful in pushing their brandless agenda – the company sells pretty much everything a homeowner needs, even (in Japan) the home itself! Every Muji item possesses a common... well, Muji-ness. Here's how Muji itself frames their image: "Muji's natural and simple design proposes rational lifestyles for today's world." Muji products embody "the confident awareness that modesty and discretion are, together, the better part of style."

What exactly does that mean, in plain words? Muji products are simple, yet not plain. Neither are they cheap or cheesy. They're designed to perform their function smoothly and efficiently without distraction. Therefore, the design is primal, timeless, light, uncluttered. They do not depend on added decorative flair nor obtrusive detailing just for the sake of reinforcing a bespoke brand identity.

Muji's lead designer, Naoto Fukasawa, labels (pardon the pun) the aesthetic "Supernormal," with a deliberate nod given to the ancient Japanese concept of shibui, or "an unobtrusive beauty." Their products' free-flowing functionality reminds one of certain futuristic Fellini films or independent, avant garde productions set in an undated time and space. In this respect, they transcend time, eschewing passing trends and in doing so, have reached what some say is the end point of historical design vectors.

Beyond post-modern; almost anti-materialistic with a familiar look and feel approaching the organic, these products strike a deep-seated appeal that makes the need for an outward identifying brand irrelevant.

Think about it... do you yearn to break free from the constant product placements, blaring "new & improved" promotions and the frantic, constant pressure to buy/sell Our Brand instead of Brand X – when both are basically the same? The alternatives – the IKEAs, the No Frills' and the Muji's of the World seem to be a cool, calm, common-sense alternative that offers society way out while still providing good looks, good products and good value.

Article by Steve Levenstein from Inventor Spot. Submit your thoughts - click here!