// Internet Duct Tape

Delicious Links – 20 links – writing, programming, javascript, jquery, testing

Posted in Best of Feeds by engtech on January 26, 2008

Weekly Links

This is my weekly collection of the best stuff I saw on the Internet. They’re saved on delicious and stumbleupon and cross-posted to Twitter and Tumblr as they happen and then collected together for my blog on Internet Duct Tape.

Subscribe to Internet Duct Tape using RSS or using email.

This Week at Internet Duct Tape

Internet Duct Tape is my blog where I talk about software, technology, blogging and other geeky subjects.

This Week at IDT Labs

IDT Labs is where I announce new software I’m working on.

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Best of Feeds – 19 links – blogging, inspiration, writing, design, apple

Posted in Best of Feeds by engtech on January 21, 2008

RSS feeds are like cookies (that are good enough for me). Best of Feeds is a weekly collection of the best stuff I saw on the Internet this week. They’re saved on delicious and stumbleupon and cross-posted to Twitter and Tumblr as they happen and then collected together on Saturdays. I don’t blog on the weekend so read these links instead.

Subscribe to //engtech to see this every week (or get it by email).

Legend

  • saves – number of people who bookmarked on http://del.icio.us
  • inbound links – number of blogs who linked to it (max 100)
  • diggs – number of people who dugg on http://digg.com

This Week at Internet Duct Tape

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Rules of Thumb for Writing

Posted in Becoming a Better Blogger, Technology by engtech on January 18, 2008

When writing a magazine article, begin with a snappy lead sentence, then write the piece to match the tone of the lead. Before submitting the article, delete the lead sentence.
Gordon Hard, assistant editor, Consumer Reports, Mount Vernon, New York

When writing short copy (taglines, headlines, etc.) give yourself one minute per word. If you don’t have a great five-word headline in the first five minutes of brainstorming, take a break and try again later.
Adam Kellogg, Writer, Chesterton, IN, USA

When in doubt, use the semicolon; the average reader won’t understand its use and will give you credit for erudition.
Denis Smith, high school counselor, Camarillo, California

If you are not sure if you should use a semi-colon, use a comma. If you are not sure if you should use a comma, use a period. If you are not sure if you should use a period: quit writing.
Raymond Schultz, U. S. Army Retired, United States of America

Limit yourself to one thought per sentence. The sentences will end up with different lengths, because some thoughts will be long and some short. The result will be a conversational tone.
Albert Jose

If you’re writing something and you have to look up the definition of a word, you probably shouldn’t use it.
Scott Parker, data specialist, Beaumont, Texas

Read your work out loud to locate problems. If you run out of breath, the sentence is too long.
Robert Kanigel, writer and editor, Baltimore, Maryland

If you’re bored with your writing, others will be too.
Robert Kanigel, writer and editor, Baltimore, Maryland

Your essay should be like a woman’s skirt – long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to keep it interesting.
Kim

When writing, if you’re searching for a final sentence, you’ve probably already written it.
Cheryl A. Russell, demographer, mother, editor-in-chief, American Demographics

Always figure out who your characters are before you figure out your plot. You can follow a good character through a bad plot, but you can’t make a good plot out of a bad character.
James Erwin, Editor, Des Moines, IA, USA

Don’t make changes based on reader feedback until you’ve heard the same comment from three different people.
Percy Angress, special effects producer, Santa Monica, California

From Rules Of Thumb.org

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Best of Feeds – 26 links – programming, webdesign, javascript, design, tips

Posted in Best of Feeds by engtech on October 14, 2007

RSS feeds are like cookies (that are good enough for me). Best of Feeds is a weekly collection of the best stuff I saw on the Internet this week. They’re saved on delicious and stumbleupon and cross-posted to Twitter and Tumblr as they happen and then collected together on Saturdays. I don’t blog on the weekend so read these links instead.Subscribe to //engtech to see this every week (or get it by email).

Legend

  • saves – number of people who bookmarked on http://del.icio.us
  • inbound links – number of blogs who linked to it (max 100)
  • diggs – number of people who dugg on http://digg.com

This Week at Internet Duct Tape

  • What I’m Playing: PC, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360
    • I’m on day 10 of “one of those weeks” so I haven’t had time to fully develop the usual cornucopia of rainbow-coloured blog post ideas. All of my time has been spent on work and family with a smidgen of video game playing to decompress my brain. This isn’t one of those…
  • The Holiday Spread – Group Weight Loss Game
    • This past weekend was Thanksgiving (aka Turkey Day) in Canada, which means seeing your family and eating a lot of food together. One of the favourite pastimes at any holiday is pointing out who’s gained weight and who hasn’t. This got me thinking: one of the principals of successful dieting…
  • Best of Feeds – 34 links – programming, google, lifehacks, ruby, funny
    • Tags: blogging, estimation, free, funny, google, gtd, javascript, lifehacks, productivity, programming, rails, ruby, rubyonrails, search, seo, tips

This Week at IDT Labs

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