Business – Page 3 – Wisdom And Wonder

Justifying GNUPlot

GNUPlot has always seemed like a great tool for presenting data in a visually compelling manner.
This might make it easier to do so. I am waiting for the right opportunity to justify buying it :).

Using mapping tools for information sharing

Here is an article about an interesting application of mapping technology.
I wonder what kind of business ventures might be driven from such an approach.

Voice-driven and hand held apps: a match made in heaven?

Here is an article about writing voice-driven applications.
It might be interesting to “think differently” about problem solving by taking into consideration that you might combine the power of your handheld with the ease of use (potentially at least) of voice driven applications on a server. They might compliment each other well.

Be careful for whom you market

This article explains that you should be careful for whom you market as you tend to want to reach people exactly like yourself. Of course if this is your goal, then it is not really a problem :).

Setting the bounds on infinity

Working with partners or sub-contractors; you are bound to end up working with some very creative people. You have a vision that they need to fulfill; and you probably expect them to figure it out for you so you tell them “just make it happen; do whatever you like”.
When you give someone limitless possibilities, though, they are likely never to find a good one, at least not for you.
By giving even the most creative people just some constraints, you are doing them a favor and you are likely to end up a much happier participant in the interaction.
(via Seth)

Simple ideas make big money

This website only lists cars for sale that are less than $1000USD. The owner of the site has a 6 figure income. Talk about the power of simplicity!
(via 37Signals)

Best Entrepreneur Books That You Never Expected

Here is a list of entrepreneurial books that you might not have expected to be good; at least according to the author. You might find some of the picks odd, but it is worth a quick skim at least.
(via Ben)

Our addiction to addition

Here is a great post about elegance.

Something is elegant if it is two things at once: unusually simple and surprisingly powerful.

— Matthew E. May
That makes me think of Scheme.
(via Guy)

Simple online surveying

Wufoo is an online surveying tool that looks interesting. I haven’t used it myself, but, it is what my webhost uses and they have pretty good taste in the tools that I have seen them use so far.

Making it happen

Here is a good post about how some opera singers wanted to “start a new opera company in Baltimore, and do it in on a shoe-string budget”. It seems like a good example of “thinking outside of the box” and making something that they really love to happen: practicing their heart and making a living doing it.