Milli Market Segments for Local Food

Although Eric Sink, managing partner of Champaign, Illinois Source Gear LLC, writes about the software business, his article "Whining by a Barrel of Rocks" applies to ways of thinking about the structure of food "as a business" and the many opportunities for collaboration and economic growth with both large "production agriculture" firms and more narrowly focused specialty/local/boutique businesses.

Mr. Sink writes:

"Now let's suppose we're considering a market opportunity with realistic potential for $3M USD annual revenue. The big vendors can't even consider pursuing a market that small. It's not worth their time. But a $3M annual revenue stream will easily sustain a small company of 15-30 employees. That niche is an opportunity, and somebody is going to build a nice company inside it.

Identifying all the opportunities for software products is like filling a barrel with rocks.

We start by putting in the really big rocks like office suites and desktop operating systems. Soon the barrel is full and will hold no more large rocks.

But smaller rocks can still be added easily. In fact, we have to add a surprising number of small rocks and pebbles before the barrel can be considered full."

More at http://www.ericsink.com/bos/Whining_by_a_Barrel_of_Ro.html

Interface Design Koans @ Business Of Software Blog

Nice piece by Neil Davidson on the eat your vegetables don't run with scissors principles of software interface design in a piece called:

Porridge, Wonko the Sane and restrooms: the good, the bad and the ugly of user assistance

Go and study. Clarity, precision, and the idea of being "just clever enough" as covered in Programming Pearls.

NB: In a mid 1980s survey on compilers (conducted by a colleague, not moi), respondent described "C is a write only language, cause I sure can't read it later...."

Sing a song of documentation as well as unambiguous (or, at least, tested) iconography.

The Business Of Software Blog

Ok. I'll fess up: went to The Business of Software Blog to get a free ebook and got drawn into it. Language is a virus.

They're talking about Tim Lister and Ted Nelson and many things bidnezzy and design.

I'm in the amen corner. Good thoughts.

They have a conference coming up... likewise an interesting crowd.