stellargirl returns

a proposed solution to displaying deleted tweets in search results

The other day I tweeted out a link to the first government-sponsored TED talks, a story I was pretty excited to share. In my regular pursuit of crafting the perfect 140 character tweet, I rearranged some of the words to give due credit to the original tweeter (@whitehouse) and to also add my own reaction to the story. In doing so, I mistakenly overlooked that the word "via" was stuck right up against the url for the story.  URL FAIL.

I deleted and retweeted to make sure that people got the correct link, since the link was up for retweet and was already breaking for people.  Seems easy enough,  but like any tweet that gets deleted on twitter, there is a permanent record in the search results found on search.twitter.com. 

Now we could get into a lot of arguments about whether these deleted tweets should stay or go. They are part of the fabric of twitter, and you can call people out on some crazy stuff they put out there that they can't take back. i.e. If you send an email you regret, well, there's not really any turning back, now is there?

In the interest of keeping information correct, however, removing typos, updating links, giving due credit, these are all benign reasons to remove and update tweets.  That's the power of the internet and websites, the ability to be reactive and always have the most current information. Check out any wikipedia page during a current event -- things change!

So if twitter is not willing or able to remove the deleted tweets from the search results, I propose that they use a little bit of CSS to show that they've been deleted. I'm assuming that clicking the trashcan icon through the web interface must add a "marked for deletion" piece of data, so give those tweets a style that indicates clearly that they're deleted tweets. See my screenshot below for an example.

View the actual results page on twitter

What do you think?

i have a lot to say!

I have a TON of blog posts that are just waiting to happen. Having trouble finding the time, but just wanted to drop in and say they are coming soon...

walk or don't walk, you have this much time to decide...

I had an amazing day yesterday in Washington DC for Redux DC, an event bringing together regional speakers from the IA Summit and the IxDA Interaction conferences of 2009.  After an educational day of great presentations, a Rhodia filled with scribbles, and a brain full of ideas, how could I not stop and ponder this walk/don't walk light that I encountered on nearly every block of Georgetown?

What stood out to me the most was the high number of seconds on the clock. I stopped at this particular corner and observed it for a few cycles, out of curiosity and also because I had to find the correct ISO on my camera to capture double digits instead of single (they must alternate at an undetectably high speed). I passed a few corners and commented to my companions before I committed to watching it begin, count down, and reset again.

Here in Philadelphia, our walk/don't walk signs have changed slightly in the last few years.  Basically they work like this (from memory): The light turns green for cars, and pedestrians get the "walk" sign, the white outline of a person walking.  Once the traffic light turns yellow, you get the blinking hand and a countdown on the clock, starting at about 10 seconds.  That always signifies to me, you better HUSTLE if you want to get across this intersection (they're usually at larger intersections in center city).

In Georgetown, the clock begins the second you get the walk signal and the traffic light turns green.  It starts at about 48 (or 45?) seconds, and down goes the clock.  From a pedestrian's perspective, seeing that high of a number actually helped me plan earlier on whether or not I was going to make that light.  I'm not sure it's as effective to a driver, who may be distracted by the countdown, especially because it was on the same pole as the traffic light, instead of the traffic light hanging from a central point above the street.

Being a city dweller for upwards of 13 years, I rely on my feet to get me mostly everywhere. They're my single most reliable form of transportation.  Living in NYC for over four years, taught me how to move quickly and weave through crowds of people moving at varying speeds.  Walking is something that can be leisurely or determined, depending on where you're headed... and where you're going.  There must have been some reason why the urban planners of Georgetown deemed this a necessary design change. I'd love to hear their reasoning.

On a final note, I'm glad I got to spend a small part of yesterday wandering around Georgetown, a lovely area.  Many thanks to the organizers of RedUX DC for inviting us down.

Read more about RedUX DC from the twitterverse.

saving for later on amazon.com

I have this habit on Amazon of constantly throwing things in my cart and then bumping them to "Saved Items--To Buy Later" (there's no move to wishlist option). I used to be masterful at cultivating my Amazon wishlist, which would actually be rather fruitful around birthdays and holidays, and sometimes for no occasion at all. Somewhere along the line, I stopped sharing what I wanted and decided to shuffle it around behind closed doors. Periodically, I go in and delete things that I know I am never going to buy, but I have a weird curiosity about watching the prices rise and fall.  Generally, the increases and decreases are pretty minimal, but I have seen items drop 50% or more.

I'd love to see this data broken out a bit more. What if the increases were separated from the decreases?  Show the price decreases first in the list so the user can spot deals quickly.  How about including a percentage with that dollar amount? Sure it may seem like an insignificant number, but it's still a number. Who doesn't love a deal?

Do you ever read the unit price at the supermarket?  I actually base a lot of shopping decisions on that.  If I have to decide between Brand A or Brand B, small size or big size, sometimes the deciding factor is actually a difference of a few cents on the unit price.  I'm not even that thrifty!

Having a limited background in ecommerce, I'm curious to know if "saved for later" equals abandonment, or if hanging around in a stagnant cart somehow carries more weight.  What if my items expired after X amount of time and I got some kind of messaging to quickly move them to my wishlist, which is searchable and viewable by others, which could lead to actual purchases?

I also wouldn't mind seeing an item's price history. They seem to ebb and flow so much, that I might actually act quicker to make sure I get it while the gettin's good.  There's nothing worse than mulling on an item and viewing your cart to see that it's gone up quite a bit.

These are all nice to have features, but I think for some people, it will make the difference between a sale and a save.

why i'm done with PhillyCarShare

The truth is, I don't want to be done with PhillyCarShare. I don't have a car. I haven't had a car since high school when I drove a beat up rusted out 1984 Jeep Cherokee that my Uncle Bill passed down to me. The thing had vinyl seats, was in bad need of a paint job, and once almost killed me by doing a complete 180 on suburban black ice. I thanked my lucky stars aplenty that there were no other cars on the road. 

I really do wish I had a car, but I don't want to make the financial commitment and I also don't want to watch it get beat up by bad parallel parkers (of which I am one myself) or by the general wear and tear of city living. I've got a monthly transit pass that serves me very well, in addition to a large collection of comfortable shoes that I trek around the city on. 

My PhillyCarShare trips have been rare. They're usually tied to need as opposed to want. I need to go to Home Depot and buy X for my house, I need to buy a new X at IKEA, I need to haul something big that won't fit in my friend's trunk. It's unusual for me to sign out a car because I want to have a car for the day. Why? Because it's damn expensive!!!

When PhillyCarShare first started, they offered two plans. The Basic Freedom plan, which has no monthly fee, and the Advantage plan, which was $15 a month and recommended for those that regularly signed out cars (at least 2 trips a month).

I was content with my Basic Freedom plan, because I only signed out cars every few months, for those days when I would bundle a few necessary (i.e. need-based) trips in one day.  Without fail, each of these days was always stress-inducing because I'd try to reserve a certain amount of time and I'd typically cut it really close, to the point where I'd either have to extend my time in 15 minute increments or race back to the parking space as though I were running from the law.  It was not uncommon to return the car in the exact same minute it was due, leap out of the car and slap the fob onto the windshield with mere seconds to spare.

I might also mention that I was willing to pay a higher hourly rate on the Basic Freedom plan because my trips were infrequent, and being able to walk a few blocks in any direction and get a car was pretty darn convenient. 

Just a week ago, I took a car out for a want-based trip. I drove to the shore for the day and had a blast, it was nice to just get out of the city.  But it wouldn't be a typical PhillyCarShare trip without needing to extend the reservation, which I did at least once.  You might ask, why not just commit to more time up front? Well, if you decide to come back early, your money stays with PhillyCarShare as a credit towards your next reservation. That's not that big of a deal, but maybe you just want your money to be ... well, your money.

I am glad that my last PCS trip was a fun one, because unfortunately, I am now cancelling my membership. This past Friday at 5pm, all PhillyCarShare members received an email that the Basic Freedom plan was being discontinued and all members who normally pay 0$ a month, will be automatically bumped to a new plan (now the only plan), the Philadelphia Plan for $15 a month. Customers were given one week to cancel their membership.

Maybe $15 a month isn't all that much money, but if you're not making those two trips a month, it's not really worth it. Many months, I'd be paying $15 for nothing. The truth is, I need that $15 to go towards the cab fares I spend every month. 

Maybe I am just upset about PhillyCarShare's failure to make me feel like a valued customer. Clearly one can assume that they really need a stronger financial commitment from their customer base, but if you read anything on twitter, most of their customers feel pretty disappointed and let down right about now.

PhillyCarShare, we liked having you as an option. We liked the way you reached out to us for so long with your happy hours and movie nights.  We liked your little green men and your use of hybrid cars and the opportunity to test drive Mini Coopers and Audis.  I know $15 isn't a lot, but for some people it is, and you just took away our Basic Freedom.

This has been a post for @weeklyblogpost, topic: failure.

not the sharpest knife in the drawer

This post is for the tools topic on @weeklyblogpost...

I have a lot of fun tools to work with in the kitchen. I've built my collection over the years while passing through places like Foster's, browsing Amazon, etc.  I often add a new kitchen utensil when I find myself saying, "boy if i had ____, this would really be a lot easier." (Can you say microplane zester? Cookie scoop? SILPAT!!!)

There's one tool that I reach for, without fail, every time I cook. It's not the garlic press or the spatula or even the best wooden spoon.  I reach for an old crappy $2 knife that one of my old college roommates bought at the dollar store (guess that means it was actually $1).

It's your run of the mill utility knife, looks somewhat like a steak knife, often comes in sets of 4 or 6.  This one came on its own, with a slightly serrated edge and a sturdy black handle.  I only have one, I've never purchased more. 

I've got two chef's knives (French and Japanese), a paring knife, and a bunch of butter knives, but none are as satisfying and reliable as my trusty old utility knife.

Viva la utility knife!

the two scoop conundrum

When I am in a good workout routine, I like to followup my exercise (specifically weights) with a whey protein smoothie when I get home from the gym.  For the longest time, the serving amount was 2 scoops of protein powder. Then one day, I opened a new can of protein powder and the scoop was twice the size! Yay! The directions said to use just one scoop. Easy.

Fast forward to today, a brand new can, and let's be honest, I've been in a little bit of a slump and haven't been working out as much.  The scoop looks bigger than normal. I think it's the double size, but I can't be sure. I check the directions to confirm that one (big) scoop is all that is needed, but it says TWO scoops!

Now I'm really confused!

Do you think it's a misprint?

support new ways of working, learning & collaboration @indyhall

Today is a big day in the history of Independents Hall, the next milestone in a series of great moments the community has shared since its inception two years ago. 

Here's what's happening: the original Indy Hall space at 32 Strawberry Street in Old City is literally bursting at the seams. Membership has expanded by leaps and bounds. On a typical day, the space is at capacity. There is a waiting list for full time members, and the list of people curious to check out the space grows every day.

There's no avoiding that the time has come to move into a bigger space. As luck (or serendipity) would have it, Alex and Geoff found a completely ideal space for a bigger, better (faster) Indy Hall, and it's just one block away!

As you can imagine, bigger space also means bigger bills. That's where we, the community, come in. We've got TODAY to pull together and show our support, by committing to some form of membership.  I'll admit, I let my basic membership lapse over the last year, but I believe in this community in a big way, and I want to be a part of helping take it to the next level, so I signed myself up for some more Indy Hall.

After attending last week's Town Hall meeting, there was one element in particular that got me really excited. With a new space for Indy Hall, and a freshly signed lease on the old space, there's an opportunity to have a dedicated event space at 32 Strawberry Street.  Indy Hall has had some GREAT events over the years, movie nights, game nights, Net Tuesdays, failcamp, workshops, educational events, social events, and I'm merely scratching the surface here. The potential for this space, coupled with the new space, is pretty massive.  Want to learn jQuery? Be a better designer?  Rock out playing Rock Band?  Learn how to build iPhone apps? Indy Hall has established itself as ground zero for the people and the players to make these things happen.

Help continue to raise the profile of Philadelphia by investing in your own enrichment, in your fellow collaborators, in the future of Indy Hall -- and ultimately the future of Philadelphia.

Read more about today's membership drive on the Indy Hall website. 

my current muse: UX Book Club

A few weeks ago, I attended the inaugural meeting of UX Book Club Philadelphia, organized by our very own Livia Labate. Our first book selection was Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design by Bill Buxton.  I didn't finish the book in time for the meeting (and neither did anyone else) but that didn't stop us from having a lively discussion about what we had read so far.

Recently I have been trying to figure out exactly what User Experience means, how it fits into my career path, and how I can learn more about it.  As much as I'd love to drop everything and go to one of the great graduate programs out there (that sadly are not in Philadelphia), I'm also not really in a place where I want to hit the pause button on my life for two years to immerse myself in learning the discipline.  That's why events like UX Book Club, which are conversational and enriching, are extremely valuable.  My mind has been going a million miles a minute since we met, which definitely classifies it as MUSE territory.

Much like doing this whole @weeklyblogpost thing (forcing myself to blog!), UX Book Club got me to finally pick up a book I had been meaning to read, and to have the chance to exercise my brain a bit. I found myself waxing philosophical with my fellow book clubbers about education and urban planning, as well as positive (and negative) user experiences we've had.  Sitting at a table full of UX practioners and enthusiasts makes for engaging conversation, trust me!

I'm still plugging away on Bill Buxton's book, and very much looking forward to our next gathering.

From the UX Book Club website:

The UX Book Club idea was formed by Steve Baty and others on a couple of mailing lists late in 2008. The idea was that people could get together to talk about their favourite user experience books - and other books of interest to user experience people - and share their views, learning from one another.

Get more information about meetups in your city by checking out the UX Book Club wiki.

overthinking transit and change

The inspiration for writing about transit began when I made a point to notice this sign as I descended the stairs at the Tasker-Morris stop on the Broad Street Line last week: Exact fare only. The cashier has no change.

This is not a very friendly message. Since I have a monthly unlimited transpass, I can ignore that sign and keep moving. A few years ago, when I wasn't on the monthly plan, that sign used to anger me every day. Not only did this station require exact change, they did not have token machines either. Unless you're a seasoned rider, you would not know until you get to the cashier that the fare is $2. And if you had a $5 or a $20 bill, it didn't matter. $2 in bills or coins was all that would get you through that turnstile.

As I was pondering this frustration the other day, I realized (to SEPTA's credit) that in the years since I used to visit this stop regularly, they have gotten token machines! Yes, I have seen them many times, but it dawned on me that they did solve one part of the problem. Technically you don't need exact change anymore. If you have a $5 bill, you can put it in the machine and get a few tokens to be used for future trips.

But if you want to buy some tokens with all those quarters you've stashed for a rainy day, forget it! This machine does not accept coins.

Well SEPTA, you are trying.

I'm still holding out for NYC's MTA plan: MetroCards with declining balances that can be filled up at any station at any time, with cash or credit. Now that's convenient.