Mission Statement

I have never been fond of introductions, but I do crave structure, so I feel that the best way to start things off is with a mission statement of what this space will be used for. The hope is that with a few guidelines in place I can prevent things from going terribly horribly wrong and maybe stumble upon a formula for success in the process. So without further ado and in no particular order (although still numbered to appease my OCD), I give you my rules for writing:

1. Be entertaining and informative - at least 20% of each post should make you laugh or teach you something new. Otherwise, what is the point to writing?
   
   
2. Don't reinvent the wheel - let others do the talking if their words match my opinion.
   
   
3. Refrain from using absolute words such as Always and Never. They rarely speak to the whole truth and are an indicator that you have not thought about all possible options.
   
   
4. Start with a neutral point of view - If you can't at least acknowledge both sides of an argument, how can you come to an informed conclusion?
   
   
5. Strive for perfection, but settle for 80% - True perfection is very difficult to obtain, and in many complex systems that involve computers, humans, or a combination of the two it may be impossible to reach. My opinion is that 80% is a more reasonable goal, although constant improvement should be included so that your first derivative is in the positive direction.
   
   
6. Efficient communication is key - Check and double check each post to make sure that grammar and spelling are correct. I am not an English major, but if I can program a computer I should be able to converse with other humans.
   
   
7. KISS - If you can't describe something in simple terms, you probably don't know enough to be explaining it to others. A true expert could explain it in terms their grandmother would understand. For a great example and an inspiration for starting this blog, check out this video.
   
   
8. See the big picture, but don't loose sight of the little people - If you can't bring it back to reality, the idea is not fully formed or logically sound. One of these days I'll understand the meaning of the universe, but until then it is just a theory.
   
   
9. Cross pollinate knowledge - I am a member of many worlds but a slave to none. Not all of the topics that I write about will be of interest to you, but they are of interest to me and of great enough importance that I feel others would benefit from hearing about them.
   
   
10. Keep things brief - While in this space I am technically am a content generator, I prefer to see myself as a content aggregator, highlighting the work of others that I find informative and injecting my opinions when appropriate. While I do have my occasional rants and raves, I will do my best to keep things brief and on topic. If a random comment does appear, check to see if a cat is near by.

I welcome feedback and hope you will add your voice to the discussion. Ask questions if you don't understand something and want more information, or feel free to explain why I am wrong. Just remember, in this realm I am god... omnipresent and omnipotent.

Enjoy!