About This Blog

When I was at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters back in May 2004 (an event I’ll write about retroactively in time), I saw one of the fellow attendees updating their blog. I remember thinking how silly it seemed: who really wants to read every little thing that a stranger writes? Coupled with my innate aversion to anything popular (I was already sick of hearing about podcasts in June 2005), I never thought I’d find myself writing a blog. In fact, when I began producing a newsletter in the Summer of 2007, I was asked why I wasn’t doing a blog instead. In part, I wanted to do a newsletter so that people would immediately receive whatever I wrote without having to repeatedly check my Web site. But I have found that a newsletter also has its downsides:

1. I put so much pressure on myself for turning out a solid, well-written newsletter, that I’m lucky to get one out each month.
2. Newsletters are not as conducive to feedback and interactions as I would like.
3. Newsletters are not the best place to put code and tutorials.

So that’s what has brought me to creating this blog: it’s another way to communicate with readers and convey information. What are my hopes for this blog, then?

Well, in keeping with what I just wrote, this blog will have a fair amount of tips and tricks: Web development, PHP, Ruby, database design, Adobe AIR, etc. Such posts will contain specific techniques and how (or why) they work.

Second, having just completed my sixth book in the past two-plus years, I’m intending to take some much needed downtime. For the next four to six months (ish), I’m going to recharge my batteries, get lots of little things done, learn some new stuff, and remind myself of what I already know (or once knew). Towards those ends, I’m going to use this blog as a personal technical diary: a place to record things that I discover that are worth knowing. You might be interested in knowing them, too!

Finally, I’ll add that I intend to continue publishing the newsletter, using it to answer direct questions, give general guidance, and talk about technologies in general. All book giveaways also go through the newsletter (i.e., if you’d like to win a free book, you must subscribe).

As always, my thanks to you for reading this and for your interest in what I have to say. I gratefully welcome any feedback or questions you have on any subjects I discuss or those you’d like to hear more about. If you’re having a specific technical question which you’d like assistance with, please use my supporting book forums.