GC Mouli's Blog

Hack life the unix way

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Brilliant article by lifehacker editor Gina Trapani. She compares your productivity system to the ultimate example of robustness - the UNIX operating system. A must-read for everyone - either if you are just designing your productivity system ; or if you are relooking/rehashing your productivity system. These rules should give a good foundation for you to base your productivity system on. I have just listed the rules below.
  1. Write simple parts connected by clean interfaces. (Rule of Modularity)
  2. Clarity is better than cleverness. (Rule of Clarity)
  3. Fold knowledge into data so program logic can be stupid and robust. (Rule of Representation)
  4. When you must fail, fail noisily and as soon as possible. (Rule of Repair)
  5. Programmer time is expensive; conserve it in preference to machine time. (Rule of Economy)
  6. Prototype before polishing. Get it working before you optimize it. (Rule of Optimization)
  7. Design for the future, because it will be here sooner than you think. (Rule of Extensibility)
Read the article here for the full meat.