Why I am excited about the new macbook

I am not normally a super mac fanboy; it's true that I am typing this on a Macbook pro now but I did't buy it myself - it was provided for me. But I still love it and definitely would buy it as my next laptop.

Apple just released their latest line in the Macbook Pro series and I think it's really cool. Whenever you mention it your nearest (most likely, vim using) colleague will poo-poo it and complain that it has lost the escape key. However, in its place is something much more exciting. I really like the idea of the customizable screen at the top.

In the past most keyboards were fairly standard. There was the 99% of keyboards that were your standard qwerty (maybe with a few extra buttons for power or volume or media control) as well as was the gamer keyboards that used to have loads of custom buttons everywhere but no one ever took the time to properly hook those up to all their apps and doing so was tedious and error prone. Now applications will be able to provide great hardware shortcuts for all those common tasks using the screen at the top of the keyboard. It has been made accessible for the everyman.

Have you ever watched someone at an airline check in desk? Or watched someone use a trading terminal? They don't really look at the keyboard, they mash out keystrokes and shortcuts like it's an extension of their body. They don't interact with the computer as much as work with the computer. They work together to get the job done. This is how I see the button bar will be great for the Macbook. It will become second nature to zip through Photoshop or Chrome using that button bar along the top. You won't need to remember every changing or inconsistent keyboard combinations (RIP the backspace key in Chrome) but instead you'll naturally reach for the virtual key in the Macbook screen. You will work better with your Macbook and get every day tasks done that much faster. Maybe you'll have all your favourite internet shortcuts up there within a fingers reach, or maybe you'll be able to whizz through your photo albums after vacation without lifting your fingers for the mouse or keyboard. I know from my job that these special keys become second nature after a few goes of using them as they simply make everything faster and more natural.

I'm sure there will be some interesting apps that come out around everyday tasks that will become that little bit less mundane or tedious.

Having said all that, are we still in an age where the Caps lock key is still a thing? Really?

Do you collaborate or cooperate?

Some thought provoking reading on whether your organisation is working together in a collaborative mode or a cooperative mode. Never really thought about it like that before.