Why I’m here
László Polgár was a psychologist who was convinced that given sufficient early training, any child could become a genius in a chosen field.
To test this theory, he trained all three of his daughters in chess from the age of 4. All three went on to become chess prodigies, and the youngest, Judit, is considered the best female player in the history of the game.
I've gravitated towards software since kindergarten. From primary school onwards I’d ensure that every computer in my vicinity had only the best software. Family, friends, schools, hospitals – no computer was spared. Three decades of curiosity and obsessive tinkering have refined this into a competitive advantage few have.
I am a connoisseur of software.
I can predict with an alarmingly high degree of accuracy whether a software product will succeed or fail. It’s easy to tell when others “get it”, and when they don’t. Google sunk hundreds of millions into Stadia before they abandoned it. I called it “dead on arrival” 5 months before it had even launched.
I’m part of a collective of talented individuals at PARROT9 who share the same sensibilities and ideals. We intend on taking the title of “world’s best software designers”.
How do we rank software? Whatever reduces time and effort the most.
We strongly believe that software is a tool, and like with most tools, the one that reduces time and effort, is the one that wins out.
It’s amazing how many bad decisions we have avoided by using this as a filter. Does it reduce user time and effort? No? Then discard it.
Everything needs to be rationalised. Every option we add multiplies complexity. The attribute that unites both power users and beginners is a preference for the simplicity. Provide no more than the required information to help them make an informed decision.
Always ready, but not in the way. More direct, with less fluff.
As Bruce Lee once said “One does not accumulate, but eliminate. It is not the daily increase, but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always run to simplicity.”
Unfortunately most software made today does not share the same ideals. It’s needy, it’s verbose, it’s invasive, and it’s manipulative.
One of the mental models I liked from Steve Jobs was the concept of essence. He believed all products had an essence that is only fulfilled through use.
For example, a cup’s essence is fulfilled when it’s being drunk out of. A shoe’s essence is being fulfilled when it’s walked in.
It was this line of thinking that created the original idea for Toy Story: A toy’s essence is only fulfilled when it is played with.
Software’s essence is fulfilled when people complete a task. Anything that prevents them from doing so taints that essence.
A user did not download your app to be spammed with irrelevant notifications. They did not visit your website to browse through ads. They did not use your operating system to be tracked online.
In order to solve this problem, we need to create alternatives. As Buckminster Fuller once said “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
I believe in getting it right from the start. Too many companies adopt Facebook’s “Move fast and break things” philosophy. Everyone wants to be like Apple, but no one wants to behave like Apple.
An interface should only change if it absolutely needs to. Users hate change. If you have to change your initial interface more than 20%, then you didn’t do enough internal testing before launch. The greatest sin is mediocrity.
This is why I’m here.
To prevent shit software. To create a desirable alternative. To make sure we’re considered the best in history.