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Found Footage: Quicksilver Google Tech Talk


We here at TUAW are big fans of Quicksilver, the inscrutable OS X utility that you really have to use to understand (and even then some folks still don't get it). The developer of Quicksilver, Nicholas Jitkoff, recently gave a Tech Talk at his employer (some search company or another) in which he explains Quicksilver and the thought process behind its development.

[via 43Folders]

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Software Found Footage

We here at TUAW are big fans of Quicksilver, the inscrutable OS X utility that you really have to use to understand (and even then some...
 

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kubi

This explains two things:

1) why google and apple make the best software out there (they have dudes like this working/coding for them)

2) why quicksilver hasn't been updated in nearly a year

September 27 2007 at 8:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jan Goh

@11: If you don't know why you'd ever use Quicksilver, you weren't paying attention.

I'd be more crippled without Quicksilver than I would be without the Finder. It's all about getting things done without really doing anything. While I was writing this comment, I realized that Desktoptopia had stopped. I pulled up the pref-pane, restarted it, and came back to this comment within about 10 seconds. Without keeping the pref pane on my dock and knowing exactly where to go, there's no way I could do that.

Seriously, just get it and install it. The only kind of person that doesn't like Quicksilver, in my experience, is someone that's never used it. :)

September 07 2007 at 12:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fritz Laurel

But that's just it -- the quality of content it poor because he's not a public speaker. After watching it, I still don't know why I would ever use Quicksilver.

Google should at least give the guy some help. It seems like Google is just putting these guys out there to die as I've seen in other tech talk vids from them. The only way to get better at public speaking is to keep doing it, or to practice, practice, practice.

Cheers,
FL

September 06 2007 at 4:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ian

Anyone notice toward the end when he says "you could search Spotlight or Google or GD"? GD = GoogleDrive?

September 06 2007 at 4:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
fatsvernon

Hey look, I get that not everyone is not suited for public speaking (as noted), but that's actually my point. Perhaps I came off a bit harsh.

I just think that if you're gonna give a 26min+ lecture you should be up to the task. Steve Jobs is up for it, but Gates should step aside and let Balmer....no ummm....Hmm. I'll get back to you.

Bottom line: Dude's a brilliant programmer! Let someone else do the speechilizations.

September 06 2007 at 3:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Axel

Thanks for the tip, that was really interesting

September 06 2007 at 3:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alex

He obviously has discomfort being in front of a video camera and his peers, and knowing that thousands of people will watch this tech talk.

Incredibly intelligent guy who's definitely made my life easier. QS is easily one of the most intelligently thought out and implemented apps I've ever come across, Mac or PC.

Anyone who grades this talk on public speaking merits rather than quality of content is entirely off-base. He's not a professional speaker, he's a professional programmer, and I much prefer it that way.

September 06 2007 at 3:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Apple Gazin

Hey, give this guy a break. He seems to be a pretty sharp dude. If perhaps his employer would suggest that he joins Toastmasters http://www.toastmasters.org, he could really be dynamite.

I was a programmer for years, but found I had difficulty speaking in front of audiences. After having been a TM for 5 years, I've come a long way.

September 06 2007 at 12:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Class_Act

The guy admits at the beginning that he's not in the habit of public speaking, and it's clear it makes him uncomfortable. He's also a bloody genius, so maybe you should pay attention to content, rather than form.

September 06 2007 at 12:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GM

What is it with so many sort of people sort of using the words sort of after every third sort of word?

September 06 2007 at 12:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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