Interesting Elsewhere

Minimalist effect in the maximalist market | Mehmet Gozetlik

I love this series of minimalist redesigns of common products. (A second set can be seen here.) More proof that design can be elegant in its simplicity.

Comcast’s Deal with Netflix Makes Network Neutrality Obsolete | Washington Post

The deal will also transform the debate over network neutrality regulation. Officially, Comcast’s deal with Netflix is about interconnection, not traffic discrimination. But it’s hard to see a practical difference between this deal and the kind of tiered access that network neutrality advocates have long feared. Network neutrality advocates are going to have to go back to the drawing board.

A few FB friends posted this article last week. It’s an interesting look at what the future may hold for the internet — and it’s not encouraging if you like the idea of low cost access to all websites (as opposed to higher cost, or potentially even pay-for-service for specific sites). This article also says Netflix accounts for ~30% of all internet traffic, which was a number that made me pause and go “wow.”

Recline, don’t ‘Lean In’ (Why I hate Sheryl Sandberg) | Washington Post

Ah, more discussion on the whole “lean in” philosophy Sandberg wrote about in her book last year (which, for the record, I read and enjoyed quite a bit). Rosa Brooks says leaning in too much is overwhelming, and women need to fight for their right to lean OUT and have a balanced life. It’s interesting to keep reading pieces like this, because I feel like either people read a different book than I did or they’re just playing for pageviews. My takeaway from “Lean In” was to really think about what you want out of life and think about how to go after it. You can lean in wherever you want — at your job, at your church, at your kids’ activities, whatever.

I’m generalizing here, but women do have more of a tendency than men to minimize their skills and desires — especially at work. One example in the book that really hit home for me was learning that men will often apply for a job even if they only meet 50% of the required qualifications, while women often won’t apply unless they feel they meet 100%. And when I think about my career, gaining that kind of perspective does help me, I think.

Still, at the end of the day, nobody’s advocating that you run yourself ragged in the name of “leaning in.” It’s all about figuring out what your priority is and then going after it without selling yourself short.