Production Tools

We don’t need productivity tools, we need production tools, at least that is the semantic word twist that I heard Dave Winer talking about in a podcast last week. We need tools to help us create more efficiently and accurately (but that is not the same as productivity ok). Also, we don’t create content. If we created content we would not be given the same rights as journalists in the press, or at least that is what Doc Searls was talking about. But sometimes the real problem is not in creating your next masterpiece but rather in researching your next masterpiece.

Often times I find myself with way too many browser windows open. I am hot on the trail of the next great idea when I suddenly find myself deep in the throws of information overload (or one of my many offspring needs to play a little hide and seek). I really wish there was a way to store that thought and come back to it later. Enter Cory Watson’s idea for a Safari plugin (he is the first non A-list blogger mentioned in this post, but he gets an A for effort). I think he should call this vapourware plugin “crates” after the record crates that DJs have to dig through when they need to find the perfect record.

I think it is a great idea and I hope he (or someone else does it). In essence I think it should be like an integrated outliner. Until then I think I am going to start using an outliner in this way to store information in a folder called “crates”. you know sometimes the best inspiration comes from diggin’ through the crates.