Pure Speculation on Google+ Performance

A thought occurred to me about Google+. I don't have an account, so maybe someone can help me out here, but have there been any performance problems with the service (slow responses, downtime, etc...)? I haven't heard of any, and if that's in line with reality, then I find that to be truly incredible.

You may ask why I think that's so impressive given that Facebook has around 350 million users vs. the supposed 10 million on Google+.

I think it's impressive because of the acceleration of the user base, and the fact that the service just went live. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc... have had years to deal with their expanding user bases. I am sure they've had their share of performance related challenges (maybe not MySpace lately...hah!). Perhaps at the height of their growth they've even seen close to the growth of Google+.

However, Google+ went from virtually no users to millions in a few days. This means they designed, implemented, tested, and deployed with performance in mind (that isn't amazing) and it actually worked once it went live (wow). I know Google has lots of experience with scalable platforms and infrastructure, and this is all pure speculation on my part, but damn, give those engineers some fat bonus checks.

I think this aspect probably also partially explains the invitation-only deployment model. The exponential growth was probably still staggering, but it probably still leveled the load a bit.

An Open Letter From a Grammar Nazi

Are we men, or are we animals? What few gifts have been given to the race of humans which allow us to enjoy dominance over our destinies? I contend that it is precisely the ability to unambiguously transfer our thoughts to the material world that separates us from savagery. So then why the fuck do you waste that shit, you goddamn philistine?

Extra Features Can Hurt

I've learned an important lesson about developing software. This lesson may apply more generally to any service job, but I wouldn't know because I develop software.

I was developing a tool for internal customers when I thought of a feature that they might like. I was trying to decide whether or not to add it to the tool when I decided that "extra features can't hurt." Holy crap, wrong.

I've Heard That Before

An argument that I hate: "That's what others have said in the past and they were wrong."

I particularly hate this argument, because it is completely disarming. You cannot make a counter-point without the other person coming back with the exact same argument again. It is a dismissal of everything I say on the grounds that someone made a mistake at some point in the past.

Towards a New, Unified Theory on Massachusetts Drivers

There exists a ubiquitous theory amongst southern New Hampshire residents that is so prevalent, it is considered by many to be fact. This theory; that all Massachusetts drivers are assholes (Massholes); is a framework that is necessary to the mental survival of anybody that requires a semi-logical explanation of the behavior of others. However, I have developed a new theory on Massachusetts drivers; indeed a paradigm shift; that threatens to forever alter the very perception with which to view drivers from The Commonwealth. The theory is simple, but the ramifications are profound to anyone that has had the pleasure of listening to a tumor grow in their brains while they try to understand just what the hell their fellow driver was doing. Disclaimer: as a scientific necessity, the following writing contains some naughty words, so stop reading if that might offend you, or if you are afraid of the truth.