Re: Proposal

[Tim Vanderhoek <vanderh@ecf.utoronto.ca>]

On Sat, Jan 01, 2000 at 12:03:58PM -0500, Joyce Poon wrote:
>
> Onto another piece of admin crap -- our proposal (due 2nd week of school).
> 
> We have had a lot of ideas and there is a lot of info.  We should start
> crystallizing some of the key concepts and think about what we
> "officially" want to do.

This is all very good, although I would rather we waited a little
while before starting this, yet.  We do have two weeks for it, and he
hasn't even officially given us the assignment yet, merely warned us
that it will be coming.

I would rather we finished exploring some of our other ideas (and
generating some other interesting ideas), first.

(!!)

Once we start with the official proposal, that's where we truly begin
to limit ourselves and our options.  I'd rather delay this for at
least a couple days after face-to-face discussions.

Imho.  :)


> Again, pls add to the list if you see anything missing or if you see any
> mistakes.  Oh yeah, we need some diagrams too.  Does he want circuit

After reading through this list a second time as I deleted it, I'm
even more certain: I really want to wait as long as possible before
starting the proposal.  Prematurely thinking about a proposal will
mean premature decisions, typically limiting decisions.

[Except for the case where the premature proposal is written by
 premature people...  then instead of being too specific (and thus too
 limiting) the proposal becomes too vague...  :)  eg. "Ryan will build
 a solar-powered flying car."  ;-) ]


Finding the appropriate gradient from vague ideas to specifics is an
art.  Art cannot be rushed.  :-)


-- 
Signature withheld by request of author.