LMGTFY

Do you have any research on why using the web and online media is a good way to communicate with people?

Ah.. no. Google does.

Oh I just thought that you'd have some documentation.

Not at my fingertips, no.

Ok. I'll check with someone else.

Device advice

The iPad isn't very good, is it?

It's not? I don't know, I don't have one.

No. It's not very good. Have you ever tried to edit a long email on one?

No. I don't have an iPad.

Well you can't. It's so difficult.

I'm not sure that's what the iPad was made for.

I know, I know. And Word documents? impossible to write and edit on an iPad.

Yeh well I'm not sure that's the kind of thing you do on an iPad.

I know, but still, you should be able to edit emails on one. 

Not if that's not your core reason for being. Isn't an iPad more about consuming content rather than creating it?

I know, I know. But you try editing a word document on an iPad, it's impossible.

But is that what an iPad is supposed to do well?

I KNOW, I KNOW! But it's just really hard to do any editing on the thing.

Okay.

It's like the iPhone, when it first launched, it didn't even have a task app.

Ah..

How crazy is that?? didn't even have a way to add tasks. 

But isn't the iPhone the hardware, and the app store, over time, has fostered a community of developers who create these apps, like task apps, so now you have the apps you need?

Yes I KNOW that but in the beginning, the iPhone launched without any way to add tasks!!

...

I think that Samsung is a much better phone.

Manage management

So [this project I've told you to do but not given you any details], when do you think you can get it done by?

I don't know. I don't know enough about the project, its priority as compared with my other things on my plate, to say when it can get done.

But I need a date to write in the WIP Date column.

I don't know what that date might be.

But I need a date in this column.

I could take a guess but that's all it would be so in all likelyhood, not worth a damn.

But I need a date, just give me a date the project could be done by. We can always change it later.

If you can change it later, what's the point of the date now?

I need a date for this column.

But if I just give you a date, that I will change later - that date is worthless and means nothing.

But I need a date.

Okay. August 30th.

Great. You're sure you can get the project done by that time?

No. I don't know enough about the project to know if I can get it done by then. You told me you needed a date. 

I do, I need a date for the column. Can you get the project done by August 30th?

I don't know. With more detail about the project I suggest that date will change and become more accurate.

Yes but can you get the project done by that date?