While refactoring projects I’d like to get a list or graph of unused methods.  This is not only for tidying or big-rewrites but also for whenever one updates a method.  Every time this happens I’d like a ping that x less or y more methods are used.

Combine this with profiled unit tests and one could get the time&resource impact of a rewrite very fast.

First step is to create something that find dud methods/properties/classes/etc.

Second step is to make it awesomelly useful.

This idea is probably already created somewhere.  Anyone who knows?

Whether the phone call was dropped due the operator, the phone, clumsy handling or anything else doesn’t matter. All we want to so is reconnect again. Too often this results in calling ping pong and line busy signals.

Why not have a button/function “Reconnect” and if both parties press it the phone or operator automagically does this.

Tired of having to undress when flying? Why not make the belt buckle in plastic?

Or make it detachable.

Ever so often we receive a file we have to manipulate before importing. Why not create an online application for this? Either send the data over the wire, or preferably for privacy reasons, download a file that does the same either as javascript in the browser as a stand alone file.

Building pieces that fit together in most directions.

Duplo is still to difficult for my 10 months old.  She often knows how to take the pieces from each other but hasn’t figured out the difference between studs, sides and under side; she just rubs them together and that is not enough.

What I am picturing is blocks, like Duplo, with magnets in them.  Now magnets are a bit to magic so maybe blocks with spikes.  I remember the latter from my childhood toys.  The spike solution doesn’t make the nice lego-squareness and lego-every-piece-fits though.

Velcro is male-female and I don’t want it to be some-sides-stick-some-don’t.

Maybe a Post-it solution.  The glue wears of though.

Johansson gauge won’t make it since they are too sensitive.

Problem:

When using a hand drill it is hard to get it at right angle.

Possible solution(s):

Mount a bull’s eye level on the rear end of a power drill and making vertical holes should be a breeze.  Mount a tubular spirit level on the top side and horizontal holes are equally easy to drill.

One can also use laser lines.  For instance one can have two lines projected from an angle but the lines parallel at the tip of the drill.  If the drill leans in the direction of the laser lines they will come at angle.  Don’t mind my explanation; think about it for a few seconds and you’ll realise how it could be implemented.

There is a neck on hand drills. Mount the holder for the bull’s eye or tubular spirit levels there; then the solution can be used on any drill with neck.

Exchange the power drill for anything that has to be at right angle.  Why not create such a laser device to hold to a piece of wood to make sure it is perpendicular to something else?

Update 2020-07-21

Someone at kickstarter, xdrill, has done even better than my idea. They incorporated the laser measurer in the drill and put a display on and even bluetooth and wifi. Especially the display was clever I think. Nice work!

“Every” drill has a collar to fasten a handle, or let it be installed in a simple drill press construction. Why not have a laser measurer to mount on the collar? Then let it have 3 or 4 lasers to measure the distance and hey presto we know both angle and distance.
Then there could be a small strip of diodes, and possibly sound, to show the accuracy of the drilling. Or have it talk to a phone that is somewhere close by.

To calibrate the collar laser, have a very flat surface with a very 90 degrees hole. Insert a very straight rod of about 10 mm into the chuck and then into the hole.
Or a smart way to mount a square.
Then calibrate the square.

Google glasses springs to mind. A HUD that tells you the drilling angle would be awesome!