Picking a Winner

The idea of design competitions seems strange to me. I mean take into consideration something like the Staples eco competition. They want people to come up with new ideas for office equipment. I don't get understand what they expect. I mean one the one hand it is near impossible o make something completely new, on the other improving something old just seems lame. It has become a competition between saying you'll do something that you can't really do, and doing something that just seems lame. Take for example the stapler itself. There are two ways to improve it-
1)Add a cam system to prevent staple wastage.
This is perfectly reasonable, and is rather useful. If one is to believe the discovery channel, then saving one stapler a day for each person in each office in the UK would save 120 tonnes of steel. The only problem is, it is totally uncool. The idea doesnt really feel that great.

2)Attempt to create a completely new staple free system for thicker bundles of paper
A system exists for thin stacks of paper which just creates a hole within it which leads to a staple free staple, this usually works for about 10 sheets of so. There is no reason to assume that such a system cannot exist for a larger number of sheets, it or a similar system could be created, but it would take a long time. I mean, unless somebody already has an idea, it would be really hard to make a new system in time for the competition. This way is cool, but for all purposes it is unrealistic.

So, what do you choose. Do you go for the cool idea which will definitely go to the second round, but might not be deliverable, or do you go for that idea which you know will work, but doesnt seem cool enough to be accepted.

Personally, I have no idea.

The reason

The purpose of this blog is not to reach out to people, nor is it for entertainment. I look back on my past, and I realise I have no idea of how I used to think, so this blog exists just to remind myself of how I think, and to keep a track of stuff I find interesting whether it be tech, music, books, or anything else.

This implies-

1. I will not be posting regularly
2. Most readers will be bored
   
3. I will not conform to standards
4. I have no problems with people commenting, as long as it has something to do with the post itself
5. There will be the occasional story written by me.
   

I think that just about clears it up.