Office Productivity done in Web 2.0 Style

In an attempt to appear more HIP than I am, I recently signed up for a ThinkFree account - really under the auspice of signing up, playing around, then forgetting about it (much like I did with my Google Spreadsheets stuff). Mostly because I'm an old school person, believing that if it's not on my hard drive, how can it be any good.

Well, I have to admit, ThinkFree is pretty good (still some hiccups, but that's beta for you), but the interface is very clean, everything is fairly intuitive, and it works. Now, with all things, only time will tell. But I would assume this company will get bought and the the original creators of the company will be a lot richer (if not happier).

I don't know if these types of web apps are the way of the future - if so, then all I need is a smart phone (maybe with the ability to hook up a big monitor and full size keyboard) and we're off to the races. Who needs the "fat" client, when you can do the same thing with these "thin" apps, then my files are available anywhere in the world (with the appropriate internet access of course).

The other thing, it hooks up directly with Blogger - allowing me blog and publish at will. We'll see if these apps have staying power.

NOTE: For all I know, ThinkFree believes it published this post - but in reality, I doing it the old fashioned way, a little thing I call CUT-N-PASTE (you've probably heard of it).

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7 New Manifestos from ChangeThis

Personally, I like strong opinions - even when I disagree with them. At least the other person is passionate about their stance - nothing worse than someone being wishy-washy. Well, you need to check out these new Manifestos from ChangeThis...

Note: The following is from the alert email I get from Change this, I did not write it (make sure I give attribution properly, I would like someone to do for me)

1. POLKAS, PYROTECHNICS and POINT Ds: Pieces and parts of Seth Godin's new book, small is the new big.
by Seth Godin
Here's just a sip from Seth Godin's latest book, small is the new big, a plentiful well of inspiration for your business and you.
http://changethis.com/25.01.PolkasPyro.PolkasPyro
http://changethis.com/pdf/25.01.PolkasPyro.pdf.01.PolkasPyro.pdf

2. THE ABCs of a KALEIDOSCOPE CAREER
by Lisa A Maineiro, PhD and Sherry E. Sullivan, PhD
The twentieth-century linear career model, of rising to the top of a corporation and being a big, fat, ethically unscrupulous power-monger is dead. Mainiero and Sullivan show you how to create a stunning new Kaleidoscope Career.
http://www.changethis.com/25.02.ABCKal.02.ABCKal
http://www.changethis.com/pdf/25.02.ABCKal.pdf/25.02.ABCKal.pdf

3. BEYOND SUSTAINABILITY: Why an All-Consuming Campaign to Reduce Unsustainability Fails
by John Ehrenfeld
John Ehrenfeld proposes a radically different conversation about sustainability, one that moves away from mere problem solving, demands a new definition and envisions infinite possibility.
http://www.changethis.com/25.03.BeyondSustain.03.BeyondSustain
http://www.changethis.com/pdf/25.03.BeyondSustain.pdf /25.03.BeyondSustain.pdf

4. GETTING OUT OF EMBED: The Role of Social Context in Decision Making
by Michael J. Mauboussin
Decision making is an inherently social exercise. Here, Michael Mauboussin details three shocking psychological experiments that reveal just how another's action or opinion can profoundly change your own.
http://www.changethis.com/25.04.GettingOut.04.GettingOut
http://www.changethis.com/pdf/25.04.GettingOut.pdf/25.04.GettingOut.pdf

5. WEB 2.0: Strategies and Lessons for Business Leaders
by Troy Angrignon with Nick Kellet, Gary Ralston, Ean Jackson, Matthew Fessenden
This inclusive manifesto will introduce you to the principles and concepts of Web 2.0, so you can prepare your organization for this technological sea change.
http://www.changethis.com/25.05.Web2.0.05.Web2.0
http://www.changethis.com/pdf/25.05.Web2.0.pdf/25.05.Web2.0.pdf

6. NEVER THE SAME: How to Create Transformational Experiences
By Charles Halton
What does it take to change the world? To change people? To make a difference, every day? Charles Halton presents 18 characteristics to help you create transformational experiences.
http://www.changethis.com/25.06.NevertheSame.06.NevertheSame
http://www.changethis.com/pdf/25.06.NevertheSame.pdf /25.06.NevertheSame.pdf

7. BEGINNER'S GUIDE to BUSINESS BLOGGING: Re-release
by Debbie Weil
The what, why, and how of business blogging, by business blog expert, Debbie Weil. Originally a limited release, this critical resource guide is available to you once again.
http://www.changethis.com/25.07.BusinessBlogging.07.BusinessBlogging
http://www.changethis.com/pdf/25.07.BusinessBlogging/25.07.BusinessBlogging

Additional comments on ChangeThis - I really like the website and what it stands for and the forum it provides for authors. There are several "known" authors (such as Seth Godin mentioned in this entry) that provide excerpts from their books via ChangeThis. It's a cool site with many really good manifestos - you need to check it out.

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Cool Website Alert!! Relaunch of JotSpot

I'm not really into Wikis -- when I had more time on my hands, I dabbled with both Open Source versions and online versions - just never got into it. Had a lot more fun with content management systems (like Mambo -- or if you're a purist Joomla). But, that may have changed with the evolution of JotSpot. One of the things that is impressive about the re-launch is that Joe Kraus (JotSpot CEO) is looking to remake the wiki - taking it out of the realm of the geek into mainstream. That's a good thing (even if you anger a few techo geeks along the way) - because normal people don't want to think too hard about doing something.

Take any task on the internet, the appeal is simplicity (not complexity). I don't want to think too hard about how to make something work -- even in my closet geek world, it helps to make some things easy. Now there are a few things that JotSpot is doing in this new rev that I think are cool.....

1. They are looking to expand beyond their hosted service to provide a "inside the walls" install. Allowing those companies that have a security policy to enjoy JotSpot.
2. They are opening their API to allow people to extend the functionality of JotSpot - and allowing these enterprising individuals to monetize that functionality. Very open minded of the company.

Lots of new stories and blog entries -- here are a few links.....

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=3365
http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-6097320.html
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=jotspot&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&q=jotspot&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d

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Cool Company Alert!! JotSpot -- Relaunched...

I'm not really into Wikis -- when I had more time on my hands, I dabbled with both Open Source versions and online versions - just never got into it. Had a lot more fun with content management systems (like Mambo -- or if you're a purist Joomla). But, that may have changed with the evolution of JotSpot. One of the things that is impressive about the re-launch is that Joe Kraus (JotSpot CEO) is looking to remake the wiki - taking it out of the realm of the geek into mainstream. That's a good thing (even if you anger a few techo geeks along the way) - because normal people don't want to think too hard about doing something.

Take any task on the internet, the appeal is simplicity (not complexity). I don't want to think too hard about how to make something work -- even in my closet geek world, it helps to make some things easy. Now there are a few things that JotSpot is doing in this new rev that I think are cool.....

1. They are looking to expand beyond their hosted service to provide a "inside the walls" install. Allowing those companies that have a security policy to enjoy JotSpot.
2. They are opening their API to allow people to extend the functionality of JotSpot - and allowing these enterprising individuals to monetize that functionality. Very open minded of the company.

Lots of new stories and blog entries -- here are a few links.....

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=3365
http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-6097320.html
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=jotspot&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&q=jotspot&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d

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One Way Blogging...

I found the following at http://news.com.com/2061-10788_3-6081284.html and thought I'd put something up, since I have not had a new entry in several weeks. It appears my blogging has slowed on because of two factors - first: it just takes a long time to blog (because blogging requires active participation reading other blogs, thus creating traffic) and second: work has heated up with a the fun cycle starting for 2007 business & product planning.

That being said, I kinda have a problem with one-way blogs -- if someone does not allow comments, they are not blogging in my opinion - they are writing articles for their own personal magazine. Nothing wrong with that, but don't call it a blog - it's an ezine, utilizing personal publishing software (such as Blogger or Moveable Type) to create their articles. No comments, no blog - it's that simple. So, here is the original blog from News.com....

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A firestorm over one-way blogging

June 8, 2006 9:00 AM PDT

Seth Godin has done something that would be unthinkable in much of the blogosphere: He does not allow comments on his blog. And, by doing so, he may have unwittingly inspired far more discussion than would ever have occurred otherwise, on his blog or anywhere else. (Note: Godin may also want to consider turning off his TrackBack feature, which effectively serves the same purpose as comments by surfacing posts by others on his blog.)

The reason for his decision? "First, I feel compelled to clarify or to answer every objection or to point out every flaw in reasoning. Second, it takes way too much of my time to even think about them, never mind curate them," Godin writes. "And finally, and most important for you, it permanently changes the way I write. Instead of writing for everyone, I find myself writing in anticipation of the commenters."

A heretical notion, in a medium that thrives and prides itself on interactivity. But Godin isn't the first to take this step, and he won't be the last. The unfortunate truth is that too many comments are mere insults and rants--far from any grist for productive dialogue--and civility is an increasingly rare commodity. Given this sad state, one can hardly blame some bloggers for wanting simply to chronicle their thoughts and to be left alone.

Blog community response:

"For some, having the ability for people to comment on your postings is that destination. For others, the main goal is to share what's in your brain. Either way, the conversation is still taking place."
--TwistImage

"I can understand why people like Seth Godin and, arguably, the world's first blogger, Dave Winer, have elected for the 'no comment' approach. It does make me feel uncomfortable though. It's a foghorn approach to blogging. A kind of 'I'm OK, You're Not OK' pre-judgement of their readers."
--Teblog

"I believe one of Seth's primary reasons for not enabling comments is so that his 'remarkable' (a Seth term) posts will be spread virally to other blogs, by individuals creating new nodes of discussions and spreading his word."
--Web Strategy by Jeremiah

Posted by Mike Yamamoto

---

BTW, not that anyone will care, but I've read Seth Godin's blog and although he's out there in front (with his ideas, etc.), I'm not a regular reader. I feel his blog is more about him (and his ideas) -- a basic place for self promotion. His statement is valid about comments, but that's the point of interactive media - and in some cases goes completely against what he writes about. In IDEAVIRUS, he talks about interacting with your customer - and the comments on blogs are perfect places to do that. Even if you don't want to respond to every comment, it provides a way to get into the minds of the readers.

Now if I could only get a few comments!!!!

UPDATE: OK, I got a comment and from the guy I mentioned above (Seth Godin) - to be completely honest, it is humbling because I have read many of his books and "get" what he is saying. Now, as I commented back, the above was more of a "writing out loud" exercise - after reading it, I thought "so what if Seth's blog is self promoting, that's the point!!" Most blogs are self promoting, either what I like, my life, my job, my family, my dis-likes, my hobbies, my company - and that is GOOD!! The point of this medium is to "raise and hand and speak in class" - and if (in the case of Seth's blog) I don't what comments - then that's fine too. So Seth, thanks for the comment, thanks for the dialogue and thanks for having a blog for us hear you "write out loud".

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Generation C...

Trendwatching - my personal favorite for new things in the world of the consumer - uses (created actually) the term Generation C to describe (more aptly) the revolution happening on and off the web. I can do the term justice, so will utilize the definition provided by Trendwatching...

No, this is not about a new niche generation of youngsters born between March 12, 1988 and April 24, 1993; the C stands for CONTENT , and anyone with even a tiny amount of creative talent can (and probably will) be part of this not-so-exclusive trend.

So what is it all about? The GENERATION C phenomenon captures the an avalanche of consumer generated 'content' that is building on the Web, adding tera-peta bytes of new text, images, audio and video on an ongoing basis.

The two main drivers fuelling this trend? (1) The creative urges each consumer undeniably possesses. We're all artists, but until now we neither had the guts nor the means to go all out. (2) The manufacturers of content-creating tools, who relentlessly push us to unleash that creativity, using -- of course -- their ever cheaper, ever more powerful gadgets and gizmos. Instead of asking consumers to watch, to listen, to play, to passively consume, the race is on to get them to create, to produce, and to participate.

Now, their site has hundreds of examples, but I would like to include a few of my own below...

1. Blurb - a company that allows to you create, submit, print and bind your own book.
2. Cafe Press - you own t-shirt factory, including the back end ordering and payment processing (so really factory and retail store) - they also make it easy to add to your own web site.
3. 99 Dogs - another t-shirt factory (but I like them better than Cafe Press, but I'm a non-conformist - yea right!)
4. iPrint - biz cards, brochures, chachke - click, create, buy - they do the rest. Also, have a back-end for mom-n-pop print shops to have an online presence
5. Blogger - of course you have to have a blog, I use blogger (although there are others just as good, I used to use Movable Type before they went all commercial - good for Six Apart)

So, as we look into the future, there will be more of these types of company (by the way, the only newbie on the list is Blurb, all the others have been around since before the bubble burst - so no matter what they say, Web 2.0 is not really that new after all) -- have fun looking around for other Generation C type companies and get out there and signup for the Trendwatching Newsletter.

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