Categories
Uncategorized

Happy Blog Day

BlogDay.org is asking people to blog today on the value of Blogs, and share 5 ones that you recommend.
Blog Day 2007

I haven’t had much time to pay attention to this, but let me point out just a few that have been useful, helpful or good things to help me get through my day.

New Critics: Well, technically, I’m a member, though I haven’t posted anything. This is a great, intelligent take on pop culture, run by my friends including Tom Watson and Jason Chervokas.

Common Craft Blog – Lee Lefever is a great steward of online community, and has valuable content to read.

More to come later today.

Categories
not-for-profit

Off to America’s Camp

This will be my 6th summer participating in America’s Camp, which serves the children of those killed on 9/11 in NY, on the planes, and in Washington D.C. This is our biggest summer ever. I look forward to seeing my old friends and doing what I can to make a difference.

America’s Camp grew out of the work I did at the Twin Towers Fund.

I’ll be checking mail occasionally, but mostly offline, until next Monday.

Categories
Uncategorized

My email delayed

The folks at Joyent/Textdrive may be experiencing a spam attack/DOS kind of thing. Bottom line – if you want me and you know my gmail account, that’s the best way to reach me for the next day or so.

If urgent, click the Grand Central link on the Right Margin >>>
and if I’m in Cell range I’ll get your call.

Categories
fun geeky marketing social media

If Supermarkets were Web 2.0 compliant

Excellent video, which might not be funny if you’re not part of the ‘in crowd’ for Web 2.0, but which appeals to my sense of humor.

Glumbert.com – Supermarket 2.0

(I tried to embed it but it is too wide….)

Categories
Business marketing social capital exchange social media Uncategorized

When does introducing simplicity or constraint in design improve experience

From iPhone to sites like Fotolog (where you can only post one picture a day), constraint of design drives the user experience, and can also create popularity. Adam at Fotolog (and Scott) described how the constraint (or simplicity) of Just One Foto keeps the editorial imperative high, and it keeps the community different from Flickr (where you can post a HUGE number of pictures at any time). Communities like VOX where prompting people with the “Question of the Day” gives people something to blog about, in case the community member feels frozen or writer’s block – this ‘constraint’ bounds the experience and gives a place for writers to start.
Simplicity – making things easier for people to get over pain of adoption. People get overwhelmed with too many choices.

Skype – hard but gives people way to make free phone calls so people use it.

Adam – fotolog – doesn’t deny the appeal of the long tail, but too much or too many will reduce usage.

Pip Coburn’s model about getting people over pain of adoption – by giving them value.

Whether you call it restrictions, constraints, or simplicity, there’s something that helps people get over that pain of adoption. Rules vs Guidelines.

John B. – Everyone thinks they want infinite choice but it turns out they really don’t adapt well. Less choice can drive more behavior/purchase/etc.

Hardware guys ship and they’re done – web guys can iterate –

Games guys do this constraint thing well – give rewards, test a huge amount, watch user behavior.

Is Facebook Simple? Yes and no. The applications can be overwhelming, but the social dashboard, keeping track of friends, and photos is easy and well done.