Archive for April, 2008
Gin, Television, and Social Surplus
April 26th, 2008 cata-wha?
I didn’t get a chance to go to any of the Web 2.0 Expo events, talks, or keynotes, but I’m keeping track of some of the post-event items which have made it to the web. Here is a really great transcript from a speach Clay Shirky gave at the conference: Gin, Television, and Social Surplus
Roughly put, we’re emerging from a post-WWII sitcom induced haze with the advent of truly interactive and social media, and putting our incredible amount of free time into creating, sharing and collaborating on media on the web. And even if that amount of time is a tiny fraction of passive media intake, it’s a significant change.
I don’t think it shocked or surprised anyone at the conference, but it’s an insightful take on social media’s importance, especially since we’re in the thick of these changes now.
beautiful day for a ride
April 26th, 2008 cata-wha?
I don’t get a couple hours to myself much these days, so I’m glad I took advantage of the outstanding weather for a bike ride. Nearly 20 miles!
The first 10 miles were pretty easy. Market St. is mostly flat, and downhill. Then around the Embarcadero and through Fisherman’s Wharf. Traffic was heavy, but I latched onto a group of other riders. Safety in numbers.
McDowell Rd. in Fort Mason was the first real hill. There was a cold wind blowing through the Marina. I hope Stella will want to play soccer, because the Marina fields are a great location for Saturday morning games. Colder wind through Chrissy field, and stopped for a quick sandwich at Fort Point.
Good thing I had some food, because I needed the energy for the climb up Lincoln Blvd. The climb up made for a fast stretch down the other side. Then throgh Sea Cliff (houses with LAWNS!), then onto Clement, over to Sea Cliff and Onto the great Hwy, through Golden Gate park, and back home.
Where else can you ride through urban, suburban-(ish), bay and beachfront, and wooded park lands?
My body will probably hurt a bit tomorrow, but well worth it!
Am I sure I want to be in San Francisco?
April 22nd, 2008 cata-wha?
Well timed with the irrational and echo-tastic exuberance surrounding the Web 2.0 Expo, 37 Signals issues a dig at the the SF and Sillicon Valley start-up environment. Defintely worth the quick read, and plenty of good chatter in the comments.
I love the quintessentially midwestern take (via Denmark, I assume) on the goofiness and downright non-pragmatic approach to business in SF and the Valley, but there is an aspect the author overlooked : What if there is no place else for you, the web-obsessed designer/developer to go?
Let’s say you have tried, failed, knocked on doors, written business plans, searched for investors and mentors, and put up with professional bull-shitters and fence-sitters for hours on end - and still come up empty?
You pack your bags and move to San Francisco.
I’ve been tracking 37 Signals for years. (I recall learning a great deal of css techniques from them, wayyy back in 2001/2002). I have always admired their success in building a set of great products, and having a no-bullshit vision and philospohy backing up their products (and business). And closer to my hometown, I am amazed at the successes of my friends from Saddle-Creek Records, and more recently The Slowdown. Record label, rock club, movie theater, real estate. Wow.
In all cases, I have no underestimation of the late nights and hard work required to attain success. But, at the same time, there seem to be intangable ingredients which tip what you are doing into reall opportunities. And at that point, the opportunity is what you make it.
What is that intangible? A certain threshold of like-minds in your community? Or, maybe it’s as simple as having a legitimately good idea/product/service.
In any case, if you are stuck, you occasionally need to get un-stuck. And if you work on the Web, and are looking to un-stick yourself, you may very well find yourself landing somewhere in or near SF.
Personaly, I think the community of like-minded, enthusiatic technologists, hackers, and nerds far outweighs the VC valuation-speak of the start-up world. Or, maybe I’m just running with a different crowd.
Anyway… don’t forget - when you peel yourself off whatever you are stuck to, sometimes, it hurts!
re:vision - camera lens bracelets
April 20th, 2008 cata-wha?
I really don’t accessorize (I have a hard enough time picking out a belt), but if I did, these bracelets made from recycles camera lens parts are really cool ,
(Via The Triumph of Bullshit.)
Freedom from the network
April 18th, 2008 cata-wha?
Freedom is a little OSX app which will disable wireless and ethernet networking, freeing you from all sorts of distractions.
So crazy you just…might…work!
But you will still get a call on your cel asking why you aren’t on IM.
Trapped
April 15th, 2008 cata-wha?
Amazing time-lapse video of Nicholas White
trapped in an elevator for 41 hours
The related article is on my toread list.
(via waxy.)
the theme song goes like this
April 9th, 2008 cata-wha?
chart attack
April 8th, 2008 cata-wha?
It may be passe and gauche, but Ryan Block still takes the opportunity to post this traffic chart comparing Engadget and News.com. He also goes on to say that “the editorial and business models of that division are becoming increasingly deprecated.” (Color me confused: Technology news isn’t valuable? Display advertising on the web is on the way out? Really?)
Engadget is an amazing property and a traffic monster, no doubt about it, and they deserve kudos for building the massive brand they have.
As far as the catching up part goes, it is pretty clear that my new boss, Dan Farber, loves the competition as much as he loves reporting and breaking news.
It’s going to be an interesting, exciting and fun year. I love my job.
