Just a note to say that 37 Signals will be dropping support for IE 6 across all their applications. I just find it an interesting move given the typical breakdown of browser use.
Recently in Links Category
A post my wife linked me to this afternoon seemed to resonate with me on a bunch of levels ... the first being is that we can all do better ... the second is that there are times when instead of standing on the sidelines it is important to jump in -- regardless of the splash or the associated ripples. I guess if you are left asking if you resemble the counter argument, well, then you probably do. You decide, but I would suggest stepping outside yourself and thinking about it. Worth a read and some thought -- or not. Up to you. Check out the post over at the "alex the girl" blog. At any rate, I'd like to know if people have initial reactions to the thoughts expressed.
Still trying to figure out what Twitter is? Watch the new Twitter video from the folks at Common Craft. Those of you hooked into the "TwitterStream" can leave comments here about why you have gotten engaged -- I know some of you are Twitter people, so let's hear from you!
Yesterday I saw an interesting article at the New York Times related to how difficult it is get out of the FaceBook. Everyone knows that all of the online social spaces out there will eventually jump the shark and that you'll just walk away ... a lot of people will simply stop logging in, while others will "clean out their lockers" in a digital sense and close their accounts. I am guessing that the vast majority of students who spend upwards of five to six hours a week in the FB aren't thinking about that. Well according to the Times, they should be.
We discussed the idea that a person's identity is no longer tied to just their physical presence on ETS Talk a few weeks -- instead is a mash up of all the places they spend their time either physically or virtually. What it means is that identity is really a meta identity made up from the social places we share our pictures, favorite books, music, and thoughts. These things get mashed together to help those around us understand who we are or who we want to be. With this in mind it is becoming more important to know exactly what you are posting and understand the long-term implications. If you look at the FB, it is hard to imagine that it is currently at the center of this issue (it is, BTW, the number one photo sharing site on the Internet here in the US) but it really is. If you build a major piece of identity at the FB, you better be ready to have it stick around for quite some time. Its true, I read it online.
Over at my other blog I just wrote about a great new sharing feature that Google has dropped into its spreadsheet applications -- the ability to instantly create a web form that can collect live data. Really cool.
Something I'll have to see, MacHeads the Movie. View the trailer.
I am not much of a gambling man myself, but I am interested in the predictions markets that I've learned about. Anyone following ETS for the last couple of years will remember a TLT Innovator's Series talk by David Passmore and Rose Baker related to using prediction markets for organizational decision making. We followed it up with an ETS Talk and had thought about creating our own ETS/PSU Innovation Market. It would essentially be a place where we could watch trends emerge as our peers bought shares in ideas.
This morning while on vacation looking through the Google Reader for the first time in a few days I came across an article from the NY Times where they talk about Google's use of a prediction market to help identify industry trends. Google even has there own type of currency that can be turned in for real prizes every month. Not sure it could work in a small environment like ETS, but I think the article is worth the read.
Here is a little gift for you gamers out there ... the evolution of Madden NFL from 1998-2007 in pictures. Amazing how much has changed ... take a look! Has gameplay improved?
Take the video below and you can see why simple production is the new way to convey tough messages. The people that do these videos know what they are doing ... this is no different. I might even be able to share this video with my parents and have them really understand what the value with the Google Docs apps really is all about.
BTW, did you notice the new Google Presenter app available?
I just blogged about my thoughts on the new iPod Touch on our campus over at my other blog ... I also just came across a new plugin by SixApart that adds a new set of templates to MovableType that allows iPhone/iPod Touch users to mobile blog a heck of a lot more easily. I am convinved that as people begin to get the whole blogging thing and they have portable access devices we will see an increase in use on our campus of both ... why not let them use them together?
