Twitter - What's the point?

Interestingly, today a friend of mine had invited me to Twitter. I thought I would check it out.

It appears to be simply a service that lets people know what you are up to. Alerts can be configured so every 24 hours if you have not posted an update on what you are doing, it will remind you to do so. Mobile updates can be configured as well, fo those that really want to keep an eye on what others they are 'following' are up to.

I must be missing something with Twitter... I don't see the point. So many other, more capable sites, provide similar functionality. FaceBook for example allows me to provide a quick message allowing me to provide my status, as well as offering other functionality such as games and other content.

Perhaps the draw to this site is the simplicity of it. It really is pretty simple to use, however MySpace and FaceBook on the other hand can be a bit confusing to newcomers. And, there have been instances where news is posted on Twitter before it actually makes it into the media, such as in the case of the Los Angeles earthquake a few weeks ago, however even then it isn't a profitable venture as of yet.

We'll just have to see how Twitter evolves in the future. I hope they add some unique functionality that FaceBook and MySpace don't already offer.

LinkedIn - Enterprise class Web 2.0

LinkedIn provides a mechanism to keep tabs on contacts that you make during your career. A friend of mine who I had worked with for nearly 6 years introduced me to the site by requesting I accept being added as a contact.

Initially, I thought that this was simply another site like FaceBook or MySpace, however it isn't. Users of the site are able to list their current company information, title, amount of time in each position within a company (or multiple companies), and even flag your account if you are looking for a new job.

My network is fairly large now, and continues to grow. Contacts that I have made over the years, both internal to my employer as well as external business partners, are part of my contact list. It allows me to keep track of my relationships with these contacts, even after they move to different companies. I've heard that it is not always what your skills are but who you know that moves you up the corporate ladder, and this tool allows people to keep track of those influential individuals.

LinkedIn has recently added additional functionality (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/20/linkedin-now-for-companies-2/) allowing company profiles to also be displayed on the site, creating a 'fact sheet' of sorts.

The question, however, is would tools like LinkedIn actually benefit companies, or is it an avenue for head hunters to get talent from competing companies? A company could find employees that work for them on such tools, look at their contact lists, and attempt to get them to come to the other company. What do you think? Should companies fear such sites, or does the benefit of business-class social networking assisting their employees outweigh such concerns?

Picasa , An awesome tool!

In my investigation of new Web 2.0 technologies, I thought I'd give Picasa a try. Perfect timing, too, as I have a newborn baby, and would like to make pictures available to the family (at least those who are 'web-enabled').

Downloading the software and signing on was pretty easy, and the system search for pictures was very quick. Unfortunately, it doesn't give you an option to skip searching for pictures and add them all yourself, so it had found a ton of clipart and other pictures on my system and indexed it into its database.

Once pictures are there, however, it is very easy to create a blog with the picture. Simply select the picture, and click Blog This, and away you go! In fact, this blog message was written using that method.

There are some things that are a bit confusing about the tool, or at least I haven't figured them out yet. If I attempt to log into Blogger and add a picture I already have posted, it doesn't seem provide an option to allow me to do so, and the help files don't seem to indicate a way to do that. Looking at the HTML code for this posting isn't all that helpful either, as it seems to be referring to 'localhost' for the placement of the picture. Perhaps that will change once I submit it.

All in all, it is a good tool for organizing your images and an easy way to throw them on the web to show your family your newborn baby, for instance. Myself, however, I'll stick with my personal website.

Failed Prediction - Telephone Is A Fad!

Imagine the thrill of being involved with a new invention as powerful and influential to society as the telephone! Imagine the affects that such a discovery would have on society! The question is, would you realize the power of that invention at the time it was introduced?

The telephone had its barrage of individuals that said the phone is simply a fad. Take a look at some of these quotes:

This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us. - A memo at Western Union, 1878 (or 1876).

The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys. - Sir William Preece, Chief Engineer, British Post Office, 1878.

It's a great invention but who would want to use it anyway? - Rutherford B. Hayes, U.S. President, after a demonstration of Alexander Bell's telephone, 1876.

A man has been arrested in New York for attempting to extort funds from ignorant and superstitious people by exhibiting a device which he says will convey the human voice any distance over metallic wires so that it will be heard by the listener at the other end. He calls this instrument a telephone. Well-informed people know that it is impossible to transmit the human voice over wires. - News item in a New York newspaper, 1868.

It appears that there were many who were opposed to the telephone being introduced, or those who thought it would not be useful. After all, with the telegraph and messengers, who needs advanced communication capabilities? Were people able to adapt as well in the late 1800's as we are capable of today?

Lucky for us, our great grandparents and grandparents were willing to adapt telephones to their daily lives. Where would we be without them? Do you think we would be as technologically advanced without telephone technology and the innovation it has spawned? Myself, I don't think so, but am interested in your comments. Please feel free to present your opinion!

Quotes from http://www.boingboing.net/2007/10/27/failed-futuristic-pr.html