Sat, 10 Jul 2010

Social Networking Thoughts #1

Facebook, You Tube, Google Sites, Twitter . . . the list goes on and on. People seem to have a need to put out information about themselves. Some are trying to sell things, some to promote things, some, just to be seen. There are blogs, tweets, videos, sites, and all the combinations there of. The trick seems to be to drive visitors to some action or to make money from advertising (views and clicks). Most, I would suspect, aren't all that successful. Some go viral and result in thousands or even millions of views. Some languish while others thrive. I'm going to spend some time investigating this for my own education. I'll write what I find here and in the Bob Breedlove blog to share my insights. I'm going to promote my boy's skateboarding passion through their sites:

• Addicted 2 Skateboarding
• D2JR09 at You Tube

It will be an interesting experiment as I'm an old guy who, if I ever got on a skateboard would probably mame myself badly! But what the heck. I'm going to go for it. Our objective is to make some money from advertising (views, clicks), spread the word about skateboarding, and have some fun. Watch this space and the Bob Breedlove blog for more information on our adventures.

posted 08:51 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Thu, 13 May 2010

Original Thinking in Social Media

I wonder just how much original thinking there is in social media. Admitedly, my exposure is somewhat minimal compared to many. I don't frequent Facebook, or other media sites. My exposure is mainly through the 140 character Twitterverse. But, I see a lot of things rephrased, repeated, and retweeted even there. It seems that there is some need to pass on things -- like rumors, I suppose -- rather than create any original thinking. I haven't done any formal investigation, but I wonder if anyone else has. Perhaps I'll have to take a look.

posted 07:18 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Thu, 29 Apr 2010

Who do you follow?

I have been reworking my list of followers on Twitter. (I don't do Facebook, etc.) I'm looking for people who have things to say that benefit my working life. I am not interested in what celebrity is doing what, dating whom, partying with whatever, getting out of what rehab program. (By the way, I also don't watch reality TV. I really don't care that you're too short and have too many kids, but that's another blog). This exercise got me to thinking about who people follow and how can they possibly keep up with multi-thousands of people. I may, in my spare time . . . not much . . . look into this topic.

posted 08:16 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Sun, 11 Apr 2010

I Won't Join!

I have blogged about this before, but, I think it's worth emphasizing. I won't join Facebook or any other social media site just to enter a contest you are conducting. If you want my business and you have an enticement, don't make me do something I don't want to do.

As you know, I am a member of several sites (see list here), so it isn't that I'm against these sites. It's the fact that I don't see a need to join a site to tell people about myself unless I have a specific reason to do so. (I have talked about the apparent need to tell everyone everything here.) Entering a contest is not one of those reasons! I am under no dilusion that people really don't care what I think or who I am, unless, that is, I can make some money for them. And then, only while I continue to provide them income. So, If you want my business, don't force me to join ANYTHING.

posted 12:26 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Sat, 06 Mar 2010

Nothing to say . . .

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

Remember when your mom told you that? In these days of social media, having nothing particular to say seems to make people feel nervous. Like, if they don't say something, no matter how inane, their head will explode. Well, I have nothing to say, nice or otherwise, so I'll just take my mother's advise and keep quiet.

posted 18:31 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Sun, 27 Dec 2009

Blog Test with OneNote

I really like Microsoft's OneNote. It works the way that I think -- randomly. I am especially fond of the fact that you can click on the page and start typing anywhere. I'm actually writing this blog in OneNote as a test of using it for blogging. Since I have blogging software which is not one of the big ones and runs from text files, I'll have to see how this works as I export this to text. In fact, here goes . . .

. . . that was interesting. I tried saving the document in several formats, transferring it to Microsoft Word and copying it. The thing that worked best was to select the entire page, open Macromedia Dreamweaver, and past the text into the program.

It's interesting to me because I use bloxsom. It works from text files which have a simple format. The first line in the body has to be plain text. This is followed by formatted text. When I copied the entire file, and pasted it into Dreamweaver to create the HTML page, it formatted the OneNote page title as a plain text line and placed the remainder of the file into simple paragraphs.

The only problem is that it didn't copy the hyperlink from the bloxsom reference in the paragraph above. I think that could be a minor problem to overcome. One quick tip about copying the page. You can't use the Ctrl-A keyboard shortcut as this appears to copy only the block you are currently in. You have to select the entire page with the mouse if you want to pick up the page title.

Otherwise, as I work in OneNote all the time and it's so easy to start and come back to entries, I think this could prove to be an interesting way to create blogs.

posted 13:39 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Sat, 12 Dec 2009

Tweeter's Block . . .

I wonder if it's possible to have a tweet block -- like a writer's block, but different?

I sat down today to work on the literature portion of the Academic Decathlon. We're reading Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. You remember Willa from highschool -- that's the only time I read anything by her. Anyway, I started three blogs while working on this and deleted all of them. It's like I have some sort of mental block.

It seems to work like that. I go for some periods with lots to say and now . . . nothing worth mentioning. It's interesting that I'm writing about not being able to write . . . some sort of conundrum there . . . It's not like I'm doing less in my life. In fact, I'm into some interesting things professionally and personally. It's just that I don't get that urge to share.

That's not entirely right. I get the urge, but start something and realize I just don't have the gumption to carry it through to something worth sharing.

I guess the bottom line is to only write when I have something to write about and that drought periods are just something to expect.

posted 10:31 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Sat, 24 Oct 2009

I Don't Want to Join!

I received an invitation to view some photos on a sharing service. In order to view the photos, I have to join the service. I don't want to. Guess I won't see the photos. Oh well.

[Rant mode on]

HEY! Get a clue! Implement a guest mode. I do NOT want to give you any personal information what so ever just so I can view information on your site that some member has sent me to view. I will NOT do it and I will NOT join your service for any reason because of it!

[Rant mode off]

Enough said.

posted 16:28 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Tue, 13 Oct 2009

The Devolution of Writing

Is e-mail, texting, and the use of social media resulting in the devolution of writing? Is the need to be first to say something affecting our good sense? Are we so engrossed with instant communication that we don't take the time to make sure that it's significant communication?

Professors in colleges are reporting that students use text abbreviations in their assignments. Even well-educated, literate professionals can't put together a cogent, organized memo. We're so used to short messages entered with our thumbs that we have forgotten that there are eight other fingers with which to compose cogent, well-constructed, thoughtful, literate entries.

The interesting thing about all this is that it's not just kids who are devolving. Professional news organizations are taking the latest tweet and treating it as factual news. The need to be first outweighs the need to be fast. The twitters, facebooks, blogs, and wikis have influenced news organizations into thinking that they must be the first to report something, even if they have to retract it later because they didn't take the time to verify the information.

And I find myself doing the same thing. I tend to put blogs up without review. I run through a page and immediately post it. I don't even take the time to check spelling many times. Is it worth it? Well, sometimes, I guess it is. Something spawns an idea and I write something and put it on the site.

When I have taken the time to review my work, I often either throw it out or revise it entirely. I sometime wonder what started it all and what point I was trying to make. I need to realize that, just becase something affects me it doesn't necessarily mean that I have anything interesting to say about it. And, if I do have something interesting to say, I might not be able to construct an entry that is worth reading.

Take a look at this article regarding the need for speed and the lack of editorial control both on blogs and in the more-traditional media outlets. It points up some of the things which can result from these situations.

posted 18:03 [/Social_Networks] permanent link

Fri, 09 Oct 2009

Describing Yourself

I have been followsurfing -- tracking people following people on Twitter -- and I have been interested in people's bios. here's some interesting ones.

• Soul Coach: My soul needs coaching, I presume. Not exactly sure what this means, I wonder if they will make it "drop and give me 20"?
• geeky musings: Just what we need, another geek musing!
• sharp-bearded thought-fiddler: beard didn't seem all that sharp. His page indicates mentalism. Must be what fiddling is when your beard meets your thoughts.
• Psychologist, author and magician: Now there's someone who can mess with your mind!
• i make and sell soap: not much guessing where this one is coming from. This is the whole bio.
• Ambassador of Inspiration: huh?
• DBA to the Stars: in my world "DBA" is data base administrator. I wonder why stars need one of those?
• Model-ista / Singer (God-given talent) / Networking guru / Fashion show coordinator / Freelance agent to my divas: You gotta love someone with all those talents. I'm kind of wondering why "freelance" when it's for "my divas". "My" sort of indicates posession, while "freelance" is a part-time sort of thing . . . oh well.
• . . . and I'm probably too nice: Sounds like he's been told that by girls who went off with the bad boy!
• Human: The entire bio. Good to know, I guess.

OK, I'm tired of this. Maybe more later.

posted 19:15 [/Social_Networks] permanent link