The Big Web Site Build: Are We Approaching the End of an Era?
With Google, Twitter, Facebook, and email doing most of the work, why are we building big, expensive, multifaceted sites? Are we being strategic? Or are we in a rut?
Facebook Patents the News Feed — The “One-Click” Button of Social Media Now Has An Owner
In a moment as important to social networking as Amazon’s one-click patent was for e-commerce, Facebook gets a patent on the news feed. But many questions remain, especially about prior art and what is a “news feed.”
“You Are Not a Gadget” — Why Open Culture and Technocentric Philosophies Are Ruining Our Lives
Jason Lanier’s manifesto about the open culture exposes its lack of ingenuity, its commercial depredations, its amoral world view, and its elitist predilections. It’s worth reading in full.
A Technology Reality Check — The Fable of the Facebook Login
While we continue to explore new and ever-more complex online technologies, the Internet provides a stunning example that for many, the web browser is more than they can handle.
Google Buzz: Will Social + Email = Happiness?
Google Buzz has dragged Gmail into the social sphere. Will it be a match made in heaven? Or does it remind users of someplace farther south?
Mapping Facebook — How Our Cultures Are Revealed Through Social Networking
How the US appears through Facebook. Do you live in Stayathomia or Socalistan?
Science and Web 2.0: Talking About Science vs. Doing Science
So far, Web 2.0 tools for scientists have failed to gain much traction with researchers. Is this because they’re tools for talking about science rather than tools for doing science?
More and More People Adopt Social Media — But What They Use Varies
More people are using social networks, but different ones at different ages, but mostly by choice. Will professional usage of social networks ever be worthwhile enough to drive adoption?
The iPad: First Impressions of Its Importance to Publishers
Initial impressions of Apple’s new iPad device — how the tech press is missing the meaning, what it might mean for publishers, and a chance to tell us what you think.
Is Privacy Dead? Only When Exploitation Mixes with Apathy
Recently, pronouncements by online mega-players (Google, Facebook) have been lighting up the boards as Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg particularly have made incendiary comments about the future and value of privacy. Here’s Eric Schmidt, in a brief clip, saying things […]
The Real-time Web’s Utility Meter Spins Rapidly
Want to see the best-guess at the real-time Web’s activity level? Gary Hayes has a tool that let’s you peek.
The Unstoppable Corporate Force Meets the Immovable Social Network
The companies behind social networks and media are running into conflicts with their users as they try to generate revenue from their services. Recent moves by Google, Facebook and AT&T are all sparking controversy as each encounters opposition to their business models from their customers.
Google Will Begin Adding Real-time Search Results in the Next Few Days
As Google adds real-time Web features to its search over the next few days, it may be the last nail in the coffin for publisher-centric commodity information.
Scientists Are Using Social Media Tools (and May Be Using Social Networks, Too)
Two new analyses — one in Cell, and one of a bit of source material from another post — suggest scientists are pretty likely to use social networks and social media.
NIH Funds a Social Network for Scientists — Is It Likely to Succeed?
The NIH spends $12.2 million funding a social network for scientists. Is this any more likely to succeed than all the other recent failures?