Feedly Says What?

I don’t understand the service Feedly is providing.  As best I can figure, it’s taken my feedreader links and rearranged them into some kind of magazine-like layout on a web page, but I’m not sure why I need that.  The other thing it did was mess with the categories in my Google Reader which, admittedly, I approved, but still — it bothers me.  I don’t like it, and now I either have to leave it as it is or take the time to go back and put things back the way there were.  (I should have planned ahead and backed up my settings.)

Feedly is a slower, less efficient way for me to get my daily feeds.  Not a good thing when I’m trying to consume as much as possible over breakfast before I have to make way to the office an hour away.  If I wanted slow, inefficent delivey of my news and whatnots, I’d pick up a newspaper.

I’ll give Feedly a few more days, but if I can’t find some value in it then I’ll be forced to remove its addon from my Firefox.  We’ll see.

My Blog Post Was Stolen

Honestly?  Yeah, it’s true.  I’ve had a post completely republished on another site without my consent and without any credit.  I’m not sure how to feel about it.  Initially I was shocked and upset, but what does any of that matter?  I went through a brief bit of flatteredness, then back to being upset, then off to do things in real life.  It’s all very funny.

I think it’s great that anyone would want to re-post something I’ve written.  Heck, I read some of my stuff and I want to re-post it.  But to re-post without crediting me or my web space is kind of silly.  Especially since I offer the re-use of my content for free under the creative commons license.  Why not throw back a little love?

But what really gets me riled up about all this is that the villainous site is ranking higher for my post in google searches for specific search terms.  Which shouldn’t bother me, because those search terms were not the point of my post, but I don’t like being out ranked — anywhere!

So I’ve written the site owners through the comments, as it seems that’s the only way to contact these people, and if there’s no reply then it’s a formal written complaint to the site owners citing sections of the DMCA and then another letter to the site’s hosting company citing more sections of the DMCA.

It’s tiresome.  All I really want is my name on the post; I took the time to live through the experience and then spent the time to write about it.  In any event, I’ll keep creating and they can keep stealing.  But no, I’m not saying where my post is published.  I don’t want to send them any more traffic.

You’ll want to read it hear first!

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A Relatively Quick Hello

I want to say welcome and thanks for stopping by to all of you whom I’ve encountered in the last 8 or 9 days.  Be it in real life or virtual, social-media life.  I’m happy to have you over, and I aim to keep you as mostly entertained as possible, even if it means I have to sell sea shells by the sea shore to do so in front of a video camera with a half broken lens.  I’m here to please, and pleased that you’re here.

To keep this as simple as possible, and brief — the drum we’re to be with marching is not what you’d expect from your usual run of the mill beta tester.  Which is to say, “don’t expect what you’d typically expect.”  The name tags are real.  The lies are real.  The laughter is legit.  The smile was purchased from a friend I used to know back in middle school.  Still, I trust that you trust me to share with you, and I appreciate that.  I am clearly obvious and obviously clear without being blatant about wanting to meet, greet, and chat with all you fine people.  We’ll have to exchange cryptically coded memos as the year wears on.

All that aside, I’m looking forward to further exploration with all of you.  And those things I told you, they’re almost all true.  We’re gearing up to make seven documentaries about the long lost soul of a great underground statistician known as the unknown.  Equivalent to forty-two hours of gut wrenchingly good and somber times.  You’ll have a hard time and be well pressed to find anything like it anywhere else on the InterWeb.  I mean it.  I really do.  My producers are getting upset that I’m even saying anything about it right now, but that’s of no concern to us.  So stay tuned and stick around.

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Microsoft's Gates And Seinfeld Is Something To Talk About

I’m not sure who exactly they’re aiming to target, and I don’t really care because it doesn’t change much for me one way or the other.  Still, there’s a ton of chatter coming across the line about the latest from Gates and Seinfeld.  I’m a fan of the two working together, and I’ve found the content to be more than mildly entertaining.  Still, not the point.

It’s not a very big secret, it’s no secret at all, when it comes to what computers/software people are using that it breaks down something like this:

  • Only fanfolk are using Apple
  • Only geeks are running Linux
  • Everyone else is using some version of Windows and Internet Explorer
    • 99% with default settings and outdated software like IE6

The problem with this is that the 99% in the everyone else group isn’t interested in what computer or operating system they’re using.  They just want it to work when it’s time to check the email or surf the web, right?  So why, in their minds, do they need a new whatever from whomever?  They don’t, and so they continue to use things like IE6, even though we have Chrome and Firefox 3.

Which is to say that no matter how cool, great, and awesome the next Microsoft products are or aren’t, they’re still going to be out there and that 99% isn’t going to jump on board.  It will have to be forced on them like the latest OS coming bundled with a new computer.

What Microsoft is doing with Gates and Seinfeld is giving all the people a chance to start talking about what’s happening in the tech world.  People, regular and tech junkies alike, are walking around saying “I don’t understand what’s going on.  What are they doing?”  The regular people know they should be paying attention because “whoa, two of the most accomplished guys in their respective fields on Earth” are appearing together in front of them .  Might mean it’s time to start paying attention.  Meanwhile, the tech junkies know they need to pay attention because Microsoft has the resources to change, for better or worse, the computer world as they know it.  Change is scary.  Commercials are fun.  But whatever the case, regular or junkie, they now have a common ground to start from thanks to Microsoft.

Talking is a good thing.  Talking about Gates and Seinfeld is a great thing for Microsoft.  But enough talking.  Check out the clip.

Microsoft’s Gates And Seinfeld Is Something To Talk About

I’m not sure who exactly they’re aiming to target, and I don’t really care because it doesn’t change much for me one way or the other.  Still, there’s a ton of chatter coming across the line about the latest from Gates and Seinfeld.  I’m a fan of the two working together, and I’ve found the content to be more than mildly entertaining.  Still, not the point.

It’s not a very big secret, it’s no secret at all, when it comes to what computers/software people are using that it breaks down something like this:

  • Only fanfolk are using Apple
  • Only geeks are running Linux
  • Everyone else is using some version of Windows and Internet Explorer
    • 99% with default settings and outdated software like IE6

The problem with this is that the 99% in the everyone else group isn’t interested in what computer or operating system they’re using.  They just want it to work when it’s time to check the email or surf the web, right?  So why, in their minds, do they need a new whatever from whomever?  They don’t, and so they continue to use things like IE6, even though we have Chrome and Firefox 3.

Which is to say that no matter how cool, great, and awesome the next Microsoft products are or aren’t, they’re still going to be out there and that 99% isn’t going to jump on board.  It will have to be forced on them like the latest OS coming bundled with a new computer.

What Microsoft is doing with Gates and Seinfeld is giving all the people a chance to start talking about what’s happening in the tech world.  People, regular and tech junkies alike, are walking around saying “I don’t understand what’s going on.  What are they doing?”  The regular people know they should be paying attention because “whoa, two of the most accomplished guys in their respective fields on Earth” are appearing together in front of them .  Might mean it’s time to start paying attention.  Meanwhile, the tech junkies know they need to pay attention because Microsoft has the resources to change, for better or worse, the computer world as they know it.  Change is scary.  Commercials are fun.  But whatever the case, regular or junkie, they now have a common ground to start from thanks to Microsoft.

Talking is a good thing.  Talking about Gates and Seinfeld is a great thing for Microsoft.  But enough talking.  Check out the clip.

Weak Wednesday Wrap

The truth is I have several posts, each somewhere between 30 and 90 percent complete.  I’m hesitant to rush any of them, and I’ve been too distracted this week to bother with finishing any.  Can you blame me?  What with TechCrunch 50 and DEMO ’08 going on, there’s a ton of startup coverage which I’m compelled to read, even if most of the companies have been less than interesting.  The commentary is great.  So far two companies from TC50 have impressed me, at least what I can get from all the secondhand feedback.  I’m holding off with any reviews until I see all the companies.

In the meanwhile I promise (mostly) to finish some of these half-done posts very soon.  They include, but are not limited to, and could be bumped: a recent blog-find I want to promote; one of my favorite Sacramento restaurants; title tackling; and, my first impression of Picasa’s latest feature addition.

Loads of good stuff on the way.  In the meanwhile, remember to follow my Stumbles or my Feedreader shares .

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Last.FM Has Best Listening Prediction

last.fm

It is by no means a new service, but I’ve only just started using it.  Which is odd because, while I’ve heard of it many times, it took a certain Tweet to send me testing the service.  And before I get all into praising the greatness that is last.FM, I want to first say that I have tried Pandora Radio.  It was the summer of 2007 and I had just been introduced to Pandora by a close friend, so I loaded it up and tried it only to find disappointment.  I had, and still have, a subscription to Sirius Radio which Pandora couldn’t compete with, especially since Sirius comes with an online service.  I let Pandora ride a full week before writing it off, and that was only out of respect for the person suggesting the service.

Before we get carried away comparing things that aren’t at issue, like personal preferences, let me say that if you enjoy Pandora or some other web 2.0 music service, then by all means, please, continue with it.  It’s not going to hurt my feelings if you think last.FM isn’t the awesomeness I’m about to rave forth with.  So be it.  Go.  Listen and enjoy the noise that is your happiness.  (Music.)

It took me three hours and some two hundred plus favorited artists with last.FM before reaching into my wallet to support the service.  That’s right, I’m paid member — because I want it to stick around — and if they come up with a way for me to stream the music to my car then I will probably ditch my satellite subscription.  (At the very least, my land subscription is gone at the next renewal.)

Why is last.FM so great? It doesn’t base it’s computation on what you say, it works off what you do.  Very smart.  I can say all day that I like listening to Herbie Hancock, but if I spend all my listening minutes tuned into the latest HipHop vibe, it’s more likely that I want to hear more HipHop.  Right?  Exactly.

This service takes into account that I lack the necessary cognizance to know what music I actually enjoy.  Sounds strange to admit, but they’ve done a better job with the psychology side of it than any other service I’ve encountered. I may add a certain artist to my favorites but if I continually skip those tracks while listening, last.FM takes note and updates its recommendations accordingly.  Very very smart.

It’s more than that, though.  They also make an effort to connect me with others of similar listening taste, not exact listening taste.  I’ve yet to find anyone with a compatability rating higher than “low,” but I like that.  I can’t imagine a scenario where, if when listing all music honestly enjoyed, two people are perfect matches.  We’re too humanly different for that sort of nonsense.  I’m not interested in finding someone who is exactly like me becuase I do just fine talking to myself.  I want the people who will introduce me to sounds with which I am unfamiliar.  Last.FM is just the service to find me those people.  Best of all, there’s a stand alone player for my linux ride.

Listen online and stream yourself.

Stop Whining About Google Chrome

I’m going to keep this one short because I don’t have a lot of time and I’m short on energy for this here topic.  But it goes something like this, “Dear, All-You-Chromy-Whiners: Stop it.  You’re embarrassing yourselves.”

I said it once and I’ll say it again — Google is not terribly interested in entering the web browser business.  They do, however, want to ensure that their applications/services run quickly and smoothly in whatever browser their visitors elect to surf with.  Surprise!  So, along came Chrome, and just in time for the release of their _Android_ mobile phone package.  Imagine that.

So all these so-called tech bloggers shouldn’t be totally flabbergasted that the Chrome Engineers didn’t implement a bunch of tiny tweaks to enhance every single product produced by Google.  That wasn’t the point of the release.  Google is not a an overnight venture start-up dedicated to one product.  They’re a multi-billion dollar Brand committed to making money, which they do by selling adverts through online services. Correct me if I’m right.

AND, umm…do you get why there was no Mac release?  Or at least why it wasn’t a release one priority.

If Chrome catches on, demanding reasonable market share, and there is a need for further development, then Google will implement damn near everything that everyone is crying about.  But until that happens, let’s all be happy with the current EULA update and be about our merry ways.  If we really want to make a difference, let’s bang on the doors of our current browsers to implement all the cool features of crhome.  (You can get most of the Chrome features in Firefox already through Addons.)

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Another Stupid Comparison, Myspace vs. Facebook

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure I have more than one account on both Myspace and Facebook, all of which I use to say ridiculously nonsensical things to a bunch of people I don’t know.  Sort of like my blog, except Myspace and Facebook don’t allow me to run google adsense, or really do anything I might want to do that they don’t approve of. Including, if you’re on Facebook, spamming a hundred of my closest contacts.  What the deuce?

This isn’t about me, surprisingly.  This is about the Facebook’s spammer-fighting system.  If you slip up by emailing too many of your friends, adding people too quickly, or giving a poke too many, then you’re likely to have your account automatically disabled.  It’s a fun little game.  “stay in touch, but not too in touch, and not too quickly, and definitely not with too many people at one time.”  Well, that doesn’t make any sense.  Does it?

On the other hand, we have Myspace, and I’m not even sure I can say anything about it because I don’t have anything nice to say.  Which is to say you’re just as likely to find stupid people on either of the two social networking platforms.

Ultimately, the comparison is stupid because both are essentially the same thing with the exception of their user base.  I won’t make a bunch of stereotypes, but Facebook did a good thing in limiting its early users to a very specific group of people.  However, if you’re going to generate content on the Internet, do it in your own space.  Use web 2.0 services to market your own brand and product, which in most cases is yourself.

SocialBrowse Revisited, Because I Enjoy It

In an effort to support the efforts of th@talldude (Shawn Kirsch), I’m taking another moment to share with you the really cool Firefox addon known as SocialBrowse which allows you to easily follow the liked web pages of peers who are also active SocialBrowse fans.

Shawn’s intent is to expose other active page taggists, the people who don’t make the leaderboards but still enjoy sharing when they have time or find something worthwhile.  (I’ll admit, I click through a lot more SB links than I share.)  And after seeing Shawn’s post, I decided to be more active in supporting a service I enjoy.

One of my favorite features is seeing which links on a page have already been tagged by fellow SocialBrowsers.  That’s pretty cool, and saves me a bunch of time because I am more likely to follow page links that have already been tagged by people I’ve decided are worth following.

But let’s wrap this up.  I’m a fan of the service.  I have a few invites left.  I’m recommending you give it a try.