Food for Thought, Technology

The change in corporate technology ecosystems

I again was listening to the Grand Central Gang from the Gillmor gang. My only comment on the whole podcast is simply the choice in changing software platforms is not solely based on the technology. In my experience significant change in corporate technology ecosystems is heavily influenced by its IRR and if it is significantly greater than the IRR of current solution. There are many innovative technologies that get adopted slowly because no one is able to produce a cash flow analysis that can move the company into action.

As geeks we sometimes see the potential in technology but the realization of that potential usually trails significantly. This is due in some part to the inability of us geeky folk to relate the technology to the business. In addition to our geekyness corporations (read large) like to have projects that have high batting averages (read no failures). Even more limiting is the corporate desire for not only high batting averages but high power numbers (read no failures and big returns). Short term thinking of many middle managers adds to the ideas of no failures and big returns.

This is why we see time and time again small upstarts using technology to redefine a market and beat established companies.

Links:

Gillmor Gang RSS Feed
Grand Central Gang

attention, Technology

Flickr and Zooomr debtors to us all

I have to give the folks at Flickr credit for their competitor API position. I have been in heated discussions dealing with the openness of systems. In my experience there exists a group of people that fear losing something (Take your pick: money, customers, advantage, IP etc..) because of being open. My response to that group of people is that which you fear losing was never yours to lose.

In Flickr’s case, the images, tags, relationships, and comments are simply on loan from their customers. Flickr’s willingness to respect the customers ownership over those attention artifacts is only going to strengthen their position.

Additionally, I think the quid pro quo approach by Flickr is reasonable but not necessary. I subscribe to the belief that attention is symmetrical. Flickr by paying attention to their customers needs will only receive more attention from their customers, resulting in less attention for their competitors.

Links:

Flickr Central RSS Feed
Stewart Butterfield’s statement on FlickrCentral

TechCrunch RSS Feed
TechCrunch article on the Flickr Zoomer flap.

attention, Lists

Attention what do I value most

I value:

  1. people, products and services that make my attention efficient and effective.
  2. attention I receive from others and wish to make their attention efficient and effective.
  3. title to, access to and control of my attention artifacts.
  4. those who recognize that attention exchanges are and should always be symmetrical.
attention

Gillmor Gang Commercials / Testimonials and active listeners

I have had multiple conversations about the recent format change on the Gillmor Gang, most feedback being critical of the changes. I have been a regular listener for sometime now. When The Earthlink commercials started I gladly reviewed the services from earthlink. Then Godaddy.com joined the rotation and I reviewed their services and bought some domains using one of the Gang codes. I consider myself a loyal listener who has paid his respect in person, via iTunes subscription, via RSS subscription, via sponsor patronage and via recommendation.

The challenge is dealing with the repetitive nature of the commercials. I do at times skip past the commercials, if I can free myself from driving. The weird thing is I don’t really want to skip the commercials because I want to support the Gillmor Gang in a real way. If its just the same sponsors and same commercials over and over, I’m stuck until I need more domains.

I understand and support the fact that Steve Gillmor and the Gang deserve to reap benefit from their creativity and hard work. I also understand that there may be a limited number of sponsors available. I think the podcaster, sponsor, listener system needs a mechanism to create incentives for passive listeners to become active listeners(Something like this might already exist). These incentives could come in many forms here are just a few:

  • If an active listener spends money with a sponsor they get a token from the sponsor that can be used to get an add free version of the podcast for some set period of time.
  • The token could provide access to additional content like out takes or more in depth interviews.
  • The token could provide early access to content for some period of time (used by slashdot).
  • In place of a token the active listener would receive a web badge making visible their support of the podcast.
  • Regular quality comments could lead to a guest spot on the podcast.

In the end all I know for sure is this; I enjoy the Gillmor Gang and other podcasts. The podcasts that create more unique incentives for me to become an active listener are going to get the most valuable pieces of my attention.

Links:
The Gillmor Gang RSS Feed

Sunday Favorite

Sunday Favorite: Foggy Morn

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Foggy Morn, originally uploaded by Cataldo1977.

I have been checking out the HDR group in Flickr. There are some amazing pictures in the pool. I really like this one because it made me want to be standing on that pier on that “Foggy Morn”. Enjoy.

attention, Lists

Silos that house my attention data

So I just thought I would list out where some of my attention data is stored, definitely not an exhaustive list and not in any order. This list just screams opportunities for attention efficiency, forget paying me for my attention data just let me be more efficient with it.

Where is your attention data stored?

I invite you to create your own lists in the comments section or trackback your list. I am interested to see where all our attention data goes.

  • Google
  • My VOIP provider
  • Coremetrics
  • Blockbuster
  • Safeway
  • Credit Cards (multiple Parties, I worked in the industry and it would scare you the amount of data they have)
  • Microsoft
  • ISP
  • Yahoo
  • eBay
  • Amazon
  • Cell phone provider
  • My employer
  • Local Government
  • Tollway authority
  • AOL
  • My hosting provider
  • Apple
  • My preferred airline
  • My preferred Hotel

Update:

  • Del.icio.us
  • Linkedin
  • Firefox
  • My Car
  • Flickr
  • Ofoto
attention

Attention and Popularity

James Govenor refers to Attention as being:

like, all about being “popular”, which is fine if you’re in high school in Santa Monica but is really no basis for living.

An excerpt from Wikipedia on popularity:

General popularity usually involves respect in two directions: the popular person is respected by his peers, and will simultaneously show them respect, thus reinforcing their belief that he is deserving of his popularity.

This reciprocal nature of interpersonal popularity is often overlooked by people (particularly the young) who are attempting to become popular

From The End by The Beatles:

in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make

The currency of popularity is respect and attention is a type of respect. In terms of living one’s life attention is extremely valuable. Where someone places their attention is all about living, anyone one with children understands the reciprocal nature of attention.

The attention you get is equal to the attention you give.

Links:
James Governor’s RSS Feed
Respect Is More Important Than Attention.

Wikipedia on Popularity

attention

Why my Attention doesn’t scale

We all have been faced with overwhelming demands on our attention from cell phones to our kids and everything in between. In a previous post I used the idea of caller ID as an example of the relationship between attention, identity and reputation. The problem well illustrated by the caller ID example is the lack of scalability of my attention in that scenario. Caller ID as an attention efficiency is dependant on my on-board identity management and reputation system. That dependency requires that I be present and attentive to the incoming call.

So, I am the limiting factor it turns out (that seems obvious) in many situations through out the day. I know who I trust, who my friends are, what my preferences are, what the state of past relationships are, and the value I place on my time. The critical information needed to scale my attention is not formally known much beyond me.

Today we have wonderful Identity and Reputation silos in Google, Microsoft and eBay, just to name a few. I can, within those silos, replicate some part of my on-board identity management and reputation systems. The silos allow all parties to make explicit their trust for other parties (usually only within the silo, but that is changing) and make that trust known to specified parties within the silo. This facilitation of trust creates opportunities to make all parties attention more efficient, effective and valuable. The silos scale my attention within the silos, not when I’m channel surfing (I am tivoless).

Sadly, the scalability of the current silo model is crippled (in some cases deliberately). I have to manage multiple silos, much of my attention resides outside of the available silos, and a significant part of my on-board identity management and reputation systems is not in the silos. Resulting in my swapping between silos and my on-board systems all the while makeing my attention less efficient and effective.

If we are going to build an Attention economy we must have identity and reputation infrastructure that is more ubiquitous, reliable, secure, and open than the silos we have today.

Or maybe I should just get Tivo.

attention

Identity, Reputation, Trust, then Attention

I was reading Ed Batista’s blog over at Attention Trust. He commented on a post by James Governor from RedMonk on Respect as it relates to attention. James points out:

Respect is what matters. Trust emerges from respect.

Respect can underpin attention but attention shouldn’t underpin respect. Make a contribution. Don’t obsess about inbound links, column inches or TV appearances.

I agree with James, respect and trust are critical components in an attention economy. Identity and reputation (includes respect) are the foundations of an attention economy and underpin trust which sustains attention. Identity, reputation and trust are regulators of my attention. Caller ID exemplifies the role of identity and reputation, once the callers identity is know or not know (aka private call) one can determine based on the callers reputation or lack there of if the caller is worthy of attention.

I agree there are limits to attention just like there were limits to space flight in the 1950’s, we have some technical, economic, social and political issues to resolve. These issues if not resolved will cripple the attention economy and leave consumers as poor sharecroppers on corporate information farms.

Links:
James Governor’s RSS Feed
Respect Is More Important Than Attention.

Ed Batista at Attention Trust RSS Feed
Respect!

attention

Managing our Attention managing attention

I just listened to Seth Goldstein of Root markets talk at eTech 2006. At one point he talks about comparing and creating different views of our attention which may result in a better understanding of ourselves. He also made it clear that his interests were in the monetization of attention. I really don’t share Seth Goldstein passion for interacting with ones’ attention data. I really don’t want to have to spend my attention managing my attention. I seek first attention efficiencies that remove from my attention those things that are not core to me but yet are required, for instance finding cheap air fare’s to my desired vacation spots. The reason for that is I value my attention far more than consumers of my value it. The acquisition of money and things of value is an activity that knows no bounds, time is finite and irrecoverable.

So, as attention companies and services become available one of the key requirements is to provide the value of attention with out requiring addition administration of the attention. I also wonder what is the value of the attention I spend managing my attention? Developers of attention services may be interested in the attention I spend managing my attention. I guess it would allow for better feedback on the developers work.

Fundamentally attention efficiencies will be more valuable than some monetary form of compensation. I think monetization of attention will become a massive economy and the folks at Root markets are helping to build that economy, thanks and keep up the good work.

Links:
Root Markets
Root Markets RSS Feed

IT Conversations Podcast Applications for the New Attention Economy By Seth Goldstein
IT Conversations RSS Feed