Aug
30
It reminds me a little of a show way back when called “Agter elke man” (Behind every man). When Steve Hofmeyr was Bruce and Dulcie van der Berg was Auntie Stienie who always loved to gossip stories she’s heard through a network ten times adapted… Anyway! Wezzo twitted a link to Engadget this morning of Nokia’s latest “invention”. Yes folks, the Nokia iPhone!
Now, I’ve always been a great fan of Nokia. The first phone I ever had was a Nokia. Tried a bunch of others, but in the end always switched back the next upgrade to a Nokia. I guess I’m used to their way of doing and presenting things and it works best for me. Now with this iPhone like phone coming out next year (which means we’ll probably see it in two years time) I’m a bit flustered! I’m definitely going to invest in an iPhone when it hits our shores. I’m an Apple Zealot (beeg verry beeg fan!) and I spend most my life lately in front of it stress testing (unintentionally) the living crap out my Mac, so yeah, I would definitely get an iPhone. At least this will give me the option that if I in some bizzare way don’t find the iPhone working for me very well (can it even make calls?! just checking…) I can convert back to a Nokia offering the same intuitive user interface.
I’m a bit dissappointed that it looks soooo much like a knock-off. At least Nokia could have changed the casing of the phone! It looks like they have taken an iPhone, scraped off the iPhone logo and sticked a Nokia logo on there! Ouch! What a why to obtain a Dolly label…
Oh well… Wait and see we must…
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Tags: nokia, iphone, socialnews
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Apple stuff, Social Web, Web 2.0 Stii
Aug
21
On Friday I had a quick Twit with Uno on why the adoption of OpenID is soooo slow. We were limited by time and Twitter’s word count so it did not go on for too long. I was actually wrong in that conversation. I stated that it was being overcomplicated and thats the reason why non-technical people don’t use it.
Later on I thought, what a “twit”! The main reason for its slow adoption is due to limited support in online services. If more big sites support it, more people will start implementing it. There is currently little value for users to use OpenID, since 9 out of 10 times they will have to sign up at a web site with a normal username and password anyway since that site does not support OpenID. Simple as that. Technical folks all have an OpenID because they see the future value of it and they like the concept.
What we must look at is why so many sites are not implementing it. When I implemented it for Afrigator I found that there is very little support or examples of how others before me have done it and I had to go very much into the technicalities of how the protocol actually works. There was at that stage 2 libraries for PHP that one could re-use for your own apps. There might be more now, but not sure. I think Python has a little more libraries, but not to sure about that fact.
Our very own Armand du Plessis is involved in a very, very interesting project which allows people to use their Facebook logins as an OpenID provider. It is called Identitude. I applaude this effort as it not only is extremely useful, but it also creates a great awareness of the OpenID technology. Great job Armand! Here is a great post explaining most of it.
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Tags: openid, facebook, identitude
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Kick-ass Tools, Semantic Web, Social Web Stii
Jul
06
Go this from Protocolinpractice! Fookers (A.K.A. Face Bookers) are a bunch of Notworkers. Nuff said, I do agree. I guess bloggers in general too, though… Blegh, hate doing this to myself…
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Tags: facebook, bloggers
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Funnies, Social Web Stii
Jun
13
…to be so much more than just another social networking site. First of all, I hate registering at any new site. I do it because I have to, not because I want to. It would have been really, REALLY cool if they supported OpenID!
Secondly, (as Charl mentioned) it would be the easiest thing in the world for these guys to mark up their events in the hCalendar microformat. It would have been real handy if they do that for the geekiest of geeks to save events they plan to attend to their Google calendars.
It could also be cool if they implement a XFN-like network between jollers. There could be great value if they do this in the near future…
Apart from these thingy’s it is all in all a great concept. They do lack basics like RSS feeds of jols, but thats the beauty of the “release early, release often” philosophy! Its on the cards aparently.
technorati tags:ijol, social-networking, microformats, openid
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Semantic Web, Social Web Stii
Jun
12
Meaning that although I have a blog and a profile outside of Facebook, I still need to maintain my Facebook activity and profile as the two are completely disconnected from each other, albeit the lonely link in my profile. True, you can import your RSS feed of your blog into Facebook. Whoopee. Thats not the point.
It is therefore no wonder that we sometimes feel like we are suffering from multiple personality disorder! I personally think that your blog that is in your control should be the starting point. Not any given social networking platform. The services these guys offer should be first seen on your blog. Not a Christmas tree widget in your sidebar which takes you to a profile with a lot of nonsense you’ve collected on another site where you have to build yet another profile!
This is part of what is so appealing of OpenID. It is one place I authenticate myself to. It makes registering simple with new services. It allows me to use my OWN blog as a delegate. A step in the right direction, me thinks. Would it not be kind of ideal to have Facebook features and applications on your blog? Interacting with other Facebook members’ blogs? I would think so. I’m not interested into going into the whole old worn-out discussion of “why we blog”. I’m just saying that it takes hard work and dedication to maintain one’s blog. Social Networking sites should compliment it, not dilute it as it do.
Is it so far fetched? No. Can it be done? Yes. Will it happen? We’ll have to wait and see, since something like this will have a serious impact on the revenue models of a lot of these guys.
I used Facebook as an example, but it is relevant to all social networking sites and services.
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Blogging, Semantic Web, Social Web Stii
May
10
At last I found something I agree with David Bullard (Scary, I know!):
“I find anonymous attacks cowardly”
(You really should read his follow-up response here.)
Not so long ago Sessa wrote about the blogosphere cliques. Mike’s comment on the post was:
“Name names! Be the cocky shit I know you can be!!!”
What puzzles me is that ALL of us writes these anonymous rants. Always these nameless inuendos. I get to a post like that and start re-evaluating myself, thinking: “OMW, where did I do this…” (If the shoe fits…)
So why are we all too afraid to name names? Why do we not point the attack directly at the source rather than spraying bullarts ( 
) in the air? Why do we not want to be the “bad guys”? Why do no-one have the guts? Yes, a war will errupt. We have seen the proof of that. You will lose plenty of “friends” and gain enemies and a huge readership. You might even be the cause of a massacre at the next 27 dinner! Fortunately, nobody is that brave yet!
Now do not get me wrong. I myself would (almost) NEVER do this. I’m simply not that kind of person. I do not like to be the bad guy (my wife can happily vouch for that!). I do not like to be the center of controversy. I would (almost) never publicly attack someone. (At least, so I though until the Bullard saga! Dammit, man! You are making me doubt myself!) Seriously though, apart from that issue, I would much rather avoid confrontation. If that makes me false or a coward, so be it. It seems I’m not alone… I suppose one could argue that our community is way too small and intimate. “An attack on one is an attack on all!”.
I’m no psychological expert. Hell, my social skills is not the the kind that will be blogged about. I’m in no way capable of analysing issues like this. I do find it amusing though. The fact that unless we get publicly attacked, we’ll never shoot first! I guess we’re just a good bunch of people then, eh? Or is there a storm brewing somewhere? A festering boil waiting to errupt? (Excuse me while I poke out my mind’s eye…) I have to say, at least we do not simply turn the other cheek!
Maybe, just maybe, this will change with David Bullard starting to blog…
Ugh, CRAP! I feel like I’m starting to like Bullard. And that makes me feel like a cop-out who cannot stick to his word. I think the issue went much deeper than the mindless drivel it looked like on the surface. He made me think. I’ll give him credit for that! Even if its in a field where I’m the novice.
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(Credit for this badge goes to Colin Daniels. Got it from his blog!)
technorati tags:social-web, david-bullard, bloggers
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Social Web Stii
May
01
So Ananzi launched a wiki! w00t! They are finally getting “with-it“! Or NOT! I read it first at The new new media. Hilton asked the question, “I’ll say it again … a wiki?“.
The story is that they basically advertise their startpage.co.za service as a wiki. (If you don’t want to visit startpage.co.za, it is much the same as Google’s personalised home page)
At first I thought its ridiculous that they can call this a wiki! A wiki is like Wikipedia!!
According to Wikipedia the definition of a wiki is:
“A wiki (IPA: [ˈwɪ.kiː] or [ˈwiː.kiː][1]) is a website that allows visitors to add, remove, edit and change content, typically without the need for registration. It also allows for linking among any number of pages. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for mass collaborative authoring”
And here is where Ananzi got it ALL wrong. This one sentence that (I think) they thought qualified their startpage.co.za service as a “wiki”: It also allows for linking among any number of pages. (I’m being sarcastic, though… I have not got the faintest clue why they would call startpage.co.za a wiki! 
)
Is it a “wiki” though? No. If you read the rest of the Wikipedia definition of a wiki, you’ll see that what Ananzi offer as a wiki is no wiki at all!
Now, on a ranting (personal) note, this pisses me off EXTREMELY! Ananzi’s visitors are exactly the type of visitors that needs some educating. To tell them that THIS is a wiki is misleading and wrong! I seriously cannot understand why big okes like Braby’s do not first make sure of the facts before they start blabbering about something they clearly have no idea what it is! Once again, they have resources like Cerebra, so why the hell do they not use them?! Is it a simple case of “How can I consult a technology company? I AM a technology company!”? I will not understand this…
I would once again love to hear from Ananzi and how they got to naming their startpage.co.za a “wiki”, but that, I guess, would be wishful thinking as in the case of the Search Engine Shootout.
technorati tags:ananzi, wiki, wikipedia
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Social Web, Web 2.0 Stii
Apr
13
Justin and Mike’s Afrigator made it into the Top 20 start-ups on KillerStartups.com! Great job guys. I must say that I think you are going to “be bought“. Afrigator looks like a killer!
I love the AJAXY goodness when you log in or access your account. That is really spiffy!
Go support these guys in doing a really good job. Go vote for their killer product HERE!
technorati tags:afrigator, killerstartups
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Kick-ass Tools, Social Web, South Africa, Web 2.0 Stii
Mar
26
Much has been said in recent times about the state of health of the South African Blogging community. Most people complained that everyone is talking about the same crap. Capitalizing on a hot topic to get exposure. It was obvious when the SA Blog Award debate happened. Every second blog you visited had a post on the debate. Irretating, yes. I’ve also complained about it. I have also said they are flogging a dead horse. I was wrong…
At least when you got to a blog with the topic like “SA Blog Awards controversy” you were bound to read the opinion of the blogger. Is that not a primary reason for blogging? To express and give your opinion? Is it not a GOOD thing to see that everyone at least had a opinion about it?
Lets look at Technorati. Go to Technorati and click on one of the Top 10 hot searches. I clicked on Twitter, which is the hottest at the moment. You are bound to find one or more blogs that say: “Just checking it out!” with a pingback to another blog post (although not exactly in this example. No pingback here, but it does happen often). Now THAT is a blatent “blog camper”. Spamming in its worst form. What people do is they want to be part of the hot topic, but do not even have an opinion on it! So they simply “leech” onto someone that may have an opinion and in return they get some Technorati exposure.
If you go onto Amatomu, you will see that whatever SA blog you visit from there has got some opinion. If not opinion, then at least some form of originality. I’ve never seen such spamming happening yet in the SA blogosphere. (Apart from the lovely daily links that seems to be soooo popular! At least even there opinions about the links are given in the form of a one-liner.) When this does happen (hopefully never, although that might be wishful thinking) we will have bigger problems. Crap like that detracts from a blogging community in more ways than one. There is nothing more appalling than hitting a blog that only offers you a link to another… PUKE!
We advocate that blogs allow you to express your opinion. So I think it would be appropriate if we swallow our own words and bear with all the opinions, however good or bad, since they are a lot better than leeching off or simply linking to other’s opinions! I woe the day that starts happening…
technorati tags:blogging, spamming, sablogs, technorati
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Blogging, Social Web, South Africa Stii
Mar
09
Stormhoek and Mike asked the question “Why are Stormhoek not in the SA Blog Awards?”. At first, I felt very much ashamed of myself. How the hell could we forget the hand that pours the wine at our very much liked geeky gettogethers?! Shame on the SA blog community. Shame on me.
I do not want this to sound like an excuse. “Mia Culpa”. But…
Mike must be very serious about JOINING THE FRIGGIN’ CONVERSATION! since he always writes it in capital letters. And this is why Stormhoek slipped up. Do they ever read our blogs? Sure, I can understand that my blog might not be all that interesting to guys like them. Thing is I often read other blogs and comments on them, yet I NEVER see Graham nor Hugh commenting on ANY of my feeded blogs. Almost everyone on the blog awards has commented on my blog. If they have not commented, then they are a part of the MyBlogLog community and I saw their pretty little faces in my sidebar widget and went out of interest to see who they are and what they blog about! I’ve never seen Hugh nor Graham’s face on my widget.
At the 27dinner Graham gave a FANTASTIC speech. Why did he not join everybody that was there in the convo that was happening? Why did he not give his take on the event or commented and joined the conversation JOINED THE CONVERSATION?
That given, Chris is a member of MyBlogLog and frequents my bloggy fairly regularly. But that is still not the Stormhoek blog. That is Chris’s blog.
hat, my Stormhoek friends is why you missed out. That is why it is so damn important to JOIN THE CONVERSATIONS! When nominations time comes, you remember the guys you awed or fought with. The guys who you had convos in the blogosphere with.
Same goes for Vincent Maher. Almost EVERYONE reads his words of wisdom. He runs a great blog. The guy is a damn legend! Yet, he is not on there… Why?! Same reason I suppose. In all fairness, Vincent has read and commented on my blog a while ago. Unfortunately, one blog isn’t going to cut it. You need to be involved in the community.
Not so easy now is it? Time constraints. Deadlines. It is hard work to run a prominent blog. Posting great and interesting posts alone does not make for a successfull or popular blog. Its how active and involved you are within your community.
I might be wrong. Maybe you Stormhoek guys are active on other blogs. Just not the blogs that mattered when it came to the SA Blog Awards.
If there is any other reasons why you think they slipped, let me know (apart from the “We f@cked up” stuff… We know that already.) AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
technorati tags:stormhoek, 27dinner, geekdinner, blogging, sablogawards
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Blogging, GeekDinner!, Social Web, South Africa Stii
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