Posts by Russell Brown

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  • Speaker: A few fun Facebook facts,

    AOL has just bought Bebo for USD850M -- about $20/customer.

    And Facebook is really worth **sixty times as much?**

    I'm not so sure.

    I was quite taken with Simon's Willison's vision of "decentralised social networking" via OpenID. I wonder if that's the long-term challenge to facebook, and not another centralised service that has to justify its value by making unfeasible amounts of money without betraying the trust of its users.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Southerly: Even More Southerly,

    In addition to half-a-dozen excellent Russell Brown/Timaru jokes ...

    You do realise I can change your password any time I like?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    Meanwhile, the NBR website was being revamped and would be developed into what Gibson described as a right-wing answer to the Public Address website which had assembled left-wing commentators under its banner.

    That's actually good news. I'd personally enjoy a well-managed right-of-centre commentary site where the possibility of rational discussion isn't foreclosed by tedious and repetitive invective. Their moderation policy will be interesting to watch.

    Quite flattering, too. Thanks Nevil!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    PAS is currently like a really cool nighclub that plays all the right music. It's the internet version of a danceparty (when danceparty's were cool) but we all know what happened there. The masses 'discovered' clubbing and then 'the marketeers' turned up and killed it. Luckily for PAS, thus far, RB is still on the door ..

    And on the decks, pouring the drinks, propping up the bar and cutting some moves on the dancefloor. It is a bit like DJing, I think. And I have always had a facility for management of parties that is absent from some other important aspects of my life.

    And then sometimes, of course, I drop that 'Your Mum' tune and Jo throws her drink over me and we have a bracing argument.

    The funny thing is, the bouncers at this bar are discreet to the point of invisible. The thing that makes PAS safe for ministers and spokespeople to visit -- no drunken nutters spoiling for a fight -- may actually be the same thing that keeps the drunken nutters away.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    I sometimes forget how many people have never seen what we do with the Internet.

    My mum has become more interested -- a couple of her friends are connected and they book tickets and stuff. She sometimes sees my blog. But she really doesn't want a computer -- I've tried to give her one and she decided she didn't want it.

    But I am buying her a Freeview DTT decoder, just as soon as they're available.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    On a completely different note, I'm really liking that both Vodafone and Orcon are representing themselves in this discussion.

    I'd like to see more of it. There's no reason that professional communicators and decision-makers (Jim Anderton dropped in with a useful post in the research fund thread today too) shouldn't speak directly to a civilised audience.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    never, ever use your mum as a benchmark. there's some kind of psychology in there that always makes people look at you over their glasses.
    in a freudian way.

    I am so over you varsity types ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    Why not go for "Mum and Dad" or "your grandparents" or "the less demanding punter" or something?

    It all means much the same thing, yes. Although I suspect I'll still use my own mum , mentally, as a benchmark for product usability. I just won't talk about it ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    __although she did work out that unplugging it seemed to fix its glitches.__

    There you go, she could embark on a career in IT support now.

    I'd have to send her the secret phrasebook first. You're not "turning it off then on" -- you're power-cycling the equipment.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Hard News: Geekstravaganza,

    Misplaced confidence is a better predictor of disaster than gender.

    Being a man means thinking you don't have to read the manual. Gets me every time.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

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