November 29, 2004
Is Online Community a Policy Tool?
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) today published an interesting paper entitled 'Is Online Community a Policy Tool?'. In it the author, William Davies, asks whether online communities can be leveraged by government to support community and provide the 'social glue' that connects citizens to each other. My response would be 'yes' (on the proviso that the community tool in question is properly realised.) A few months ago I authored a short document for the City of York Council, providing four strategies for how York could become a technologically innovative, connected city. I argued that York should encourage active citizenship through decentralised e-communites, as part of its vision to become an inclusive, creative, modern city capable of attracting and retaining intellectual capital. On a related note, I would love to see an service that converged Yellow Pages listings with an eBay-style reputation system (there are a number of local tradesmen to who'd get a negative rating from me.)
November 24, 2004
John Peel Postscript
After John Peel, my other favourite Englishman is Julian Cope. So who better to provide a final eulogy?
"I always believed John would continue Methuselah-like into his 90s and die peacefully in his sleep. The tragedy of John Peel’s going is that his was a take-me-for-granted role, that of someone we could count on always; a healing continuing force for the greater cultural good. Like Robert Graves, Colin Wilson and Frank Zappa, Peel was a cultural constant whose work we could not always appreciate because it was so damned ongoing that its value could never be judged until he was no longer around. The tragedy of Peel’s death is that one of culture’s greatest Facilitators has just stopped facilitating, and the music world will suffer (and in some places wither) accordingly. My Album of the Month pays homage to John Peel and his enduring influence over generations of British rock’n’rollers. But right now it’s important to send love to his family as well."
Read the entire Address Druidon here.
November 23, 2004
More thoughts on Podcasting
IMHO there are some problems with the podcasting phenomenon that, until resolved, will prevent it from reaching the 'next level' of adoption. I'm sure they will be ironed out sooner or later - the initial tsunami of hype will inevitably give way to increased usability, better information etc. My wishlist includes:
Broader support for multiple media types in podcasting clients. Currently, only iPodderx supports audio, video and photos (wot no Torrents?)
Better integration across podcasting clients, RSS readers and related apps (media players, browsers etc.) One of the key benefits of podcasting IMO is the ability to apply an editorial structure to media. I want to be able to read the RSS feed while listening to the enclosed audio files - and do it from within one app.
Better tools for blogging media files. I would love to be able to blog podcast-enabled files from within iTunes or Windows Explorer (something like the flickr plugin would be good, or the 'right-click and post' del.icio.us plugin for Firefox.)
Better support for uploading and managing large files in hosted and/or distributed blog tools. Currently, MT refuses to upload even a one-track MP3, so I had to FTP the file manually.
Better discovery mechanisms for podcasts. The list of last 100 podcasts is useful, as is iPodder's resources, and Kinrowan's Podcast Review, but a combination of all three would be useful. As would an Audioscrobbler/Last FM style recommendations engine for podcasts.
Podtesting
I've been researching RSS enclosures (basically an RSS 2.0 feature enabling feeds to carry a payload of associated media files - i.e. audio, video and images.) And here's my first podcast: I've used Feedburner's Smartcast to make my RSS feed podcast-ready, but MT users can also use an enclosures plugin. So, anyone receiving this item as RSS should also be able to acquire the referenced audio file. You'll need to get hold of a suitable podcasting client, such as iPodder or Doppler Radio. Anyhow, here's the file - a classic.
Disclaimer: to quote JoeyCoco, all the files here are for demo purposes. Unless you already bought the regular old-fashioned CD in a real-life wrecka stow, please erase them after listening. Otherwise, please legally buy the tracks here .
November 16, 2004
Longhorn Banners
Been meaning to post these photos for ages: two banners I saw while at Redmond - internal advertising for Longhorn.
November 12, 2004
Goodbye John Peel
I attended John Peel's funeral today, in my home town of Bury St Edmunds, and was lucky enough to get a seat inside the cathedral for the ceremony. It was extremely moving, particularly at the start when applause from the crowd outside echoed around the quiet church, heralding the arrival of John's coffin. At the end of the ceremony, after so many others had spoken, John's own voice was broadcast over the PA, followed by a crowd chanting "You'll Never Walk Alone." And finally, as "Teenage Kicks" played, the cathedral doors opened and his coffin was carried outside, to be greeted with cheers from the crowd beyond. It was a fitting tribute. Goobye John Peel.
The public queue for entry to the cathedral
November 11, 2004
Aargh
Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea trilogy - a favourite from my childhood (and still outstanding in adulthood), is being made into a mini-series for the Sci-Fi channel. Danny Glover and Isabella Rossellini are both in it (and horribly miscast IMHO.) It's going to be utterly crap isn't it?
eBay Pulse
Some simple data mining by eBay has yielded this "daily snapshot of the World's Online Marketplace." Compelling stuff for trendwatchers and curious punters, it aggregates most popular searches, highest-priced items and most watched items onto one page. But what does it mean when a "Native Limestone Timken Kansas School Warehouse Storage" is the most watched item...?
November 10, 2004
PodSkinz
These are cool: clip-on covers for iPod, designed by the likes of Neck.CNSkillz (me like paint drips.)
Vadofone launches 3G
Voda launches its 3G Live! service today, focusing on music, games, video clips and video telephony. Some of the use cases on its site are pretty flimsy (still not convinced consumers will want passive, attention-demanding content like video clips while on the move), and download times have been exaggerated (I've used a major MNO's 3G trial service in central London and data rates were near-GPRS.) Some of the games look nice though. Coverage is quite patchy unless you live in a major conurbation (I don't), and I can't find tarrif details either.
November 08, 2004
WiMAX iPod
This is an interesting rumour...
“...Apple prepares its tiny wireless iPod with no hard-drive but enhanced Wi-Max (metropolitan-wide high-bandwidth wireless) connectivity; it won't destroy downloading over night, but it will take a whack at its market share, and slowly but surely shift the market away from distribution/downloading and towards delivery/streaming.”
It could well be hype though, as could WiMAX itself.
November 05, 2004
Carbon/Silicon
Motivated to post for the first time in ages, thanks to Carbon/Silicon: the new "supergroup" fronted by Tony James and Mick Jones. If the last thing you remember of Tony James is his MSX bowler hat and frightwig from the Sigue Sigue Sputnik days, take a look here: now he looks like a cross between Barefoot Doctor and Tony Robinson. You can download an MP3 of Niteclub Etiquette here. Sounds like a pub band doing BAD. The lyrics are rite-on though (ahem):
i believe in MP3
i believe in P2P
i just burnt my own CD
the day the music was free......
in the 21st century - the day the music was free!....
I believe in P 2 P..............supersharers...
A billion downloads can't be wrong...
A billion people heard my song....
So, Goodbye Mr Copyright...
the fame will keep me up all night..
I just surfed right down your street
sampled your tune, borrowed your beat
that's the way the bytes go round
they make the revolution sound...
Shakespeare, Michael Angelo
Had no corporation Hos
Def to majors, their lawyers suck
Now people don't give a fuck!
in the 21st century -
the day the music was free!....
AaaaaaaH, save KaZaa.....