Twitter, it's the future

Right! I’m simply losing too much of my life to explaining to my friends why they dont need facebook any longer and why they should move to Twitter, Dopplr and Flickr as a replacement instead. So I’m writing it down.

The one thing I hate about Facebook, particularly of late, is that right now

Facebook is no longer working for you, you’re working for Facebook

There are many reasons for why this is true, some more technical than others, but I’ll keep it simple. If Facebook is purely to keep in contact and up to date on your friends, colleagues, lovers etc. then why is it so inaccessible, and why spend so much time in front of it? Particularly when you can use another medium and maintain it for free? So I give you Twitter, Dopplr and Flickr.

Twitter

Twitter is an increasing popular ‘micro-blogging’ service similar to status updates on Facebook. In it’s purest form you should always answer the question ‘What are you doing?’ however there are mechanisms for sending public (by prefixing an @ symbol) or private (by prefixing a D) message to someone. You can do this via the web, a desktop application, a mobile application or a text message. You can also upload pictures via twitpic. So far far we have the following services:

• Status updates
• Public replies
• Private replies
• Posting images (with comments)

Flickr

Fortunately Flickr doesn’t really require an introduction. It’s one of the most famous ‘web 2.0′ services for uploading, sharing and commenting on peoples photos and videos. So here we add:

• Uploading high resolution photos
• Uploading videos
• Commenting on content

Dopplr

Dopplr may require an introduction. Dopplr is designed for frequent travelers or friends of frequent travelers to schedule, log and keep up with people’s whereabouts. You register your home address and any future travel plans. In return Dopplr will tell you if any of your friends will be in the area and some local sights and services to visit. Dopplr is available on the Web, as a mobile internet application and, best of all, can be bound to and updated via twitter using the Dopplr bot with a phrase akin to ‘@Dopplr I’ll be in Birmingham from April 5th for 3 nights’ (you can also privately message). So now we’ve added the following services:

• Location awareness
• Travel scheduling
• Travel planning

Now ‘what about Facebook’ I hear you cry. The best part is that all of these things can be automatically linked via the bewilderingly large number of applications available in Facebook. Link them in and all your friends know exactly where you are, what you’re doing and (via Flickr) how many beers you’ve had.

So get out there, sign up and Fuck Facebook (yes, I did start that Facebook group).

You’ll thank me in the long run.

Corporate Walled Gardens, Dangerous!

I’ve always been of the opinion that you don’t work for a company, you work for the people you interact with in the office, on calls and at lunch. This is my statutory response to an all to often posed question:

why do you work for such a huge company?

Now believe me when I say, I sort of agree with many of the reasons for working in a small company: progression is often rapid, the fruits of your labour are noted and, in a sense, you are a crucial resource from day zero.

Now beleive me when I say, I’ve thought about it, long and hard, and I came to a conclusion I never thought I would

Enterprises don’t exist…

Agile guys would tell you an enterprise is about people not technology, cluetrain buffs would tell you business is a conversation and prince2 guys will say there role is to guard their team from corporate BS and guard everyone else from their team. So where does the enterprise exist? Brand.

The Brand (yes I overuse capitals, so shoot me) is the embodiment of the enterprise, loved by some (Apple) despised by others (again Apple) it embodies an enterprises identity and aspirations… But I think even The Brand is dead. Abby is Santander, Norwich Union is Aviva and Woolworths is a penny share, The Brand is a trend, lord knows BT has changed it’s dress more than Paris Hilton over the last couple of decades.

Much has been said about corporate boundries and the rise of Web 2.0 technologies (don’t get me started on that either) so I’ll just reiterate the key points;

• The corporate walled garden is easily hopped by the use of social media.
• Any enterprise than shuns social media will miss the boat when it comes to my generation being In control, conversations will be social.
• Courtesy of Paul Downey; in the intranet no one can hear you blog.

So there we go, now the next time someone asks me why I work for a huge behemoth of a company I’ll tell them

The Enterprise is dead, long live the Benterprise!