Yearly Archives: 2011

Klout lists cool, helpful, but smack of Jr. High?

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KloutLogoIt’s no secret I’m a fan of Twitter Lists, I use them for listening to groups of people I value and for topics likes news and politics. They are also a great shortcut to finding quality people and seeing who others recommend. A few days ago Klout released a feature to import twitter lists and this is my first foray into that function.

Exploring and building

The basics are straight forward. Log into Klout, visit your dashboard and look for the import twitter list button. Klout will import any public twitter list you created.

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First, I wanted to see the influence and reach of people on my politics and infosec lists. It’s interesting to see not only the scores but also the topics associated with different accounts.

Next I built a Little Rock locals list. I’m always looking for a way to provide others with a shortcut to get plugged into twitter in Central Arkansas and lists are a good answer. Here’s how I built it:

  • I used Formulists to build a dynamic list of everyone I follow that has Little Rock, Conway, or Central Arkansas as their location in their twitter profile.
  • I imported that list to Klout.

Now let’s get to the reason behind writing about this list…

2011-08-31_1250Perception and Usefulness

Why build a list for Little Rock? Is it useful?

I think so, it encourages connections and gives insight in to community activity. If you are new to Little Rock or new to Twitter you can easily discover some of the most active or listened to people in the area.

Klout also shows topics and allows you to see explore who someone influences or is influenced by. With some time you could really mine a network this way.

So what’s the problem?

Influence ranking feels like a Junior High popularity contest.

Influence is Analog (IRL)

I like @amybhole and @cottonr, both are close friends but depending on your perspective, interests, and sense of humor they may not be the first people you would want to follow. They top the list but following them (or me for that matter) if you are new to twitter is a good way to get overwhelmed.

Klout scores just aren’t all that indicative of “true” influence. Take @johnwhardin for example. His score is almost 25-30 points lower than the top of the list but I can tell you for a fact that guy is one of the first you’d want to follow. He is genuine, kind, and is truly listened to. I have the unique perspective of being a loud mouth that is still invited to quiet discussions on porches and DMs and I can tell you that if I gained 100,000 followers I wouldn’t carry the weight of John’s words.

Why? He has real influence. It can’t be measured in metrics of clicks and RTs.

Influence is subjective.

One more example – My wife and pastor (@wymanrichardson) have scores in the mid 20’s but there are only 2 people that I subscribe to their tweets as text messages. Care to take a guess?

They have real influence in my life.

What my list can’t tell you is most of the people in the 40’s score range are the heart and soul of my twitter community.

Conclusions

I think these lists are useful when viewed with the proper perspective. They can be informed connection points but the score is an arbitrary number they doesn’t reflect a person’s real influence.

In the end the entire list is people I follow and without exposing my private lists that is about the best recommendation I can give.

By the way, @Klout if you are listening I’d love to import a private list and keep it private.

Your Turn

Is the list useful enough to leave it up? Does it encourage connecting or feel too much like a popularity contest?

Also take a look at @mqtodd’s article on using Klout lists, really great ideas.

Arkansas Hashtag Directory

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icon_072Back in the dark ages of Twitter (2009) @LT kick-started tweeting in Arkansas with the Arkansas Twitter Guide. The conversation has exponentially expanded and we are now seeing a meteoric rise in use of Arkansas specific hashtags. As an advocate of hashtag usage this is a great trend to keep Arkansans informed and spawn further conversation but we need a hashtag directory.

So let’s collaborate and build one.

Here is my initial list of Arkansas (1-13) hashtags in no particular order and the community suggestions begin at 14.

  1. #ARwx – Arkansas Weather
  2. #AReq – Arkansas Earthquakes
  3. #ARpx – Arkansas Politics
  4. #ARleg – Arkansas State Legislative Tweets
  5. #WPS – “Official” hashtag of Razorback Athletics (translation Woo Pig Sooie)
  6. #GoHogs – unofficial but popular hashtag of Razorback Athletics
  7. #ARpreps – High School Football
  8. #NWArk – Northwest Arkansas region
  9. #LRtweetup – Little Rock Tweetup
  10. #UCABears – University of Central Arkansas Athletics
  11.  #ARgop – Arkansas Republican Party
  12. #ARKdems – Arkansas Democratic Party
  13. #AR1 #AR2 #AR3 #AR4 – Arkansas Congressional Districts
  14. #DogtownLife – North Little Rock – suggested by @bryanjones
  15. #NEA – Northeast Arkansas region – suggested by @karndawn
  16. #EurekaSprings – Eureka Springs, AR – suggested by @eurekadowntown
  17. #ARWB – Arkansas Women Bloggers

Submit a Hashtag: Leave a comment with a suggestion and brief description.

Guidelines

(subject to adjustment)

  • Hashtag must be focused on an Arkansas specific region, repeating event, community, or topic
  • Hashtag must be used by someone other than just you   Amended: Some regional/municipal hashtags may not be widely used but if they are useful to help spur or organize conversation I think I’ll include them.
  • No hashtag trends or humor, yes we all love #rejectedarkansasmottos but this list is to highlight ongoing interests

PS: Look for a more official directory in the days to come. If you are interested in helping build the directory or give early feedback let me know.

The State of Mobile Messaging

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As our everyday lives become more ingrained with our social networks and smartphones becoming the norm it’s easy to see why the mobile communications space is getting white hot.

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Last spring SXSW was abuzz with a new breed of apps that were a hybrid of IM and texting that focused on enabling small groups of people to communicate more efficiently. The most talked about apps, GroupMe, Beluga, and Fast Society represented a fresh take on the entire idea mobile communication. The apps combined IM, texting, photos, checkins, conference calls, and map views into a holistic and incredibly useful tool.

2011-08-13_1414They broke new ground but it was only a matter of time before the major players arrived. A few short months have passed and we are beginning to see how the big 3 are approaching mobile communication. Things are about to get interesting.

The Big 3

Facebook

Facebook just this week released Facebook Messenger. It’s positioned as a mobile messaging app with group communication and multiple notification methods at its core. It’s an essential piece of Facebook’s unified messaging goal of combining texting, email, and FB messaging all through the Facebook platform. It’s an obvious outgrowth of Facebook’s purchase of Beluga and while it isn’t as nice as Beluga I like the app because I can use Facebook messaging without opening the Facebook app. It will be interesting to see how this app is adopted. Are we ready to hand more communication over to Facebook?

Google

Google is also jumping head first into the mobile messaging with Google+ Huddle.

 

Huddle isn’t terribly impressive on it’s own. It is simply group messaging and lacks support for SMS, locations, and photos. However, as Google integrates Google Voice, Latitude, and Google Photos deeper into Google+ I expect that to change.

Microsoft

It might seem like an odd to include them in a mobile messaging discussion but I’m convinced they are the 800lb gorilla in the room. Why? They bought Skype in May. Consider:

  • Skype’s user base is massive
  • They are the default IM and video conferencing tool in my world.
  • They’ve long had group communication in their software
  • They already have mobile apps

It would take very little effort from this collaboration to make a large impact in the mobile group messaging arena.

Ahem – Skype (Microsoft just announced it’s buying GroupMe. While I didn’t predict the acquisition it is the smart move and totally fits with this larger theory

The Little 1

Finally I’ve got to give some little guy love to GroupMe.

GroupMe is still a serious contender in group messaging (and at the moment my app of choice). They offer more features than anyone else and it works with people that don’t even have the app. Texting, conference calls, mapping, foursquare – they integrated everything in a very easy to use app. They recently released GroupMe 3.0 and added questions, web chat, and direct messages. They are certainly and underdog compared to the big 3 but their technology is still in the lead… for now.

Communication Conundrum

This is a fascinating battleground that is focused not on how we communicate but where we communicate. Email and texting doesn’t care about where. They work across all platforms and providers (PC, Mac, mobile, Verizon, AT&T, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo) because they are standards based communication.

This new wave of apps and networks are proprietary technology and could indicate we are headed for the platform wars that have plagued computers for decades. (Think: I’m a Facebook vs I’m a Google) However, unlike the platform debate communication isn’t an individual decision. A critical mass of your social graph has to be present for these tools to even be a consideration.

I have more questions than answers:

  • Will we see the adoption of standards like XMPP for mobile group messaging?
  • Are tools like Huddle and GroupMe destined to be fringe apps or utility networks that everyone uses?

Most importantly can we quickly find what we are all going to use? I’d like to delete some apps from my iPhone.

Your thoughts?

Leave a comment below or Facebook me, Google+ me, skype me… forget it, just send me a telegraph.

Defending the Internet and Yourself

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I’m often asked, most usually by a friend or client that recently suffered a virus infection, why are computer viruses so rampant? Who is writing them and why?

This video is an excellent explanation to the driving forces behind the current state of computer viruses.

Mikko Hyppönen shares the story behind PC viruses

 

Make sure to watch through the 15-min mark and then think about your own defense and preparations.

4 Steps to Protect Yourself

 

  1. Backup – You will be infected, computers do break so backup your data. I prefer to use an online backup like Mozy or Crashplan and I also make a copy to an external Hard Drive.
  2. Keep your Antivirus Updated – Do not allow your antivirus subscription lapse. Save some money and use an excellent free antivirus like Microsoft Security Essentials.
  3. Use a firewall – This is especially critical if you use a laptop on public wireless networks. The Windows firewall has improved but I suggest ZoneAlarm’s Free Firewall
  4. Apply Updates – This applies to your operating system, your applications, and your web browser.
    1. Windows Updates – Turn on automatic updates to receive the latest patches
    2. Applications – This is a bit more difficult but try a tool like Secunia PSI to scan and update vulnerable applications.
    3. Browser Updates – Your web browser uses little add plugins like Flash and Java and they are continually updated (and exploited) so check your addons with Mozilla’s Plugin Check, it works with any browser.

Yes this seems like a lot of trouble but a PC requires regular maintenance and the headache of being infected is much greater.

Finally, use common sense.

  • Don’t click links in spam. If an offer seems too good to be true it is.
  • Don’t click suspicious updates from Facebook and especially don’t authorize some app just because it asked you.
  • Did your friend send you a strange attachment? Ask them about it before opening.

Join me at Wordcamp Fayetteville

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I’m thrilled to be headed back to Wordcamp Fayetteville this year and whether you’re grizzled guru or just discovering WordPress you should really make plans to attend.

The conference is Sat., July 30th at the Reynolds Center on the U of A campus and there are still tickets available.

Wordcamp is an amazing opportunity to learn about WordPress and network with bloggers, designers, and developers. Without Wordcamp I wouldn’t have met great folks like @evolvedmommy and @sugarcube or the wordpress guru that is @studionashvegas. Not to mention you never know what hijinks @cottonr and I will be up to.

WordCampFayetteville-Speaking-250px-2011Finally, by what I’m sure is a terrible oversight, I’ve been invited to speak. Join me at 4pm for “Getting things done published”. I’ll be sharing tools and tips that comprise my blogging survival guide for busy people.

After you check out Wordcamp Fayetteville, you can follow my Twitter list of speakers, and keep an eye on #wcfay.

See you in Fayetteville.

PS: Follow @wcfay on Twitter or like WordCamp Fayetteville on Facebook

Feature Famine

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As I spend more time with Google+ and play with Facebook video chat I’m left with a single question –

What happened to innovation at Twitter?

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The past year of social innovation.

Since July 2010,

Facebook has introduced:

  • New Facebook Groups which are probably the best group technology the web has produced.
  • Facebook Places
  • Facebook Deals
  • Facebook Questions
  • Facebook Messaging and now Video chat

Google built an entire social network with revolutionary features like hangouts and circles.

Twitter meanwhile updated its interface.

  • The #NewTwitter Web interface was introduced and over complicated everything
  • They bought an iPhone app called Tweetie and made it worse.
  • They bought Tweetdeck because they couldn’t improve upon it. (Watch for the Twitter branded version to reduce its functionality)
  • A few search improvements, hit the lotto with Apple, and built a Mac client.
  • [Update: I neglected to mention suggesting people to follow and email notifications. I forgot about them because they are precisely forgettable]

An underwhelming list of achievements.

Simple but Functional

Twitter should be simple.

However, the lack of basic features to address spam/noise, organize people, and create a searchable archive are beginning to really bug me and from the looks of my timeline I’m not the only one.

A laundry list of much needed improvements are being left untouched while Twitter  focuses selling promoted tweets and become the greatest celebrity stalker service ever.

May I suggest:

  • Improve Twitter Lists – Google just changed the game with circles almost 2 years after introducing lists they are still too limited and buried within your apps and web interface.
  • Filter Tweets by Source – Add Tweetdeck’s killer feature to remove the “Tweet old Post” and Paper.li noise.
  • Reduce Trend Spam – Trending topics are home to a copious amount of spam and malicious links. If you’re going to continue to push Trends you must fix this.
  • Treat Twitter Search’s short term memory loss. If it happened more than 3 days ago you must turn to @Topsy or your Friendfeed archive to find it.

Twitter you’re amazing but stop resting on your success.

Your Turn

What would you add to the list above? Am I too critical?

My thoughts 24 hours into Google+

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Google+ is the smartest social network I’ve ever used and it has more potential to change how I use the web than anything I’ve seen in a decade.

What is it?

  • Facebook without the noise & junk.
  • Twitter with context & 1000x more functionality.
  • Friendfeed without the cacophony of aggregated content.

Why it matters?

Circles

It is the first social network to begin to replicate real relationships.

Twitter & Facebook offer 2 choices: friend or follow. No middle ground. Life isn’t like that and Google+ circles allows you to segment & mix relationships however you choose. It’s asynchronous, like Twitter, so a reciprocated relationship isn’t required to connect.

Hangouts

Perhaps the most social feature I’ve ever seen. At its core it’s just group video chat but it’s different when enabled in a large social network where you are already present. I’ve visited with friends today I never get to chat with and met friends of friends just by “hanging out”. It’s a perfect name and killer feature. Skype should be very concerned.

Interface

It looks good & feels good. The UI is intuitive and the platform screams “interact with me”. It is omnipresent on google services so you can be sure most of us will often be a click away from connecting.

Relevance

I just handed Google my social graph and I fully expect my search results are going to get much better in the coming months.

Conclusion+

I might be overly exuberant due to shiny-new-object syndrome but it has exceeded all my expectations. It’s polished and just lovely.

Google learned the lessons of wave & buzz and I think they have a hit on their hands.

Will it kill Facebook in the foreseeable future? No. But competition is sorely needed & Google+ just changed the game.

No idea where it’s headed but I’m a fan.

+me at http://netkno.ws/plus

Update: And you don’t have to take my word for it.

  • Jesse Stay & Mari Smith (THE 2 Facebook experts) both have very positive impressions.
  • My wife, a regular person who is seldom impressed, even said “that’s cool” when I showed her circles & hangout.

For more reading about Google+

The Problem of a Relevant Web

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You can’t see it, yet it affects everyone on the web. Doing it well is the holy grail for sites like Google and Facebook but the better they get the less informed we may become. What is it? The Relevant Web.

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The rise of the Relevance Engine

We are suffering from a digital deluge. Hundreds of daily links, news, blogs, status updates, and photos have overwhelmed our ability to consume content. We are unconsciously seeking a system that assists in cutting through the clutter and we may get more than we bargained for.

Here is how it works:

  1. Search/Social site collects data on you, your usage, and your social connections
  2. Site uses that data to predict what you would find interesting or relevant
  3. You click a search result or comment on a Facebook status and think how useful the internet is
  4. More clicks, more pages, more time = More $$

Simple examples

  • Ever notice how once you defined your family or spouse in Facebook how their posts always seem to appear near the top of your feed? Not accidental.
  • Gmail and Facebook ads are uncannily similar to your recent activity.

Isn’t this a good thing?

Yes, temporarily but we may regret it in the long-term.

Listen to this interview with Eli Pariser, author of “The Filter Bubble” from yesterday’s Diane Rehm Show.

one online pioneer believes we pay a big price for that customized experience – living in our own information universe. In our so-called “filter bubble,” we receive mainly familiar news that confirms our beliefs. And we don’t know what’s being hidden from us

To oversimplify Pariser proposes that Google, Facebook and others bring more visibility into how these algorithms work and provide the users more options to adjust the level of filtering.

The latter part of his argument is most crucial. Most of us would not understand the relevance equations but we should certainly be provided the means to tweak or disable the filtering.

If we are going to trust a company to show us only certain parts of the web shouldn’t we be informed and part of that decision?

Unfortunately few people are aware this is even happening and it will be a good deal longer before they care. Ask yourself how many of your Facebook friends are even aware they can edit the settings of their Facebook feed?

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The relevant web is the next phase of the internet and as we become more educated users companies like Google and Facebook will be forced to respond or it will open the door to competitors.

For more reading: