Strategic Thinking

As I write ( I may post later to let the last entry have an 'outing'), twitter is 'down'*.

Actually, it's down, out for the count and the towel is on the ring floor.

It is busted. An ex-medium. You get the picture.

I am sure it will be back, of course, but my trust factor in its reliability is further dented.

No biggie in the great scheme of things, and churlish to get too snitty about a free service, but it has set me to thinking.

Quite a lot of creative content eggs in a few baskets that I don't own, and have no control over. Not just when it comes to accidental issues, but also more direct policy ones: if the guys who own the pitch take exception, you lose not only the future, but also a ton of blood, sweat and words & images from the past.

And while twitter has inspired this introspection, I am well aware that what I am writing this via is pretty much in the same boat. And at 4,000 odd pages of thoughts and wisdom over several years, that is sobering.

Now I know that there are back-up options out there, and I really should start trying to figure out the best and engage asap, but my ITiocy does intrude.

Plus that gosh-darned laziness thing. Because, in addition, I am thinking that all source material should start at the website and radiate out (preferably automatically) from that. At least I own i, and can blame no one but myself if things get lost on its watch.

*Mashable Explains

Buffer time!

As in... hitting 'em:(

That last post generated a new error.

Seems you can only have 2000 labels, and I have hit the limit.

How can I describe, and archive, an evolving world within this new restraint?

I guess a purge is in order... if I can figure out how.

Quantum leaps

There's no feeling quite as satisfying.

You take an age shuffling the chequers around the board, and then with one final move... whammo... a veritable hop, skip and jump over a bunch of obstacles that propels you to the next level.

This is how I feel today... now... having spent a long, exhausting, but ultimately hugely rewarding day with IT specialist James from the West Midlands National B2B Centre initiative looking at every aspect of the Junkk.com site and this blog, with a view to not just improving each in its own right, but then integrating them to make more than a simple sum of the parts.

Yet even despite this marathon, we barely scratched much of what the agenda had planned, and so here's hoping for another, equally rewarding session soon.

So what did we achieve? Well, let me count the ways...

Oh, Blogger, How Art Thou?

With all due deference to Larry and Sergey, Google may have some nifty kit, but they don't make it easy to use it all. Especially for an IT padawan like me, so it was almost reassuring to find James struggling on occasion, too. It was almost ironic, if reassuring, that he had to use Google to find forums that explained stuff waaaay better than Google Help or Forums did.

Several Easy Pieces

But persevering was worth it, as we managed to effect several, and better yet automated links between this blog on Blogger, my new Twitter feed, and also FaceBook.

With luck, and a fair wind, posting this will result in a version on both.. no hands!

At the moment it looks like it might be going to my personal Facebook rather than the Group, but James is sussing out a fix on that.

Doing 'Da Biz

Of course we are not just looking at the civvy end of the street, but also the B2B one, too. So now we have also created a complementary Linkedin Group: 'Here's One I RE:made Earlier'. This I am hoping to complement the networking I need to do with the business community with Junkk.com and RE:tie, as the others serve the public audience. Top of the list for working on tomorrow!

And I am hoping it is a happy coincidence rather than potential for clashes, that another B2B network I'm on, Plaxo, has now hooked up with LinkedIn, too.

So in theory, so long as I keep the content useful, informative and entertaining, there is a good chance of reaching out, capturing and growing audiences via greater blog outreach too.

Direct To A Screen Near You

Speaking of which, it's now even easier to opt to get these various pearls of wisdom delivered fresh and toasty via either a feed or emails... your choice. Just check the new icons top right.

And, Finally, What A Site!

We even got cracking a bit on some additional functionality on the main Junkk.com site, too, though there's no way round what is a rather venerable, and hence creaking back-end system.

Most immediately, I have discovered how at least attach blog hyperlinks on some key areas, so readers who think that not much has happened since Emma sadly moved up in the world a few years ago might discover a veritable cornucopia of info has continued on since in complement here on Blogger ever since. And, with luck, the new activity this creates will help web crawlers log more activity. Try this. Mind you... memo to self... a link back to the site page!

And as computer guru David of sound-i, who inherited our system and keeps trying to coax another web 3.0 app out of a web 1.0 skeleton, has just failed to say no (though his 'Yeeeess' did seem to have a slightly furrowed brow attached), it seems there may also be functionality we can soon add to install better updated feeds, plus.... customisable ad management.

This latter will be a real plus if it can be done, enabling us to truly prove the flexibility of the ad system, especially in complement to the postcode location facility.

Hence we may soon realise my dream of being able to offer, say, an Autogas national brand ad on the LPG master category page, but then see individual postcode specific 'classifieds' for local converters appear as the viewer surfs on and is immersed in all the site can offer.

Exciting.

Something rotten in the state of IT

Prequel: It's a fairly prevalent and worrying trend across many major media. I illustrate a story on the Observer 20/04 where the comments have been closed before any got/get made.

I've always been in awe of the world of IT. From just a 0 or a 1, our whole current existence plays out and, worryingly, depends.

Because it is seldom that clearcut.

The might of Google is still, after several days, 'working on' the fact that this blog's Spellchecker seems to have exploded and died. And, if you look at the Help Forum, it has done so with a lot (and I mean a LOT) else.

And it can be more than frustrating.

Take a recent, and as yet unfulfilled foray of mine on the Newsnight blog. Actually a couple running at present, but this one will do.

I saw a piece that even their editors posting the original had up 3 times, which is indicative of getting an error message and reposting. Which is bad enough. But can also be embarassing when it did go up and now you look silly for the duplicate, or, as here, multiples.

So I saw this as a chance to make a point. Little did I suspect the irony would currently be descending into farce. I am now on my 4th attempt to post this:

Nice to see even the site owners can have trouble posting, and/or (not) knowing if they have or not.

3 duplicates of this at time of my post. If it survives.

Attempt 2, and now 3:

There's a surprise
______

Text only
502
Service not available.

Unfortunately a server error occured whilst trying to retrieve this page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/mt/mt-comments.cgi
We are currently working to correct this

______

And at attempt 4, a day later, I note 2 postings listed on the main page, but still only one actually up and visible here.

Not the easiest system to engage with, nor the most satisfactory, really.

Actually, more than that, I really think it's a disgrace.

Postscript:

I just checked the other one I posted on, where I was a little less than impressed that, at the time of writing, a clear point of fact in a matter of serious contention had not be clarified even though it would have been easy to do so. And lo, it is now up:

May we have the 'purple box' official facts of what this reporter Ms. Kay did or did not say soon, please?
If not, I am sure there are plenty of archive-rich sites I can go to, but would rather get it from the national broadcaster.
3.45pm Thu 7 - at first attempt to post
Server Error 502 - 17.19 at 2nd

The clarification still remains to be provided.

BBBC - A post, followed by some (unverified/able) explanations I don't much like thinking about. This is a public service broadcaster, paid (in part) by some who they don't seem to think need access by virtue of not agreeing with them in discussions that might not fit the editorial narrative.

Newsnight - It's not kicking off too well:

There's a certain irony that, when I check the post yesterday on the new blogging system, it advises thus:

_______

Blog fix imminent
Newsnight 16 Apr 08, 04:32 PM

This post is closed to new comments.
________

ANY would have been a good start. As there seem to be... zero.

Hence I do regret to advise that I am already having some problems with the new system. And maybe it is having some problems with itself?

I also suspect the time code is an hour out, too.

No more 502 Error so far, which is good, but there is no more preview, and the overt 'moderation' cloud now hangs even more darkly. But what REALLY sucks is this new 'Closed to new comments' deal. What's that all about? You can no longer ponder a day before posting. Catch the 24 hr PC catch-up? Or come back in rebuttal. And there is the slight suspicion that if things do not progress according to plan things will get 'pulled' on a whim. Can't say I am that enthused thus far, and this goes beyond IT 'teething problems'.

14. At 6:59 pm on 17 Apr 2008, PeterBarron

The technical aspects of the new system seem, so far, to be excellent.

However, I am less impressed with the design and operational changes that have been introduced in 'complement'.

As the invitation was made at the end of the original post above this comment is still relevant in this thread, but I would have thought this and all others would have been much more appropriate under the preceding one, dedicated to Blog 'fixes'. And there was value in keeping it open for such debate, rather than being closed before any could be made.

It seems to me a few things were also 'fixed' that were not broke.

I also miss having the opportunity of checking via the top link other commenters' personal sites if they have made a good point and seem worth bookmarking. Now it appears to go nowhere... well, stays within the BBC fold. But I do notice a 'User Profile' option, but none so far seem to have one. Perhaps it's worth sharing how to upload one?

It's good to share, but without such an opportunity well-informed contributors may well see this now more as vanity publishing (in terms of personal benefits - the BBC does of course gain 'content') and the quality of input could suffer as a result. Certainly the quantity.

But them maybe that was/is the intention?

Newsnight - Blogging - a new era - But a rather familiar rationalisation, especially to any familiar with Newswatch: 'Many of you have already commented on how it's working and one or two have suggested it's designed to introduce more censorship. That's certainly not our intention. The aim is to encourage much more open discussion about the programme and much more interaction with the programme-makers.' It's a classic; a bit of mea culpa followed by a lot of ''we don't see a problem'. Actually it's a very clever thing they've done. Thanks to the loss of the accreditation I see no great reason to give them the benefit of my thoughtful input. So those who remain will be the likes of the poster, oddly credited , whose every post starts with 'Brilliant show tonight...' and just likes to see their name mentioned.

Maybe one should start with 'Brilliant rationalising tonight!' ... quite worthy of Newswatch at its 'minor mea culpa followed by major 'we think it's spiffy, and it's sweet you think we're going to do much about it now'' best.

The new system certainly now works technically, which was all that was ever wrong. Why impose all the logistical/stylistic changes at the same time? I recall no comments asking for these.

It has certainly worked on cutting down on quantity (3, so far, here at time of writing. Less than 10 for Friday with all to comment upon there). As to quality...? I wonder where those whose balanced input and interesting links I so value will be posting now? I'll lurk here a while I guess, but not sure whether it's worth investing much time any more to writing.

Better dash off this quick knee-jerk soundbite feedback - at the expense of considered input designed to stimulate further discourse and off-blog engagement - before this thread gets closed. So... job done then national, and publicly-funded broadcaster... job done?

Autumn Cleaning

It was only in looking at some stuff about Blog Action Day just now that I realised one could change the blog format. Well, D'uh.

So I had a play. Hope you like it. I think this clean style is more reflective of the main site.

If not... we can change. Don'tcha just love digital!