I Have My Domain Back!

I started blogging back in the day before WordPress when it took some serious html effort to keep it updated. After a while just like the rest of Web 1.0 site owners I just neglected it like a tractor in the rain. Whilst I was working out my next move some bot swooped up my domain the day I did not renew it. Talk about feeling violated! I was so annoyed – mostly at the cybersquatters who wrote the code to find domains that have not been renewed but also at myself for not renewing it in time.

I did some investigation and they wanted $400 to sell me, Cormac Heron, cormacheron.com. Gah! Talk about feeling violated! I just thought I would let them have it and so I started itiswhatever.com. (I was still pretty annoyed though.)

Yesterday I was updating my LinkedIn profile and thought I’d have a look to see what the status of cormacheron.com was and to my utter joy the cybersquatters had enough of their paying for a patch that wasn’t going to grant them any return so I nabbed it back again. (Come to think of it it’s probably a timely thing as there are probably other bots out there scouring the interweb looking for the bones of what other bots have left. Unless of course the bots are programmed to do otherwise. Probably are as the violating anoraks who write them have more sense. The joyless bastards.)

So now I feel like I have my child back and now he has a sister. Just so that you are clear what the difference is:

http://cormacheron.com – a CV styled website offering employment history, qualifications, recommendations etc. More of a broadcast (or Web 1.0) affair.

http://itiswhatever.com – a blog offering updates. More of an interactive (or Web 2.0) experience.

So my advice to you: If you have a domain with nothing on it, don’t wait til you decide what to put on it, renew it now.

President Barack Obama 2.0

It would be difficult not to be in awe of the inauguration of President Obama. The parallels of the civil rights movement in the US and in Ireland were never far from my mind throughout my life so it is very touching to see how far America has come in my lifetime. It is also frightening how far behind Europe is. How far is Europe from having a black boss of any nation? In UK there cannot even be a catholic monarch. Some argue that a catholic cannot even be a Prime Minister due to the structure of the political system. I find it strangely ironic that Tony Blair chose to convert to catholicism after he resigned as Prime Minister.

I’m not angry about this but more saddened and yet encouraged at the same time. Barack Obama is a beacon of hope for the whole world and the way in which he conducted his campaign was groundbreaking in more ways than the obvious. The man fully embraced Web2.0 and the proof of its success is now in his office. Well done Mr. President and my I wish you all the sincerest of luck in your future. I only hope that eight years is enough time to fix all that has been broken.

Footnote: Special thanks to Lee Bryant, Headshift who posted this on Twitter.

Web 2.0 vs. Banks 1.0

Interesting how a blog post (albeit a BBC one) led to 42% being wiped off the share value of HBOS and 39% off RBS. Is this where Web 2.0 meets Banks 1.0?

Euan Semple: Meeting Notes – September 15, 2008

I met up with my mentor and Web 2.0 person* Euan Semple today. Euan is a fantastic spirit and has all the qualities in a human you would hope to find as well as being Scottish. 

In typical Web 2.0 style I befriended Euan via Facebook and it wasn’t long before he was mentoring me. When I asked why he took me on as his mentee he simply replied, “To quote Yogi Bear: If you see a fork in the road, take it!”

Below are some notes from our meeting:

1. Companies generally only use about a third of their collective knowledge.
2. A lot of individuals need to be encouraged to say what they feel. They need to overcome their fears about doing this. It is only by immersing themselves in this that they realise that they had nothing to fear in the first place.
3. When I expressed a concern I had that I don’t know as much as the geeks but I know more than the average Joe, Euan simply asked “Why do you think my blog’s called The Obvious?”
4. Do I want to become a “Blog Tart”? In other words, do I want to chase the metrics? I am referring here to the popularity of this thread. Funny though but by reading the responses I was informed by the responses as to what to write next. It’s funny how the blog entries fuel the responses and then the responses fuel the blog entries.
5. When I mentioned that it’s funny how I have learnt things from throughout my career Euan mentioned that it’s not just from those jobs where you were wondering what you were doing where you learn stuff but also from things your mother teaches you. 
6. Common sense is a main ingredient for Web 2.0
7. Search engines love blogs.
8. When a tricky situation appears in a thread sometimes it’s better to sit on your hands for half an hour. Things have the ability to sort themselves out. 
9. Best to come out of a thread situation on a positive.
10. With popularity comes unpopularity**.

* Euan isn’t a big man for labels (or one tag). Look!

** Not a pessimistic view but more a reference to the law of averages.

PwC Advise Lehman Brothers

My father hasn’t a single qualification. Not even a driving license. However he has retired as a very successful businessman. I often go to him to glean invaluable insights into the workings of business. One of his pearls of wisdom is this, “There are as many opportunities on the way down as there are in the way up.” Looks like my employers agree with this.

I met with my mentor Euan Semple today and said the same quote to him. He agreed. I suggested also that Web 2.0 is bucking the trend in terms of the financial downturn. He seemed to concur with that thought also.

Gonna be stormy weather ahead. The next 12 months should be interesting.

Eu(an)phoric

Euan Semple’s been choosing his favourite three clips from YouTube for his Phoric. Here’s a gem explaining Web 2.0 pretty well. As Euan says if someone looks at this and they seem disinterested you may as well close the conversation.

Hear Euan’s Phoric here.

What Is Web 2.0?

Many of my friends don’t know what Web 2.0 is. Web 2.0 is basically the second generation of the web. The first generation was mostly broadcast based, i.e. You’d pay an agency tens of thousands of pounds to build you a website and then you’d leave it to go out of date immediately.

Web 2.0 incorporates funky features making it more rough and ready (and  therefore current). All this ensures that a website has less quality control some people argue but as Lee Bryant from Headshift says, “People take rough and ready more seriously than polished docs because they have authenticity.” Here’s some Web 2.0 characteristics:

• Blogs – one writer or writing team. (Usually anyone can comment on a blog post).
• Wikis – many writers/editors (e.g. wikipedia)
• RSS – the wee orange button. Set this up with an RSS reader and the web will COME TO YOU!
• Mashups – bit like things you hear on the radio like The Clash with a kid girl rapping over it except in web format.

There’s other characteristics also but that should do you. If you wanna read more try the ultimate Web 2.0 site here.

Web 2.0 and beyond

Last week I went to a conference of Web 2.0 and how it can be used within business. I could go on about it but Ricardo Sueiras has done that already, and he’s done it brilliantly. Check out Day 1 and Day 2. Thanks Ric!

Web 2.0 vs. Enterprise 2.0

• Web 2.0 = social tools such as wikis, blogs, RSS etc
• Enterprise 2.0 = social tools such as wikis, blogs, RSS etc used within a firm (or enterprise)
• Enterprise 2.0 = Web 2.0 in business

Does Enterprise 2.0 really exist? Did Neil Armstrong really walk on the moon? Am I writing like Carrie Bradshaw again? Oh no. Where’s my banjo with distortion and loudness?

KPMG Talks Blogs

Risk concerns stall uptake of Web 2.0 technology in the workplace

• Corporates recognise benefits of Web 2.0 tools, but security and governance concerns still thwart adoption
• Tech industry must address corporate concerns to realise full revenue potential of these new technologies says KPMG

PensionBook

PensionBook

Originally uploaded by struts001

As Led Zeppelin are now performing Stairlift To Heaven it comes as little surprise to see this.