MeshForum: Types of Networks

MeshForum: Types of Networks

Article I wrote recently on the multiple types of Networks that are out there, I am trying to explore how different fundemental types of networks interacts with and impacts the research and study, as well as various implementations such as online social network software.

Many-to-Many Space – Relationship Discovery and Representation

Many-to-Many Space – Relationship Discovery and Representation

In conjunction with SocialText, Corante’s many-to-many blog is trying an experiment of sorts, creating an entry via contributions of readers directly via a shared Wiki. I have added a few initial questions, may go back and add more when I have more time.

Online Business Networks – LinkedIn teleclass

Online Business Networks

My friend Scott Allen, who is also helping with MeshForum is running a class on LinkedIn. The first will be Wednesday, April 28th. If you are interested in using/leveraging online Social Networks, but have been having problems doing so, or just need a bit of help and a jumpstart, this class is an excellent way to begin.

Chicago Tribune | Barbecue doctor is the answer to ailing ribs

Chicago Tribune | Barbecue doctor is the answer to ailing ribs

A friend of mine, and many others who I know at least via email and shared online discussions are mentioned in this article. Makes me think that missing Gary’s party a few weeks back might have been quite a loss…

Top 10 ways to crash PHP

Top 10 ways to crash PHP

I agree with Anil Dash – something to save for future reference.

Skype’ing

So, I am going to try Skype, just downloaded it and registered (Skype Id: rycaut).

In doing so, I realized that the product I would pay money for, if it turns out that Skype is useful and the network of people whom I wish to reach who are on Skype grows large enough, is a Bluetooth enabled headset/microphone for my laptop. Similar, likely, to the wireless headsets for cell phones, it would let me listen and talk without wires via Skype.

Thus, when connected via WIFI (as I usually am), and assuming that Skype truly works through various firewalls, such as those of commercial hotspot providers, I could make many important calls from anywhere, at no cost other than my access fee which I already pay. Very cool, but also suggests changes that are global in scale.

Free calls mean that what is unthinkable today (or hard to contemplate) can be real – for example, opening up a connection to a business partner, across the country, but instead of holding an ongoing conversation, just using audio cues to indicate when they are online and nearby and casually ask them a question as you need to – like “did you see what I just posted, does it look okay?” etc. Disolving, potentially at least, the lines of geography in many respects.

In the near future, I would imagine that services such as Skype will be extended to semi-virtual spaces, making virtually transparent processes that are very complex today.

For example, I could imagine using the whitelist of Skype callers, especially those whom you have initiated a call with and accepted, access to files in a common area – shared via a simple, non-complex means (such as dragging the folder with the files over a skype icon or something similar). Thus allowing something like napster or Kazaa but in a focus, business orientated way.

Potentially Skype calls could be easily recorded by your computer – this could raise issues, but with the right voice recognition software as well it could also provide for simple review and useful tools – for example I recently talked with someone who gave me some names of people to call, my notes were not up to the speed of the conversation, could have been useful to have a transcript of the call to review – especially if the other party had the same transcript and we could both review it for errors and then mark it agreed upon.

Increasingly my options for communication seem endless – three (now essentially four) IM systems which I use, many email addresses, online discussion boards that I monitor, various blogs I read, comments to blogs that I check for responses to my comments, and a handful of commercial sites I read (Salon.com for example). Tools that would log, archive, sort, and help make sense of all of this are of great value to me. To an extent the various online social networks such as Ecademy, Ryze, Spoke, LinkedIn etc help, but none of them do it all.

Avalanche – corporate co-op for technology

Avalanche

Interesting article in the April 12th Wall Street journal about this group, a co-op formed by a number of very large corporations for join ownership of technology IP. Each member will pay a yearly fee (the article cited $30k/year, and can contribute existing technology IP (or I guess other IP).

In return all members have full license to use ALL IP donated to the cooperative. The idea being that the cooperative could also arrange for the development of core business applications and tools, with the costs and risks shared by all of the members, eventually potentially including products to compete with Windows and Office perhaps.

I like the overall model and I think it warrents further study and attention. I will also probably try to get someone from the co-op to attend MeshForum which afterall is about “Connecting Networks”, of which a corporate owned Co-op may be one of the more interesting models of a network I have encountered in quite a while.

Large computer desk

Large computer desk

I am selling a computer desk as well.

2 Double sided display bookcases

2 Double sided display bookcases

I am selling bookcases – contact me if you are interested.

The Doc Searls Weblog : Friday, April 2, 2004

The Doc Searls Weblog : Friday, April 2, 2004

Doc today asks about an RSS like audio feed/webstream service.

I riffed on this with a suggestion in his discussion – not sure if it was the direction he intended, but I think it would be an interesting one.