How to Change the World: The Top Ten Stupid Ways to Hinder Market Adoption

This list caught my eye simply because of Rule #1.   I have an argument with a customer monthly regarding how much information they should request on registration, how much they should require, and how many site features the user has access to before registration is required.

Enforced immediate registration. Requiring a new user to register and provide a modicum of information is a reasonable request—I just think you should do it after you’ve sucked the person in. Most sites require that registration is the first step, and this puts a barrier in front of adoption. At the very least, companies could ask for name and email address but not require it until a later time.

I have just got this white paper and it describes how some SEO techniques can actually turn your strategy against you.

The best of this white paper is that the article has a video.

Here’s the video link: 12 SEO Campaign Killers Video

This May, Google released the Google Friend Connect.

This must be one of the most boldest and simpler concepts of social networking I have seen so far and, even without being able to actually see how it is going to work, this are my first impressions about the new tool.

• It’s simple enough that a simple user can do it. If you are capable to use Google Anaylitics, you will definitely be able to use this.
• No matter what you have selected to use as a gadget on your site, the user gadget is the main one and has to be added to the site always. This gadget will actually connect all users of your site and if the user is already a Google account th registration process becomes simpler. You can add friends from Facebook, Orkut, GTalk and, soon, HI5.
• Reports will be provided to see how your site is growing as a social network site

The main goal of all of this will be transforming a simple blog into a strong social network site based on other big known social networks.

So far everything looks a little bit too unclear, since nobody had access to the tool, but imagine how viral a simple blog can be with this.

Let’s wait for Google new tool to be release and right now if you want to take a first look at it, you will have to register: http://www.google.com/friendconnect/

Meanwhile here is a cool site that is already using the Google Friend Connect: http://www.ingridmichaelson.com/

Yes a cheat sheet for search optimization.

I was looking for search optimization tips when I have came around this PDF and it give the basic idea of what you need to take care about when optimizing your site for search engines such as Google, Yahoo, etc.

This cheat sheet was created by the SEOmoz.org and it is a very good website to check on some ideas.

Enough talking. Just click here to download the pdf .

Flickr: The WaSP Hyper-Localized Social Tagging Pool

This Vcard class is very simple and will parser one Vcard file with one contact at time and it works for Vcard versions 2 and 3.

It will basically get a Vcard file (or text file with Vcard formating) and parse through it returning an array with the following:

Array
(
[name] => Array
(
[lastname] => Robot
[firstname] => Tired
[middlename] =>
)
[fullname] => Tired Robot
[business] => Tired Robot Blog
[title] => Blog Picture
[note] => Any notes associated with this contact
[phone] => 5615615561
[home] => 5615615562
[cell] => 5615615563
[fax] => 5615615564
[address] => Array
(
[0] => 1234 NW Street with no Name St
[1] => Deerfield Beach
[2] => FL
[3] => 33442
[4] => United States
)

[url] => www.tiredrobot.com
[email] => info@tirerobot.com
);

The result of the parse is returned as an array to make it easier to adapt to other entities (objects) that you might be working with in a very generic way.

The class is constructed in PHP5 format.

Click here to download

2008 Web Predictions - ReadWriteWeb

Implicit applications, which monitor our habits and automatically infer our likes, will rise.

 There will be a lot of innovation in the hyper-local space, putting the final nail in the newspaper industry’s coffin. This will include companies like Outside.in and Yelp moving toward widespread use and new web properties (from both startups and big Internet Cos) emerging.

Zoho and/or ThinkFree will be acquired by big companies wanting to leapfrog into the Web Office space.

There are some sites that try to do a benchmark over FOREACH and the FOR statement and not always they give a good position about it.

To understand which one will be the faster one, is simple:

FOREACH will automatically points the array pointer to the beginning of the array and will create a copy of the array to perform the loop and will increment the pointer in one always. FOR does not, but the FOR statement will check the 3 conditions that you have used on it.

Looping into arrays you have 3 conditions with the FOR statement.

- Where the pointer starts.
- Until when you want to perform the loop.
- and how the pointer will be incremented.

Considering that you have 3 scalar conditions, the FOR statement will be much faster than the FOREACH statement.

Ex.

$array = explode(’ ‘,’ Consider the following examples. All of them display the numbers 1 through 10:’);

foreach($array as $key => $value) {
if($key > 0) {
echo ‘ ‘;

}
echo $value;

}

$size = sizeof($array);
for($key = 0; $key < $size; ++$key) {
if($key > 0) {
echo ‘ ‘;
}
echo $array[$key];
}

I attended my first Barcamp in downtown Miami.    The workshops are amazing.   I’m impressed and inspired.  Much thanks goes to the event organizers.

 Notable workshops:

Nate Westheimer’s presesntation of www.bricabox.com

BricaBox is a freshly launched Blog+MashupGadgets.   You configure your own restraunt review, photo/Google map mashup, or video collection site.    With a signature tilted DC 59/50 hat, Nate’s presentation style is laidback and personable.

The project shows a lot of promise.   Configuration is based around Blocks.   Each block is a widget that simply display data or connect it with an API.   Possibilities are  only limited to the speed that BricaBox’s one man design team (Kyle) can produce new blocks.   The trick for BricaBox will be  keeping it simple so that mass audiences can use it.

Ed Torro’s Agile Process with Scrum

Ed gave a quick rundown of using Scrum as a tool to protect and respect your development team and reach software development zen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrum_(development)

Coworking

http://coworking.pbwiki.com/

The coworking movement involves freelance developers forming actual (not virtual) working communities to get out of the isolated lifestyle of working at home in their underwear.

Successes and Failures were presented by the founder of independents hall, Alex Hillman.

http://freelanceswitch.com/interviews/independents-hall/

Hillman claims to have made a profit within the first four months of his coworking venture.

This is so F***ing cool.    Web Trends graphed like submay maps based on relevance.

Information Architects / Web Trends Startpage