Dec 23, 2006

The seven top mobile and wireless trends for '07 | InfoWorld | News | 2006-12-21 | By David Haskin, Computerworld

It's all good, and I expect the consumer market to go wild.  

Cheaper devices and more mobile access options will mean that more people will use more mobile applications. The most popular of these applications is likely to be mobile e-mail.

Enterprise adoption will depend on understanding the Byzantine maze of services, devices, and providers.  I expect security and system management to be corporate IT roadblocks. 

Source: The seven top mobile and wireless trends for '07 | InfoWorld | News | 2006-12-21 | By David Haskin, Computerworld

Regulator Says Morgan Stanley Withheld E-Mail in Cases - New York Times

"I lost it" does not fly with regulators...

The regulator also contended in its complaint against Morgan Stanley that the firm regularly destroyed millions of e-mail messages by overwriting its backup tapes and by allowing employees to delete messages. Securities and Exchange Commission rules require that firms keep all e-mails and business communications for three years.

Source: Regulator Says Morgan Stanley Withheld E-Mail in Cases - New York Times

Digg continues to battle phony stories | CNET News.com

Digg continues to crack down on users who plant phony stories on behalf of marketers, recently deleting a user who posted a story about a company that offered to compensate him.

Link to Digg continues to battle phony stories | CNET News.com

As Dan Mitchell at the New York Times comments:

When marketers and spammers try to manipulate the rankings to promote a company, product or Web site, the system breaks down.

Link to Stuffing the Electronic Ballot Box | New York Times nytimes.com 

LiveWriting

I just installed the beta version of LiveWriter and needed to try it out.  I have to say it's very handy and I think I'll be using it a lot. So this post is more amusement for me than readers, as I try out some of the features.

Dec 12, 2006

Tag! You're it!

All the kids are playing Blog-Tag! A new game described as a "virtual cocktail party" with a twist (or an olive) where bloggers list five little known facts about themselves and then"tag" five other bloggers to follow suit. I got tagged twice, does that mean I have to list 10 facts and tag 10 bloggers? I'll start with 5 until I get a ruling:

1. My first job in IT was at the font company Bitstream supporting the VP of product management. I can pick out fonts based on name. Helvetica happens.

2. I have a BA in Art History, with focus on Architectural History. I've come to find out many of my colleagues share my interest in buildings.

3. My 8th grade science project was to build a punch card reader using a pocket calculator. I'm not sure who had more fun with the project, myself or my Dad.

4. I was accused of being a foodie this weekend. I don't mind.

5. Despite my denial, my life is managed by a 13# Jack Russell Terrier, but many of you probably know that.

So who's next?

Volker Weber
Chris Herot
Rocky Oliver
Kathleen McGivney
Richard Monson-Haefel

I have Peter O'Kelly to blame for this.

Dec 8, 2006

CCS Blogs

I am fortunate to work with some incredibly fascinating people who also have blogs. The Collaboration and Content Strategies (CCS) team at Burton Group consists of:

Peter O'Kelly, Research Director - Peter O'Kelly's Reality Check
Craig Roth, Service Director - KnowledgeForward
Mike Gotta, Senior Analyst - Collaborative Thinking
Guy Creese, Analyst - Pattern Finder
Karen Hobert, Analyst

Check out their blogs (linked above) if you're interested in CCS and technology. I will add more information to the side bar as I develop the blog, stay tuned...

Working cycles and good habits

As an Collaboration and Content Strategies Analyst for the Burton Group my work life has become cyclical process. The cycle starts with a slow ramp up period investigating a specific topic, moving into a more interactive period of working with teammates on developing my thesis, followed by intense periods of heads down writing and analysis which, once finished throw me back into lighter times of regrouping and starting on a new idea. Presently I'm in a ramp up period, 2nd gear if you will, as I research my next report on SharePoint Designer and put finishing touches on my last report on Enterprise Messaging. I thought this would be a good opportunity to start the blogging habit.

Prior to joining Burton Group my work life was much more random as a consultant where I was always "on deck" for my clients. The cycle is a nice change. I can actually plan my work life now! While I miss some of the daily interaction with customers, I thoroughly enjoy the daily interaction with technology, the people who are instrumental in making it happen, and helping users understand what's going on in the marketplace. It's a wonderful position to be in and I am thrilled to be here.

I am officially a collector now. My work is a cumulative process where I pick up information and gather tidbits as I go along. Keeping up with information and being able to easily access references is always a challenge. It requires me to tap into my youthful days collecting shells, my college years cataloging library books, the organization skills I learned in various administrative and management positions, and the access I have to tools that can help me in my research activities. Since I cover communication, collaboration, and content technologies at the Burton Group I am well positioned to explore tools that can help with all of these tasks.

This blog is one of those tools I expect to help me collect information, share my thoughts with others, and collaborate with others who are interested in the same. My career has always been connecting dots, be it for myself or others. Some of dots I plan to present here will exercise thoughts and opinions, some will ask questions and hopefully elicit a dialog and other dots will be simply to inform or add to my collection for future reference.

Right now I am re-reading a wonderful book: "The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life", by Twyla Tharp, the choreographer. One part of her thesis is that all creative people have some sort of cataloging system for saving and recalling information/inputs that inspire them. The system doesn't have to be scientific (and typically isn't) and may seem odd or even disorganized to the critical eye. However, the system is crucial to the creative process and must be habitual in order to be effective. So in the spirit of new-year resolutions, I'm starting a new habit, Connecting The Dots.