Scobleizer - Latest Comments in The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

sedgewick — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:12:35 -0000

I'm love this great website. Many thanks guy

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Medical Answering Service — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 20:47:38 -0000

If the hiearchy is setup like a court - google is king, yahoo is prince, and msn is court jester.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

jme giffo — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 18:39:09 -0000

still waiting to get some decent limits! current the score is:

google 1000 queries lol
yahoo id addressed based (meaning just random but i bet its low)
msn (cant find the limits but i bet its low) :(

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Alexander — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 17:56:56 -0000

One point which was addressed here and might really affect Google revenue.
As an influential I don't really like to be influenced myself. I'm aggressively opposing ANY marketing pressure on me. What's important in this post that it's an eye opener for me - I've realized that I've bited the hook without noticing it. The cool tech content produced by Google is no different from cool content produced by NBC - the goal is to sell me ads wrapped into this content.
This discovery had really cooled off my Google excitement and my "influential" approval of Google.
Anybody else in the same boat?

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Stefan Constantinescu — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 13:24:07 -0000

I have to come back and say this is the best post on your blog in a long time. Reading it a second time, still got the same feelings in me again as if it were the first.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

theroxylandr — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 14:06:48 -0000

What a long post... Windows is garbage no matter what, pretty much all you need to know :-)

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

scobleizer — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 10:25:41 -0000

I didn't tell him to click on the ads. I told him to use Google. His clicking on the ads is just due to the usefulness of those ads to him.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Sean — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 10:01:23 -0000

"So, if we want to gather an audience together, we must think differently."

As a long-time Apple user, I feel I need to correct your word usage here. It's "we must think DIFFERENT."

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

peter — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 09:57:02 -0000

"Does the average Joe give a crap about Web 2.0 or why Google does what it does? No."

You're missing the point Robert is making.

The people who create the environment necessary for the average Joe to try new tech stuff are the early adopters/influencers. Without these people, the tech never gets adopted by the average Joe. Why? Because Average Joe is a risk-adverse, group-oriented, run with the pack creature.

Average Joe requires an environment in which s/he feels safe trying new things: "Hey, everyone else is doing this, I can too"

The influencers help create that environment. They take on the risk of the new and shout that it's ok to venture outside the cave.

Average Joe will eventually hear, but is unlikley to do any shouting. It isn't in his nature...

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Netweb — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 09:23:09 -0000

"But they will use it and they will click on the ads. Why? Cause guys like me told them to. At least that’s true of my dad and brothers and many many others."

You actually ask/suggest to your family to click the ad's online. Or do you just not bring up the subject?And what about Google ad's on the main search page?

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

scobleizer — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 09:15:31 -0000

>Does the average Joe give a crap about Web 2.0 or why Google does what it does? No.

You're right, but the average Joe will use sites that fit into the Web 2.0 model like Zvents.

Does the average Joe care about why Google does what it does? No. But they will use it and they will click on the ads. Why? Cause guys like me told them to. At least that's true of my dad and brothers and many many others.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Jimbo — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 07:13:25 -0000

The simple answer? Create things that make life easier, do it with elegance and simplicity, and do it cross platform.

Personal bugbear: If MS was able to bottle the anger its version of Media Player for Mac generates (which doesn't play V10 files, even though Flip4Mac software does), it could power half the eastern seaboard.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

magoo — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 03:06:18 -0000

See http://www.metafilter.com/m... for one xample of non innovative MS Live is

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Dmad — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:59:22 -0000

as for your "going for copies" comment. I think you are a bit short sighted there. I mean, hell, didn't the public go for a copy of the MAC OS in Windows? ;-). Didn't they go for a copy of Lotus 123 with Excel? Didn't they go for a copy of WordPerfect with Word? Seriously, if the copy is cheaper, faster, better, they will go for it. Why were the so successful in the automotive business? If it provides the same basic functionality, but is a better experience and is cheaper, or higher quality, they will go for a copy. Your StarWars example misses the point. MS is historicaly a very good copier of technology. Just ask Apple or Lotus, or WordPerfect.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Dmad — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:53:32 -0000

Interesting post, Scoble. But it is still reflective of the echo chamber in which you like to live. Jonathan Jesse's comment was more to the point. Does the average Joe give a crap about Web 2.0 or why Google does what it does? No. MS will make more money when they start to reach more people that want to use a computer to make their lives easier, not because it their crap supports Firefox, Web 2.0 or some other technogeek thingy that the majority of the population could give a rat's ass about. The majority of consumers likely don't know or don't care what a blog, a podcast, or the like is. The influencers are the everyday Joe's that talk to other everyday Joe's and say "hey, this is cool". Take even HDTV. My wife doesn't care about the technology behind HDTV or even Tivo. All she knows it that Tivo makes her life easier and HDTV makes watching it more enjoyable. Same goes for the computer. As long as it does the 4 or 5 tasks she wants to do very well, without needing a PhD to figure out how, or if she can discover something new with new software that is easy to use and makes her life easier, she will buy it. As will every average Joe. They are the ones that will drive the stock price up. Not the geeks in the echo chambers.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Lee White — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:42:04 -0000

All I can say is that anyone that has some passion around this post should be reading Seth's Blog. This post could be a review of "Purple Cow", I think Robert hit Seth's theme dead on.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Anona — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 20:59:36 -0000

Microsoft should look at the collective mirror one morning and realize that it no longer is a very smart company. Don't make this very complicated. Don't deceive yourselves by thinking that MSFT is full of smart people, it'll just step it up when the time comes. The time is now and MSFT has to move in so many directions simultaneously. But it doesn't have the intellectual capital or the common sense to pull it off. Manage the downfall intelligently.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Matt — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:54:17 -0000

Please DON'T clone the Google web search API, far as I know it still embeds HTML in the returned results. WTF? I might as well screen scrape!

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Magus — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:16:18 -0000

Hey Scoble, have you ever seen http://msdn.microsoft.com/msn/ ? The APIs are out there, and are a lot better documented and nicer to use than Google's.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Christopher Coulter — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 19:11:58 -0000

See, there are two diseases at Microsoft (just for start'ers):

1) Not looking at the world thru a businessperson’s eyes (i.e. Software Assurance trainwreck and the monocultural thrust and the lack of a predictable Road Map). You say they do, I say they don't (which is the problem).

2) Listening to edge-market self-appointed so-called influentials with blogs and extra loud megaphones. Focusing on the blog crybaby's and various web creatures will never get the quality middle-market feedback you really need.

You are so Googlejuiced that you think copying a Google API is the solution. Wrong answer. This Google talk is pointless, the web is not a pure platform, just work on SQL/ERP/Vista/Office 12/CRM 3, ship those before you try and 'bull in China shop' in a overglutted Search Engine market. If you need to work on the web, work on taking on Salesforce.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Goebbels — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 18:04:46 -0000

1) Being transparent.

Yeah, you're really good at that. Ha, ha, ha!!

2) Supporting an open attention system.

Yeah, you're really good at that. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!

3) Changing the search game by opening up its APIs.

Ha, ha, ha... Wooo, do I need to say it? My ribs hurt!

4) Investing in gadgets and services that don’t have any monetization strategy other than to thrill audiences (er, influentials first).

Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!! Ha!!! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!

I thought that was supposed to be a list of things Google can't do, not things Microsoft can't do?

Ha, ha, ha!!

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

kosso — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 17:40:00 -0000

having a cool open api and the ability to create cool gadgets that people could get paid for creating and sharing is totally the way to start bubbling up the best ideas, instead of trickling down.

that's where the love affair will start.

the toys and widgets will hold out their hands for a folksonomic fandango, which will be sexy and fun.

the creators will get the number.

but the influencers will know who was responsible for the introduction. and those people the best man, or maid of honour at the wedding.

if this plan works, I think you'd better dust off your tux, Robert - or buy Maryam a hat ;)

good luck!

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Orbit — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 17:06:35 -0000

if your expecting a Giant titan to move stock price like they did in the late 90s you must be kidding. They will grow slowly because they are a mature company. Apple reliance on a mp3 player is laughable when they are a computer company.. It's like a car company only sells its car by special employee programs..your selling the employee price programs not the car.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Paul Roundy — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 17:00:49 -0000

It could be that many of the senior MS leaders have forgotten about what is exciting about technology. They seem to want to tel us what is exciting about it rather than listen to people about what is really exciting. And while they think they are, probably aren't very influential anymore.

But I think the problem goes beyond just influencers. I think much of Microsoft lives in its own world in everything they do; they don't relate to normal people or normal business anymore either. They design collaboration tools around their way of collaborating, not the way smaller businesses do. I'm not sure who designs their licesning programs; obviously Gates and Ballmer have never had to wade through an EA or they wouldn't let the licensing mess out the door.

They should rethink how they use focus groups too; these groups are giving MS the wrong impression about what is really going on in the marketplace and what is really needed.

Re: The new Robert Scoble Services agenda

Jake — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 16:58:51 -0000

Well, between Christmas 2003 and now, Apple has gone from a $10 stock to a $60 stock. Microsoft has gone from a $24 stock to a $26 stock.

Surprisingly, from 1989 to now, Apple has gone from a $10 stock to a $60 stock. Microsoft has done much better, going from a 50 cent stock to a $26 stock.

Owning Apple between 1989 and 2003 was a dead money experience (which, is of course, a money losing experience). How the iPod changed things.

Lately, Microsoft has been dead money. Will that change?

Can you set out to thrill the influential? The gadflies?

First, I don't think you can do it by plan - see your comments on design by committee.

Second, does it pay? Are the influential really about influence or about seeing their own name in ink? They will knife you as soon as it benefits them.

Third, isn't this approach like the political parties serving to the activist wings of their parties? Can it get much uglier?