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Its usefulness also needs to be questioned. Thus far Google Bookmarks keeps user links private. In contrast, del.icio.us keeps all user bookmark information public and floats the most popular links to all its visitors. Along with this, Google has yet to integrate its bookmarking feature into its toolbar (In version 4 Google toolbar provides this functionality) or alongside its search results for logged in users. Part of it might be that Google is taking it slow, letting the page catch on by it self. If it doesn't, no real loss to the user since it was never part of their experience in the first place.
John Resig
and Eric Skiff are already addressing this issue (or creating it depending on your viewpoint). At BarCampNYC, the two gave a presentation called Subverting Social Networks. In this presentation they explored the idea of programmatically building friendship networks with MySpace based on specific criteria using software. In layman's terms much like Google searches websites, they are able to search MySpace for people of a particular age, interest, etc. They are also able to automate the process of making friendship with their software.With this functionality anyone can quickly build up a network for "friends" with like interests and easily communicate with them. Such an approach might be the best way for social networking sites to produce revenue. Rather than blast irrelevant ads to its user, allow marketers to target a specific demographic with things that may actually interest them. And this is the sort of innovative advertising that MySpace needs desperately. In the same economist article referenced above, Rupert Murdoch (who, supposedly on Eric Schmidt's recommendation, bought MySpace for $580 million) said: "MySpace has been run by creative types who have not thought much about earnings and are frightened of being corporatised... but now their job is not just to grow but to monetise traffic."
Now the ethics behind this are questionable. It's something that other social networks like The Facebook or the now stillborn Friendster might also have to deal with. Clearly any online service flooded with people looking to push advertisements to a select network isn't much fun to its real users. But if sites like MySpace don't do it, people like John Resig and Eric Skiff will.
A fan of the new car smell? Ever wonder what it is?
The only research we could find was a 1995 analysis of the air in a new Lincoln Continental. More than 50 volatile organic compounds were found, suggesting that new-car smell was a mix of lubricants, solvents, adhesives, gasoline, and no doubt some bits from the vinyl, though it's hard to say exactly what. None of these things is necessarily good for you.
- The Straight Dope
Good day readers, today i ask you to listen to the Ricky Gervais podcast (note: a podcast is just an mp3 file). If the name doesn't sound familiar, Ricky (yes, we're on a first name basis now) created the original version of The Office, which I also recommend.
Today I made a Shirley Temple. It was probably the first one i had in at least 10 years. And for good reason--I feel sick.