Thought #55
Using Facebook as a PSA system is a great idea. It’s cool to see people spreading the word about Amber Alerts and other time-sensitive messages over social media channels. The problem is when the post that the child was found is hidden way below the post that says the child is missing. These actions (the finding and the losing) happen in a chronological order. Therefore the finding should appear at the top of the chronological list. Except Facebook is curating content so that items that meet a set of rules only understandable to Facebook appear at the top of the list. In this case, the losing of the boy generated tons of comments. It was deemed more important and bumped to the top of the list. The finding of the child was met with sighs of relief and fell below the fold.
Thought #54
I like a good curated experience better than the next person. I think that’s why Spotify is not for me. I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl. I have a favorite DJ (John in the Morning on KEXP) and he turns me on to new music. I will take his recommendations and browse the iTunes store and Amazon MP3s (I only buy from Amazon now though—fewer DRM restrictions) and listen to the related artists. I buy what I like, and add the new songs to existing playlists or create new ones. Could I apply that same process to Spotify? Probably. But it feels harder somehow. Like I have less control over the experience and the music. There’s no help there, no recommendations. There’s no process of discovering new things I will like. Maybe there is; at this point, that’s my perception. I do like Turntable though. It’s nice to turn it on to a fun channel and listen to what other like-minded people like. The only thing missing is a Buy button.
Thought #53
Another thing that got me wondering at UI16: the number of people in the room my age or older. I was surprised by the general middle age of the people present. I expected the attendees to trend toward a younger crowd. Was this due to the experience level of the folks in the room? Our familiarity with the sponsor organization? Access to budgets to be at the conferences? Maybe they are learning it all in school while we are learning it on the job. Or was it something else…was it because younger designers know (or think they know) how to design for mobile and handheld devices because they were born with cell phones in their pockets? It’s native to them in a way it cannot be for the rest of us.
Thought #52
At UI16 in Boston last week, I witnessed the second reference to Google+ as a professional network in about three weeks. Statistically speaking, these data are not impressive. But anecdotally, they are interesting. The idea of using Google+ as a collaboration space—a space away from your friends (on Facebook) and away from your resume (on LinkedIn)—within a private networking is fascinating. It’s fun to think geeks and academics have a new place to hang out together and talk about research and writing. I wonder, and kind of hope, it will catch on for this specific purpose. It doesn’t seem like it’s catching on for any other purpose.
Thought #51
Why did they change the shape of the butter? Did the butter just wake up one morning and say, “I need a new look.”? Or did it suddenly realize its past has all been a façade and declare, “Hey, it’s time to face facts people. I’m fat. That’s right…fat…and short. It’s time that I revealed my true fat self. No more tall skinny sticks for me.”
Thought #50
Instead of doing the work that’s causing me stress, I’m stress eating like there’s no tomorrow. Except there is a tomorrow. You know how I know? Client meetings. Lots and lots of client meetings.
Thought #49
I spent 100 bucks at Whole Foods the other day and I feel like I came home with a bag full of bread and cheese. Now my brain is telling me it’s the best damn bread and cheese I’ve ever eaten. Is it really? Or is my noggin trying to avoid the cognitive dissonance associated with spending 100 bucks on bread and cheese? This is my brain. This is my brain on cheese.
Thought #48
NPR referred to this kid as a mastermind. He’s 19. Call me ageist, but that seems a little young to be a mastermind.
Thought #47
Don’t worry, you didn’t miss random thoughts 1-46. I just thought I would start in the middle. And 47 seemed like a good number.
Ok here it is. Once and for all people, lions do not live in the jungle. Tigers live in the jungle. Tigers don’t have spots; they have stripes. Lions are born with spots, but they lose them when they become teenagers. Thank you. That is all.
Visualizing Shakespeare 