Disqus - Latest Comments for hardaway

Re: ListBrowser gets a new tool (Scripting News)

hardaway — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:21:55 -0000

Cool tool, Dave. Thanks. And I love the old fashioned type face:-)

Re: The Death of Social Media – Long Live Media That is Social!

hardaway — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:50:44 -0000

I love your idea that social media is "dead," because all media is now social. I don't think companies can prohibit staff from participating in social media, and my-daughter-the-corporate-counsel for a software company has just written the policy guidelines for her company, which deals with human resources, a very sensitive area.

As for the First Amendment, I don't see anything in it that would give a business authority over the speech of its employees, although most "conditions of employment" include not giving away company secrets, etc. And the First Amendment was extended to state and local governments through the 14th Amendment. One issue might be multi-national corporations that aren't US based, as many familiar brands no longer are (mostly for tax reasons, not social media reasons).

I do think the SEC will have a say in what employee policies could/should be for publicly traded companies, and it already has. I believe the SEC is moving in the direction of greater acceptance of social media. But it's coming, and yes, there will be an impact on brands. The Cluetrain Manifesto pointed that out a decade ago.

Re: The Droid fails AS A PRODUCT when compared to Palm Pre and iPhone

suburubu — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:33:07 -0000

Re: multitouch... heard there is an app called Picsay in the marketplace that will allow you to do that.

Re: The Droid fails AS A PRODUCT when compared to Palm Pre and iPhone

hardaway — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:32:27 -0000

I'm trying to figure out what's the handset and what's Android 2.0. I have a friend with an HTC Hero, and it's a pretty nice phone, although the screen is too small for me. No multi-touch kills it for any person my age who is vain enough not to wear glasses; I can't read on the iPhone without it.
I wouldn't even put the PalmPre in the comparison because I don't think it has a big enough following to get the apps developed for it, but Google certainly does, and maybe one of the other handsets coming out will be a better match for the Android OS than Motorola's phone?
Am I out to lunch here?
Oh, and BTW thanks for writing this. I was going to open a Verizon account to get one (and to have reception in HMB, where ATT is total #fail.) Might wait for the next Verizon phone running Android

Re: Standing in the gap: Health care reform may come too late for some

Karoli — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:12:02 -0000

Seriously. I really do believe the Medicare buy-in is the most practical way to bridge the gap for people like me. It's an established system, it's in need of more cash, and we're not all uninsurable. We're just uninsured. Big difference. High risk pools, if they operate like the auto insurance pools, mean premiums well in excess of what we can afford, particularly without being employed. AND...by continuing to tie insurance to employment, we're stuck with the implicit ageism that comes with higher insurance premiums for age.

The only thing good about it is that some of our representatives truly understand the problem. I have nothing but high praise for Rep. Miller's staff, not only because they looked for a better answer than "I don't know", but because they cared enough to find one and relay my concerns.

Re: Standing in the gap: Health care reform may come too late for some

hardaway — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:59:03 -0000

It's incredible that even we, who work so hard trying to raise awareness about the need for health care reform, are not able to get a message to the President and Congress about what is really happening to ordinary people. You and I started this discussion because you were on COBRA and couldn't afford it, and nearly two years later, you are in the same position -- only now Sticks is ill and uninsurable. In the intervening time, Pat has been diagnosed with CML and forced to go on Medicaid. That's just one little corner of the world.
Truthfully, I gratefully pay for the most expensive Medicare supplement policy offered. I WANT to pay my share for as long as I can. The sad part -- it helps me, and the other Medicare recipients, but it doesn't help YOU. I'd gladly pay my share for your health care if you could get on Medicare early.

Re: Is Blog Reading Mainstream?

hardaway — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:17:35 -0000

Part of that is the conversion of main stream media to the blog format. People are reading blogs who never intended to do so, but as you know, once you try it, it's contagious:-) Suddenly you are not just reading the Times blogs, but the mommy blogs.

Re: The biggest difference between Twitter and Facebook

hardaway — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:54:09 -0000

Just what I wrote last night. Facebook looks like Friendfeed. And yes, you now see randos. I don't mind, but I'm sure I miss a lot. I think I can still hide people in my FB feed though, even though I've friended them, right?

Re: Has Twitter Become Overrun with Marketers? No, But Facebook Has

hardaway — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:08:51 -0000

Yes. It's a very blurry line, because we are all developing a personal
brand. I don't mind the personal brands, although @guykawaski seems to have
gone over the line for me, but I do mind the corporate brands; I have no
wish to hear from @carlsjr.

Re: The Science of Web Traffic…You Better Add it to your Arsenal

hardaway — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:24:57 -0000

The movie business has done A/B testing of both trailers and endings at preview screenings forever.

Re: WEEKEND POLL: How Much Time Do You Spend Online?

hardaway — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:43:16 -0000

I sleep 8 hours a night, that leaves 16x30, so that's 480. Subtract 8 hours a month for yoga=472, and maybe 15 hours for showers, . I'd say close to 450, half of which are on the iPhone. I listen to podcasts in the gym, so that doesn't count as offline, and I read online, so...Jeez, I'm sorry I started to think about this.

Re: Bloomberg is Toast…NOT!

howardlindzon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:13:04 -0000

You should see stocktwits code....oy :)

Re: Bloomberg is Toast…NOT!

hardaway — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:12:17 -0000

Exactly. Do you know how old the code is that runs the banks? It's all green screen on the back end, but it doesn't matter because they have the data, and if they can modernize the UI, they will be fine.

Re: Bloomberg is Toast…NOT!

howardlindzon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:11:15 -0000

Yeeppp

Re: Bloomberg is Toast…NOT!

hardaway — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:10:28 -0000

Bloomberg is a multi media company that sells financial information, not a desktop terminal provider (anymore). I listen to their podcasts, read their stuff online, and am devoted to their high quality information. And yes, I'd pay for it like I pay for the WSJ. The terminal business might be dead on the hardware side, but on the content side I am sure they will do well.

Re: The Blog Where Everybody Knows Your Name

hardaway — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:51:21 -0000

I feel the same way about Disqus. I put it on all my blogs (four)

Re: The Blog Where Everybody Knows Your Name

hardaway — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:50:03 -0000

That's how I feel about my Twitter account. I've got tons of people in the stream, but some of them are regulars and I see and converse with them all the time. It is like a bar. In fact, for a person who lives with two dogs and no people, as I currently do, it's a wonderful social life.

Re: You Are the Vanishing Middle Class

hardaway — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:48:45 -0000

I know. Rich man's problems. But it is really hard to keep adjusting one's expectations down and down after being sold such a bill of goods by the country about upward mobility. I was a foster parent, and I think I sold my foster kids the same bill of goods.

Re: Google Wave, WWSGD, Tweetie 2 and the iPhone

hardaway — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:29:02 -0000

Ummm...you've found me out:-)

Re: Paying To Pitch

hardaway — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:38:15 -0000

In the ten years we've been investing in and consulting to startups we have seen many who have been sucked in by intermediaries. Right now, when someone comes to me saying "can you help me get money for my startup" I say no 99% of the time and go on to tell them there is no money for companies that a)aren't companies b)don't have anything but an idea. We tell them not to waste time looking for money but to go out and build something or get a real team together.

We are sometimes given a success fee as a board position with some equity attached that takes many years to become liquid, and we certainly never charge and always advise our startups not to present anywhere that charges or pay anyone a fee. We don't pay our speakers for the Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference and we allow people to pitch, launch for nothing, too. The people who attend the conference pay to attend. And yes, Loic, we also barely break even and it's all on our nonprofit foundation to put the conference on --a big risk every year. You are right about that.

For the conference, now the largest in Arizona, our goal is to charge as little as possible to as few people as possible, and still come out with enough money to run our programs for disadvantaged entrepreneurs. I'm trying to develop an ecosystem here, not make money off entrepreneurs.

Re: It is ridiculous startups have to pay to pitch

hardaway — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:29:25 -0000

This happens with angel groups all the time. I also hate it. I don't even go to meetings of angel groups, because they like to hear themselves talk and invest far less than they b.s. I invest by myself in things I know, and arrange individual meetings with friends to get others involved if I want to.

Re: Once again, future-safe archives (Scripting News)

hardaway — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:47:50 -0000

I think about this all the time. I'm the beginning of the digital age,, and all my photos are on Flickr, SmugMug, whatever, and on various drives. Many of those are pieces of history, some of more interest than others. But the job of curating everyone's archives is overwhelming, and perhaps cost prohibitive. An issue like this has to be managed by a team of historians, philosophers, librarians, and technologists, and perhaps professional curators. Will there be a career one day called "life curator," a person you can hire to work with you on what's worth saving from your life? Like the co-author of your memoir?

Re: Obama Should Politely Decline the Nobel Prize

hardaway — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:44:54 -0000

I do believe it's aspirational as we;;. But I also believe it flushes out his opposition and makes it more difficult for him, as they begin to tweet about how he doesn't deserve it and "the fix was in." He could have done without more talking points for the nutcases and conspiracy theorists.

But I also think the award is a gentle pressure by the rest of the world for him to keep going in the direction he has stated he wants to go. I also think he gave an excellent talk in the Rose Garden and exhibited the correct degree of humility. I just wonder how far he can go with the rest of the world standing solidly behind him and America fractured beyond any time in my memory.

Actually, Ellen, if I were him, some days I'd just feel like packing it in, he inherited so much grief.

Re: The real-time baby (what this means for media absorption)

hardaway — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:31:16 -0000

Robert, I know how you feel, because when Dashie was born I tried to do the same thing. You feel like a one-armed juggler with all the devices and tools it takes to notify and update. So difficult to switch back and forth among all those media. The closest to a simplified experience turns out to be the iPhone. I don't even carry my Flip anymore.

BTW, that was the most complete looking baby I've seen in quite a while. Dashie is still almost bald:-)

Re: Need Investors? Go to People You Know

hardaway — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:56:32 -0000

Right. And I forgot to say that the best investor is no investor -- customers are your ideal investor.