Technically Speaking

The big news today is the fact that Robert Scoble was banned from Facebook because he violated the terms of service (TOS) of the social network. Now even though he was doing some testing for Plaxo, the fact remains he still violated the TOS. Now some of you feel sorry for Scoble, but in a sense he knew the TOS doesn’t allow this kind of activity.

This brings up an interesting point about social networks. Once you join and click the “I Agree” box on their TOS page, you are bound to their service. Even though the majority of social networks are free, you are freely giving them data to do as they deem by their TOS. TOS is an interesting escape clause created solely for the company that binds you, the user of their free service, to them.

If you don’t read the TOS, it’s just like the old saying of buyer beware. Scoble bought into the whole social network of Facebook, but he thought he was above the law. He found out today he isn’t, and even though it’s a shame that he can’t port his own contact information (his own data, which he gave up his rights to by putting them in Facebook via their TOS), he should have known better than to try to circumvent their TOS. Even though he may have been NDA locked down by Plaxo in the testing phase, this still is only a mild excuse; such as “I was going 40mph in the 35mph zone because no one else was on the road.”

Many of you are probably in some sort of denial at this point in time. Some of you may even consider following Scoble to a data free zone that he is looking for. Good luck is all I can say.

This is an interesting question of privacy in some sense. In 2008 we are going to see more and more issues of this crop up. It’s not something that people have really given a lot of thought about until recently. There is probably billions of bytes of data online, private and public. In a sense, all of the data you put on the internet is public. There really is not a private place you can have data online.

One of the key items that will be leveraged here this year is advertising and data. My #1 prediction for 2008 was that there would be more money spent on advertising online. With this being said, the only way to truly maximize the ad dollar (or Euro) would be for the people doing the advertising to recoup their money spent. This will be done of course with targeting the customer base.

This gets into your data being used. We have heard reports of Google changing up the way Gmail works. But do you really blame some of these companies for starting to mine the data that is there? See above. Billions of bytes of data online. Floating out there in cyber la-la land for decade plus now. The thing is, most of the data floating around is not organized enough to make any sense of it. Someone (Google, Facebook, MySpace, etc… ) will be the ones organizing it this year. If not already, they are making plans to do so. What they say on one hand can easily be changed with - you got it - a simple change of their TOS! Didn’t believe me when I said the above - did you? TOS is an interesting escape clause created solely for the company that binds you, the user of their free service, to them.

What I see happening is there will be a big round of privacy advocates taking one side or another. This data snafu or being Scobled won’t go away anytime soon. This is only the first of many questions that will be raised in the data privacy wars in 2008. While the data may have been his in one sense, in another sense the conversation that Allen of CN had with Steve Poland sheds a bit more light on “who’s data” Scoble was really taking. I happen to agree, it’s a touchy subject - a gray area at best.

I say that because there is no safeguard’s in place where you can’t download one of your friends or anyone’s photos. There is no disabling feature on Facebook preventing you from going on a photo hunt. In fact there are a few fb applications that take your friends pic and use them in some cool way. Inside of Facebook, again the TOS keeps that cool. But what prevents you from taking it outside of Facebook and downloading it to your desktop. Nothing. As far as TOS goes, I see a new improved one coming from Facebook in the near future.

Technically Speaking, whether or not Scoble finds his own data-TOS-free for all place to play is going to be up to him. I personally don’t believe such a place exists unless you find or start your own social network that is invite only; private island of people that agree that TOS’ville and data hostage keeping is against their policy. Good luck on finding that place. It’s a Utopian dream at best. Vegas hotel

PodTech, the company that Robert Scoble works for has been reported as being dead. Of course Scoble came out with a blast that denies all of that. It seems that PodTech is a company that is every bloggers fodder lately.

This is quite troubling as now, if a blogger writes it, it seems to be fact. The difference between a blogger and a real blogger is the ones that go to the painstaking research that a good person would do. Now, even though Fake Steve Jobs does things for fun most of the time, I think that making statements such as this in the past were grounds for a lawsuit.

But that brings up an interesting point, as with the new world of blogs as “news” that we live in, are they really protected by any type of laws of the modern world? I mean, could PodTech/Scoble file a lawsuit against Fake Steve Jobs?

This is an interesting issue, as it would be very new waters to try in the court system. It could be a landmark case that would set precedence for years to come. It might also clean up the blogosphere entirely.

Technically Speaking, I for one would be interested in seeing what legal actions PodTech/Scoble intend to take for future speculation that comes out as a blog post for everyone to read and believe. baby clothes

You may have missed this due to the iPhone hype yesterday. If you have ever been interested in learning how to program, you should check out Brandon Watts interview on the ScobleShow. He is the developer of the Leopard Programming Language. He is also one of the Tech Evangelists that I work with at Criteo.

I am sitting here catching up on things. This weather around the STL kills me at this time of the year. Enough about me, more about Silverlight right? Well maybe.

Now what I’m reading by two of the top bloggers or most reputable bloggers out there today, Michael Arrington and Robert Scoble, is that we all had better pay attention to Silverlight. Ok, I’ll agree, from some of the excited overview of it, it sounds like a great 4 mb application that makes AJAX look like a bicycle and Silverlight the Ferrari.

That is really cool, you have me hooked. Now I jump over to the ex-Microsoft VP’s site. I have to see what he is saying about it. First off, he didn’t get a free pass to the MIX event, and secondly he plays both sides of the fence in his post.

As always, I casually see what people are saying. As you know, no matter how hard someone shoves down a new process, software, OS, etc… it’s the people that are going to bite or spit. Well right now the people are spitting. In fact, one of the more prominent comments under Scoble’s post goes like this

Microsoft rebooted the web? Why, did they crash it? Sorry, couldn’t resist.

What I’m not sorry about is that I don’t trust Microsoft. I don’t trust Ballmer. I don’t trust Gates. I don’t believe that the old Microsoft - the one that lied, cheated, and stole its way into becoming a monopoly has turned over a new leaf.

Ouch! But it gets even better, as I scrolled down further to find more Mac and Linux comments. Then the very last comment, I thought I would get to see something. There was a comment by Michael S. Scherotter who has a web site that he used to learn Silverlight on. He is a Microsoft employee.

So here I am. All excited to finally see this hype. Then it all became really clear. Just go there yourself - http://xmldocs.net/ - I’m sure you will be jumping up and down all over for this Silverlight exhibition.

Technically Speaking, if you are going to post a comment and link your web site while saying how cool Silverlight is; make sure it works. If you are going to state “how I work at Microsoft, and how I made this web site to test it“, just make sure the site works.

Black on White is not impressing me. Not one bit. I’m currently siding with the Linux and Mac people at this time. Remember, I’m from the STL, you have to show me. Please don’t mistake that with SHOE ME; that is north of here in Wisconsin!

twitter - keeps you up to date. I will try to get some information on this.

Robert Scoble - Back in the mainstream as a writer for FastCompany. Sweet gig dude!

Technically Speaking, I think the column title “Naked Conversations” is a great name!

Robert Scoble alluded to it once again, twitterment. When the advertisers of the world wake up and smell the coffee, my guess will be later then sooner, this could be a goldmine opportunity.

I first heard the idea via a phone call conversation with Marshall Kirkpatrick I had about a week or more ago. Now Robert is sold on the idea. When will the advertisers tap the brains and use the power that sits in front of them?

Technically Speaking, only God knows that answer! Don’t believe in the power of twitter yet? Then all I can say is follow me. Bored? Then watch my chair today as long as the stream stays up on rex.tv.

Blogger & Podcaster Magazine - April 2007 issue. Now this is the way a magazine should be presented on the internet. I really like the format. It truly gives you the feeling that you are reading a magazine.

I heard about this from the man on the cover, Robert Scoble via twitter. Please tell me that you understand how it works! Very simple concept, like reading a regular “in your hand magazine“.

twitter in the NY Times - How many times is this now? I guess next up will be the twitter CEO Jack Dorsey packing up his luggage to travel there for other mainstream interviews. You know what they say, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. Credit Robert once again via twitter for this.

Technically Speaking, if you are not on twitter or still do not understand the concept, then I suggest you just follow me.

Yes, my chair isn’t moving, won’t move. Let’s hope! Why not go watch this web worker named April. She is working from home today. Yes, it’s a Female! Brunette if it matters to ya!

Technically Speaking, my only question about all of this UStream.tv stuff is — “Is Robert Scoble being safe???”

Legal TABS - Tablature for guitarists; legal this time!

Just Because - The ignorant mainstream really ticks me off; so yeah, this is a repeat of the last post!

Vomit! - Yup, I know how you feel, but oh well - gotta try with rex.tv nevertheless. What makes me really vomit is that YouTube was bought for $1.65 Billion.

Robert Scoble - He is back!

Technically Speaking, there are some worth checking out to make your Monday a little brighter.

Shai Agassi, a big dog waiting to ascend to the throne of the SAP king of the hill has called it quits. Timing is everything, and he sees a more entrepreneurial opportunity in the new alternative energy start up field. I applaud him for leaving at this time. He wants to be the man, and you know what they say “To be the man, you gotta beat the man!”

In the world of high powered databases, the competition can be dog eat dog. This is currently evident in the lawsuit of Oracle stating SAP stole technology. Even with all the back slapping and hat tipping being done to Agassi today, it makes this blogger actually think.

Is this a convenient way to save your own credibility in the nick of time? I tend to wonder about stepping down when you are called the heir apparent in some circles. Maybe things are not as crystal clear as some will make it.

The news is all subjective to the writer or the story teller. In fact, this afternoon Jib Jab posted a great tribute to the news. The reason we will all be watching this is because there are 3 great bloggers in that Jib Jab video that Steve was able to get a nice screen shot of.

Technically Speaking, sorry for the early and late posting here. I have had like 35 hours of work, and only like 20 awake hours to complete each day. Please check the Link Blog, as I try to hit that every few hours as I think about it.