thecustomer

Economist has some of the story

I hesitate to challenge the Economist, but just this once...

The pitch of their 'ultimate marketing machine' article is grounded in analogue principles, where marketing is controlled, scheduled and edited by the advertiser. Not online it isn't. The customer has control.

This though is embedded in thinking from Cluetrain to Tipping Point: markets are conversations, which marketers may participate in and influence, but they do not control. This is the fundamental shift brought about by the internet. All else is short term competitive advantage in analogue marketing's 4 p's.

Link: Internet advertising | The ultimate marketing machine | Economist.com .

March of the clones

Allofmp3 is morphing into a more legitimate alltunes.com service.
& 'the music industry' wouldn't expect the battle over downloads to end there.
It isn't: here come the clones.

Once this genie is out of the bottle, it's not going back in!
& the battle will be fought again (& again) over at YouTube

Link: Download Mp3 Music, mp3 downloads : MP3Sugar.Com.
Link: MP3 Download, Free MP3 music downloads. mp3stor.com - MP3 Download.
Link: GoMusic.Ru .

Firefox/Feature Brainstorming - MozillaWiki

Corporate Transparency

No sooner than Firefox 2 is out, they're asking for ideas for Ffox3: on a wiki!

How many companies are smart enough to harness their customer's energy & wisdom in the product development process?

Link: Firefox/Feature Brainstorming - MozillaWiki.

eGov fumble No2

UK govt plans to hobble FoI, while hailing its success, because it costs too much to free some information.

The answer is not to count the administration cost more carefully, to see how many requests break the £600 allowable cost threshold: It's to make information mre readily available without human intervention.
Some data is here:
http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/reference/constitutionalAffairsCommittee.htm

Link: UK govt plans to hobble FoI, while hailing its success | The Register .

eGov fumble No1

UK.gov may allow data sharing on 40 million bank accounts...

The web thrives on transparency - but not this kind of transparency!
The problem with the DTI sharing data is that no permisssion has been given: by using older accounts DTI appear to be getting around this.... but, when the DPA was introduced, business had an 18 month period of grace during which they could seek permission from customers. After that they could not use the data.
Why would the rules be any different for government?

Link: UK.gov may allow data sharing on 40 million bank accounts | The Register .

Orchestrate - Manage Yourself

almost-too-smooth-to-be-true...

I like this - it's soo monkey see monkey do - but I also know a number of folk who would be flummoxed by the complete lack of buttons to be pressed.

Ease of use does not always equal usability!

Link: Orchestrate - Manage Yourself.