Why I’ve Joined Facebook
Jun 27, 2008

Yes, I know I said I’d never do it, but well, I’ve just joined Facebook.

Personally, I still don’t really like the privacy issues and all. But I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the whole thing, and I realized something. This whole social media thing that I’m doing – my blog, twitter, etc – it’s not just about me getting my voice heard. It’s about being part of a community, and connecting with all of you. It’s just as much about you – how you can connect to me and how I can help you – as it is about me.

And since everyone seems to be on Facebook, I figured that it’s time for me to join. I’ve had numerous people ask me to join Facebook, from people who attended the Social Media Breakfasts in Singapore, to the likes of Connie Bensen, and more. And I realize I’ve been missing out on a lot of opportunities to connect with all of you out there.

That’s why I’ve finally joined Facebook. Because this scene isn’t just about me – it’s about the community. And I want to be as accessible as possible, I want it to be as easy as possible for you to connect with me.

So, feel free to connect with me on Facebook. You’re the reason I joined.

Your Web 2.0 Story
Apr 28, 2008

I’ve been thinking about the intersection of the things I write about here. I blog about things from technology to sports to personal development. And I do think there is a central theme. Obviously I deviate from it sometimes. But in general, I’d like to think that I’m still holding true to my original intended message: an encouragement to realize your true potential and not settle for anything less.

The sports parts are related because, well, I think sports are a very good analogy to life. The mental aspects and decision making – the games are almost like a miniature replica of life.

The technology aspects come in because I believe that technology (especially in today’s Web 2.0 world) can be an amazing resource for that. It makes it a lot easier to realize your potential.

And so, on that note, I want to ask you to share your thoughts.

How has social media and Web 2.0 impacted your life? Has it helped make you a better person or improved you in any way?

I’d love to hear your story.

Feedback Loops
Apr 25, 2008
Classical ideal feedback model. The feedback is negative if B < 0.Image via Wikipedia

We’ve all heard the high pitched squeal that results from feedback from speakers. And I’m pretty sure most of you would agree that it’s annoying. It’s not something you want to hear.

Feedback occurs when a microphone picks up it’s own sound from the speaker. The sound gets trapped in a loop (microphone picks it up from the speaker, amplifies it and sends it to the speaker, where it gets sent back to the microphone, etc), which causes that annoying whine that we all know (and most hate).

The thing is, with the power of Web 2.0, it’s very easy to get trapped in our own ‘feedback loop’. The web allows you to amplify your voice. With blogs, podcasting, Twitter and all the other Web 2.0 tools, you can speak and be heard.

But social media is a conversation. It’s not a one way broadcast. Yes, the tools help to amplify what you have to say, but if you’re just trying to build yourself up, it’s not going to work. You’ll just get annoying.

Companies which blog and only plug their products aren’t going to get much value from social media. Companies which blog and listen to what their customers say back will.

Same for individuals. You’re more likely to gain from social media if you’re listening to what others say, and feeding off each other, inspiring each other. If you’re just amplifying yourself over and over, you won’t gain value, and you won’t be adding value either. You’ll just be making noise.

How do you keep yourself from getting trap in a ‘feedback loop’?

Does Twitter Spam Really Matter?
Apr 18, 2008

There’s been a lot of commotion over Twitter spam lately, with Mashable’s Adam Ostrow writing that Twitter Spam has spiralled out of control. Adam goes on to suggest that “the time has arrived for Twitter to require a CAPTCHA with every new follow you want to make”.

Personally, I never really liked CAPTCHAs because of the negative impact on usability. But that’s a post for another day, I guess (Wired’s Paul Adams asked the question of whether Captcha’s moment is passing, and you can see the discussion there if you’re interested.)

The question I want to ask here is the question in the post title. Does Twitter spam really matter? Yes, it’s slightly annoying getting the random email notifications of being followed. But other than the email notifications, I personally don’t see the big deal about Twitter spam.

Twitter, by its nature, is inherently permission based, isn’t it? You choose who to follow. So how does Twitter spam fit in? Users can just choose not to follow the spammers, and that’s done, isn’t it? And based on Andre Nantel’s study, users are more or less intelligent enough to choose who to follow.

When the user controls what messages he receives, can spam really be that big an issue? Can it even be considered spam in the first place?

The second question, I don’t have a fixed answer to. But for the first question, I don’t see how spam can be such a big isssue.

What do you think? Is there something I’m missing from all of this??