Will Knott

I’ll be honest, I love my XBox 360. The halls of Rapture have been responsible for the loss of many an hour. But the XBox live system has a few drawbacks.

To begin with, since nothing purchasable has a refund (you can re-download something you’ve bought, but you can’t get your gamer points back), not having previews is a problem. Game demos are one thing but the likes of themes and gamerpics (essentially a profile picture for the XBox live system) are not available as a preview.

But people have worked around it. The Theme Xbox site is essentially a collection of videos. These videos are previews of the XBox themes, usually premium themes. I don’t know if the creators of the themes are slipping codes to the people doing these videos or if they are paid for themselves, or if some of these videos are by the theme creators. All I do know is that is has saved me from spending some gamer points on something I’d regret within seconds of paying for it.

In case you are wondering, the difference between a theme and a premium theme currently is that the “friends” section is customised in the premium theme, and he standard theme uses the XBox 360 defaults.

However, the date brings scary things to the fore. For example here is the premium St Patrick’s Day theme. (I just hope these links inside XBox.com work when you’re not logged in to XBox.com)

And Microsoft seem to have created a collection of avatar items for St. Patrick’s Day. Like Leprechaun outfits for him, for her and a spare leprechaun “prop” to steal the gold out of your pocket. Just like having the MS points taken.

Ah yes, more Orish than the Irish themselves.

Why do we do this! Couldn’t we have someone do nicer things? Even if you hate River dance, its is at least not “Orish”. Avatar items of the Riverbance dancer outfits for example? Or have someone create a cooler Irish theme. Something like a Secret of Kells theme? Or a Newgrange theme? Or a Rock of Cashel theme? Something that doesn’t look like its meant to be coated in a layer of cheap, tacky “kelly” green plastic. Why not Buntratty Castle medieval outfits? Irish right?  I can almost see Newbridge Silver or Waterford Crystal making a theme and avatar items just to show that Ireland can be classy.

So how do I create my own theme?

And where did this post come from; well, I’ve been mostly posting to Culch.ie, and ntil recently I’ve been unable to sit down and write a lot. I now have the time again.

There will still be photos coming (I have a lot of the AMC to do yet), but the tagling for this blog is… “Musing about technology, culture, people and the places in between”. So I should do just a little bit on technology, culture and more people.

I have a few words on Wordpress (and Wordpress Camp), Google Buzz, a Massive Hadron (not a typo) and Weedle to come.

I’m not going to write a lot on picturegate.

Partially because Dr Eoin O’Dell a Fellow and Senior Lecturer at the School of Law, Trinity College Dublin has a much better (but a snap shot of a moving target) list of all the Picturegate coverage from which you can find out about the reactions online as well as a legal analysis of the likely court actions.

And partially because around the time that the caricaturist, artist and t-shirt maker Allan Cavanagh was being interviewed by George Hook on Newstalk about the reaction to the Cowen/Casby scandal, I was being interviewed by Fianna Fáil (*waves at the appointment panel monitoring this blog*). I actually brought up the painting/apology and the reaction (seconds later) on Twitter and in the Irish blogging political sphere in the interview.

They were aware of it. This was 20 hours in to the anger.

Since then there has been front page coverage in the Irish newspapers, and coverage across the UK, European and American news. Anger at the apparent change in Garda resources to investigate the hanging of the paintings. Cried of state censorship and stifling of free speech. Questions attempted to in the Dáil.

It’s gone from being a (admittedly distasteful if you are in the Cowen family but) mildly amusing “And Finally…” style story to a major news story which its unlikely that RTÉ will want to touch with a bargepole.

The reaction, well I did a bit of Twitter trending and here are the results from Stream Graphs

If I could access this graph for an earlier time the graph would be scary around 21:30h on March 25th when the apology was read out. Twitter exploded for a little while then. It hasn’t stopped yet.  It looks like its easing down a bit, not going to completely die down.

The internet changes things.

Once, if this happened you would have a number of very upset people. Maybe they would ring each other. One to one. And agree in their anger. Now, they can communicate many to many. Pass the latest news to each other behind the mainstream media. React, repeat, retweet the latest information until everyone knows. Dig a story left along by the mainstream media back in to the harsh light of international news coverage.

So if you are going to react, you had better monitor and react quickly.

Things have changed. Its good to talk/type/tweet. Communication behind the scenes will ensure information gets out there, in the same way that the internet treats attempts at censorship (be it a blocked site or bad news) as damage that it routes around. This isn’t always an automatic thing. Often people keep that which they deem important alive.

And kicking.

Repeatedly.

take care,
Will Knott

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• Shouldda left well enough alone… (sluggerotoole.com)

I keep an eye on the Tuesday Push. The aim of the Tuesday Push is to get the bloggers of Ireland, usually the business bloggers or the blog of a business, to promote an other Irish company.

Those getting a push need to be offering a unique product or service, and should be taking part in the push themselves. Think of it as co-operative support. Creating a business community, one where ideas can be shared and have ideas bounce off each other freely. Or in internet terms, a meme gone sensible. Of course making the Irish technology community an actual community isn’t easy, but this helps.

That said, the key word is unique. Another template tweaked, off the shelf package generated on-line store, not for the push. I think new thinking might count, but you may have to explain what makes it innovative.

If you’re an Irish technology company that’s offering something new and have a blog (or other means to promote yourself and others), contributing to the promotional effort and putting your name forward for a Push of your own is worthwhile (just take a look at the feedback of some of those that have had a push). Or just join in, as some day you may be in the position of needing a push. By pushing now, you’re helping others, and may help yourself.

take care,
Will Knott

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• Huge Push for IGOpeople (web2ireland.org)
• Tuesday Push: Twitter Mosaic from Sxoop Technologies (ewritecork.com)
• Push – forget the movie, this is the real thing! (cjwriting.com)

So the PR / Bloggers conference took place in Edelman PR. And I’ve seen Alastair McDermott blog post on how a PR pitch should be a social exchange, Rick O’Shea blog on the difference between his media head and his blogger head when approached, Peter Donegan on how blogging is about passion and why you need to be careful with passion. Eoin Kennedy gives a nice concise summary of the event, Christian Hughes’ is even shorter and different, while future PR star Thomas Brunkard gives a different account of the night.

Much thanks need to be given to Damien Mulley and Edelman PR Dublin for orginasing the night, and to Donnchadh O’Leary, Piaras Kelly and Alexia Golez who blogged on how its better to learn about bloggers by trying it out for yourself. In fact most of this post began life as a comment on her blog (so sorry if you’ve read it before).

The unasked advice I would give to PR people is:

Think of bloggers in the same way a journalist thinks of contacts. This contact is the go-to girl for tech related matters. This contact is the go-to guy for music.
That type of thing.

While forming a media list may be “monkey work”, a targeted media / house list is worth its PR weight in gold.

Remember : For us its a hobby, not a job. Few bloggers want to become journalists, those that do already are journalists in their day job.

The professional media expect to be contacted with something thy are not interested in. Some spent their careers writing about stuff they aren’t interested in.

Bloggers have the freedom to write about what interests us. Its “our view”.

Things that may help both sides.
1) Introduce yourself and ASK.

If we bloggers were looking for a contact in X then chances are we would tweet it first and see what happens.

Of course we are following a lot of conversations.
Join in.
Babble.
I’d suggest you mention Collision Course in your first tweet before you “follow” anyone. Most (all) of us look to see “who is this person following me”. Of the 15 there on the night, I think most of us will follow back.
Just let us know who you are first.

Then ask…

E.g.
Would anyone like to go to the launch of the new Orange Tea Box on Tuesday at 8pm.
Or
Could you suggest any bloggers interested in Orange Tea
(I hope that there isn’t an Orange Tea at this point)

You’ll get a few time wasters, but not too many. And you might get a good contact for that one.

But joining Twitter and just tweeting without following anyone will not get noticed. Look up “Network Effect” to see why twitter seems to work.

Get to know twitter clients (software applications) and search.twitter.com.

By the way, Bloggers aren’t looking for freebies. Most are looking for information. If blogger X writes about Tea, they will want to know all about Orange Tea. No freebies needed (unless you count images they can used and information as a freebie).

On that note, if you find that a blogger has blogged about Red tea, see if (s)he has contact details on their blog ans ask, if the blogger would be interested in the forthcoming Orange Tea. No press release, no clips.
Just your details, and why you’re mailing them.

It doesn’t smell like spam, because it isn’t. They may e-mail back abuse, they might accept.

Time consuming. Yes. Cost high.
Potential rewards, higher.

2) Don’t spam…
If you got someone for Orange Tea, they may be interested in Yellow Coffee.
ASK.
But that does not mean they want to be contacted for Blue Cars.
The Blue Cars mail would look like spam. A mail with “I see you were interested in Tea, could I interest you in coffee” wouldn’t. (It does sound automated, but you get my point).
Besides, you’re asking.
You’ve formed a relationship with the blogger, don’t destroy it really quickly.

However…
If you have formed a relationship, asking if they know someone interested in Blue Cars isn’t that spammy. Bloggers tend not to hoard information, if we did, we wouldn’t blog.
I’ve passed on info to people I know who blog about stuff (or are just friends interested in things).

But ask.

3) Read Blogs.
If you invite bloggers to do something, you should have read their blogs first.

Read other blogs. I know, long and boring work but look at what you are interested in only (at first). There are blogs about everything under the sun (and a few things that aren’t). Blogs on Make up. Blogs on Man U. Blogs on cars. Blogs on caravans. Blogs on rashers.

Blogs on PR.

Look at things. Get to know a feed reader.
This is a slow step. If you need a hand to hold, see step 1 to find one.

4) Audio blogs / podcasts
Listen to how others have done it.
F.I.R (For immediate Release, the Hobson and Holtz Report) is the big daddy in this arena. It’s also 90 mins long and twice a week.

For lighter listening, I’d suggest
“Media driving” or “Marketing Over Coffee”
Yes their focus is different, but they are short. Media Driving is 10 mins, Marketing over Coffee is rarely 30 mins. And only once a week. Think commute times.

They suggest others to listen to as well.

5) Join in.

You might be happy with twitter/facebook/linkedin/justsomerandomsite but by blogging (maybe blogging on PR/Shoes/Cars/Tea) you’ll see why.
For us its a hobby, not a job.
It’s called passion.

Do it yourself. If you can, say what you are working on. If not, blog on what you care about.

And finally…

The Irish blogging community is, surprisingly, a community.
I don’t know anyone who would visit me in hospital via blogs; but its happened (remembering tweets and people dropping food parcels off to people stuck on Casualty trolleys). Wandering up to a random person in a community centre and pitching to them is, well, silly.
Remember that when you want to talk to us.

Its better to ask for permission as a backlash is too late to ask for forgiveness (examples were given in the meeting).

Once we get to know you, we’ll let you screw up.

take care,

Will Knott

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• Collision ahead

And thus spake the Mulley

“The 2009 Irish Blog Awards shall take place on February 21 2009.

They shall be in Cork

And are open for nominations until January 14 2009

And they shall be good

except for the dancing”

moar funny pictures

This year there are 2219 categories

1. Best Popculture blog
2. Best Blog from a Journalist
3. Best Food/Drink Blog
4. Best Crafts Blog Best Fashion Blog
   
5. Best Arts and Culture Blog
6. Best Political Blog
7. Best Group Blog
8. Best Use of the Irish Language in a Blog
9. Best Technology Blog/Blogger
10. Best Sport & Recreation Blog
11. Best Designed Blog
12. Best News/Current Affairs Blog
13. Best Specialist Blog
14. Best Newcomer
15. Best Business Blog Best Blog of a Business
16. Best Music Blog
17. Special Recognition Award
18. Best Personal Blog
19. Best Humor Post Blog
    
20. Best Photo Blog
21. Best Blog Post
22. Best Blog (There is a best blog award, but its not a nominated one)

May the best bloggers win,
Will Knott

Update: somehow got the list very mixed up

This post has changed direction several times in the last three days.

At first I was going to write about green issues. What happened was that I bumped in to a pair of representatives for Change.ie, a government run site for creating a plan of action for environmental change and reducing Ireland’s (and maybe the world’s) carbon footprint. I told the reps that I was surprised that there hadn’t been blogger outreach to other blogs concerning green issues, and pointed out a few that I knew of.

One rep asked me to e-mail in the details of the sites, the idea was to get something of an aggregator going.

The first person who came to mind was Ms. Phoebe Bright…

who seems slightly miffed in this photo about what happened next.

Phoebe presented at the recent Open Coffee BBQ about energy, energy demand and a technological solutions to change the thinking currently driving our consumption habits. Well worth a read if you weren’t at teh presentation.

Also, how can I forget Greennav. Actually I did, which is why I e-mailed in the links. Greennav is an odd mix of a group blog in that anyone can add to it. So its one better than an aggregator, is something of a community. And yes its full of green hints and tips.

Even the landscape gardener Peter Donegan has added a collection of green hints and tips to his site.

And now a change in direction.

Ladies and gentlemen. Get them together, as the response from the government sources was “that’s nice, anyone can blog, go ahead”. Or a “we’ll do nothing thank you”.

This is one of those areas where we should collaborate, and double, nay triple the voices to get the messages, and actions out there. A green meme. Not just an internet meme but a get off our backsides and do something about it meme.

I’m just not sure what.

But its this tendency for collaboration which brings me to to the next change of directions, sponsored by Twenty Major and Adrian Weckler.

They have complained about the fact that …

1. We’re not angry and fighting enough. (But Mr Weckler things me are too angry).
2. We aim for consensus
3. We don’t do enough investigative journalism
4. Bloggers seem to be people who are fake

Well lets see.

I know that I don’t intend to ever get close to Granddad without a stab-proof vest, but the Irish blog-sphere is a small place. If you don’t count Bebo blogs, you could fit most of the Irish bloggers in a medium hotel for an awards ceremony. Because we are a small group, the chances of prolonged bickering are few. Grudges can be held, but so can tongues. And the word “community” tends to hold sway. (Besides, Twitter is the place for small short-lived Irish fire fights). And besides, Barcamps, Tweet-ups, Open Coffee clubs, photo-walks and general get-togethers happen enough to prevent full blown flame wars that lead to bits going missing.

As for a consensus. Well, the early Irish bloggers were either techies, or non-technical people in the technology industry (sometimes in the one person). In this world, standards mean a lot. Consensus gets the job done. And could a barcamp exist without consensus?

As for people who aren’t and don’t aspire to be investigative journalists not doing enough investigative journalism for Mr Wreckler’s liking. Well, circular logic only gets you so far. Maybe you would be willing to teach us the way, and teach us, using your blog or course, on how to do these investigations. I think a few hundred well trained (even if we are bored, lonely or angry) bloggers might do you some justice. (Besides you forgot about Maman Poulet teaching journalists how to do their jobs when it came to Michael Lynn).

And finally, “bloggers are fake”. Now he’s not talking about fiction blogs, nor blogs maintained by a fictional (or pseudonymous) character. He’s talking about people who create great blogs, to get employment, and once employed, stop blogging. I can only assume that he means people who want to write for a living, and are using their blog as a portfolio in the same way that an artist creates work for themselves, to get their own style (or voice) and use that portfolio as a way to become a writer.

Well, if they exist, and I actually expect that they do, then more luck to them. If the only reason they wrote was to get someone to pay for the writing, then isn’t it better that they stop blogging?

Can we all agree to that?

take care,
Will Knott

Haydn Shaughnessy response to Kathy Foley’s posts on the low standards of Irish blogging has me wondering. Wondering if I am indeed “inward looking, technical or incestuous”. Given that in a single sentence I’ve just linked to two Irish bloggers I have to declare guilty on the third count. But then again, surely bloggers of every country are indeed focusing on their countrymen and women.

The inward looking, well I don’t think I do much of that. Do I?

The too technical claim, well I might be able to do something about that. Fústar is looking for writers. Namely, “being the creation of a horror short story (interpreting “horror” however you wish) of no more than 500 words”. So I might call on my “evil” twin brother Ken to put in 500 words of twisting possibilities. 500 words is… not much. I’ve tried, and it’s hard to limit myself to 500. But it’s a challenge.

So, gentle reader, do you think things should get a little twisted and horror-struck around here?

take care,

Will

The leaving certificate results came out with a crisis. Too many people are not choosing honours maths.
The CAO / CAS results came out with a crisis. Too few people are choosing science and engineering courses.

If only we could make science sexy…

Well, we can’t. We can however make science a little more accessible. When I was young, computers were these strange untouchable standalone machines. Now… well the playstation generation is all grown up. No,it’s the Wii ones I’m wondering about. The intrigue of the machines has gone. The stories of new inventions are laid out in the papers.

That go unread by the target… kids.

Which is why I’m glad to hear that Tomorrow’s World is coming back to the BBC. The programme showcased pioneering science as well as inventions that never came into commercial use. It was a Top Gear for science, full of cool stuff and the vaguely silly.

However I think it inspired techie people in these islands. And I’m wondering if Irish TV (yes, sorry mass market and all that) should be showing more of this type of thing.

For example, ready to roll and already broadcasting is The Lab with Leo LaPorte (responsible for so many good (sometimes) tech podcasts) and the Labrats spinoff.

And for all thing Irish, I’ve already mentioned Intruders TV Ireland brought to us by Edgecast Media. Expand these interviews (or include them in a larger tech themed regular night and…

Would that help increase the size tech generation?

Just wondering,
Will

tags : leaving certificate, maths, mathematics, CAO, science, engineering, Tomorrow’s World, BBC, Irish, TV, televison, The Lab, Leo LaPorte, Labrats, Intruders TV, Intruders TV Ireland, Edgecast, TV3

And we’re off…

As speculated Bertie Ahern requested that Mary McAleese disolve the 29th dáil today (about 30 mins ago).

Jounalists recieved phone calls at 6am to be in position at Áras…
… so it’s planned.

The election for Dáil 30 will be on May 24th 2007.
The manifestos are being delivered now… Pity, I woundered if we could have set up the Irish Bloggers Party for the election (no problems getting access to the count if you’re a candidate).

Take care,
Will

politics, irish, dail, election