Taking bets on the first application of this technology... audio billboards. You're stuck at a red light when you hear the Coca-Cola jingle, then the bodacious babe lounging across the street sighs at you, then you hear the crack of the Coke can and the fizz just pours over you. We will be forced to wear ear plugs in public, or install sound-deflecting glass.

Second topic... As the number of postings grow on WebWord, so does the need for new forum software. Moveable Type simply does not lend itself to conversations. You cannot easily check back for new messages, be notified when someone replies to your message, etc.

OK, ok, how about this. Keep Moveable Type. Install secondary forum software. Then we can post our own links and follow conversations in the forum. The WebWord front page will remain John's best finds, and his best picks from what he sees in the forums.

Posted by: Jack on August 9, 2002 07:34 PM

 

John doesn't like tinkering with system configs, Jack. ;)

Besides, the forum software would have to be tied into MT so that new links automatically have a thread attached to them. There are too many links posted here to do it manually.

Suggestions?

Posted by: MadMan on August 9, 2002 08:13 PM

 

Nonononono... MT would continue to operated as-is. The forum software would be separate, for in-depth discussions on various topics, most not directly related to John's links. Not the best solution, but better than completely scrapping MT.

Posted by: Jack on August 9, 2002 08:27 PM

 

I've thought about using some flavor of WiKi. I've thought about setting up a bulletin board. I've thought about tweaking the Movable Type configs. I've thought about switching to other blog tools. I've thought about many things, oh yes, many things...

I think the best solution is the most interesting: Setting up a registration system. Now, if I could get help building this...things could get quite interesting. Quite interesting indeed.

I've said different times I would like to turn this into a major news site focused on usability and related topics. Be the source of usability news. And yes, I do mean the source. I'm also talking about creating research reports, selling advertising, covering conferences in real-time, speaking at many more conferences, and even creating a usability magazine. What would it mean for WebWord to be the usability media source? It means generating money.

(Money? Jack throws a chair at John. John ducks, just in time!)

WebWord is getting ready to grow or die. I think we all feel it in the air. I'd rather ride the wave and make this work. Imagine a publishing company focused on usability and related topics. Seriously consider how 3-4 people (Rhodes, MadMan, Jack, and Mac?) could be the producers, writers, editors, of WebWord. A usability media company. I'm throwing this idea out there for people to see and to gasp! I've never even mentioned this outlandish idea to those guys. Ha!

Still, it is an idea I think is wild and crazy. A hardcore group of 3-4 folks focused on usability. Posting news. Giving web sites a hard time. Attacking and forking all the stupid usability ideas we can find, left and right.

Would people subscribe? Would they buy our reports? Would they listen to us at conferences? Would people go to WebWord conferences? Would people watch our videos and listen to our radio show? Imagine usability for the common person. A consumer reports company but with a focus on usability. Heck, maybe it would mean being the Jerry Springers of usability. We'd reach a lot of people, do a lot of good, and have a lot of fun.

The trick is this...is there a market demand? By the way, there is no reason why the WebWord Usability Media Company would focus on the web. Oh no, it would attack all things that suck. We could complain, critique, improve, and enhance...any kind of product or service.

Heck, I think I am almost ready to subscribe. What are your thoughts? What you say!?

(Note to self: Asia = MadMan, Europe = Mac, Jack and John = Americas.)

Posted by: John S. Rhodes on August 9, 2002 08:52 PM

 

Did I really just post all that? Boy, if someone can make sense of it, let me know. ;-)

Posted by: John S. Rhodes on August 9, 2002 08:53 PM

 

I don't think there's a market for news. The newspapers have yet to figure this out -- the bulk of their revenue is from classifieds, right? The usability community is much smaller and there are many HCI news sources as-is. And what do you know about the journalistic background of me, MadMan and Mac? Or our HCI background?

There is a need for community, ala Slashdot. I'm the only usability person where I work. I cling to WebWord because it isn't just a place where I can read news. I can post my opinion and have someone tell me I have my head up my ass. There are regulars who hang out here, and so it has a sense of place. However, selling community is a different matter.

We can blog news links, tear apart web sites and such. But if we wrote reports, I wouldn't feel like anymore an expert than Zeldman. I guess that's the trick. What makes you an expert is sounding like an authority, not credentials or portfolios. If you sound good, you're gold.

I think there's a market for heuristic analysis. Inexpensive web site analysis based on recognized HCI issues. No testing, just picking the brain of an expert.

Posted by: Jack on August 9, 2002 09:23 PM

 

You have your head up your ass, Jack.

Posted by: Kung Pao on August 10, 2002 12:13 AM

 

I guess that makes me Jackass.

But for Mac's statistical purposes, I'll remain Jack.

Posted by: Jack on August 10, 2002 12:48 AM

 

The trick is this...is there a market demand?
There's an obvious demand for feel-good propaganda loosely related to usability, user experience, etc. Selling to the credulous appears to work well! There are few people or organizations that take any interest in critically assessing this propaganda, so it’s just a matter of who’s the best at influencing and deluding others into giving you their business.

There are a couple of notable exceptions: usability.gov (funded by US taxpayers) and a few researchers and researcher/consultants that critically assess the information they use while encouraging others to do the same (such as Bob Bailey).

Posted by: Ron Zeno on August 10, 2002 11:56 AM

 

Hey, Bob Bailey works for that nutty company that's trying to sell everyone a "Certified usability specialist" piece of paper, isn't he?

I don't need yet another "certification" in an industry where half the answers are "it depends".

Mr. Rhodes, I think your question is getting lost in this thread. Try posting it fresh. This doesn't concern sound devices.

Posted by: Kung Pao on August 11, 2002 09:37 AM

 

Bob Bailey works for that nutty company
Guilty by association, "Kung Pao"? You are quick with a poorly thought-out attack. Propaganda. What's your agenda, and why not show that you can critically assess instead?

Actually, Bob has his own company. HFI ("nutty company") just markets the class.

Posted by: Ron Zeno on August 11, 2002 10:02 AM

 

HFI has a branch here in India, it seems, though I've never read of them anywhere in the news. Once, they spammed me with an offer for their services. (Well, seeing I only signed up for their newsletter, sending me a marketing message *was* spam.) I sent a mail back explaining that I was in a related business myself. So what does the Indian rep do? He turns around and sends me a mail (with huge attachments) extolling the virtues of their certification. Bah! Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Poking around the HFI site reveals that Mr. Bailey is "Chief Scientist". And he has his own company?

Posted by: MadMan on August 11, 2002 03:11 PM

 

Mr. Bailey is "Chief Scientist". And he has his own company?
Yep, though it looks like his relationship with HFI may have changed in the past year or so. He's never allowed anyone else to teach his "Annual User Interface Update" course (which I highly recommend. I've attended nine years or so). It probably coincides with Eric Schaffer's contributions to the newsletter (which I rarely find to be very informative).

Posted by: Ron Zeno on August 11, 2002 05:34 PM