Baron VC

I use IMified a lot lately. It’s basically an instant messenger interface to a variety of web services including Google Calendar, a variety of blog platforms, and task list managers among others. Recently they even added twitter!

I use Remember The Milk for my task list management combined with the indespensible Remember the Milk Widget (for macs) and import that into iCal to cover all my bases. I can easily add tasks to this using IMified. You can also define short cuts for easy access instead of going through a cascade of selections to trigger actions. For me, I define all short cuts as a number of ”/”s instead of giving it a short name like “rtm” because it saves typing and can easily become a reflex.

I usually twitter from Twitterific since it’s easily accessible from the menu bar but I could twitter from my IM if I’m already chatting.

Twitter is the new IM suited for a web savvy culture. It’s like a party room or a web-based IRC open to non-geeks and on a global scale. If you overhear an interesting conversation, just join in or if you’re seeking attention blurt something out.

So where’s that leave IM? Sure it’s a great middle of the road solution between getting on the phone and email but what’s there to guarantee the other person’s online or really wants to chat? A lot of times chat will be running for hours if not days with little to no activity. Otherwise I’d be too distracted to do anything.

Twitter can be the “new IM” and IM can be the new command line. Why bother with the command line in a 2.0 world? Just like hardcore geeks and programmers start gravitating toward the command line, the more intensely you use something the more you want to cut through the junk. Do you really need to be clicking through an endless stream of links and images just to do one thing? Just like experienced programmers can move files around and do a whole slew of stuff quicker by typing a variety of shortcuts into a text terminal, experience web users want more power.

The IM is a wonderful platform to serve as the web’s command line simply because it’s universally available to many web users. For example, if I want to add something to my task list, I start a chat with IMified and type ”/ add this task” and that’s it instead of clicking the RTM book mark, another tab, and then typing the message and submit. Much quicker.

I can definitely see more “command line” type controls becoming prevalent for power users as AJAX & Flash narrow the gap in the eye candy department.

I use IMified a lot lately. It’s basically an instant messenger interface to a variety of web services including Google Calendar, a variety of blog platforms, and task list managers among others. Recently they even added twitter!

I use Remember The Milk for my task list management combined with the indespensible Remember the Milk Widget (for macs) and import that into iCal to cover all my bases. I can easily add tasks to this using IMified. You can also define short cuts for easy access instead of going through a cascade of selections to trigger actions. For me, I define all short cuts as a number of ”/”s instead of giving it a short name like “rtm” because it saves typing and can easily become a reflex.

I usually twitter from Twitterific since it’s easily accessible from the menu bar but I could twitter from my IM if I’m already chatting.

Twitter is the new IM suited for a web savvy culture. It’s like a party room or a web-based IRC open to non-geeks and on a global scale. If you overhear an interesting conversation, just join in or if you’re seeking attention blurt something out.

So where’s that leave IM? Sure it’s a great middle of the road solution between getting on the phone and email but what’s there to guarantee the other person’s online or really wants to chat? A lot of times chat will be running for hours if not days with little to no activity. Otherwise I’d be too distracted to do anything.

Twitter can be the “new IM” and IM can be the new command line. Why bother with the command line in a 2.0 world? Just like hardcore geeks and programmers start gravitating toward the command line, the more intensely you use something the more you want to cut through the junk. Do you really need to be clicking through an endless stream of links and images just to do one thing? Just like experienced programmers can move files around and do a whole slew of stuff quicker by typing a variety of shortcuts into a text terminal, experience web users want more power.

The IM is a wonderful platform to serve as the web’s command line simply because it’s universally available to many web users. For example, if I want to add something to my task list, I start a chat with IMified and type ”/ add this task” and that’s it instead of clicking the RTM book mark, another tab, and then typing the message and submit. Much quicker.

I can definitely see more “command line” type controls becoming prevalent for power users as AJAX & Flash narrow the gap in the eye candy department.

What the hell is wrong with some of these internet services??? Are they on a suicide mission to kill their market position? Now that they build up a formidable presence or get bought up by a big corporation they seem to dedicate all their energy to screw up the great things they have.

Okay, your service is stable, the code base is mature, and maybe growth isn’t what it was. However, you still have the undisputed lead. You still have a great community! So what do you do? Screw your users over for kicks of course. I mean, really guys, it takes a lot of effort to destroy the loyalty you built up but you’re certainly doing a good job. Bastards.

Two notable examples stand out in recent times: Flickr’s “integration” with Yahoo! and Digg’s suicidal policy against top contributors. At least Flickr’s got a multi-million dollar acquisition (I’m assuming). Still, either way it’s a waste. You want to kill enthusiasm in the product that was the darling of A-list bloggers only days ago? Here are some things for you to do.

Force Users to Do Something they Don’t Want to Do

The best example of this is Flickr’s recent move to force all customers (from Flickr’s startup days as well) to integrate their accounts with Yahoo! accounts. WTF? There are so many reasons I don’t like Yahoo IDs starting with the fact that it’s a total piece of crap.  They suck on so many levels it’s ridiculous.  First, all the decent IDs are taken to the point that any Yahoo! ID I choose looks more like a freakin’ secure password than anything remotely resembling a proper identity. Yeah! Sign me up as b4r0nVC9923874ftw@yahoo.com or better yet 27878264_hot_blogger823974@yahoo.com you pricks. If those aren’t taken already!!! I’m sure they are. Why not just assign me a random identity?

Not only that, in their supreme concern to protect me from evil phishers taking over my crap account they log me out every 5 minutes or make me re-enter my password. Maybe there wouldn’t be so many phishers and scammers if you didn’t give them their crap accounts to start with? Integration makes a lot of sense I’m sure. It’s like finding out your super hot girlfriend comes from a family of homeless drug addicts and you’re expected to fit in and live with them. Right.

Distrust Your Most Loyal Customers

Shoot first and ask questions later. Assume all users are a spammer or scammer unless they provide a valid credit card, home address, daytime phone number, and verified photograph taken in the last 6 months. Especially the ones who’ve been around longer, they’re the most suspicious. At least that’s Digg’s policy. What the hell do they need from me to know that I’m not trying to ruin their service? Fingerprints and a sworn oath of allegiance? Maybe they should outsource their customer service to the Department of Homeland Security’s anti-terrorism department.

Is it any wonder their stories are crap lately? A hefty portion of front page stories are now submitted by virtually anonymous crap accounts.

I don’t know how they pulled a Britney Spears but they did. Just a couple months ago they were the hottest blonde on the block and now you have a bald, fat drug addict with a growing assortment of tattoos, a divorce, and kids burning through whatever money she had. At least Britney’s in rehab. She knows she has a problem. I wish I could say the same for Digg. Can you say train wreck 2.0? Who the hell is going to buy you now? By the time you come to senses even K-Fed will be able to afford you.

Closing Remarks

Oh well, you’re only as hot as your closest competitor allows you to be or another hot service comes on the radar. Every web company’s time is limited. Think twice before you start alienating customers. If you can’t improve something the best policy is to leave it alone. Don’t break something that isn’t broken. If you have the dying urge to do something build another freakin’ site or go buy another hot startup but please, just please, let the people who support you support you. That’s all I ask.