Making information work

A possibly childishly naive plan, but all the same:

Force a country in Africa into the twenty first century, and watch the entire region flourish.

The idea is hardly new, and hardly mine, but I believe that I came up with the idea without any major external influence. Except perhaps another highly influential college teacher of mine - Herschel Stern of MiraCosta College. Anyways, the plan assumes several things:

• Lots of money. Billions and billions of dollars. (You know, the same amount of money spent on a certain war now, but destined to save the world rather than destroy it…)
• An African country without too much corruption
• An African country leader willing to accept foreign intervention
• UN and general world backing
• Lots and lots of time

That was the easy part. Now comes the difficult stuff. How do you force a country into the twenty first century? Or rather, in what areas does your typical African country trail your typical western European country? Naturally, several areas. Some of the ones I have identified as important are:

1. Infrastructure (road, rail, telecom etc.)
2. Health (sanitation, educated doctors/nurses, supply of clean water etc.)
3. Education
4. Entreprenurial support

If you solved these four general areas in 25 years in any African country, would you have a totally different nation? I dare not guess, but I can not imagine that the country in question would be worse off. Now, how do we address these four major problem areas?

Infrastructure
We need to build roads. We need to build rail lines. We need to build a digital communications network. I see that with the initial assumptions satisfied, this is the easiest of the four. Fly in a large amount of heavy machinery, educate men and women on their operation, and aid them in the creation of a highway network. Understandably there will be discussions about what cities will be connected at first, and what routing the highways will have, but this will be discussed and decided. Peacefully. As we lay roads and railroads across the nation, we at the same time embed fiber/copper-wires used for communication, as well as sewer pipes etc. These will probably not be used for a while, but the network needs to exist when called upon.

Health
The first day in the nation, we will announce that we are looking for thousands of people willing to spend 5-20 years abroad studying medicine. It is important that we force this transfer of knowledge to the local population rather than filling the need for doctors solely with foreign skills. Perhaps the 5-20 years will be performed in a local school rather than abroad to ensure that the knowledge really stays local, I dont know about this really. While the bulk of our future nurses and doctors are in school we will naturally be forced to bring in foreign personnel, but only temorarily.

While the education is going on, we need to bring clean water to all. I imagine that this could be done by creating a regional network of deep drilled wells, mechanically tapped, and distributed by a new network of water pipes. All work here will be done by local talent, of course - perhaps with the aid of external consultants, but absolutely with the main focus of ensuring that the next time the external consultans should not be needed.

Religion and culture willing, I think that birth control education will be needed here as well. With the increased sanitation we will have a dramatic improvement in child health and a resulting population explosion otherwise.

Education
The same way as with doctors - we will immediately gather thousands and thousands of people willing to dedicate themselves to become highly qualified educators and ensure that they are given the opportunity. In country or abroad, I dont know. While we have the bulk becoming educators, we might want to bring in external teachers to get a head start. They will educate in many exciting areas, such as “becoming a teacher”, “starting your own company” and “how to use a computer”.

Local teachers coming back from the educating experience will be placed across the country in their own school houses, and start spreading knowledge. Skills such as reading and writing will become widespread, and result in a positive spiral of more and more people gaining more and more skills and knowledge.

Entrepreneurial support
My plan clearly demands lots of labor, lots of planning, lots of project management. As far as humanly possible, all of these demands should be satisfied with local talent. I guarantee that someone wants to drive a truck. Someone definetly wants to manage a fleet of trucks and plan their routes. Someone absolutely positively wants to design a network of roads to be built using trucks. These are all small and large companies, and the people with the skill set and the vision need to be supported.

This support can come in the form of a micro loan, education, mentorship, or simply a working company to jump into the driving seat of.

Now - would this work? I have no idea. I estimate that finding the country would be more difficult than finding the money. Also, I understand that there are logistical and cultural issues that I have not even begun touching here, as well as a fairly generous dose of old-fashioned “David is naive”.

On the other hand, I have become tired of not seeing enough action. This is my answer. I plan to develop this plan to perfection, and eventually plant it in front of someone from the UN, get the money and do it. Realistic? Probably not. The best I can do? Possibly. The only way I imagine that I can save the world from itself? Absolutely.

David

Long and perhaps uninteresting question to some, but I wonder - I have seen quite a lot of traffic coming from Technorati and other US (mainly) blog sites, probably from their “recently updated”-lists.

So, the question is this - should there be a service that pings blog aggregators during peak time periods, independent of time zone? Basically, should the ping be delayed until most of the US is awake, looking for blog-updates? Or am I aided by being one of the few(ish) who ping Technorati when normal Americans are asleep?

I don’t know … if you have head of a time-delay-pinging-service, let me know. I will test and compare.

David

I have always considered myself somewhat of a natural learner when it comes to anything technical. I have without difficulty done reasonably well in many aspects of working life to prove that, but there are some clear failures as well.

The one I think of most often is my total inability to master anything Linux. I have no problem dealing with any aspect of a Windows system, do well with my new love (Macbook Pro), but I have failed miserably many times with Linux. Each time I have made the decision that “now it is time”, installed Red Hat, and gone to work. Or rather, gone to school - it has been one tragedy after another at this point. The systems have become rather easy to install, but when you need to install any program (any, I swear) you need to add parts of to the OS, and be a general magician. When application installation is a one-double-click-affair on Linux, I think it will take over the world. Until then, it remains in Jolt Cola infested cellars.

Another of my failures is much more recent. Like 10 minutes old. It has to do with adding and manipulating plugins for the Wordpress application used to create the website you are currently reading. In theory, adding a plugin is the easiest thing in the world. You upload it, go to the “plugin”-page, and press “activate”. Ta-da! Done! Well, ta-da in most cases - right now, when I am trying to show you what are the most popular posts here, it says that it was successfully installed, but alas there is nothing. No warning, no indication of impeeding doom. Just nothing.

Oh well, one new plugin worked - the “Share This” found on the bottom. Much better than all those little icons from yesterday.

When I worked as a computer support technician, I secretly blessed Microsoft for owning the software world - it made life easier for me. I needed only to know one system, everything was compatible etc. Why does not Wordpress do something of the same? Why not force certain fields into all templates so that plugins are guaranteed to work?

David

Ok, courtesy of Google Maps and local Swedish talent http://www.hitta.se/, please find below images of all houses / apartments I have lived in during my lovely life.

  

  

David

During my time spent in the US recently, I was often confronted with the fact that Sweden has for a long time been associated with the “Swedish Model” which is “scary socialism” which is “almost communism” which makes me “basically a Soviet citizen”.

It was not without some rather overpowering and sometimes rather upset arguing that I managed to separate myself from the common commie.

Lately, however, I have gladly taken steps in the opposite direction. Not by arguing “everything for everybody” or “down with capitalism”, rather by enjoying vodka - the liquid of life. I have tried several brands, with Ketel One being the absolute favorite. (Note the clever word-play there - pun absolutely intended. Oh, I did it again!)

It took a while for me to accept the fact that the Swedish contribution to the vodka world, Absolut, is nothing more than a descent mixer. It was a painful conclusion, but true all the same. The other supposedly good vodkas, like the Goose, Belvedere and the likes simply can not hold a candle to my lovely Ketel One.

How would I suggest consuming Ketel One? Simple: shake over ice, pour into a nice martini glass, enjoy. Vermouth? Do not even consider it - if you look at the bottle, you have gone to far. Lemon/olive/cucumber? This is not a sallad, my friend, this is pure pleasure.

Please note how there is a heart between myself and this lovely martini. Clearly, Ketel One makes you clever as well…

David

To create more jobs, the right wing party spoke a lot about aiding and helping people start their own businesses here in Sweden. Apart from Swedes generally being cowards, there are several other hinders in the way towards this goal. (Bureaucracy isn’t one of them, I think. I started a sole propreitorship here with relative ease.)

I think the main problem is the lack of support with structure and capital. How does one solve this? I think the best way to answer the question is to ask yourself what the situation is like for the people with the ideas. I believe that the people with the million dollar (and billion dollar) ideas (I will describe the fine details of my two idea types later - but you get the general concept) are people with no time on their hands, and certainly no spare money. These are people with constant exposure to problems and un-smart solutions. Like single mothers. Like overworked secretaries. Like stressed out students.

What do they have? Only a great idea. How to ease parenting, how to effectively manage documents, or how to optimize the reselling of used books. There are ideas for products, services, new items, improved items - you name it, these people have it.

Will this group of people spend money on a patent, a web bureau, a marketing team, etc. to get their product/service/idea to market? Of course not. What will happen with the idea? Most likely, it will be forgotten, and the world will be a worse place because of it.

This is where the perfect business incubator comes in. It needs to do several things:

1. Be open at night
2. Be low key, and not scare away anybody. The unemployed cleaner with an idea for an improved bucket design should not be intimidated by ties and corporate attitudes
3. Build trust
4. Provide every possible business service

Lots more, of course, but this is a good start. How will it make money? Like every other incubator - by taking a stake in the idea. How will it be significantly different? By helping the inventor develop the idea in addition to developing the inventor / entrepreneur him- or herself.

The incubators today simply do not offer this. They take a stake and offer you a place in their building, with support from “mentors” and “seminars”. Not really what I need - I want someone to take my idea and run with it. Put me in a room with 10 creative madmen, and let them play around with the idea until it is marketable. Then give it to a web developer, a web designer, and make it digital visible. Then form a company, create a selling organization, and make some money.

With some work, I think this is an idea that can work. I can ID the superb ideas. Can you finance them?

David

Ok, call me a total geek - but I just picked up an apartement in Second Life, as well as a nice set of furniture. And take a look at that TV! If you also partake in the joy of this virtual world, and want to join me in my apartment just say so.

David

(Be warned - I am not in my best mood right now. This would be an optimal time to take a look at the page “Disclamer” up top.)

A Swede, clearly, is a coward. One who has a hard time making a decision, one who talks a lot and does nothing. He will claim that he is careful, or the opposite of hasty at least, and that he is being “cool”. While he is cool, 10 other people are running right past him.

Why are people so scared to putting themselves on the line? Just doing things when they absolutely positively know that they will work? Where are the chance takers? Where are the brave souls?

Oh yeah, they are in a club somewhere, sipping neat Cragganmore, smoking #4’s, and thinking about all the cowards they ran past on their way to the top.

David

David

I enjoyed a highly educational antropology experience with Dr. Lynne Miller in Mira Costa College a couple of years ago. She taught us about life, the universe and everything - and I have rarely gone a day without reflecting on one of all the things she taught me.

Today I reflected on a lesson where she discussed how an ape, when put in front of a mirror clearly could understand that it was looking at itself. This was “proven” by applying paint to the top of the apes head, and watching the reaction. As could be expected (since you know the outcome) the ape touched its own head.

This morning I walked around with my cat at home, and stopped in front of the mirror. She looked everywhere except at the mirror. I remembered seeing the exact same behavior earlier - but it was not until today that it puzzled me.

Why does a cat always look straight at another cat, but never at itself?

David

I would definetly consider myself as one with a bit of insight into the search engine optimization (SEO) field. Which is not particularly odd, considering that I have worked in it for several years. Part of my advice to clients during that time has been to ensure that non-dynamic, keyword rich URLs build their site.

Now, why am I in this blog going against said advice?

To prove a point. To myself more than anybody - I now claim that the URL has significantly less weight when it comes to search engine visibility success than it has in the past, and I want to test that theory on myself before I say that same thing officially to a client. A & B testing might be difficult, considering I can not produce two identical blogs, one with the dynamic URLs and one without… Ill probably simply be forced to guesstimate gain / loss in visibility with these dynamic URLs. I will report when I have something to report.

David

I try to listen to music a lot. More often than not, I listen when walking to and from work, at work, at home, when I ride the bus, the train, when I take walks in the forest. Pretty much always. So I would probably be considered an active user of my MP3-player (a 60GB iPod Photo). All things considered, I am happy with my choice - but this happiness only appeared after I came to a painful conclusion:

MP3 players and ear buds break. Often. Way more often than one could expect considering their price.

This is how I handle the pain of looking down at my iPod (exchanged for a new one several times during this year) when it gives me the error message of death: I think of it as an expensive piece of fruit. Often passion fruit. All things considered, passion fruit is crazy expensive - you get several bananas for one passion fruit - but I still invest because it gives me short lived pleasure. Just like any MP3 player of set of ear buds.

David

I have with great interest seen a couple of firms around me here in Sweden and around the world do quite well supporting companies with digital communications in the B2C environment, and in some cases with B2B communications. The channel that lies closes to me experience-wise is search engines and search engine optimization, and this is a channel that is used with success in both the B2C and B2B arenas.

The interesting thing about these two types of communication use new exciting channels not at the same time, but one after another. Basically, the B2C guys test things first, then the B2B guys go ahead after a while. Why? Don’t know - maybe they are more conservative, maybe the customers have different demands. But who gets the new exiting channel when even B2B has “been there” and “done that”? Me, thats who.

And who do I introduce and modify the channel for? The investor relations department - this supremely important, yet digital-communications-wise often overlooked, group of people communicate with investors, journalists, top-tier students primarily and need to get the word out!

That is what I do. I get the word out. Which is truly exiting, and at the same time extremely difficult since measuring points are difficult to define. But I have probably never had this much fun in my life - I learn more every day now than I probably ever have. I will in the future potentially describe a project flow with brief, process, and result - but disclosure rules keep me from that now.

David

I am employed as a communications consultant at the Stockholm based financial communications consultancy Hallvarsson & Halvarsson.

That being said, this is my private blog. The contents of this blog is created on my free time, using my personal computer and internet connection. In addition, the views expressed here are not necessarily the views of my employer. Any and all statements made by me here, dumb or not, should not be considered statements made by my employer.

Thank you for understanding.

David

I have always considered myself brave - one to not fear doing things scary or potentially dangerous. This has always been true in many different areas of my life. It has not, however, always been a consideration clearly followed. I am, for example, scared to death of even the thought of performing an bungy jump.

The area I want to talk about here is another completely: the realization of ideas. Considering the field I work in, the experience I have, the people I surround myself with, and the interests that dominate my private life, it should not come as a suprise that almost all of my ideas come in the form of web based services. These ideas have come to me since I was rather young, and I have always been quite enthusiastic about them. Again, a core part of my life/personality is endless (and unfortunately often short lived) enthusiasm.

Now, the realization of these dreams has been anything but smooth. To be painfully honest, I must say that I do not think that I have fully completed the creation and marketing of any of these services. The main phases I have gone through are:

1. Developing & designing everything myself
2. Developing myself & buying design-templates
3. Having friends develop with purchased design templates
4. Have external developers develop with purchased design templates

The cost of each phase has naturally increased - if I do everything myself the only cost is time. Templates from are relatively cheap ($50), friends are cheap (traditionally they have been paid in a steak of the idea), and the external services I have used are reasonable. I found a developer through Rent A Coder who did fairly sophisticated software for a couple of hundred of dollars.

Why have none of these schemes worked? Lack of dedicated time from me is naturally a huge part - but also a lack of funds. To develop, design and market a functioning service and turn an idea into a money making business I can not see anything happening without several tens of thousands of dollars at the very least. Working with anything less simply makes the time-to-market to completely unreasonable.

So, the problem is this: how do I find money and time to develop one of the many ideas I have that I know can make money? I see only two alternatives:

1. Create a strong business plan and find venture capital
2. Create a strong business plan and take a personal loan

Clearly, the pros and cons of each option are powerful: in option one I take less of a personal financial risk, yet lose a significant portion of the company, and vice versa in option two. Which is easier? Probably option two. At least if I am not looking for the massive amounts of money. Which brings time-to-market down? Absolutely option one. The more money, the more resources, the quicker the realization.

This all brings me to the original thought here: to follow my honor codex of charging ahead where others stay put, do I need to apply for this loan and for once in my life make an idea reality? Is it cowardly to create the strongest business plan I know and sending it to venture cap firms? I expect that I will initially try going with option one, and see how difficult the venture cap field is to navigate. Oh, if you are in need of some help with creating a professional and strong business plan - check this out.

David

This past christmas I recieved a very generous gift from my sister Linnea from Los Angeles: the full Monty Python DVD collection. Superb. My favorite episode is probably the “Fish Slapping Dance”. Comedy at its greatest.

Anyways, I am trying to repay Linnea by creating a nice site that hopefully helps her in her quest towards recognition in the acting field. I haven’t really begun fully yet, but I expect to be finished a couple of months after she sends me the pictures needed. She is a nice looking girl - don’t you think?

David

OK, so clearly I need an iPhone. As I said earlier - my iPod is dying. And new phones are simply my oxygen. But is there something strange going on with this thing? Is it too good to be true? Is there a catch? I can think of a couple:

• No 3G. This means slower speeds. The focused a lot on the wifi, but I have never been impressed with mobile wifi. Particularly not in combination with a lot of different POP-mail accounts. The combination means a lot of changes to SMTP-servers depending on what connection is in use etc.
• Battery time. My Sony Ericsson M600i has terrible battery capacity. Needs charging easily every day, sometimes during the day. How will a phone with a huge screen be able to deal with this?
• Business connectivity. I sync against my the Microsoft Exchange server at work using push technology. Considering how awfully regular OSX integrates into a Windows Server world, I am guessing that I will have the same difficulties with the phone.
• Reliability / Robustness. The thing is gorgeous, but can it deal with the strain of daily use?
• Heat. It will be really warm, and burn my ear.

Yeah, I know: I am just grabbing at straws there at the end. But I am guessing that this will be a somewhat difficult product to create without some serious drawbacks or flaws. Bloggers in Sweden are speculating that the 3G issue will be solved when it is launched in Europe. I wonder if they will have time to really introduce such a huge change during the second half of the year - it hinges on flawless integration into the US GSM-system, no doubt.

David

He just said that Apple is introducing 3 new revolutionary items today:

1. Widescreen iPod
2. Mobile Phone
3. Internet communicator

All in ONE DEVICE!!! Argh…

Update #1: They are claiming that this thing is the first with multi touch screen - I thought Neonode did that years ago?

Update #2: Europe in Q4 2007? Asia in 2008?? Are you kidding me?

Update #3: $499 for 4GB and $599 for 8GB. Reasonable - but on one slide it says that this is with a 2 year agreement with Cingular. Does that mean that it will be much more without?

David

Clearly, we are in the middle of another late 90’s IT boom right now. Web services are being sold left and right for insane money - look at YouTube, Skype, OnGame, and here in Sweden, Blocket. Many might be scared, and consider the sums dumb - but they rarely are.

The big difference now is that the services being traded are profitable, or at least fully functional with a superb position in the market. That is a major change since the last boom - look at perhaps the most scary example from back then - Boo.com - which spent hundreds of millions of dollars without ever really doing anything.

Now, how does one get a piece of this cake? I see many different possibilities. One is to focus on creating a service with positive cash flow, the other is to create a service with a large and active community. The second might be easier, and perhaps better for your exit. Why not start out with a forum very focused on something you are really interested in? The tipping point where a very focused forum might go nuts is not impossible to reach.

Another idea is to use your internet marketing skills to generate a lot of relevant search engine traffic and monetize through affiliate programs. Or even simply purchase the traffic directly to the affiliate programs. Most of the affiliate systems give good statistics - they tell you how much the average person makes per 100 referals, and this gives you an idea how much you can afford to pay for each visitor.

I think that for the motivated and driven, there is no better time than now to make a good idea a reality, and to turn that idea into an early retirement. Give it a try - I know I am.

David

Or is that a lie? I know that I often damn things because they dont work, but I am guessing that is nothing but an illusion. Much easier to remember the bad times… But right now, there is an insane sound going of in my neighborhood - some electric power station at a building site close by is making a high pitched crazy noise. It is driving me insane…there is no way I can sleep with this noise.

Now this is scary … it has been going on for hours, and in the middle of me writing about it - it STOPS! Thank god. I think I might be going to bed now…

David