Is "Old" Twitter almost gone?

As adoption of any Technology occurs, the creators scramble (sometimes chaotically, sometimes in an agile fashion) to "make it scale." That means that there have to be refinements to the version that more and more people are growing to love. At some point, changes need to be made, because the way the "original" version may not have been built with 100 Million users in mind. So, it's a natural cycle, that more and more of us are getting comfortable with. It's the cost of being an early adopter.

So the dilemma, specifically in the case of the "Original" Twitter (I'm speaking strictly in terms of Twitter.com as a web application, mainly it's User Interface  (UI) design and the overall User Experience (UX)), what about those folks who happen to prefer the [now] old way of using this cutting-edge technology? It's common with any product, be it software or cupcakes. What usually changes as a technology evolves, in this case, Twitter, is that fewer and fewer people make up the pool of users/customers who cling to the original way of interacting with Twitter.

It's an obvious part of a cycle you'll see in any product's lifespan. What I'm particularly interested in though, are those things that "weren't broke." What about the simplicity and esthetic things that were perfectly fine, if not superior to the latest offering? Once people get involved, the product naturally evolves, I get that, but has anyone bothered to quantify the absolute absurdity of what gets pitched out?

Full disclosure, I have absolutely no particular insight or connection to Twitter other than being someone who struggles separating the business value from the sheer chaos of inane chatter. Turns out it's very possible; in fact, you can even use it quite effectively in small business, without any kind of credentials. And that's a blessing and a curse. Who's not claiming to be a Social Media expert at this point? As with any true Professional service, there are some winners and some real losers. Check the type of work they claim to have done. Don't assume that you're hiring someone who is going to love it as much or make the same kinds of decisions you would make. Which leads us to the other extreme, micro-management and over-controlling projects, but that's another can of worms.

In a nutshell, I'd love to hear your thoughts on:

a) Quantifying the value of all of the projects we've worked on over the years that have been thrown away at some point.

b) Do you think there's enough interest in the Old Twitter, to keep it around? Every time I log in now, It threatens that it will change "very  soon." :(

Feel free to leave your comments below...

Bridging the Digital and Physical worlds

Bridging the Digital and Physical worlds

As tech-savvy consumers, our "digital" life continues to diverge from our "physical" life. This is great for some things, where privacy is of utmost concern. But for businesses who are trying to market or promote a brand, product, etc., bridging the gap between your customers Inbox and local Cash Registers is a challenge. I.e. "How do you drive online traffic to brick and mortar locations?"

BumperTwit is an effort to aid in that process. Our primary business objective is to provide a High Quality product to businesses for a low cost. A reasonable product for a reasonable price. What I discounted was the Personal Consumer market, because frankly, putting your own personal Twitter ID, E-Mail address, Phone Number, etc. on anything public, is probably not a wise idea. I figured that individuals simply wouldn't have an interest and therefore not be my customers.

After Omar Gallaga's recent blog post about BumperTwit, it became clear that we needed to address a larger discussion around Personal and Business Promotion. We make BumperTwit's for businesses or "personalities" who want to promote their Twitter ID. As Twitter plays an increasing role in online advertising and promotion, we wanted to help offer something to the market.

We assumed that individuals would simply pass on the idea, but it's worth noting that a much larger discussion surrounds many of the comments and concerns around individual actions/risks. I.e. would we be such assholes on the road if we were a little more accountable? I'm not suggesting everyone put one on their cars, but the idea that we are hiding behind our online and physical anonymity.

What do you think?

AllNiterProject #1: Lessons Learned

Wow! What a fantastic event. We didn't "finish" an app in a night, but we sure learned a lot, and had a great time in the process. Here's a quick summary:

Lesson #1: Have a Narrow Scope
It's no surprise that you have to have a clear roadmap to get anywhere. However, as Creative People, we don't just want a Black & White map of where we're going. We want to have input into the journey we're about to embark on, what our priorities are, and who gets to make those decisions. The challenge: Balance the Social aspects with the Business aspects.

Announcing: The AllNiterProject by AppRanch, an Entrepreneurial Experiment

Looking for Participants for our First AllNiter to be held FRIDAY,  JULY 16TH, 2010.

Send an e-mail to allniterproject@appranch.com to find out more!

Short Version:
We're launching a new program at AppRanch called the "AllNiterProject," Follow us on Twitter: @AllNiterProject for the latest deets. Our first AllNiterProject will be held on Friday, July 16th, from 10 p.m. until 10 a.m. During that time, a team of 6 to 8 Participants will take on the challenge of executing a project plan, and utilizing Agile Software Development methods, and Organic Management of the team, to deliver as closed to a complete product as possible. We need Creatives, Technical, Project Management, etc. No cost. Must be in Austin, TX. Send e-mail to allniterproject[at]appranch[dot]com.

Long Version:

Who we're looking for:
Maybe you. Tell us what you bring to the party, and what role you want to play on the team. For our initial project, we are looking for Experienced Software Developers, Graphic Design Professionals, Marketing and Communications, etc. Basically a typical small team for any software project. In order to build effective teams, we may not be able to service all potential participants immediately, but we pledge to keep you up to date on how we can scale the process to involve as many people as possible.

What's in it for you:
Equity. If this is the first question you ask, this probably isn't the right project for you. Just sayin'. :)

What we expect:
Check out www.barnbuildr.com

One of the few rules to the game is that in order to participate, you must be a productive, supportive, positive part of the team. Anything distracting the team goal will have to be resolved immediately. This is assumed in your participation. No individual holds more or less of a stake in the outcome than everyone else.

There are no agendas here. There is no room for egos. Our goal is to leverage teams of talented people in ways that will result in tangible opportunities for employment and/or residual income.

What are our motives:
AppRanch have two goals:

A. To help un/under-employed High Tech Talent create their own jobs or opportunity to start their own businesses. By executing a narrow scope and delivering a product, individuals will be able to build their portfolio/client-base/market potential/etc. We want to help people get their stuff off the ground.

2. To find and hire the best employees we can find. Our goal at AppRanch is to help add fuel to a murmur of a movement built on a 30-Hour work-week, Obscene Benefits, Awesome Equipment, Awesome Projects, Awesome Teams, Awesome Jobs, but most importantly, Awesome Lives. We want to allow everyone at AppRanch to take back the Work/Life balance from Greedy Corporations who see employees as a commodity. We've all been there. We're calling bullshit on it.

Props:
Tech Ranch Austin has been a catalyst and a source of much needed direction, inspiration, and support during the last 6 months. This creative passion, and the trending ideas in Social Funding, i.e. Crowdfunding, Crowdsourcing, etc. have inspired us to become a catalyst for as many Creative Individuals as possible. Join an Entrepreneurial Group in your area TODAY!

Winston Edmondson, of the Innovation Project recently challenged Austin, TX to a 2 week project for creating a company. It was a great challenge, and I'm eager to see the outcome. I know it stirred up a lot of great energy in the Tech Community. From that idea, we took it a step further, reflected on those nasty all-nighters in computer labs many of us experienced in college, and realized we haven't outgrown that kind of uber-focused effort and group accomplishments. We just forgot to trust people somewhere along the way, to pitch in on something for the group's benefit. We hope to aid in the effort to change that mindset. :)

Want to participate?
allniterproject@appranch :: @allniterproject on Twitter

Crowdfunding YOUR Project - 10 Steps to Getting Started

[Note: Our Kickstarter project ended at midnight on July 1, 2010. This Blog was intended to parallel the Final 48 Hours of our project. Frankly, there just weren't enough eyeballs on the blog, my Tweets, or the Kickstarter project. We didn't meet our funding goal, however, I learned a lot, and have more in my arsenal than before. Thanks for your support and interest! I'll pick this up again soon; but now, I've gotta catch up on everything that's been waiting on the back burner.]




Okay, so hopefully you have your own idea for a Crowdsourcing project. For those of you who do, and just want to know how to get started, you've come to the right place.

Where to Start
Chances are, if you're reading this and wanting to launch your own project, you've already "started." What I mean is, don't discount everything that got you to this point. Here's at least 10 Things to help you get started on your own Crowdsourcing project:

1. Write down your idea
You don't have to show anyone, but write it down. Decide what you want to focus on. For some of us, there are competing ideas, for others, you already know exactly what you want to build/create/share. Write a general draft of a one-pager that captures what your project is about. This will be an iterative process, but starting with a sheet of paper or a Word doc, will help you focus on your project's idea.

2. Don't second-guess your idea
If you wrote it down, don't second guess it. You'll have other ideas, and you'll change your mind a million times. That's okay. Just pick a target/project before you burn up time deciding which project to pick. Hint: you can *always* change your mind. Don't let the fear of the "wrong" choice stop you.

3. Social Media
4. Roadmap
5. When to do What
6. Week 1
7. Week 2
8. Week 3
9. Week 4
10. Wrapup

[These are the next sections. Want me to keep going? Post a comment. :)]

Initial Thoughts on Crowdfunding and Crowdsourcing

Thanks for reading. This blog will hopefully share enough of our first crowdfunding project to be useful for you. A few things to set the discussion, but I'll try to present the information to be as general as possible, but must warn you that it will be heavy with references to Social Media, Crowdfunding, Crowdsourcing, etc. It will also dive pretty deeply into Twitter as a Marketing Tool. Not really sure the exact path we'll take, but I'll start at the beginning of my process and bring you up to speed on where we are now, in the last 48 Hours of the project.

A few things to keep in mind:

* Anyone can do this. What we're doing may be unique in it's purpose, but the process and tools are available to anyone willing to spend the time to learn how to use them. I will focus heavily on software, startups and entrepreneurial "stuff," but if you have a passion for something and would like to bring it to market. You'll want to stick around. :)

* Consult "The Google" for a Primer on Crowdfunding and Crowdsourcing. I'll post a link when we're out of time on Kickstarter.

* We've come a long way. It's not an easy thing to do, but you can see your idea through to market. Our focus won't be on details of "failures" see eslacker.blogspot.com for my thoughts on that. We're focused on the awesome groundswell of support around Creative, Innovative, Problem-Solvers and otherwise, motivated folks. We're not interested in what-ifs, general negativity or ways that things can fail. If you spend the mental energy on the what-ifs, the what-is-es never come.

* This will only be valuable if you participate. Visit Kickstarter and take a look around. Find something of interest and see what they're creating. Think of how your project could be "just as good if not better" than something you see. The point here isn't about "better" though, it's about all of us creating stuff together. Don't take it as a personal challenge to "out-do" someone you see, but rather a way to take the good and leave the bad of the example they've given you.

It's pretty cool. If you're not excited yet, visit www.kickstarter.com right now! :)