THIS CONTEST IS OVER. THE MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN AWAY. I'm giving away $4,500 of my money. The contest will be here in friendfeed between now and Tuesday afternoon. Ends 3 p.m. Austin, Texas Time. Winner will be picked live on http://www.ustream.tv/studio at 4 p.m. Austin Time. Two ways to win: First way to win ($1,000). Leave a comment here. We'll pick one winner out of a hat randomly. Second way to win (Two prizes of $1,750 each). Leave a comment about how you will use the money (use only one comment here). I'll pick my favorite two messages and announce a winner on Tuesday afternoon. Good luck!
- Robert Scoble
Lets be honest- there are few people who literally put their money where their mouth is. Mr. Scoble you continue to impress me. And I have said this before the contest.
- Alyx
I declare myself ineligible for the first way to win :)
- Douglas Gourlay
Do you have to be an American? Cause I could use a new laptop :) Plus the USD>AUD exchange rate is pretty good at the moment ($1000 USD = $1500 AUD)
- Bryce Roney
OK, I'm changing my comment to go for one of the $1750 prizes. I will offer to donate all of it to a mutually acceptable charity in exchange for an appearance with you and Steve on the Gillmor Gang. If Jason can buy his way onto Twitter, maybe I can buy my way onto the Gillmor Gang!
- Kent
Are you still going to the XMPP meetup on tuesday?
- J Allen
I would use the money to 1. Donate and support our local Milwaukee tech community (events like web414.com, BarCampMilwaukee.com, and Bucketworks.org) and 2. purchase some more tech items (i.e. mac mini, video camera, webcam) to enhance and encourage more interaction with development and the tech community.
- Sam Dodge
$1000 for a random comment. I suspect we'll have a record number of comments. But what kind of hat will you be pulling the name out of? Austin Cowboy hat?
- Andrew Leyden
well, this is one way to get me to actually use my friend feed account =)
- Travis
I'm echoing the earlier comments, free money + your reach = most commented thread.
- Steven Cains
I could use it. Ill be out of a job in 2 weeks.
- Armando
Second way to win (Two prizes of $1,750 each). Leave a comment about how you will use the money (use only one comment here). I'll pick my favorite two messages and announce a winner on Tuesday afternoon. Good luck!
- Robert Scoble
Isn't this a nice way to test how scalable Friendfeed entries really are? :-)
- Yuval Atzmon
Will use it to buy Arrington a hairpiece after the TIME article.
- Mike
Please, no, you're better than Ben Stein (although that's not saying much) Are you trying for the most comments ever on a Friendfeed post? Because I can certainly see that coming.
- The Web's Wendell Wittler
Nicholas - would like to work with you at Rackspace, was a senior systems design engineer for Sony Broadband SW Development + Broadcast Integration Division(s) SW Systems Integration and testing, also senior technical project manager on Google's infrastructure upgrade + Verizon's FIOS fiber-to-the-premises nationwide. I also spent ten years in post-production in hollywood as a senior tech support engineer / consultant to the stars. I like bad food, long hours and the warm glow from completing projects.
- Nicholas Chase
Hmmm, how do you post a comment on FF...??? :-)
- I Spy
I would use the money, to help buy a mac for the family. We are in need of a new one, and right now our current one (a powerbook) is starting to die out. I already have some money saved up, but not enough. Thanks for doing this Robert! :)
- Techno Todd
thanks for making friendfeed notifier go insaaaaaaaaaaaaaaane
- Caio
I'll use the money to buy a laptop for my soon-to-college daughter, as well as to fund her scholarship searches& college visits this summer. She's leaning towards working in special education, continuing the volunteering she's done with her high school's Options Program (http://www.paulvi.net/academi...).
- Craig Eddy
My friend (14) and I (15) are working on a subscription web service that we want to launch this summer and some additional runway and start-up capital would really be helpful. We do have some experience with this stuff -- we did iJailBreak (www.ijailbreak.com) a year or so ago and had millions of hits and a million downloads and a lot of coverage (Gizmodo, TUAW, Digg front page multiple times).
- Ben Feldman
if i didnt know you, i would have un-friended you for a post like that. "i'm giving away money. details to come." Congrats on the new gig!
- fansnap
If I win, I'll spend it all on ale and whores. I'm in need of both.
- Onur Cengiz
$1,750? Ok, I'll give the half of it to a charity, that is: $875 — and the other half will be my contest's gift. My contest? The one who donates the most to that charity wins those $875. And yes, I'm serious :)
- directeur
I don't know about the tax consequences. I'll try to find out. Basically this money is money Cisco paid to me and I'm just shipping it back out. So, this money will be counted pre-tax, I'm sure, and you'll probably need to pay tax on it.
- Robert Scoble
First comment: Hope my comment gets chosen!
- Kevin Poirier
you can give away money in this economic times? ;)
- Simon
I'd be using the money to finance my freelance work and get a half-way decent video camera. I'm working with a friend of mine on tooloftheday.de (nothing to see there yet) to produce videos of popular tools, tips, tricks, howtos, etc...
- Holger Eilhard
Throwing my piece of paper into the hat. Crossing my fingers!
- Troy Malone
man, my feed is going crazy... stop it guys :)
- Ingo Di Bella
OK Robert, I'll bite and leave a comment here.
- Herne
Second comment...I will use the money to buy as many clever domain names that I can in hope that one day, when you are creating your "next big thing" that you will have to purchase the domain name from me realizing that you had in fact, through me, had purchased these domain names in the first place.
- Kevin Poirier
If I win: I will use the money to lend out some of it on Kiva.org, give my brother (12 years old) his own domain/hosting so he could start a wp-blog there and maybe buy Spotify premium =)
- Anton Johansson
I would buy a new macbook pro with it. I have the old one, and Was hoping to buy the current one. I would then give the old one to my brother and I would use the new one! :)
- TheHenry
I would use it for the prizes I'm giving out daily on my twitter game @I_spy_treasure. Robert, you can win it back... (and so can anyone else...)
- I Spy
I will use part 2 to donate to Kiva.org and match it with Cisco's matching gifts program
- Douglas Gourlay
I would donate it to my homeless shelters.
- imabonehead
I'm giving my winnings to congress to spend wisely : )
- Joseph
Congratulations to both you and Rocky on the new jobs.
- Ron Schott
Count me in! Could use the extra $$ to buy a mac and see what all the hype is about.
- Tim
I would create a company called One Laser Per Child.
- Lasse Johnsen
This is my comment. I would use the extra $1750 to pay for me and Lindsay's trip to Gnomedex this year. It would probably be enough for us to come up and stay a few extra days in Seattle.
- Chrimmus Tad
That'd put a dent in my taxes. Ugh, freelancing has its pains.
- Andrew
Is there a third way to win? I'd use the money to offset part of the costs of moving to Portland in the spring. Moving from New York with next to no connections to see what it's like living on the west coast for a while.
- Mark Trapp
Sadly, I'd use most of the money to pay bills, but in the spirit of ff, I'd take a smaller portion of it to play a similar game on my ff.
- Randall Rodakowski
What I'd do with $1000? Get them converted to Euros :) Would most likely be spend on "offline" needs, like a new bathroom
- dieck
I suppose spending it on crack and hookers wouldn't win the prize, would it?
- Ian Betteridge
Interesting; I'd give a bit more than the the money to an unemployed friend for necessities(car repair, rent, food, getting back her phone with Nana Lemon singing Nena's famous anti-balloon protest song) in cash and perhaps a small gift
- RAPatton
I would use the money to go biking in Tibet and give everything that's left to the Tibetians.
- Henrik Johansson
Robert why are you giving away money - not that I am complaining- but curious! :)
- Susan Beebe
I'd spend mine on women, booze and a Mac.
- Ed Hudson
I'd use it to stretch the time I can work for equity-only before our startup gets funded! (Why doesn't federal stimulus money go to something like this which actually creates jobs and innovation instead of banks and auto companies?)
- Dale Larson
I will use the money to go PyCon, learn new skills, network, mention how generous Robert Scoble is, and do a sprint to improve FriendFeed PyAPI--which, by the way, you should use to select the random winners from this thread. https://launchpad.net/friendf... Thanks in advance.
- Chris Lasher
Clever way to show the power of friendfeed!
- Emee Pumarega
For $1750: I would pay a portion of my wife's college tuition, buy my daughter a netbook, and my son a practice guitar amp.
- Mattb4rd
Great idea! Count me in. I think you should give your money away monthly.
- Grace Ciccone
I'm Here. Wow. I''ve thrown the laptop up on a 56" JVC LCD HD. Convergence! Just watched you on the Gillmor Gang. Feels like TV to me. It's great. Something's definitely happening.
- Stephen Pickering
I'd spend the money on a new display, I really need one
- Dobromir Hadzhiev
Not my first comment on a Scoble posting here, but first with a potential payoff.
- Tom Landini
I'm in. How I will use the money? will buy server for XdbE project
- Elmira Gazizova
With $1,000 I could buy all 57 Used & new "Naked Conversations" books from Amazon and still have enough to buy bottle service at the club.
- Andy Fields
would like to be able to try new technologies while still being a student and on a student's income = ($0)
- Shane Grant
Cool, count me in :-) I would use the money by buying 2 HTC Fuzes for me and my love.
- Sarah Peterman
Count me in! (for the first way I guess :P).
- Mauro Borione
What can I do to get your $$$ Robert? How about a virtual dance from my dogs?
- Jeff
get Diabla my pit bull puppy hip surgery sooner rather than later
- shayne catrett
I would use the money to help fund a small-scale electronics lab, which has been a dream of mine for some time. It would serve as the perfect place to plot and create the robotic army that will eventually take over the world! Also it would teach me lots that would make me very attractive to an employer, or capable of creating a business of my own.
- Daniel Bruce
It would be hard for me to decide how to spend the money. There is so much, yet so little, being given. Because I'm a crazy Linux-lover, I think I should take the selfless route and donate at least part of the money to various Linux/open-source programming projects. Though, I would have to be careful to make sure that the money is not wasted in the style that Jeff Atwood describes (http://www.codinghorror.com/blog...).
- Rishabh Mishra (p248)
<cold><oddsized><red>here's my comment</red></oddsized></cold>. I've made my comment colored and differently shaped because supposedly those will get drawn before all the other regular looking comments. It's cold too because that's how the Knicks got Ewing first in the draft.
- Todd Hoff
Well, I need a new kidney, and there just happens to be one available on Ebay for $1000. (The previous portion of this comment is an utter lie; both my kidneys are doing fine, I am gainfully employed, do not need the money as much as so many on this thread, but Mastercard would really love to have it.) Congrats and good luck with the new venture, Robert.
- Phil Essing
Hey as long as were giving away money - count me in ;)
- Rob Jones
sweet, a thousands eh? converted to $ JMD that's 90k, groceries for 2 months:P
- Gordon Swaby
i'd like to thank my good friends olasofia and tav for mentioning this opportunity to win $1000 randomly, and if gratitude to one's friends isn't enough, how about this: i will give the $1750 for the best answer to this question: now that there are 100,000 people paying attention, what single action can we all do next tuesday that has the greatest social impact globally?
- happyseaurchin
For either amount, I would look to pay down some of my pressing debts and apply the rest towards a rainy-day fund. The 10% paycut I took three months ago has not helped things.
- JA Castillo
I'm on spring break now and my school was nice enough to lend me a Canon 20D (a little old, but I'm still glad to have borrowed it). Usually, only people who are part of the after school photography club can take it out, and seeing that I'm not, I was quite lucky. They gave me a 28-135mm lens, which looked ok to me. It was the last lens they had available, so it was take it or leave it....
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- Michael Forian
hmmm just leave a comment for a $1,000 dollars, not sure what to say...
- Kevin Tunis
$1750 for a cheeky mobile app, any more would be telling
- Yant
I'm here. pick me :) How would I use? I'll buy a netbook and some books.
- Dogan Tuncer
Testing the mix, testing, testing, one two, one two, - is this thing on?
- Martha
I would use the money to do what I do with all of my money...support my wife through graduate school :p. Thanks for the opportunity, Robert.
- Neal Jansons
Give it to Michael Forian! He seems so well-meaning!
- RexEveryhting
Awesome. With $1,000, I'd use 50% to buy shares of F, GM, BAC, etc... and we'll have even more money to hand out. With the other 50%, we could also make 20 $25 loans at a Stanford MBA microfinance project, so the money recycles and has more impac (and have FFers decide which projects to support). Gumball Capital http://news.newamericamedia.org/news... or Kiva.org http://kiva.org Ideally we could even start a fund to support out-of-work FF'ers.
- Mitchell Tsai
@scobleizer - please give me your money. if you do i will use it wisely to help pay for a macbook & if i get more than the random $1000 prize i will use it in a philanthropic manner
- Chris Heath
I'm probably use the money for a new bed for son, and upgrade Shelly's computer
- jamar78
I'd have to use it all to put toward the $1,900 deposit due next month for the Friends school for which we got an acceptance letter, on behalf of our 10 yo, earlier today since my partner's reaction was that all I needed to do was to go out and get a job Monday! We've tried public schs (& their lotteries) in Boston & DC and have come to this... If that wasn't pressing, I'd use it to put...
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- Angela E. Taylor
updated to say - please give the money to someone in need. If I were to have the money to give away, my choice would be to http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com.
- BEX
Wait, in this economy, you giving away money?!
- Adi Rabinovich
So...dear! Did you sign the cheque? Yes? Now send it to me! LOL
- Lora Lufark
It would be really cool if this money went to a charity in need, in increasingly tough times.
- jjprojects
I'd use it to buy myself some time to finish a volunteer project I'm doing for my alma mater - making a website that is an archaeological cataloger and academic discussion space all in one.
- Joey Brunelle
posting comment. crossing fingers. knocking on wood for good measure.
- Anita
I'd use the money as a donation for my favorite charity, www.4everhomes.org, helping orphans and foster children get adopted.
- Lynn Owens
I will use the cash to invest in a MacBook for my wife so she can be mobile and still do her school work and finish that degree finally!!!
- Geek Cowboy
Well after the football team I support (Nottingham Forest) lost 5 -0 today I would spend the money on buying myselft a place in the squad. I can't be any worse than the current goalkeeper
- Paul Bainbridge
Putting my entry in the hat. Hope this is truly random because I don't have anything interesting to add! :)
- Matt Baron
With $1750 I'd buy Canon PowerShot SX1IS 10 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.8-inch LCD @ $600, a 2nd Gen Drobo populated with four 1TB Western Digital Green Drives @ $849 via TwipPhoto and a GigaPan Epic 100 as soon as its available (probably about $500). All of this will support my GigaPanning habit: http://www.gigapan.org/viewPro...
- Ron Schott
James (imabonehead) & Robert, $13,000/yr is allowed by gift tax limits,... so no tax if it's from Robert's personal money.
- Mitchell Tsai
I would use the $1750 to pay for the laptop that my daughter wants for her 11th birthday at the end of the month. She will be entering Jr. high next year and could use a faster more up to date computer than the 5+ year old hand me down desktop PC running Win2000 that she is presently using.
- Jeff P. Henderson
I'll use it to buy 2 new monitors. 1 for tweetdeck and 1 for Alert thingy
- Jeff (the マクダジ of FF)
Hi Robert. A noble venture to be sure. We would put the gift to use saving our art studio. The after effects of dealing with the Basin Complex Wildfire that burned Big Sur have left us in a precarious postiion. Truth be told, we'd rather have a big commission than the gift. Work is always better on so many levels. Perhaps we can bootstrap ourselves back to where we were and afford to offer the same gift to others in need one day not too far off--Pay it forward. Best wishes on Building 43 & thanks.
- B.E. (BJ) Johnson
me I'd take my wife out to dinner and then seriously consider buying a MacBook Pro :)
- Steven Hodson
I'm in for the $1,000 random drawing (because my $1750 answer would not be memorable - pay my bills).
- Laura Norvig
Give half to charity, then spend the other half on upgrading my skills (educational resources)
- Mo Kargas
I just caught up with what the other money is for. If it was awarded to me I would use it to help a couple I know get started in Aikido. Their kids are in our kid's class, and they had been trying to find the finances to join for almost a year and had just figured out how to start and then the husband got laid off... They're having a hard time making ends meet and I know that they would...
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- Fa La La La Lindsay
What a cool contest, Robert. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
- Mistletoe Glen
I'll donate the entire $1,750 to Phoenix Children's Hospital if I win. Same goes for the $1,000 if I win that one.
- Aviv
paypal address to follow ...... :) Good luck with the new gig Robert
- Charlie Anzman
With $1750 I would help that YouTube girl scout girl, Wild Freeborn, reach her goal of selling 12,000 boxes to send her whole scout troop to camp. Got to give the girl some credit for thinking outside of the box.
- Tyler Brownfield
_/\_ Namaste (greetings) from India. This is simply awesome Robert. Would be great to win a cool 1000 USD. That's a lot of money in India. ;-)
- Shinil Payamal
Here's my comment. I would use the money to fight against DRM
- Marcos Marado
from fftogo
My mother has been an avid Obama supporter doing a great deal of volunteer work before & after the election. She recently lost her job & wants to start something new. She will need an audience. Robert, I'd love to use your money to hire YOU to coach her on how to do that most effectively.
- Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)
If this comment gets chosen at random, I hereby refuse the money (always test the exception conditions of any algorithm). If I win one of the other chunks, I commit to donate the money to @eff (EFF - Electronic Frontier Foundation - the leading civil liberties group defending your rights in the digital world).
- LogEx
I would find 17 worthy people under the age of 16, who are helping their community through volunteerism or have started businesses and give them $100 each to help them reach their goals. IMO, helping young people is the most noble thing those of us above the age of 40 can do. And I'd spend $50 on take-out dinner with my wife.
- Scott Duffy
You win if you're last on the thread, Alex ;)
- Josh Haley
here and ready to spend the money for new ipod touch :)
- Nahnu
If I win the prize money will go on my school fees and the rest will help me to buy a netbook with a full-size Scoble sticker :D you crazy!
- İbrahim Uzun [ j ]
Money would help so much you have no idea. :)
- courto
I'll use the money to send 2 teachers in my school district (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) to a technology conference somewhere to learn about Web 2.0 technologies.
- Tim Cooper
If I win I'll use the money to buy a copy of Autodesk Maya 2009 Complete. Then build cool things. Thanks for the chance Robert.
- Andrew Smith
How will I use the money? With pleasure, thank you Robert.
- Tomi Itkonen
I will use the money to start my non profit and purchase educational/tech material for my son's school. Warm thanks Robert.
- Yanik Falardeau
And as for what I would do, I'd build a new desktop pc (and switching my current one over to act as my media/web pc), buy a true dSLR and donate some to charity. And if there is any left over, pay back some minor 'loans', which I guess I really should do first...
- Grant Bierman
Hi! İ m not speak english so not comment writing :D(ingilizce bu kadarmı berbat olur ya:II) Thx You Robert.
- Mehmet Alp
Hey Robert, If I were to win the money would go to a project myself and a few other early stage entrepreneurs are starting to help get people who have lost their jobs back to work in the startup community. I know it wouldn't go very far but it'd get it kicked off. Otherwise just give us some help (which would be better anyway) and give the money to the guys who have to pay school fees or rent or buy food for their families. Their need is greater. anton@udoogoo.com if anyones interested in helping
- Anton Mannering
Why am I giving away the money? Because last week we did a job for Cisco where they paid us to do some videos. I am giving away my cut because what Cisco is doing is important to pay attention to without you worrying about whether I am paid off to say so. Also, I'm very fortunate to be in the position where I can do it. I thought about paying Jason Calacanis to buy some of his tweets, but thought that money could help someone out of work more.
- Robert Scoble
I think you should give it all to Jason ;o)
- Ken Morley
I would use one of the $1,750 prizes this way. I'm currently photographing people that ask me for money. I give them $2 for their portrait. Instead of the two dollars. I will use the the money to add $50 to each $2 (total = $52) to the next 35 people that I photograph as part of this project. After I photograph them for the $2 I will give them the extra $50 and tell them that it is from Robert Scoble and will document each person's story, photo and reaction in a blog post.
- Thomas Hawk
i'd like to thank my mother, my father and all the people who helped me win this :p
- Sofia Bustamante
I couldn't tell you what I would do with $1750, but I do know I would give some away to good causes like my underfunded state school or the public school drama and music programs, and I would probably keep a little to save or update my home technology.
- Steve Lowe
This is my first comment : Gods of Randomness, choose me !
- Alemsah Ozturk
how many others have signed up for Friendfeed to try and win $1000? Scoble, you should be a Friendfeed spokesman... :)
- chelle
Best of luck with the new gig! Have fun at SXSW!
- Trevor Little
I wonder how many new FF accounts this thread has been responsible for? Many first-time posters here.
- Ken Morley
This is my second comment: I will gonna put your $1.750 to eBay tagged as “Robert Scoble's first FriendFeed Competition money“ and I'm gonna wait & see what happens :)
- Alemsah Ozturk
why not publish this on an indian and a turkish newspaper? this will def drive this post to records easily... and i am sure, i'll get the macbook pro this week with scoble's sponsorship... maybe i'll brand-name its alu-case with a thanksgiving note to scoble and his sponsor... time to start coding on textmate...
- Progresif Cem Gencer
My niece in Mexico is on a partial sports scholarship at the university she attends. She's been supported by her mother who worked at a liquor store to help pay my niece's way. My niece's mom recently lost her job and fears she cannot financially support her daughter's education. $1,750 would pay for six months of university studies. If I were to win, that's where it would go. Good luck everyone.
- Andrew
Thanks for the opportunity Robert. Good luck on your new gig!
- andy
What would I do with the money? Well I'd put some towards my debt and paying my Mum's house bills. But I think my family could do with a nice break or trip away somewhere - my Mum hasn't really gone out since the death of my Dad last January! Time away from the house would do her the World of good right now.
- Kol Tregaskes
Hi Robert; good luck at Rackspace! My $1,750 would go toward my Rackspace bill of course (well, that would cover it for a few months)!
- Binyamin Bauman
My second comment (for the 1K). This would go to the same niece...it's 3 more months of school.
- Andrew
i dont want it... { reverse psychology }
- Cem Öztürk
My wife has put up with a lot of sacrifice as I've worked on http://ourdoings.com/ and money's been tight so I haven't been able to make up for what she's done. I'd use the money to take her somewhere special, and of course I'd share a picture/map of where we went here on FriendFeed.
- Bruce Lewis
Oh for peats sake, it should at least be easier than winning the lotto. I'm in.
- Eric @ CSTechcast.com
I'll comment and be random...it's a good day to be giving away $$$ :) I would use any money won here to help my friends who are in such horrible need right now. (the story is on the blog and all over my FF stream). I may be unemployed, but I have a roof over my head, food on the table and can make some $$ freelancing. My friends are hanging on by less than a thread, already stretched way too far.
- Karoli
Hey man, I love money. Also, I have no job. Also, I will say some incitement here: LEO LAPORTE IS AN ALIEN
- Mike Nayyar
Make me your AIG! On the cheap no less.
- Tracy Viselli
Since my wife (school teacher) got laid off from her district on Friday, I'd use the $1,750 for tuition to help her get a Special Education certification, since districts are still hiring Special Ed. teachers. In turn, her continuing work will help pay for my son's tuition when he starts college in the Fall. My son wants to eventually become a lawyer so that he can influence policies that would ensure that people get a good education.
- Mistletoe Glen
Sounds like a plan. Let's see if FF has scalability issues with their comments.
- Michel Goldstein
This is my first year of trying to "make it" on my own, with a camera and no "real" job. Just trying to scrape by ... to be perfectly honest I'll use the money to help pay off some debt that I have acquired since I started, which has definitely been causing me headaches and frustration. My husband has been a gem, paying the majority of the bills since I make very little, and I want to be closer to breaking even with my debt so I can start to help him out. :)
- Nicole Young
Hope the hat is a big one, this thread is getting pretty full. :-) How the money would be spent? Pay off some student loan debt and put a chunk in our 5 year olds savings account...he (as well as his entire generation) is going to need it by the time he's an adult.
- cmiper
Wow! I've outgrown my entry camera and this price is just what I need to be able to fulfill my dream; a Nikon D300! Please make my dream come true, Robert!
- Graphfruit
Hit me, Fortuna. Papa needs a new MacBook.
- Will Parker
robert are you a photographer - Dixon Hamby
- Dixon Hamby
Geez, it's 2:10 am here in Berlin and you start just another interesting stunt. I will take the 1.750 US and pay a programmer to finish our "Virtual intelligent chatbot" project which offers affordable AI Avatars with personality for all kinds of virtual worlds like Second Life, Gaia, the web, Opensim etc. They'll be our 24/7 virtual workforce and a way to create immortal interactive portraits
- Gaby K. Slezák
I like this idea. I'm talking with some friends this evening about how they'd each allocate $1750 if they were given this much money today to do anything with--most would share with friends and acquaintances that are going through tough tmes. One would help a friend who just closed down his company and is in need of dental work. Another would help co-workers whose hours have been cut...
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- Loren Heiny
i will love you forever. and evah evah. money would be spent on a nice camera (i'm studying photography) and supplies. working with a 5 year old p&s is getting tiring. :)
- shannon
How can anyone NOT click 'like' or comment? I definitely 'pLike' (the p is silent - btw) this thread. :-D
- Sean Hanna
a stunt? sure, but I could use an extra $1k. count me in, scoble
- Seth Long
If I win the $1750 it will be applied to my son's tuition as he starts college this fall.
- Jess Gibson
Is this stimulus money??? If so I'll use it to build infrastructure. There's a giant pot hole in our alley. I'll buy bags of cement and repair it myself. The neighbors will love me.
- Greg
Wow, I'll take some money - I need hard drives for my Drobo. Seriously, I need to start up an emergency savings account.
- Bryan Villarin
A chance to get paid to comment? Love it!
- Ginger Kenney
First, here is the comment. Second, I would use $1,750 to travel back home to Russia where I have not been in five years with my toddler son so my grandmother who is very ill in her old age could see her only great grandson (who's 19 months old) before she goes, and so I could take a one dream portrait of them together. She's been a big influence in my life, and this would be the way to make the portrait and their meeting possible.
- Ivan Makarov
Could really use some money to help plant some seeds for the future
- Leonard Nelson
I'll buy an Iphone and with the rest put in my IRA to reduce my tax bill. Hey, helping economy and investing in business. Not bad.
- Stephen Pickering
This is my lucky day, an email today said I won the UK lottery.
- Bob Gannon
I'm going to buy half a Canon 5D Mark II. Or pay my bills.
- Andrew Trinh
If i win, i triple win , because i live in a third world country (Argentina) and for every dolar y get $3,60 on our local currency, which is a good ammount of money here, for example, i could eat for 1 year or more :D
- Ignacio Guerra
Ok. I would donate my winnings to the Bernie Madoff Defense Fund!@#$%^
- bcultral
I have dreadful luck when it comes to these kinds of things but I could really use this money. I have no car & desperately need to buy one.
- Mattie Kenny
from fftogo
Cool. And speaking of cool, PlanetHeidi.com is very cool.
- dunsany
between building a new house, a new baby and a new job, I am sure I can put it to go use, btw congrats Robert on your new venture, I shall be keeping an eye on it.
- Shane Wolsey
Cobble Sorter (anagram of Robert Scoble) = my random comment for the first part of the draw.
- Daniel Rowley
Wow, there's like a lot of comments here! Great idea for publicity, Robert. Carry on...
- Kevin Trotman
Watching Robert on Ustream right now.
- John Rubier
Thanks for sharing the wealth in more than one way
- Matt Penning
I could have an actual vacation and pay down some more debt.
- Todd Tripp
$1000 is mine! please? thanks Robert
- planetMitch
1. my comment for 1k, 2. $1750 would be split into 3 gifts of $250 a piece to encourage the best new open source projects, and the other 1000 I would invest and reinvest in http://kiva.org , selecting entrepreneurs in third world countries to invest several microloans in. Its' a gift that, over time, can be reinvested over and over to benefit many!
- David Silvernail
Take my hardworking wife on an overdue vacation - she supports me thru the IT bubbles. Thx hun!
- mal
Probably will give it back to you, winning could be cool enough
- Burcu Sarar
I'll take it if your giving....it will go towards the camera fund!
- Noelle Bell
I would use it to promote my tiny little super niche social news site http://HeavyAsHell.com The campaign would involve helping bands go DIY and avoid evil record companies.
- MarkCarras
What kind of sick social experiment is this? :)
- Oren Shomron
mmmmm, austin. i miss Trudy's, El Mercado, Magnolia, Wanfu, Kerbey, Chuys, Fonda San Miguel, Dog & Duck, Thundercloud, Waterloo, Amy's, Little City, Hut's, Green Mesquite. aw heck and Taco Cabana and Whataburger too! if i win, i'll spend it all on restaurants in Austin!
- poxaV
You can't win unless you play! Ok, I better start praying now.... :-P
- Brian
My father-in-law is laid off and his unemployment eligibility runs out in about 4 weeks. No place around here is hiring, and $1,750 would be the equivalent of extending his unemployment benefits another 5 weeks. Thanks for the chance, Robert.
- Civisi
Hello, giving away your money randomly? I can comment for that. Best of luck to all!
- Ronald Paul Corbin
Will you next tell us its limited only to Americans? I hate contests on the Internet, or anything on the Internet, that says "limited to the USA". The Internet is borderless... so should its contests and prizes
- Colin Charles
from twhirl
Thanks. I would use the $1750 to help my grandparents. My grandfather is 73 and my grandmother is 72. They just lost their 15 year home to foreclosure and are pretty much starting over with not a whole lot of time left. They are both on fixed income of SS and are now renting a house and trying to survive with the help of friends and family. When he as younger and had more money he was always the first one there to offer money to friends or family to help, even if it meant he went without something.
- Jonathan Gotcher
Robert please consider partnering with (Facebook) Seattle's Seeds of Compassion 2.0: The Compassionate Action Network (Twitter: @SeedsCAN) -- this organization is building a supra global network of "Compassionate Action Networks" (a bunch of ex McCaw, Softies and CISCO) -- currently in the throws of leveraging Social Media and Seattle's creative communities (music, tech, film). Last...
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- dakini_3
I wanna buy a jet ski, that's my MONEY!
- sofarsoShawn
If I won, the money would go into putting insulation in my daughter's room & closet. Any leftovers would help buy a gas stove & fridge. :D
- Zulema ◕ ◡ ◕
My, there has been some very good comments about what people would do... And some very needy people out there.
- Grant Bierman
Like most, it would be an unemplyment extension for me. As mine ran out, no jobs in the area, and times are tough. But hey, BUCK UP not DOWN! the only obstacles that exist are in your mind.
- Ronald Paul Corbin
Crazy! Hope you are enjoying SXSW! I'm in Austin but can't attend it.
- Head Ov Metal
I'll put some of the $$$ into donorschoose.org for some local classroom requests and the rest to fix up my car.
- Pete Delucchi
I would take the $1750 and go and get myself a root canal, so I could finally get out of pain. And if there was any left, I'd donate it at www.kiva.org
- Bec Rowe @d0tski
Alright, I'm a sucker for free money so here goes... $1750 would be enough for me to buy an oven, sod my yard, and still be able to donate half to a charity.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Wow! Count me in! Sure could use that money to attend JavaOne this June.
- Rom Feria
$1750: Others need the money more than me, I'm sure of that. But ... that said I'd give $500 to a local library or literacy charity. $500 toward my home down payment fund. $150 to a kidney charity (my daughter only has one kidney). $100 for flowers for the wife. $100 for a bike for my daughter. $200 for a brake job. $200 to send at-risk kids to a Giants game.
- AJ Kohn
I would pay off our one remaining credit card and put some portion toward a down payment on a new car. In fact, I'd probably give a slice to the EFF as well. I haven't given to them regularly since my last layoff.
- ha3rvey (Ho)^3
why would you do that? It's a sort of social experiment?
- Niki Costantini
Will invest the money in my new unique microblogging startup :)
- X-Man
I wonder how many comments in this thread are their first on FF. Well I'm in. If I won money, some will go into savings and some will go to my favorite charities: Autism Speaks and Atlanta Boxer Rescue.
- Carmen - Happy 2010!
yay first comment ever, though I suppose I should be commenting more
- Wang Yip
Wow, a lot of people commented just while I was writing my own! For me, half the money would be for savings and health insurance while I'm still trying to get a job (recently graduated). The other half would be for the non-profit arts organization my friends and I just founded in our hometown, which has no supportive creative outlets for its youth. The money would help produce the tri-high school theatre competition we are currently planning and hope to put on soon. Great offer, Robert.
- Kelly
For $1750 I'll either blow it on more photo or computer equipment. Or sock it away in my kid's college fund since it'll probably cost more than half the organs in my body to pay for by the time he's of age. It's a tough choice.
- ronin
A percentage would undoubtedly go toward the health care fund, unfortunately. I'd allocate some for art and film supplies and give away the remainder. I've seen several comments here mentioning worthy projects and needs that are certainly deserving of attention and support. Thanks for sharing, Robert!
- Chris Weige
Circuit City lay off would use on BILLS, BILLS, and oh yeah BILLS
- Ron
Wow. This is kinda cool. If I were to win anything at all from this, I would ask that the money be instead given to fellow FF'er Anika Malone because it breaks my heart that her and her family are having to go without hot water, a dryer, their stove...due to their gas being turned off. Hard times have struck too many good people right now. :(
- tinypants - Hagitha of FF
400+ comments...wow! Guess 1000 bucks is motivation. I'd put the cash toward my photography efforts or go the boring route and invest it for now.
- Justin Korn
Why would you do that? Anyway, here's my comment.
- Saner Apaydın
The pure capitalist social media business model: simply pay users to come.
- Michael Krigsman
If I won the non-random cash prize, I'd use it for expenses while I was off work, recovering from my (upcoming) third brain surgery.
- Abbie Kendall
I would love to use the money to stimulate the economy by purchasing a new hot water heater. Our current one is in need of being replaced.
- Vaughn
Cool, this would help me stimulate the economy while I wait for my California state tax return.
- Stephen Ip
Question: Is it one comment per way to win or one comment in general? I've made one comment above that says how I'd spend the money. Now I'll just be random: PURPLE MONKEY DISHWASHER
- Bryce Roney
Okay, I'll play. I would return your money to you with a "let's do something better than this" remark. I would then ask you to actually read (reread?) the email I sent you about helping me get in contact with NPO's re: starting an OLPC-esque SMS-device project for said devices to be delivered in care packages around the world (via Red Cross, etcetera, etcetera) so that the poverty stricken and people in disasters could actually communicate with the world in real time.
- trench
I am making this comment as the IT/Communications Director of FHL International, Inc.http://fhlinternational.org I want to feed babies of poor working and nonworking single mothers. I want to change the oil in their cars when they can't afford it or know how to. I want to feed their children good wholesome food. I want to give the refugees and the lost some hope for another day. If we spend it carefully and wisely we can make it stretch to cover a 3-4 outreaches and give you a write up.
- Melanie Reed
random random random. macro lens, macro lens, macro lens.
- Andrea Ewald
I would probably also tell you (via your infamous digits) why facebook sucks, why friendfeed pretty-much sucks, and why Twitter sucked but no longer sucks. And then I'd educate you on why we - yes, you and I (and Thomas?) - need to visit Turkey ( http://is.gd/7yQr ) and discuss these things further. Yes, k... logging back out now. Thanks. Make coat not war.
- trench
@Robert as the IT/Communications Director, I would invite you to one of our events to cover it, put you on one of our videos and underscore the digital divide and what we can do about it. I would invite you to our UB cafe for the best pancakes in the world and have you look over our IT training provided by the IndyChristianGeeks in Indianapolis, Indiana and meet Dr. Thomas Ho, former...
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- Melanie Reed
hah!! most no of comments on FF so far I guess....
- Satya
Would love some money of course! I plan on using at least 3/4 of it to fund a new project I'm working on involving the iPhone and a web service. It would most likely go directly toward the cost of the project (registration fees, hosting fees, learning materials, etc.)
- Brandon Titus
I'd use the money to get a new iPod Touch and maybe pay the rest to my medical bills. :P
- Molly, "sorry"
As far as how I would spend $1750: I'd love to say that I'm going to donate it all to a worthy cause like the EFF or the local mission, but I know I'll be selfish and just end up spending it in a blaze of glory at Fry's or during the next Woot-off. No point in trying to kid anyone here.
- Michael Molinar
from twhirl
Aargh too many comments to read them all
- dK
from Nambu
I would spend all the money for entertainment :)
- Sinem Co
$1,750 or $1,000? In any case it would be a good stimuli to open a startup in Belarus
- Aliaksandr
Wow, popular contest! I would use part of it to buy the Rosetta Stone package to help me learn French. I'm taking time off between my undergrad and graduate degree, and I figure learning a foreign language would be a great use of my time. I would use the rest to help pay rent when I get my own place, I'm going to be a Congressional Staffer in D.C. and the living is expensive while the pay sucks! Thanks Robert.
- Keenan
If i get the $1,750, i'd give the money as $100x10 and $50x15 AdWords Coupons to the people who searched for the website/blog on pageboss.com for promote their projects like sponsored by Scobleizer.. And if Scob gives me $1,000, i'd spend all of them with my sweetheart Sinem :D
- N.Onur ATAHAN
I would use the money to buy a laptop for my wife, a Kindle for myself and one year worth of school for two children that we know and support in Nepal :)
- Sam Grover
1 Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is the root of all evil." If that's the case Scoble bring on the EVIL! WHOOOOOO YEAAAAAHHAHH EVIL!!!
- sofarsoShawn
I will by my wife a flight home so she can go and see her parents who she misses lots. Which means i'll have sole access to my (our) laptop instead of having to share it. I could just use the money to buy a new laptop but then i wouldn't get teh good sofa and control of the remote as well!
- Jamie Vidamour
Let's see if I'm still the unlucky guy I used to be
- Boubacar Balde
from twhirl
I could be homeless soon, lost my job due to the economy, and getting unemployment that just doesnt cut it, I could really use the money to pay my rent, bills and feed my kitties, contact me via email Kyle.M.Weller+scoble@gmail.com or you could just hire me and I'll help you in any way possible, check my blogs, I could be useful. And I would return the favor 10 fold if I can, matter fact I'll search for 2 other people to help and blog about it/take photo's
- Kyle Weller
I would keep half of $1750 and give the other half to the author of the comment I liked most, but only if he/she promises to do exactly the same.
- stark
I`ll use 1000$ of the 1750$ to buy a lot of comments on FriendFeed :)
- Vlad
I thought these kind of things happened only countries like mine which the goverment tries to build a begging culture just to keep the hope alive and dependent to the authority at the same time. Each reply begging for money is adding another brick on the wall of shame. And Bob, couldn't you find another way to publicize this?
- M. Serdar Kuzuloglu
If I win I will invest it back for advertising! Just say my name 3 times on twitter like "Candyman".
- Los Angeles Dj
So what would I do with the money? Half of it would go to the good cause. I want to create value for people and who other than the less fortunate, handicapped and so on deserve this? Right. The other would go to a business I'm building. One for the people, on that will change our lives fundamentally and is here to stay.
- Kris
If I dont win this, i'll be happy to donate my time blogging or helping someone in any way right now, im jobless in Phoenix Arizona, I could do yard work or hook up pc's/fix pc's or help you with your website if I can
- Kyle Weller
I'd invest half of it in Google Stocks, then the rest I would pay my rent, get kittie food, and try and advertise www.phoenixstickers.com with adsense so my girlfriend makes some money with it, its new and not very popular right now ;\
- Kyle Weller
Here is my comment : the best way to talk about something is to let people talk about, and 4500$ is a pretty advertising investment. but it is really interesting :) now the question is ; is there any way to gauge the effectiveness of word of mouth? good luck.
- abdellah
Mmm....are u crazy Rob? :) Ok! I wanna a netbook give to me only 300$ ;)
- Dario Salvelli
I'd give the money to Comic Relief (http://www.rednoseday.com/) to buy 250 mosquito nets for Africa. Two hundred and fifty saved lives? Bargain.
- Robin Stacey
you are so generous robin you deserve to win :)
- abdellah
I don't need this money :) Because I'm still working. But you can donate to a charity organization if I win.
- Süleyman Sönmez
I will spend the money attending game design workshops in when in San Francisco, to improve my theory about the use of game design techniques in social web applications (playfuldesign.org).
- Federico [Kurai]
@abdellah Hehe. Anything that stops someone from dying of Malaria is all right by me. Besides, it's simple economics. With $1750, no matter how I invest it, I can't do more that what 250 people could do with the rest of their lives.
- Robin Stacey
you are right, so let resume (generous, logic, awesome, and with a sens of humor), let ask the question differently Robin : who has no reason to win the money win the money ;) (it seams that all have at least one reason) human are really amazing creature. (ps: me too)
- abdellah
I agree, I'd buy a jet ski and have so much kick ass fun!
- sofarsoShawn
great idea, Robert! hope i'll win it.. i'll pay for my flight ticket, so i can finaly see you:)
- Martin
Dear Robert, sağa sola para saçmak yerine gidip bi türkçe kursuna kaydolsanda türkçe öğrensen olmazmı? Hem bu yorumu anlardın bak ne güzel. Paran çoksa işe yarar bişeyler yap canım.
- Ahmet Karaca
I'll take "I'm a Nigerian Prince" for $1000, Alex, err, Robert.!
- Kevin Leroux
I have some debts.... and I have 11 sons... 34 grandchildren... 22 dogs... 16 cats... and I am a liar... a neeedy liar :-(((((((:-D).... GIVE ME CASHSHSHSHSHSSH... Ah... Goodmorning Mr Scoble
- Daniel
I'd invest the money to my wife's startup that she starts next month. She'll be working around social media, blogs, photography etc. :)
- Jemm
if i win i will spend it for go usa this summer. absolutely i'll visit you also :)
- haluk
whee! I'd use it to open my deli :) I see free lunches in your future *laughing* hell, I'd even dedicate a booth to you.. with a cool plaque and everything!
- russa
This is going to be the longest thread ever
- Manuela
I hope the money goes to someone that really needs it
- Kyle Weller
Love to know your motivation for doing this Robert. Social experiment? See what people will do for money? You have a financial backing in Friendfeed & are aiming to stimulate usage? Either way, if I win, please donate the money to your favourite charity
- Lindsay Davies
if I win I'll make a gift to my girlfriend
- Ciccsoft
I would give it to a friend who is unemployed; buy a new computer, smart shirt and tie, give him his dignity & confidence back. It saddens me to see so many friends hurting right now.
- Sally Church
I'll use the money by not using it (well, except for that 4pt escape clause written down below in the yet-to-be written contract between me and Mr. Scoble about the prize)
- Daniele V.
This is the FriendFeed equivalent to leftover pizza in the breakroom. I could certainly use some $ right now.
- Phillip
I'd prefer *earning* that money rather than just typing in something non-sense to anyone besides me... (please exclude my comment from the lottery)
- Kaan Ertürk
if I win I'll make a gift to Lehman Brothers
- azael ماسيمو
I'd rather type in nonsense, can I have Kaan's spot?
- sofarsoShawn
awesome robert!! are you part of pres obama's stimulus package? LOL! hope i win the random $1000 contest =)
- Melissa Solito
So. this is my comment: I would use the money to buy a ticket to fly over to meet you and discuss if I could support you as some kind of correspondent over here in Europe (I'm in Germany).
- Till
In regards to the second prize, I'd like to use the money to buy my brother and sister their first macs. I grew up on encyclopedia britannica CDs on Windows 95, they deserve Wikipedia on a Mac.
- Armin Talic
@danslarue, "free money" these two word combined are more powerful then a TNT, if you can conceive or even think a second about a concept of "free money" then implicitly agree with the concept of "free work" and beside voluntary work they call it salvation .
- abdellah
I would use the $1750 in part to purchase some equipment for the part time photography business (about $500). The rest would go to 2 friends who are hurting right now with Flagler County, FL's unemployment rate at just over 14%.
- Jay Caruso
strange that no one, think to reverse the money to the 43 startup!! boys oh boys buy some action some part of this 43 startup may be it will be worth million :)
- abdellah
At first i thought i'd start a similar thread and give the money i win :-) but, here's the truth... I'd use the money to pay the next month of dev, working with a partner on our hope to be successful web service. I'm jobless 9 months now, 3 months since we started pushing the idea forward, all done @ home. Will use the most to pay my bills, with the rest i'll buy dinner for some of the homeless people i usually ignore.
- Majento
With this money, I am plannig to start a new company that develops social media applications. So if I win, I can give a job to you :))
- Aydın Kayacık
the entire amount of money will be used to help the local communities in eastern congo and sustain conservation of the virunga national park in congo. if you prefere, you can do it right away without giving me the money, visit www.gorilla.cd/blog for a one-time donation / all donation are tracked and transparent :)
- giulio
Brilliant idea and very noble of you, Scoble! (Sorry...I should leave the humor to my husband, who does a much better job!) LOL! I would use all the money to buy as many Radio Flyer kids wagons and send them out free to those that win a contest similar to this one! (I get them wholesale because I am an authorized dealer, so that would stretch the budget a bit more).
- Pat Graham Block
I'd spend the money for future trips: I have ever wanted to see the milky way from the earth or see the Northern lights. But maybe, I could put the money aside and spend it for a parabolic flight when I have enough money (that's another lifelong dream). I would also love to go on safari in Africa and see all the amazing animals in the savanna. But maybe I should rent a car and feel the American dream at Route 66? Ah Robert, your money lottery helped my thinking about all my dreams again. Thanks! :)
- Timo Heuer
I would use part of the money to donate to some podcasters or webcomic artists who are selling things on their website, like T-shirts, mugs and stuff like that. And buy a couple of domain names. Things I already do when tax return time comes, only this time more.
- Derek Coward
Each post you make will promote this thread more and more thus decreasing the expected value, with this rate a post made a few hours from now will probably have an expected value of a few cents. This will be a very nice data .
- Tuna
I would spend the money of webhosting running free-of-charge computing services for open drug development (using open source utilities), such as used in Open Notebook Science and sorts.
- Egon Willighagen
I think we will use the money to develop a desktop application for facebook very simple, actually, but that still does not exist in optimal form. I thought with a friend, but, since we are both students, we need a bit of $ $ $ to get technical advice from someone for some parts that relate to writing code (I study Marketing, and my friend is the final year of a degree in computer engineering).
- Tiziano Tassi
Okey I give in. Scoble, finally you made me signup for friendfeed
- shafiu
i'm in. also if this a psyco socialexperiment...
- FedericaB.
hahah interesting to see anyways .. how many comments on the one thread
- Terry O'Fee
Alright. This is my first entry. Chances are that I won't win....but it is exciting waiting to see if you do. :-)
- Thebluestbutterfly
1) I'll spend the money to end my fear for airplane: so I can travel again. 2) i will organize a free public movie show here in Milano, all people sits in the night to watch the screen in the spring air
- FedericaB.
@FedericaBellag, interesting :) and what if it is just a plain and simple contest? it may be more "word of mouth advertising" tracking experiment then psyco social one. (love the smile face)
- abdellah
I will use the money for paying up my college fees and taking up a course related to VOIP. People like Craig and Vincent of Grandcentral (which I use for 3 years almost), pat Phelan and more VOIP experts keep pushing me to do something great in that area. Also, great its open to any1 iin the world. Most competitions are US ONLY, which is something I HATE BIG TIME. I m in India Mr....
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- Hardeep Singh Dang
@samuel, no the question is are FF team ready to pay $1000 for any on who join!!!
- abdellah
@abdellah ok, let's be tracked then! that's my face at the office ;-)
- FedericaB.
I will save the money. I'm an italian student studying abroad (Master in Digital Library), and those money could just be useful. They could be also a way to go in Jerusalem, following my girlfriend. Anyway, goo viral Scoble ;-)
- Aubrey McFato
I bet half of the money, the prize goes to the 1000th commenter.
- funkyboy
from Posty
notice : the headline is "win my money" not "take my money", so we have to make effort, it is not a "free money" it is a make effort and win, so remember it is not "take my money" :)
- abdellah
It's so hard to see whole of the comments. 620 including me now. :)
- Meriç Dağlı
I would get an iron if I have been searching some water in the desert and I would be the ass part of the Voltran, when we have been arising it.... bacause I am so unfortunate
- Lokman Köroğlu
you wanna DDoS FriendFeed :). I will use the money for a ff-contest when i pay people for the best comment. obviusly you can partecipate and win back your money. :P
- enzo zadrima
I'll donate some charities with 750$ of it. Buy a macbook with 999$ it, and set up a " First commenters win the buck. " contest via friendfeed. :)
- Meriç Dağlı
It shouldn't be about the money? What kind of game is it? We still need to wait Is it somehow related to SXSW?
- Aziz
Hi, with that sum I would probably take a chance to stop and take time to smell the roses, at least for a while.
- ziomau
nice way to see if there's a limit on the number of comments a ff post could get..
- Nicola Maggi
I could qualify for the $1,000, but not the $1,750 as I have two jobs. The only basis I could see is for a complete donation to an organization helping out of work people. We have a food pantry here in Beverly Mass called Bootstraps and a women's shelter in Gloucester, Mass called Wellspring that both would know just where that money could be best used.
- Martha
I'll be practical when I win the money and invest it in the future....my childrens' education!
- Kevin Dugan
@Eyal no, you can't win a contest even if you give money :) money don't do anything ;)
- abdellah
@nicolas interesting question, and what do you think? does a thread have a comment limit or no? it all depend on the limitation, will this run eternally?no so there is a number of comment that people will post here it is a kind of buzz after the momentum there will be no comment let say there will be 50000 comment, FF are able to store such data.
- abdellah
So being completely unbiased, with little if any interest, if I were Robert Scoble, handsome fella, I'd give the money to whoever stated first they would buy a jet ski due to the fact they are super fun! Oh, who knew, that's me!
- sofarsoShawn
Great...I was juts talking over in TechCrunch that Robert does not need luck in his new venture "Building 43" and not it seems I am the one that needs luck to win the $1000 ....:) Thanks Robert Joao/TechFuga
- TechFuga
Well I started reading this thread, but I got a 1/4 way through & gave up, >650 comments, that's got to be some kind of record. What post does have the highest number of comments?
- Glenn Slaven
Interesting... I guess there's nothing to lose by trying
- Adi Sheleg
Ok, can't hurt to put one's name into the "hat"...p.s. good luck dude on the new gig... will be following closely... thinking cloud myself :)
- Michael Lehman
Commenting away in the Great Scoble Sweepstakes.
- Warner Crocker
With $1750 I would spend half to get to next years SXSW which I am missing this year :-(. and the other half I would spend on sponsoring a deluxe drop in-childcare at the Austin Convention Center for the parent bloggers.
- Emee Pumarega
I'm in too:) I would use the money for keeping an exhibition
- Nia
Comment! This is the Robert Scoble Stimulus Package
- Kreg Steppe
10% to charities of my choice, the rest to pay bills and allow me to keep working in the nonprofit sector. I'm at that level where I still need to do outside consulting to come out ahead at the end of each month, and $1600 would give me 4 months where I wouldn't need to get a consulting gig (yep, the budget is that tight)
- Jeff Stern
The 4 minihawks would like to donate to their california school district to help offset the 1.5mm cutbacks.
- Mrsth
I can upgrade to a macpro by winning :-P
- Richard A.
wow this is the most comments/likes i've seen!
- andy brudtkuhl
If I won either sum of money, I'd probably put it toward buying some camera gear, like a Nikon D90 and another lens. I have a couple family events that I'll be taking pictures at, and it'd be nice to have a D90 for them. :) I could go for a D700, but the D90 has video, so that's why I prefer it right now.
- Cheryl Jones
@Jason H - Whether or not either of us wins Robert's money, I have a timeshare near Disney that I haven't had the opportunity to use in the past few years. If you can get yourself airfare, a rental car and park tickets, I'll be happy to let you use the week, no charge to you. The dates are October 24-31, 2009.
- Sally: in Florida
if i win the $1000 or $1750 i would donate it to charity:water or some other water based charity. clean water is the catalyst to healthier and smarter communities
- Damian Holmes
Congratulations to you and Rocky on the new gig.
- Aron Michalski
With $1750 I'd give money to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, to help fund research for a cure and treatments so my mother and others with MS can have an improved quality of life. I'd also give money to the American Diabetes Association to help my father and others living with diabetes. I'd give some to @smallcanbebig to help needy families locally (Boston) and hope to have enough left over to take my son to visit his grandparents in FL. He's 6 mos. and they've only seen him once, at Christmas.
- Sally: in Florida
Robert, I want your money. Do I have to work for it?
- Aidha
on that money is the side of the monte man. what's this it :) scoble iki dakka delikanlı ol lan paran fazlaysa git yardım kuruluşlarına, özürlüler, kimsesiz çocuklara ver mngoduum kapitalist pçleri.
- Volkan Yılmaz ٩(●̮̮̃•̃)۶
if you come to shanghai/China, we can have a dinner and go to bar :)
- 赛林(土耳其)
I enter not because I need the money (I'd give it away too) but because me entering slightly reduces all of the rest of your chances to win. MUAHAHAHAHA
- Nate True
My Scoble $1750 stimulus package spending plan: Give my son (the struggling Mac/iphone developer) $1,000 in "angel funding", get a Drobo ($500), and put $250 in my Grandson's (future Mac) savings account.
- Al Degutis
Pick me, pick me, pick me for the $1000 giveaway (if you don't pick me for the $1750 Scoble Stimulus).
- Al Degutis
more people should do this. Many people or businesses could afford to give $1,000
- Lady Lovely Heart
i would donate some of it maybe half to a local worthy charity, the rest would go into a fund that would be used to encourage this type of activity. Conversation building, with the right questions a lot of solutions can be found by crowds
- Tweet Feeds
My intent for the big prize would be to replace windows in my home with energy efficient ones. the ones in the house now are cracked from the house settling. they are the original 1959 windows, and they rattle every time a plane goes over the house. very distracting when we are trying to concentrate or stay warm
- Lady Lovely Heart
Big money. No whammies. STOP. | I would use the winnings towards upgrading my equipment (Mac Pro) since my current setup is pretty bad for video. I would sell my current MBP (2006 First Gen) and use the proceeds towards the new machine. I would pump out twice as much HD content with better equipment. Thanks for all you do Robert..I know whoever wins will make the best out of the cash.
- Bwana ☠
Take my husband to the Grand Canyon for that honeymoon we never had--that's what I'd do with some extra cash.
- joansjewels
I'd buy a laptop so that I don't have to wait for the missus to get off the ruddy computer and let me have my go on it!!!
- Andy
a nice way to test the limits of commenting feature on a bunch of real people just for US$1000.
- 9000
I will use the money to buy $1 stocks in companies that will re-bound or will be more successful in the next 2-5 years due to the ongoing financial crisis. My choice will be guided by those companies that care, share and have flare for others...a community stimulus...hope others will join and build what the "financiers" could not.
- Gordon Montgomery
1. Cool 2. Travel for VC meetings so I can finally provide some solutions for RSS that we argued/discussed 2 years ago (delivery of premium content possibly over open channels)
- Andy Beard
Yo Robert, did you give it away yet? Here's my chance to win! ;^)
- Michael Bailey
@manuela, but personally I want more comment from you.
- abdellah
awesome idea. by the way, how goes life without diet coke?
- tracy
I'd use it to help an independent artist with their career. Rentals for video equip on shows and music videos with stories that would otherwise remain untold.
- Frank Jonen
Woah! So is this part of the Scoble Stimulus plan? Anyways, if by some chance I did win the money I would use either towards moving out of my parents house later this year or put it towards my student loans.
- Mathew™ one of a kind
@Akiva you also deserve to win., I insist please comment this thread please.
- abdellah
If I lay my hands on this prize, I'll spent a night playing blackjack surrounded by hookers. I'd also buy a new Palm that Robert recommended lately and spend the remaining amount for ScienceDirect and Jstore subscriptions.
- Alan Kodzasov
I would use the money to fix the economy.
- Andy Bakun
Andy: you get it right, please fix that economy.
- abdellah
Its enough to buy one toliet seat for the government :)
- Roberto Bonini
Robert could fund nails and shingles for building a small seminar facility in the Adirondack State Park.
- Jeff Archambeault
With $1750 I would buy a lot of toys for the baby we are waiting....
- roberto ferorelli
I count at least 6 references to "donate to kiva.org" so far. Pretty cool. That is what I was going to write, but looks like many other's beat me to it. But hell... If I got it, I would donate to Kiva.org. :) (make it 7 now).
- Shannon Bauman
Nothing special here, just want to pay some outstanding bills and get supplies for my 3mth old =)
- Mat Finch
Quickly put in a reply while thinking about a smug way of spending 1.750...
- Stefan Kolle
Yeah, I think I'll stick with the Kiva donation too. I'm pretty prolific there (a true believer), and have about that amount outstanding in loans, so the chance to double my Kiva loans in one go would be outstanding.
- Stefan Kolle
is this gonna have like 1000+ comments?
- Jorge Murillo
I'm bummed I couldn't get to SXSWi so I came to Robert's ATM machine instead. :)
- Laura Zickus
I'd love to say I'd do something altruistic with the money, but I'd invest it all in my startup (we're doing cool things with information and emotions online). In this economy every little helps :-)
- jennielees
with $1,750, I would I would set up 7 performance art / photoshoots uptown here in Charlotte in the center of Bank Town at lunch time, wordlessly demonstrating some of the problems (as I see them) with our current corporate culture. I have the first one of these ready to go but don't the cash to set up the others (yet). If I only got the free $1000, I would buy some more studio lighting equipment (much to the chagrin of my roomy).
- Shannon J Hager
sure, I'll play. as for how I'd use the money, I'd probably use it to help offset the cost of my lasik surgery.
- chrisofspades
I would use the money to fund my own open source development work (within the php symfony framework) as well as supplement my wife's pending maternity leave. Realtors don't get paid maternity leave... Thanks!
- Jon Issler
I would use the money to assist my parents in their move back home closer to the adult children. They are currently existing on 18k a year, their Medicare and Secondary insurance cost them 10k. It would help buy their medications.
- Janet
I'm sure that there are a lot of deserving people who need this money so best of luck to all. I would give this $ to my mother who had to sell her business after working so hard, cause she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Now she has to work for someone part time cause still sick, husband laid off in Florida, trying to pay off house, med bills, prescrip, barely making it & gov't no help cause not appv'd for Medicare cause married, what? so considering divorce just to afford medical bills & mortgage. - M.E.
- monica Edwards
Here's my comment! I'll take my chances. I'm a poor college grad, I could sure use the cash.
- Jessica
I've blocked u, so if u wanna get back on my list....:)
- Koba Yaschi
This is really good. I'll buy a Nintendo Wii. :) Thx.
- marrup -serkan-
I hope people that REALLY need it win ,,, good luck on the Contest Rob ..
- johnpiercy
This has to be the most commented thread in FriendFeed.
- Nicholas James
Here's the rundown with what I'd do with $1750: I want to do a Power Rangers fan film. No joke. Stop laughing. No really, you can stop now. Power Rangers has been on the air for the past 17 seasons, and it's finally getting canceled. This has inspired me to shoot a film short inspired by the show I grew up with. The $1750 will be invested to bump it up to looking professional. Scoble can be the Executive Producer! Don't pass up on that chance. Ok, you can stop laughing now, lol.
- Lisa J
Tuition for 2010 Iowa Summer Writing Festival courses, at Iowa Writers' Workshop.
- Paola Bonomo
It would go into the funds I am raising to start a new print venture, tbnl, which will publish great, timeless stories (fiction & nonfiction) in a limited edition (subscriber only edition), a print-on-demand edition available for years and a digital ebook reader. Paying writers & artists on an ongoing, fair basis
- Shannon Clark
I'd love to have some Scoble Dollars. They'd help fund my exit from technology to academia.
- Tom Morris
Hi Robert, Congrats on new opportunity with bldg 43 Can I share your money with my 18 month old daughter AKA the Joy transmitter or perhaps I could drop it form the sky with my tandem paraglider over the Microsoft campus...
- John Clifford
It's impossible not to comment - although if it wasn't Scoble saying this, I wouldnt bother to be honest, as I'd suspect a con ...
- Ian
I'd use the money to buy crack. I mean books for children. Oh, wait, it's random...
- Jules Morgan
Wow! I think I would invest them for developing an iPhone application
- Nicholas
Hi Robert, my first comment on friendfeed, I couldn't resist the chance. You do know that Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day - I'll buy you a leprechaun hat from the parade in Dublin to celebrate!
- Niall Sisson
Leaving Comment here. Hope it finds a good home. I would use the money to start a shelter for lost comments.
- Joe K
I'm here! And I'd like to switch from PC to Mac... :D
- Giovy
Hi Robert, this is very generous of you, thank you! I've been unemployed since last April so I could use the money for rent, food, bills, etc. I wish I could buy a nice little netbook with the money but maybe once I'm back on my feet I can make that happen. In the meantime, thanks for being so considerate to your readers! Best of luck with the new venture too.
- Andy
Rackspace customer and big fan... Looking forward to this new venture!
- Charlie Nichols Browning
Surprised you have fallen as low as this Robert. Still, been there and done that before so best of luck and best wishes with Rackspace.
- Paul Fabretti
If I win, will post about the same in my blog and you'll be famous in India too (if you're not, that is). BTW your fan following can add upto 45 million Indian internet users (Smirk!). Now how about that Mr. Scoble? Game for it....Oh man, this is quirky fun! Keep up the good work Robert :)
- Sampad Swain
I would use the money to fix _my_ economy. And by my economy, I mean I'd blow it all on strippers and blow.
- Jon Ursenbach
The amount of comments in here is insane. What's the record for the FF entry with the most amount of comments ever? Because this one feels like a winner.
- Brad Butner
from twhirl
you lucky! in Italy we can's setup a contest like that one easily and free, we have to pay taxes :(
- Maurizio ㊍ Mazzanti
If I won $1000, it would go to my first Mac since a Mac+ !
- Steve Ellwood
am still undecided on your real motive...... but then again, pecunia non olet..... ;)
- denise
787 comments ?? wow!! Scoble u are the Brad Pitt of friendfeed... anyone else see the physical resemblence?
- Cody Heitschmidt
Um, no, I don't Cody. Sorry. Scoble is taller.
- Roberto Bonini
just leave a comment. well her's mine
- Rachel Clarke
well its not identical I know Scoble is a little taller, but other than that Anfgelina could easily confuse the 2.
- Cody Heitschmidt
That would be awesome, I could put the $$ towards my vacation to Kauai in August. Thanks Scoble, I promise to provide you photos from the vacation PF.
- Pentaxfan
I'm bending the corner of my comment so it sticks out
- Just Ken
You're not really going to write down all these names & pull them out of a hat are you?
- Mrsth
I'll need a credit card that got no limit-cuz we all just want to be rock stars
- Mrsth
Mrsth: I bet he'll find a script somewhere to pull all the usernames into a file, as only Scoble could do. :) Any amount of money would likely go towards my photography business, should I be chosen to win... it would be fun to put a portion of it towards prizes for the photowalks I'll be starting this summer in northern Vermont for area photographers and enthusiasts.
- Bob M. Montgomery
Are you trying to create "the most commented thread" on friendfeed? Here's my comment however: what will I do with my 1750$? Probably I'll use them as a "microfound" for a webapp I'm thinking to... :P
- Napolux
from twhirl
I like free money. Was it already given away?
- elroy
I'd like to say that I'd do something noble should I win but there's no nobility in ordering cases of wine and giving my liver a good workout. Plenty of enjoyment, though.
- Mark H
I would use it to not have an excuse for not recording my album. That is to say after 15 years of putting it off, I would stop procrastinating.
- Vicky
I'm in and I'd probably put the money towards building my deck (not super exciting but still...)
- Trevor
Starting to think I should post a reason why I want it...
- ralphsaunders
I'm in! And I would use the money to buy my mom a present. She just turned 52 :)
- Alex Kapranoff
I'm working on a funding for a research application for a semantic web project that I hope will become the next big thing (one of the next big things, anyway). If I succeed, you'll be the first person I ask to cover it!
- Sam Kuper
Money, money, money, money ... MONEY!
- Great Scott!
You guys do know that Scoble is essentially bribeing you to comment here? Large carrot and a small stick.
- Roberto Bonini
LOL. In my defense, I was performing a public service. *ducks*
- Roberto Bonini
Hey I'm in. Is this the most commented entry in the whole of FriendFeed? I'm guessing that it will be. Anyone know what the previous record was?
- Peter Kelley
I'd use the money to help get my wife's specialty dessert company off the ground: www.thesweettreatcompany.com
- Michael Listberger
Can't wait to win your money... I'd use it to pay for some much needed camera gear and the rest of it to plan a trip to a city I've never been before so I could photograph it. I would love to be able to do something with photography, but it's tough working full time and going to grad school at night, all on my own dime. I don't have it as rough some people, but I've had to earn everything I have so I make no apologies for it.
- Michael
Good luck sorting thru the 800+ comments :) If I won the money, I would repeat your experiment and give it all away (though I'm sure I would get no where near as many entrants as you) (P.S. It's not that I couldn't use the money, but I think it would feel good to help someone who needs it more than me). Good luck everyone!
- Helen Hoefele
He won't notice if I comment twice, right? ;) Nah, I don't do that. But, holy crap! This is a lot of comments!
- Mike Nayyar
now i'm not the only person on friendfeed who hasnt commented on this post!!!
- sam
from twhirl
now i'm not the only person on friendfeed who hasnt commented on this post!!!
- sam
from twhirl
I sure could use $1000. Would go straight to funding Taskerrific. $1750 would be even better, because I could get a new computer and a year's hosting, based on my current estimates.
- Chris, Taskerrific Guy
I would use the money to fund my plastic drumming addiction. Hellooo pro drum set hacked to play Rock Band!
- Chieze Okoye
So I wonder how many comments a FF post can handle?
- gfurry
I would use the money to pay my taxes so the needy executives will still be able to get their bonuses this year.
- gfurry
Hey Robert. Hard to say the best way to spend it without doing too much work to make it be most useful, but if it could be used to do something radical with what is going on with the Fed, I'm sure you know that Ron has a bill in Congress to Audit the Fed. Very soon things are gonna be way worse for us on this planet if things are not done to stop the insane people from making some really bad choices. So the money should go to someone willing to do something really radical to save our country from ending.
- mikehedge
I would donate all the money to UNICEF and Kiva.
- Jess Lee
Weird. I was just thinking about how I needed about $1750 in ones to sew together and waterproof in an effort to make myself an umbrella top to fix the one I ripped yesterday. So...yes, that's what I'll do with it. I'll even give you a free picture of it in exchange for your dollars! (Leftovers will be donated to credit card debt. :( )
- Brett
I would use the money to help pay for the permits I'll need to get a pet monkey for my internet video show.
- Davis Freeberg
I'd start a community for my career, regulatory compliance in biomedical research. Right now there is not an effective way for my counterparts at universities, biotechs, government labs, private labs to communicate quickly and effectively. The result of this is organizations world wide continually reinvent the wheel. I'd like to create an up to date community with high traffic, and the ability to share files, policies, forms, etc. The project will go foward w/o the money, just more slowly.
- Matthew DeVries
I'll put the money into microlending; a good social/economic ROI.
- Phil Wolff
I want to say something conservative like pay down my debt or put it in the kids college fund, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I would use the money to buy myself a bass guitar. Just something I've been wanting but don't have the discretionary income to afford it.
- Eugene Huo
850+ Comments? That has to be some sort of record for friendfeed in just over 24 hours.
- WiseYoda (aka Patrick)
If I won $4500, I would install central heat and air in my house. You would make my life so much happier!
- Auriette Lindsey
$1,750 would go to the nonprofit volunteer org I'm trying to get off the ground :P
- Shawn Farner
Diapers for Newborns. $1750 split evenly to the most socially active on http://bebepool.com (my free web service enabling expectant parents to run their own baby pool contest). Most active meaning the 10 pools with the most participant guess entries Jan-Feb. I will paypal $175 to each winner and blog the results inclusive of the funds origin & any statements from the families impacted. I've seen the bebepool community show their own generosity (http://burnurl.com/YvHNL0 ), so would love to full circle it.
- Micah Wittman
If I won the money, I'd give all of it back to you. Of course, I'd charge 100% interest. :P
- Matthew Agra
wow. must be the post with the most comments i've seen on friendfeed so far.
- simonpure
With 1750 I'd do the ever boring "keep paying off the wife and I's credit cards"
- Steve Boerner
Any and all the money I win will go for building this charity app we are planning. Every cent spent will be accounted for and would be posted on a web site (TBD). Additionally, we will be spending our own money and time on this. @scobleizer, please ping me if you would like more details.
- Ashish Rangole
Tipjoy $1 each to the first 1,000 or 1,750 (depending on prize) commentors in this thread who have a Twitter account.
- Hao Chen
With $1750, I'd put up another "Win my money" post on FriendFeed, and see if people bite more or less than for your money. And then figure out why they liked your money more (social-networking experiment 2.0).
- Ivan Zuzak
Robert kardes kusura bakma Ingilizcem iyi degil. 1750 gaymeyi bana verirsen sirket acarken kullanacagim. toparlarsak : $1750 + 10 000tl = design company :)
- Uur
Emergency is an independent, neutral and non-political Italian organization, provides free, high quality medical and surgical treatment to the civilian victims of war, landmines and poverty. http://www.emergency.it/index...
- Cristian Conti
If i won the money, I will write a easy to use friendfeed app for iphone :)
- cem
$1750= Paying off my medical bills... no, not enough. Gas, food, rent... mmm, scratch that. Funding my craving for more, new camera equipment.... perfect. You, rightly feeling good for what you want to do,... priceless.
- Kate
I'm going to become father for the second time ! I'll use this money to search a new house whith more than 2 rooms !
- neurinux
mi piegherò al Dio denaro, ma almeno lo farò nella mia lingua madre :)
- Tambu
from twhirl
I will use the money to put towards a deposit on a flat. Currently I am living between my parents and my partner and daughters. I have two children from a previous relationship so will use the money for a deposit on a place which is central to both location
- Joe Dawson
I'll use the money for a much needed, long overdue, 2 month break and go to India to relax from this hectic world…
- Adi Sheleg
i'll use the money to get out of this place and start running my own business
- Claudia
I'll fund prototype of my p2p language learning startup
- Artyom
In case I win, I'll upgrade my networking status to "notworking" status. At least for a month. During that time, I'll have more time to make blog posts and enlighten self taught musicians and producers who are fighting to make music in their bedrooms. And I will buy some cookies for myself, in case I forget to eat
- ilter
Sei un chiattone, bob. Simpatico, però.
- jokerulez
Considering some people worrying about taxes, I'd just like to state that up here in Canada, lottery and contest winnings are not taxed. At all.
- Chris, Taskerrific Guy
Sorry, I don't want money, we've got too much !
- Benoit Bourdin
Benoit: I'd be happy to help you get rid of some of your surplus, if that's really the case. ;)
- Chris, Taskerrific Guy
In response to happyseaurchin's question above, I propose tiprojx http://tiprojx.wordpress.com/ ... If anyone reading this who has a twitter account tweets an idea for a (social change) project with one or more of the hashtags #tipme#tipshare#tiptodo#tipif ... a whole lot of new projects have the potential to 1. gain crowdsourced funding and 2. be collaboratively refined in the process. I'll split the money between my favourite tagged ideas posted before midday (GMT) next Tues 24 March.
- Hannah Lewis
If I won $1750, I'd use the money to hire a local (Austin) freelance UI/dev to help me finish my social sports service (commi.sh) and pay for hosting for a year while we grow it.
- Carter Rabasa
OMG. Robert Scoble jumps into "paid per comment". This is the end. My only friend, the end.
- Davide Pozzi
ok, this is definitely a test for building43.com. does friendfeed run on rackspace? Rob, you trying a massive test of comments or live commentary, or something like that. i can bet you're analyzing this data on rackspace. you're making the new friendfeed search of organized live conversations/streams.
- Reji
Another social experiment?!? Sure, I'm in for a little bailout money!!!!
- Ferwin
from Nambu
If I win I will hire someone to keep track of these little contests ppl like Scoble play from time to time.(since this kinda contests will be the newest #trend from now on)
- Manoj
Comment 909 and counting. New pool ~ When will Robert break his own record.
- Russellreno
Will Tomorrow be my Lucky Day? I will buy $1750 dollars of PowerBall tickets and then give 90% of the winnings to help feed children in Africa.
- David Clements
This money could really help me in my current situation. Unfortunately I recently had a tumour removed from my bladder, which has really turned my life upside down. Overall, this has resulted in me having to miss and therefore finance two extra years at University. I’m currently 21 and studying BA Hons Economics at Newcastle University, England. I’m pleased to say that my health seems...
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- Daniel Rowley
With $1,750 I would be able to afford the flight back to Austria and support my dad who has to undergo his 3rd surgery and eventually also the 4th.
- Verena Fuchs
I would sell it! =) honor would be enough for me...
- Goktug Gedik
I would use the money to purchase a head stone for my mothers grave.
- Ardail Smith
i would use the money for a long hot summer :)
- Samuel Kreuzer
I'd buy $1,750 worth of green energy stocks, most probably geothermal
- Fabio
Robert - I would use the money to buy good microphones to make an internet video series about Nerd Revolt. http://www.numeriklab.com/2009... I would then use them to document the 2009 Decibel Festival in September: http://dbfestival.com After that, who knows - but I promise to come up with something good! You can't document musicians without good sound :) Thank you, Erica
- Erica Toelle
I would use the money to pay my out-of-state tuition!
- Kevin Mohr
i would like it in a brief case... small unmarked bills please
- ray parisi
I'd use $1750 towards a down payment for a first home. My wife and I recently had a son, and our apartment is shrinking at an alarming rate.
- Chris Heald
i'll be a materialistic bastard. i'd pay my bills while still trying to search for a job in this life sucking, non-forgiving city. yup. that's what i would do. ramen noodles are no fun when you're not in college...
- ultimate_loser
if i win this money i'll use to buy some equipments for the university, but not only for me. i'll buy two computers, one printer, and so we can do our university newspaper. this money will be a contribute for the free press, in a nation like italy, where every voice is subdued to the power. give us a chance!
- Riccardo
Leave a comment here, and I can win. Ok, done. What's next? There's something about a second way to win, that looks like I need to state what I'd use the money for. Simple: to continue to make uplifting films, like I did this year for the 168 Project. Need to make a few payments still. The rest will go towards next year's film.
- Mike Shields
I'd put it towards a computer and software I need for my new small business I'm setting up after 4 years off work with a broken back
- Rob Bell
Mee Two :) , i'll use it for world Piece
- Chirag Chamoli
Mike: watch http://www.ustream.tv/studio at about 4 p.m. today (Austin Time, which is about 2 p.m. Pacific Time) and we'll pick the winners live on that show.
- Robert Scoble
I'd like to join this competition to make a chance for the money for my new developing start-up. Could use it for sure, development is costy these days!
- Coen Jacobs
I'd use the money to pay for an artist to help me out on a Palm Pre/Windows Mobile app that I'm working on.
- Alastair Maggs
If I won the money I would book one of those super cheap round trip tickets to Australia from LA (currently $598 RT) and then use my Flip camera to videotape people I met and ask them what they give thanks for (see http://givethanks.tv) I would also donate 5% of my winnings to my friend Hollis (http://friendsofhollis.com) who was in a bad accident last month. Her medical bills are mounting. Oh, and while I'm in Australia I'd ask people what they thought of Scoble.
- TanjaB
OK, first the 'leave a comment here' bit - here it is. As to what I'd do with the money, my wife has been made redundant and two days later someone crashed into my car while it was parked - so I guess I'd put it towards replacing the car and rebuilding our lives. Actually that sounds a little melodramatic, it's only a car, but it would be useful. Unless of course UK residents aren't eligible for this in which case I guess I'll just sit at home and sulk!
- Guy Clapperton
I'll switch SocialToo from Amazon EC2 to Rackspace if I win
- Jesse Stay
Win money? No, thanks. but I DO wanna earn your money :). Send details to onno@media44.nl or visit http://www.media44.nl
- MEDIAFORCE
$1750? My answer is simple. I would use it to help fund our movie. To purchase wanted equipment, better food for cast/crew, throw an awesome wrap party. Then, if we had any left over, we would use it towards our next movie. Also, you would get a free copy (format of your choice) and an Executive Producer credit. It'll be on IMDB and everything! This could be an awesome help for a trio of tired, driven, motivated filmmakers who want to change the game for movie-making.
- Anthony Thompson
I would spend $1,750 on a iPhone App using fbConnect for my financial services startup which I otherwise wouldn't allocate a budget for.
- Abhimanyu Chirimar
Gosh, there are a lot of comments. Is this a FF stress test?
- Morton Swimmer
I would use the money for development of gCaptain 2.0 with the goal of dethroning the oldest magazine in continuous print, Lloyds List, from the maritime news sphere of influence.
- gCaptain
I will hire a scholar to make my research few hours a day so I can follow your tweets!!! :D
- Jesús
I'm in, what would I do with the money? well, I'm a teenager from Cairo, Egypt, and I plan to start podcasting during my vacation "first video podcast in Egypt" and work on my blog, I don't have enough money to buy an HD camcorder so I would use the money to buy that and get a domain name for my blog and go pro, and if there is enough money I would buy an iPhone.
- Ahmed
I would give the money to this young man in his fight against hodgkins lymphoma. He is the nephew of my daughter's preschool teacher and I would do anything to help him out, but we don't have much. As a former soccer player, current coach and human being... my heart goes out to him and his family. Anything would help. http://tinyurl.com/cch2uy
- Jason
This is the most epic thread ever, i put off replying all weekend but i think its about time i joined in. I think if i won i'd propose to my girlfriend because id be able to afford a ring! Or, we'd go on a nice much needed holiday.
- Simon Wicks
I'd give the money to Daniel Rowley (comment above). Seems like he has a genuine need.
- Dustin Curtis
Interesting (and a few not so) comments. Most people are here for the easy money, leaving a random comment and then closing a tab. No blame here, since it's the rule of the game. Do you know that in order to permanently change the world you just need just a little bit compared to the big picture to get you over that hard to reach top? Well, that's what I would use it for, to get that jolt, break the barriers and climb over that first, impossible top.
- Lorand R. Minyo
hey! easy game Mr Scoble :) I'm here :D
- Guillaume
What a cool idea. I would definitely use the money towards taking another class. Assembly? Lernin is espensive.
- sarajchipps@gmail.com
I'm in too - Judging by the entrants, I'll have better odds on winning the lottery
- Shaf
I'll donate the money to AIG executives.
- Filipe Marques
I would use the money to bid on Gaius Baltar's Robes at the Battlestar Galactica Auction in May. Those costumes get pretty pricy! ~Matt http://BSGcast.com
- Matt
I'd use to money to stimulate the US economy by buying all your stuff
- Magnus
I'd pay the 4000 I owe in tuition. I've paid off all but this last bit, so it'd be my first move. Still looking for a job...
- Linda Margaret
I would use the money to buy a laptop. I bought one in December and was getting a friend from the US to bring it to me (I was in Dubai). The laptop was stolen from her luggage at JFK and I got no compensation. I was out 1500$, laptopless, and highly depressed because the euphoria of getting a new laptop was not realized.
- Bhavishya Kanjhan
If I win the money - its going straight to helping my startup - creately.com get to Public Beta. We're so close and every cent counts!
- Charanjit
Good way of generating a lot of comments :-) I'd use the money for reducing some debts...
- Diego Zamboni
Whoaaaa, there. $4,500? Really? Boy am I glad I follow you on Twitter. Since when does money grow on tweets? If I ever had the good fortune of being plucked out of a hat, I'd spend all of it on the tuition bills that have racked up in my family name (mother, brother y yo).
- amira
I would use the money to get my girlfriend @Tatty, who I met on Twitter, from Norway to the US so we can start living happily ever after. :)
- Foul Bastard
Pay off the credit card and get a return airfare to the USA from Sydney!
- Nathan Davies
I need 980 dollars to go to school to be a cheesemonger. So tired of waiting tables and am ready to pursue something I am passionate about.
- Miles Laird
I'd use the money to take some time off with my daughter...
- Fredrik Wennberg
from twhirl
I'm saving to buy my first house later this year and working to start my freelance design business.
- john
$1750...I would use them for a wonderful trip to San Francisco! Plane tickets from France and visit of the best web start-up / companies :) Enjoy!!
- Guillaume
I'd have to assume I'd use the money to buy a Nikon D90, then hunt you down to thank you and take your picture with it.
- Richard Finucane
I'll use it as a "Pay It Forward Ponzi Scheme" (In these crazy Maddoff days, it's about time we revert the wheel.)
- Vivian Cohen- Leisorek
Hi Robert! I would use the money to put into a bank account. I will become a daddy within the next weeks and this would a be a 'scolar fund' for my first kid!
- Bas van Breugel
Count me in. $1750 would go to the IWK Children's Hospital for Xboxes and Wiis.
- M Langille
Great idea-- and I'd use the money to create workshops to bring younger and older gay men together to discuss the history of the AIDS epidemic in Philly. http://gayhistory.wikispaces.com
- Chris Bartlett
What am I going to do with the $1750? I will reveal that secret in my second comment :)
- Bari Hossain
Great idea Robert. I'd do four things: I'd pay for a ESPN360 season and play-off pass to watch NHL games over here in Europe. Then I'd hire a graphics designer to redo http://www.speakingenglishpodcast.com to have it not only appeal to learners but also sponsors. Third, I'd take my wife out to dinner and fourth I'd give the rest back to you - I wouldn't need it all and you have a family, too.
- Sebastian Keil
First of all, thanks for the heads up on "Free Money" also thanks for being such a great conduit. So throw my name into the hat please. I know I usually push for giving to Cancer foundations and etc. But am going to change it up a bit.... If I would happen to win the money there is hugely talented Photographer on Twitter that needs only $6,000 to sustain his enrollment at some artsy Ivy...
more...
- SashaKane
Seriously? I'll start a "Mini-ITXs" fund to replace all the desktops in my home with Mini ITXs. Power saving ftw!
- Nimish Batra
I'd start a foundation dedicated to bringing the finance crooks to justice and redistributing the stolen funds from whence they came.
- Alistair Knock
hmm...I'll rather invest it in gold. That's the least volatile thing these days.
- Kunal Gangar
i would finally finish my thesis and rent a lot servers with mosso after that to incorporate a company dealing with enterprise mashups and cloud computing in germany
- tmetschke
Robert, I would probably spend the money in a relatively futile manner. Therefore, I'll let others who need it more have a chance at the $1,750 prizes. I'd be happy to be chosen randomly for the $1,000. Great initiative, by the way.
- Antonio Cangiano
This is just what we need in order to launch AllRise.com: hosting + legal expenses +company registration fees.
- Erez Eden
richard, by giving a way more money, are you ready?
- abdellah
I'll give YOU $500 and give $100 to twitter (since I heard about it there). The first should make it easier for you to part with the money. The twitter donation will conclusively prove that they have a viable business model :)
- Ebrahim Nalwala
Our band would use it to buy a PA system so that we could play anywhere/practice with proper sound. I`d treat this as a loan and donate the money in your name to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.
- Reuben Fortes
It would help me pay for my wedding in Ottawa in August, rather than having to borrow money! (PS nice way of getting people on FriendFeed!)
- Paul Lomax
Robert, please pick me. I need the USD1000 to get myself an iPhone 3G (cost HKD6200.00 from Apple Hong Kong) so I don't have to borrow my girlfriend's, and the rest of the money, I will use to pay for all the data usage I will be using when testing review copies of iPhone apps. How can I be borrowing an iPhone to write iPhone app reviews? That is just ironic.
- Vinko
I need to do something completely luxurious and pampered for a week. Oh, I would really like to take my brother along because it was his birthday two weeks ago and would like to surprise him. That's right, a very belated birthday present. Very much would be a surprise. How about a cruise out of Miami to the Caribbean or out of Los Angeles to Mexico? We need to see the water! Sure we have the Fountains at Bellagio but we would like to sail on an ocean. There it is. I have our bags packed and ready to go.
- Vegas Bill
I would develop an innovative iPhone app using the money and when sales pick up, return the amount to you so u can run another contest.
- iPhone Dev Guy
I am a poor student who really could use a new Laptop.. I will Ustream and take pictures of the unpacking so you know I didn't spend the money on beer ;) I could put SPONSORED BY SCOBLE stickers on the new machine. Please Scoble, I could really use this. Cheers, patrick.
- patrick detlefsen
a new laptop to replace the almost 6-year old one would be nice for a developer. give me the other prizes, too and i'll donate 'em to schooling a kid in a 3rd world country!
- moogs
*wonders* Do we have to leave two comments, one for the $1000 and one for one of the $1750?
- Linden A. Mueller
Ok, Scoble if i get this money somehow, give my money to this student (patrick detlefsen) - Thanks
- Junal Rahman
If you pick me, I will lend out the money via Kiwa.org
- Henning
Well let's turn the wheel of chance :)
- Fatih Arslan
So just in case, here's the second one. :) I would save it. We'll be making our second international move in two years in September, and this time, we'll be settling down. I would use it for part of our down payment on our first house.
- Linden A. Mueller
Right now $1750 is worth $2700 Aussie (sounds a lot better) I'd ask Robert to JV with me and share how to turn that $2.7k into $270k in 6 months. If we didn't like each other after that we needn't continue to turn it into $27M. Jim Beasley (Twitter: whoisJimBeasley)
- Jim Beasley
Would love to start an online business for my 7 yr old as a college fund!!!! Have the idea, just not the funds to start it!!!
- Charles Bovard
I could use the money to pay some of my student loans that I had to take to study the one true thing worth studying, the Internet!
- Shane Tilton
I would spend the money on bourbon and porn.
- Kari Holtz
I'll use to finance our new project of social publishing with Friendfeed. Thanks for the opportunity.
- Massimiliano Mancini
if I win: I'd give half of the money to Emergency (http://www.emergency.it/) to help their medical work in war areas.
- andrea
I'd love to use your money to send kids with disabilities to CampASCCA.org! With the $1750, 3 children would get to go to camp this summer. Or, it would send maybe a dozen to a weekend camp this spring! Either way, I'd love to see you help these kids out. In this kind of economic environment, places like Camp ASCCA are the first to be forgotten ... that means the kids are forgotten, too. Thanks, Robert!
- RD French
Before I reveal the secret of what I would do with $1750, I really need to know the secret - "Why are you giving away this money,Robert?"
- Bari Hossain
Will use it finally upgrade my powerbook to a MBP so I can write an iPhone app as part of my CS Degree Dissertation.
- Shaun Bohannon
$1175 to my all time favorite musician's (Diana Krall) chosen charity: Vancouver General Hospital's Leukemia Bone Marrow Transplant. Would use the rest to cover my tuition expense for a Nancy Duarte slide:ology seminar. Trying to figure out ways to tackle mindnumbing government PowerPoint decks. Happy St Patrick's Day!
- Bud
With our terrible exchange rate here in the UK, I'll probably buy myself a week's worth of groceries with the prize money! Seriously though, I may treat myself to a video camera, so that maybe one day, I can be like my favourite technology evangelist!
- David Swallow
I can't wait to read followup posts to your contest. I would invest the money in my children's college funds.
- Erick Tyack
I think I will buy some books on how to get my daughter to sleep past 4AM... Seriously, any advice? :-)
- James Marino
With the money I would invest in a Home Server to better provide for my familys digital needs ;-) The rest will be given to SOS childrens village - A good and worthy cause.
- Ken-Tore
I will use the money to spend it to bloggers in germany to promote the german blogos- and twittersphere! They arn't as big and importnat as in the us, but they have the mbition for it, serious and current content...
- Simon Rabente
The money will enable me to buy some much needed toys and gadgets that mortgage/wife/2kids/etc to not allow!
- Matt Groves
I was thinking on how to win the money and then I read comments by others. I realised there are more ppl who need the money more than me. So good luck to everyone! and Robert, pls make sure the winner really deserve it.
- Gerald Neo
If I won I would donate every cent to Red Nose Day (http://www.rednoseday.com/) to help children in the UK and Africa and I'll put up $200 of my own money (about 10% of my salary) into microloans through Kiva.
- Peter Curd
I doubt this would be a winner, but I need a new set of effin tires.
- Patrick Kay
I will use my winnings to purchase books to better understand how to use all the great social media tools out there and will also earmark a portion of the winnings to use to attend SXSW 2010.
- Promising Projects
I'll use the money to finance bailing out of my apartment in light of this recession and my current status of gainful underemployment. :)
- teleken
Cool! I'd love to spend it on a netbook and a good (web)cam and start using it to lifestream/share some nice events using kyte or qik. What's left after buying the gear, I would spend on tickets for events such as The Next Web Conference, Lifehacking Academy, etc. Btw: have fun at Rackspace!
- Alex Vermeule (@alexve)
it is really interesting to see how much "I" in this thread, ok if I (+1)
- abdellah
Cool. So 80% of the dough goes on a Twitter API developer as I have a great project in mind. And the other 20% provides a stake for the blackjack table, for when we launch. Combined earnings will be sent back your way, so you can do this all over again.
- Econsultancy
I'd put it towards my TED application fund! Made too many promises about speaking there one day soon...
- Oliver
First I would buy an engagement ring for my lady and take her out on a romantic evening and propose her. And of course 300$ would go for a Wii.
- Andy Gongea
Hi I have never won anything so i dont think i will win,but hope never dies so here i am..
- Dimi
Well I guess I'm another aussie hopeful for a random win. (@carljoseph)
- Carl Joseph
My boyfriend got made redundant a while ago so I'd use the money to take him on holiday to get away from it all for a bit and help him refocus.
- Katie
thats cool to hear...thanks for the competition.i will love to buy macbook...
- Mohammed Moyeen
I'd use the money start my own website, free is good, but paid produces profit. My strong-points are creativity and commitment. I have nine years till retirement and I want to use them well.
- Wallace
Hmmm... Give it to charity is the easy answer.. But I would find and elderly person who needs home renovations etc but cant afford it.. and then get someone down on their luck to do it and pay them.. Double the satisfaction and impact
- Christopher Blake
Comment for one of the $1750 prizes. I will offer to donate the money to bail out some more fat cats living high on the hog, and give them a bonus to boot.
- TJ Polczyn
Don't get pinched - wear green today! :)
- Ricci Neer
I am saving money to go out of my usual work to start a startup, so it will be helpful for me in my saving and allow me to come out of my daily job soon.
- Mohammed Moyeen
If I win I will twitter my followers and people in Seth Godin's tribe to find the most excting youth oriented project I can, then come back to you, Robert Scoble, and see how we can involve your followers in offering knowledge or connections to make the whole thing take off, good on you.
- Sarah Farrugia
I would put the money to good use and kick start the economy with it... should work...
- Alex Peshevski
wow! this is by far the longest thread i've ever seen! :)
- David Clifford
I'll use the money as a super lucky contribution to http://www.TweetLuck.org, an initiative of my startup nonprofit, http://www.EpicChange.org. Tweetluck is raising funds to build a technology lab and boarding facility/orphanage for a school with which we're partnered in Arusha, Tanzania. The locally-run school recently performed #1 out of 117 schools in their district on national exams, and I can only imagine what's possible if we get the children at the school web access ;)
- Stacey Monk
This is one way to get me to use friendfeed... I'd use the money to enter a poker tournament in vegas this week at MIX. (at least I'm being honest)
- Jason
Wedding Ring deposit, new mac, or broker's fee to get the hell out of this apartment. Probably one of those three. I'm a huge fan of Kari Holtz's answer of bourbon & porn, but my early thirties have got the better of me and must try for something vaguely more responsible.
- Travis
Hey, why about trying, great idea ! For the second part of the contest, i'd prefer to let more chances to people who really know how to make something really usefull and interesting with it ;) !
- Christophe Michau
I hope to be one of the lucky few. Happy St. Patricks Day!
- ian ross
I wish I could come up with something clever or generous but other needs are too pressing. I don't even want to think about it really. Health insurance, upgrade to CS4 (priorities, right?), art supplies, new shoes, vet visit for the cats, whatever else I could squeeze out of it. But I would put some portion toward charitable use, or else use it to create something that I could give, because generosity deserves to be honored in kind.
- Rebecca
I'll buy some of the gadgets Scoble is talking about...
- Alexander Benker
In Malaysia, I'll give the money to the women's aid organization to fight discrimination, women are first to go in a layoff.
- Carolyn Chan
#1 - love those comments who will equal a charity donation or repeat this experiment. Love the umbrella comment and the humor we geeks have (I am not in that camp). And am delighted to see all the marketing occurring.
- Gee
Great idea. I'd probably put the money towards a good camera for a live video project I'm working on.
- Alan Chamberlain
If I was lucky enough to win I would use the money to attend http://www.web09.org/. It would cover the cost of the airfare, accommodation, and registration fee. I would then be able to Tweet and blog about it so those who read me would get some benefit from me being there. Anything learned would be put to good use in the open source projects I contribute to. Unlike some of the others here, I can't be altruistic about this - I want to go to the conference and can't afford it! Charity begins at home after all
- Elpie
It will probably help me to keep one of my employee, until we bounce back in our feet
- Boubacar Balde
from twhirl
I'm definitely in and I'd use the $1750 to buy my first macbook.
- Robbin
I would use it as nice start for my first house loan ;-) A man has got to start somewhere doesn't he ;-)
- Pieter-Jan Adriaensens
get lasik after reading all of these #CCCCCC comments on friendfeed!
- Landon
What I would use the money for? Well, I have been eyeing up some netbooks and need to replace my aging television. So, this would pretty much go there in my lone attempt at reviving our moribund economy/ I'm doing my part to help us out of these troubled economic times!
- Jason J. Thomas
I'd learn how to code in Cocoa, and create a salsa dance iPhone app :)
- Tom Tubbs
Clever idea. If I win, I would put half the money in the bank, as my husband is currently unemployed; and would give half the money to my friend and her family, as her son & daughter-in-law were in a serious car accident in Oct. 2008 and my friend quit her job to help take care of her premature born grandson, 2 yr old grandson, so her own son can then take care of his now brain-injured wife. http://jennifersmiracle.blogspot.com/
- Traci Knoppe
My first comment didn't show up! REPLAY: With the $1750 I will expand my business working with energy and transformation in the area of money & prosperity (Money Reiki Healing) attuning people to their Source resulting in personal and planetary shifts around money and abundance. I will also donate a portion of the winnings to a few favorite charities (including Water is Life and Charity:Water).
- Amy Flynn
Wow, Just needed that money to buy me a trip to the states at last! I'm from Paris and I just keep reading your feeds on twitter, ff etc...
- anciaux
Should I win, any money would be invested in upgrading some piece of computer equipment, or a software purchase... and a celebratory dinner with my wife, of course.
- Chris Grayson
Heads up, Twitter! I would put the money into real competition to Twitter.
- David Baum
To quote Han Solo - "Got some old debts I gotta pay off with this stuff"
- Cliff Forster
#2 - would use either amount to send a girl to computer camp, a program of the Montgomery County (MD) Commission for Women. This program is in its 10+ year and has a proven and remarkable outcome: inspiring junior high school girls to higher education. The program takes girls from lower expectation neighborhoods and sends them to the community college. Being on a college campus opens new visions for these girls.
- Gee
I need yet another bicycle. Choose me! I promise not to give it to AIG for bonuses!
- mrbrown
I'd put the cash toward a new unibody Macbook - I broke the screen on my Macbook Pro and it's difficult to use now because I have to us my iPhone as my screen (Jaadu VNC). I'll take care of my new Macbook, Robert, I promise. Please pick me? Please!
- David Mozingo
I got married on last saturday, 14th ( http://trauung.steudtner.info sorry only German ) and I got a whole bunch of photos and videos. I would take the money and buy a new iMac to organize them and my videos too. Pictures will be published on that website.
- Mayads
My cat has been very sick since late last Thurs. He's was jaundice, probably some level of renal failure - all likely diabetes. Been having to force feed him with a syringe because he wasn't eating on his own. I'd like to be able to use this money to offset the vet costs towards all this - doctor would like to run more tests but I can't afford it. This money would help with this.
- Todd Perlmutter
Howdy Scoble. I graduate University in July with an IT degree and am planning a Trip to South East Asia (Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam) in September for a bit of fun and adventure. The money would greatly improve my trip. I'll blog the whole thing personally for you (I'll go to anywhere you suggest) and do my best to send you at least one ridiculous photo a day along with a video diary and a few interviews of people I meet along the way.
- Michael Gross
Hoping for random. Clearly there are people who really need this. Don't know if you are trying to stress test ff or make us thankful for what we have, but both reasons are valuable. Not to mention the buzz for both companies and personal brand. Well begun.
- Jack Frizzell
My kids, who've lost their mother, really need something positive. So I would use the money to redecorate their two rooms as a surprise.
- Jorg Jansen
Thanks Robert. A great idea! I could really use the money to finance my startup "Big Red Zebra", the world's first truly useful Location-Based Service for Everybody (not just people with Smartphones, iPhones, Blackberrys). Check it out at http://www.bigredzebra.com
- David
If I won the $1750 - I would put $1600 towards a kick-ass web project I have been working on (code-named Daily Bird Feeder). Then, $100 would go to dinner with the wife to make up for the late nights I've spent working on the project. $30 would go to an action figure I have been dying to get. And $20 would then go to flowers for my wife, to make up for buying the action figure.
- Michael Withrow
I will spend it all on me - on daft 'there is no way I would buy this under any other circumstances' things.
- Alison
I would follow your example: I'd run a contest and ask my followers to choose how I would spend it.
- Gail
That $$ would buy me a lifetime subscription to Fast Company!!!!
- CJ
My dinosaur-like mind is inexorably on its way to extinction. It's been ages since I bought a new book. And reading online just doesn't satisfy that ancient craving. So if I win I'd use it to buy Kindle2 e-reader. The ultimate revenge of a deprived bibliophile. :) A little memento of my fabulous good luck, courtesy of you sir. The rest I will donate to a Philippine charity of my choice. Good luck to us all, if that were possible. :)
- jan geronimo
Would like to take my wife to NY for our 15th Wedding Annv.
- Timothy Love
Count me in. Can't work out if I should sound worthy or greedy, so shall be neither.
- David Eedle
I'd use the money to start a software company for mobile devices with heavy lifting done in the cloud.
- Jim Bergman
You got me Subscribe :). I will apply for a distance education in Actuarial Science at Leicester University.
- Bruck Sewnet
I will not use this money for unmerited bonus pay
- Craig
If I won the money, I'd pay for my GMAT & Grad School applications with it. That way, I'll hopefully be able to do the same kinds of contests soon. I'd also adopt two cats for my parents farm and pay for their cat food - you can't have a farm without cats! Lastly, I'd increase my number of Kiva loans.
- Edwina
what is interesting in this thread, is the fact that there is more and more reason and ways to spend that money, now let please see for what "you can't spend this money".
- abdellah
I'm just getting a project going that could be really helped at this early stage with some "free cash" to help complete the prototype. The idea is for an engine that aggregates content from originators and then filters and distributes it according to preferences to the consumer through a variety of touch points. Very focussed on one specific interest area.
- Alex Guest
I'll place my bet for the $1750, although my chances are thin. Lots of things to do, get Dad treated, pay my bills et al.
- Rajtilak Bhattacharjee
I'll buy something amazing and the one who finds out what it is will receive it. Just a way to see if it is possible to get more comments than you do :o)
- Zack Brandit
I will gift the money to my husband's business,( http://www.funketabla.com/ ) so that he can focus a little more on music and thus spend more time happy and not in a programming job that bores him. It's not much, but it'll pay for the upcoming Das Dhoom album.
- InPerpetualMotion(Gina k)
Hate to admit it in public, but I owe parents, friends, and credit cards money borrowed while searching for another job. This would give me some breathing room and let me get some stuff done that I've put off, like fix the brakes on my car.
- mark zero (Jason)
I will give the money to my 18 year old son. He's getting ready to enter college for the first time and needs it.
- Lisa Saul
Mr. Scoble - Use of funds should I become one of your winners... ala Dave McClure and Y Combinator... I'd turn right around and invest it in equity positions in two local startups neither of which is mine. Should there be any kind of exit of either, I'd just keep plowing proceeds into local startups (we need early stage, non-debt seed capital in Oklahoma).
- Gerald Buckley
these funds would help at a very diffcult time for my family would be a very big blessing for us
- Diane Brixey
i would put the money in my future start-up. i really could use the money for. the main problem is that i have to wait for maybe 2 years, because of uni. so i could invest it at the beginning in something safe and could make more money for the start-up.
- Alexander
Sadly, I would put this toward my taxes. My contribution toward the bailout I guess. A new tv or trip might be nice though since I'm not getting that Australia blogging job.
- Dave
I would put the money in our twin boys college fund, which will be in inflation-adjusted treasuries for the next year or two. (PS: This is the most effective way to gather the most comments on a single thread in the history of friendfeed)
- DGentry
OK, just give it to me already and quit all this fuss...
- Garrido
Hey Robert! You finally got me to sign up for FF. If awarded the money I would finally get that Gibson Les Paul I've always wanted and go back in the studio to create my opus.
- Kyle Shay
Split it into 495 $2 donations, for charities selected by fellow Friendfeed and Twitterers, with the remaining funds for a pizza while organizing the aforementioned discussion.
- Mike Chelen
Count me in. I would blow the money on Tacos. No burritos. No Tacos. Well Tacos or Burritos. Just imagine me eating over $1000 worth of tacos/burritos.
- Franklin Pettit
First! Oh wait, maybe not. :) Boring but I'd use the money to get my 60,000 mile service on my car before it falls apart. Anything left over would go to paying down CC balances. I know, I'm dull...
- Pete Smith
count me in! How to use 1750$: buy four cheap pocket cameras (200$ each), announce a "movie making contest" on the blog, give four cameras to best four ideas, take the movies, post on youtube & blog, make users vote, give first prize 950$.
- Tudor Galos
Robert, Congrats on joining Rackspace & I'm eagerly awaiting Building 43!! I would use the prize money to fund my sisters education.
- Roshan Ramachandran
I'd go for a piece of electronic equipment. I haven't owned a computer since a nice visit from an unknown burglar a year and a half ago. Luckily my work provides me with a nice Macbook Pro 15" but that doesn't really help much during the weekends. So I'd go for a 13" MacBook and then of course a round of Hero Rats (http://www.herorat.org) for the change.
- René Clausen Nielsen
I would probably just blow it on bacon and slurpees.
- Wallace Wilson
Hi Robert. I would use the money like Tudor, but I would get two good pocket cameras, the Sony pocket 1080p ones, not the Zi6 or the Flip. To take better quality videos.
- Odi Kosmatos
Hi Robert, my intention isn't to partecipate to your contest but my comment is just to say that you are a genius. I appreciate this social experiment and on Sunday I have analyzed it in this post on my blog: http://tinyurl.com/c3rwxw. If I were to the place of the winner, I’d give this money to you because you really deserved it. The previous most commented thread on FF probably were Italian (http://tinyurl.com/8k64zg). Chapeau
- Roberto
I will use the $$ to provide new clothes for my girlfriend who is a struggling actress and hasn't been able to add to her wardrobe in 5 years. I want her to feel pretty!
- Christopher Fohlin
I would use the money to buy my wife a new camera lens. She's a photographer working for a community newspaper in Drippings Springs, Texas.
- Will Burdette
i would use the money to help pay for school
- Shane Grant
I would use the money to get into photography. I have always wanted to but have never had the funding to do it. It would be great if I had the funding to get a decent body and a couple nice lenses.
- Sweyn Venderbush
I'm in as well. Will use the money to get into iphone apps development
- Arnaud Fischer
Woohoo! I'd buy either a home automation setup or a home server :D
- Robert DeBord
Yes! I could use some green on St. P's Day! Would get that D90.
- Kevin Crader
I'd be holding the same contest with half of the money and enforce the winners to do the same, until the whole amount is spent. And i'd spend the other half for my pleasure. It would go like "$875, $437.5, $218.75, $109.37, $54.68, $27.34, $13.67, $6.83, $3.4, $1.7, $0.85". A series of 11 contests is better than one.
- Ekim Nazım Kaya
If I came into any type of money this year it would go towards a trip to London to see my family and friends; and see my favourite band, Blur play live for the first time. Leftover cash to the Red Cross. My honest answer.
- Chrissie M
I would use it to help fund a startup website to help diabetics find proper products to help manage their health and lifestyle
- Erik Schmith
I would love to win. Would probably spend the money on one of two things: my 17 year anniversary is coming in early April, so a present for the wife is a necessity - thinking a nice hot springs overnight trip in Izu, south of Tokyo (where I live). Otherwise, I would also consider using the money to help bootstrap TechMiso.com, a new blog I co-founded and launched on Jan 1 with my good buddy Rich.
- Scott Jarkoff
I want to win soo soo bad... lol... I would use the money as a deposit on an apartment so I can move out of the country and actually have High Speed Internet (cant even use a cellular card cause im so far in the country) Ive always wanted to start a blog and website but cant since Dial-up is sooo sooo slow... This would be the Happiest Day of my Life!!! :)
- James Boyd
While thinking trough this all day since I've read about it, I think that I should spent it for 50/50 on my own project and on the stuff that you just don't get to while being a son of divorced parents. My computer upgrade is more than welcome, switch to Mac OS X would be greatly appreciated. Great action Robert, thanks for this opportunity from Holland!
- Coen Jacobs
If this comment picked randomly, then goodbye to MacBook Pro...(paradoxal comment including 2 answers in one way.)
- Olcayto Cengiz
Growing up, my parents would always tell me that considering the amount of time I spend on the web, I should be making money out it. But I desire that the content I put out there be free. Over the years I've spent a lot on pursuing this passion but never earned a buck out of it. Now would be a great opportunity to finally do so. I may not be the most deserving or the most in need out of everyone here but if I did win I'd do something nice for my parents and tell them it was courtesy of the Internet.
- Michael Josh Villanueva
I would use the money to donate back to all of the open source projects that I have been using for the past 5 years. Many of the products that are produced are outstanding and need to be supported.
- Anthony Schelling
I'll take Scoble to block. Actually; I would use the money to complete my dedciated streaming studio. While I have the mics & cams set, I'm still working on the furniture, and the servers for the encoding. Then I could be a guest on your show and show it off.
- Keith Barrett
Will take a trip and visit you at your new project :)
- Liviu Lica
I'll use the cash to attend sxsw next year, following the twitter feeds this year has proved its worth to me. I'll get you a beer in too, unless that seems coercive.
- Simon Kirrane
I would use the Money to help my daughter who is 13, to Travel Europe this Summer as she has been selected to be a Student Ambassador Representing the US and The State of Kansas. A Life changing experience, for our young people to learn and experience other cultures. People to People select 40 top Students from each state to represent the US. This experience is to teach our young people...
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- Joyce
Count me IN for that - thanks dude! :-D
- Lee Kitchen
Hey new friend I sure could use that money to repair some of the debt my bipolar wife has put our family in. Ever have any questions about what goes on in a max security prison, let me know.
- Tom Lord
Both me and my SO need computer upgrades at home to better work from home but that's not very much money. Just don't have it. The rest would go towards savings or to fix the collapsed porch out back.
- Paul Wade
Nice discussion thread. Any extra cash would go to my newly-widowed uncle, who found himself with a mountain of vet bills to pay after his dog, and only remaining companion, spent a week in ICU in an O2 tent.
- Hooeyspewer
Hey Robert - I would use the money to pay some bills and refit the computer my kids use. Thanks for making the world interesting!
- Tim Ake
It's a real and nice chance to win a pretty good amount of money, which can help me in making my dreams about lighting equipment for home studio to became true! :)
- PWR
I would pay off my burning man debt.
- Andrew Stein
This looks like its a record breaking thread.
- Roberto Bonini
i am an unemployed chef (since september) who blogs. in the interest of growing my blog, i would use $600 to buy a nikon d40 + tripod; $600 for a grocery gift card for ingredients; the remaining $550 would be split amongst a few uses: buying and setting up my domain name, blog features (restaurant and/or market reviews, culinary events, etc.), and html classes. whatever i lose in taxes will be taken out of this last portion ~ the first two are the most necessary right now.
- Kayce Maisel
I would use the money as part of a down payment on a new car. I commute 100 miles a day and my car is dying at a most unfortunate time. Well, that's what I SHOULD do. I would probably buy some gadget like a Kindle and some books because my geek gene gets the better of me most days.
- Amy Anuszewski
I would like to use it to buy a Mac Mini but I first have to deal with Wife Tax so I might be able to get a snickers bar. Love you honey!
- Wesley Snider
I would buy a slice of taxes that I owe Barack Obama.
- Chris Wallace
I would use the money to finally launch my puppet sitcom. My seven month-old daughter already loves the live version, and it would be great to have the video version for anytime viewing. Plus I think lots of other people would love the show as well. It's like the Muppet Show but more "Seinfeld" and less "Lawrence Welk". But there will still indeed be musical numbers.
- Mike Janicke
Can't really resist that can I now? I'll put it all towards the new startup incubator that I'm setting up. www.greenhouselimerick.com
- Evert
I would give the money to my wife. She is trying to get custody of her son back. Thanks for the chance Robert!
- Brian
I would use this to upgrade my camera.
- Evan Travers
Oops almost forgot to leave a comment for the random drawing. :)
- James Boyd
I would use the money to take my wife on a nice vacation for our anniversary.
- Jonathan Gardner
What would you like me to do with the money?
- Simon Hicks
An Irish Toast on my favorite Holiday that is St. Paddy's Day: "Here's to the ones we love we love. Here's to the ones that love us love us. For all those that don't love us, F@%$ them and here's to us." I'd use the money to spend on friends & strangers drinking and eating on a random day enjoying the moment and making memories you'd never forget.
- Lyn Graft
What a great idea Scoble! So sad I missed sxsw this year! I would use half the money to go towards a new lift for my step mother who has MS and I would use the other half to purchase a small fishing boat to go fishing with my boy who's birthday is this weekend.
- Bryan
Robert, dude! You are awesome. Would use money to help find a teaching job!
- Patty Pinkley
If you pick me I will put the money towards the trip to China I'm taking in July.
- Kris
Better idea of what to do with the money - promote LTSP - Linux Terminal Server Project http://www.ltsp.org. Continue to bring low cost desktop solutions to the masses.
- Erick Tyack
Robert, congrats on the new job. Look forward to seeing the new ways you are going to invigorate rackspace and the community. There are some great comments here already. This is a great thing you are doing, take care
- Michael Bazzoni
Action Figures. I would use the money to buy lots and lots of action figures. And maybe a dwarf horse.
- Aaron Linne
I would put that money towards buying a couple of iPod Touches and a Mac for three friend of mine. We've just finished a short, free game that took us two years to finish on evenings and some weekends, and are talking about trying to make a game for Apples platform in our spare time since we work so well together as a team.
- Jonas Eriksson
This will kill FriendFeed. DO they have a FailWhale...? ;)
- Frank Koehntopp
Pay 4 months rent. And, I swear I'm not trying to sound pious, but I'd donate to Food for Lane County, an awesome local organization that gives away food.
- tracy
I'd do some traveling, getting to know new things is always great...
- Fabian
$1750? I'll buy Facebook and sell to Twitter.
- Bob Withers
I'd use the cash to pay back my employer all the time I spend reading Scoble's comments on FriendFeed. ha.
- Jon Mason
I'll finally buy that wide angle lens that I've been hankering after for my Olympus E-400...
- Peter Holloway
Hmm... $1750, eh? I'd buy a few of those unlocked Android phones to create custom firmware that does end-to-end encryption of calls... I've been wanting to do that for a while for fun.
- Matt
I will use the money to help me get to OSCON.
- Mike Canzoneri
I will buy an iMac for my local school who only have PCs ... boo. www.woolastonschool.com. They currently do basic animation with PCs but I would like to get some of the older kids using iStopMotion, FCP and possibly Motion also. Would be an honour to spend ALL the money on this.
- Nick Pearce
Was laid off a month ago from my job at one of the big 4 record companies. In this down economy, seems like a good time to start a new business. I'd use the cash to help get my new business started.
- SJ
Ha! Joined friendfeed just to win this!
- Solomon King
I'll buy a new computer for my wife... now that she's a blogger and podcaster, I can't do anything on my computer anymore! Then I'll get a decent shared network storage device that makes a lot of sense for my expanding network.
- Chuck Stanley
A chunk to charity and a chunk to fund some development on some crazy web thing I am cooking
- Nigel James
$1,750 would go a long way in Africa! That's like 8 months salary for my small team!
- Solomon King
I believe I would take a vacation to the Keys.
- Ryan Dadey
Or wait, I could get two decent laptops for my developer and tech support guy!
- Solomon King
I'll do my part in stimulating the housing market! I'm buying a house in a couple of months, and savings for the down payment. An extra grand or so would allow me to stop doing some work for other people, and focus on doing work for myself in the way of publishing my ideas, and creating web-apps that would be useful. Reading your blog posts has really got my excited to share my thoughts and ideas with the web.
- Jim Rubenstein
I'm wondering if this is a test to see if FF can handle a few thousand comments in a short amount of time. May the winners enjoy what they get.
- Matt Silva
I would continue my educational pursuit of an IT degree. Plus buy a few Xbox 360 games! Awesome way to use FF Robert! ;-)
- Carlton Hackett
I'd buy the iPhone tablet that's being announced today. Good gosh, I hope it comes out today!
- Robert Hinojosa
I'm looking for a new camera. I've been trying to take pictures of my son's Scout troop and swim team with an old Canon G3, and it's a real struggle to get any decent pics. I'd love to pick up a 40D and a lens or two.
- D. Lambert
I would send my parents on a vacation and I would buy my wife a NEW HD Tivo
- Andrew Yeager-Buckley
Pretty cool news. I love this kind of capitalist competition. I've been reading your blog for about a year and I'm glad you're using it more now. I'm a college student, I think I would use the money I win to start a site which rewrites the Constitution and basically the entire American governmental system in a wiki, user-edited style. I've got a url that isn't taken picked out, and I just need some money to startup and learn html all the rest of that stuff.
- Brian Wilson
Hello Robert, I will use the money to help create a web startup which will allow you (and other people of course) to use their fame and reputation to help promote other people who have talents, skills, experience, and a willingness to work, but who are not necessarily able to reach a wide enough audience on their own. The focus is to allow people who network with entrepreneurs to refer...
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- Ivan Lukianchuk
This is damn awesome, Robert! What would I do with some nice cash? I'd probably buy myself some new-to-me Canon camera gear, a lens or two (depending on price), and maybe some Alien Bees lights. Probably soup up my PC a bit more too. Either that, or just buy a MacBook Pro instead. At least that way I'd be able to edit photos and audio worth a damn haha.. :D I just REALLY need some extra money to be able to enable me to start doing what I love doing more, and a day-job less. :)
- Lou
I'll use it to obtain my CISSP cert. There has to be a better way to reduce/eliminate these zombie bot-nets that are used for very bad activities!
- Craig Macfarlane
Hello Robert, I would use to money to keep developing and expanding affordable wildlife photo workshops to some of the most amazing destinations in the US. You can see my last Yellowstone Winter Photo Workshop info here: http://wildnaturetours.com This workshop was very successful and managed to fit in both natural history of one of the most amazing places on earth with some spectacular photography (and video). I am in the processing of editing some of the content that will then be made available. Thanks.
- Juan Pons
I would use the cash to buy some of the new netbooks with touchscreen to get some seniors online: grand parents deserve to enjoy the real-time web goodness too!
- Mathieu Ayel
I would use the prize money to stimulate the economy by purchasing a new MacBook Pro! :)
- Matt O'Keefe
you are hardly last :P I'd use the money to put more down on a down payment for my first home :D
- Jonathan
I'd help fund my husband's work on his first graphic novel and send his butt to Comic Con to pitch it to publishers :) The most empowering thing is to help other people reach their goals, and I like that this contest is all about that, so I'd pass that gift along.
- Tiffany Monhollon
NIKON D90 for my wife... PS3 for me... the rest toward the house...
- Jason Womick
Here's my entry. Thanks for the contest, Robert!
- Paul Maez
hey Robert, great competition! I'd use the money to fund my startup creating mobile apps that offer powerful messaging possibilities, including gmail-style threaded messages for all kinds of networks.
- Dirk
I'll use the money to pay for my certification in Cisco's Unified Computing System
- Andrew Mitry
Good luck with the new direction, Scoble.
- Mike Smith
I'd use the money to further my tech addiction. Too many gadgets, too little money...that's where you come in!
- Paul Maez
I'd take my daughters to see their grandparents in Florida, upgrade to a (used) Intel Macbook, sign up for PHP training, and renew my NPR membership, Cheers, and thanks!
- Jim Akin
I'm not going to even pretend that I would use it for charitable causes. A new MacBookPro and a 30 inch display. I'd then use it to start my development projects.
- bjmac
Hey there, Robert. I'd use the money to finance my teeny-tiny iPhone game development company (basically a programmer and myself doing art and everything else). Cheers!
- karchesky
I'd use the money to start my "LIFE IMPROVED" fund: personal use, philanthropy, and anywhere in between. The only stipulation is that it improves someone's quality of life.
- Tamikka
I'd use the money to pay for the trip to meet you and get to spend a day in the life of Robert Scoble.
- Jean-François D. Gauthier
Hey there Robert! I would use the money to either pay for my coming semester of college so I could actually finish....or I would upgrade some tech in my life (for example, acquire an HD video camera and various other tech for studio and/or podcast recording)
- Gerardo R. Monreal Jr.
Oh man...new netbook, finally getting a smartphone, and renewing hosting on new blogs... Anything left after that will be split between my son's saving account (investing in the future) and probably the Dog's Trust charity.
- Badger Gravling
How would I use the money? I need to purchase one of the new 24" iMacs to further my Design & Photography careers.
- Herne
I will use the money to invest in myself and my future career. By that I mean make my side business of portrait photography into something more real and tangible rather than just a haphazard event.
- Ryan
I would most likely spend the winnings on gifts for my daughters, a little something for my wife and (of course) a tech toy for myself. There's nothing more enjoyable than spending "found money". Cheers!
- Kevin
I will donate half to the local computers for kids program that helps underprivileged kids with access to to computers, education and the internet. It is a great program where soon I will be teaching parents about social networking so they can communicate with there kids in the same language. The other half, I'm helping pay for my wedding.
- Chris Rippe
I could use to win the money to pay for my laser eye surgery so I can get the job I want in policing.
- Jason
Hoping the luck of the Irish pulls through for me today
- andi argast
I would use the money for my ceramics art studio. Part of the money would go to setting up a live 24/7 multi-camera stream where people can watch and learn.
- Greg Ashbaugh
top o' the mornin' to ya - (from boston>austin!)
- clewellyn
We're having our third child in July, so I'd use the money to re-do our upstairs. The office will be a casualty.
- Tim Trentham
Robert, I just returned from a Alexandria Rotary (alexrotary.com) Board meeting. I am hoping to go on a trip to Tanzania to work on a school called Peace House (http://www.peacehousefoundation.org). Funding is the hold up for me as part will come from the Rotarian and part from our club. If I win, I am definitely going as the amount that I will likely be responsible for is $1,500-1,700.
- Craig Mische
We are hosting an event to celebrate the International Creativity and Innovation Day (April 21 which is Da Vinci's b-day). It is the first event within a telco culture. I'd use the money to buy some creative tech prizes for the day like CS4, an entry level Wacom product, a mind mapping subscription, SXSW 10 pass, etc.
- Krystal
I would use the money to put a dent in the mountain of cc debt I have from a couple of failed ideas that I've poured money into.
- Joel
($1,750) - Open a phonebook, randomly pick a name, follow that person 7 degrees out. Each degree of separation tell that persons story through audio interviews, video, writing, and online media. We need to remember life is interconnected and everyone has a story.
- Tim Shisler
Hi Robert. I'd use the money to help fund construction of a computer that will reveal the Ultimate Question to Life, the Universe and Everything. It's a small start, but then everything's small in the light of 10 million years...
- Andreas Strothmann
Everything old is new again---make it green on St Paddy's Day!
- Carolyn Baehr
I would probably buy the most expensive meal I ever had.(6000 Chicken Fajitas)
- JC Lima
Thanks for spreading the wealth out Robert! As for me, should I win the money, I would first take my wife out to dinner (priorities!), and put what's left toward software to help me in my fledgling freelancing work.
- Sam Hetrick
Hmm... A shot at $1,000 just for commenting?
- HackingNeflix
First Comment: Awesome idea, great way to draw attention to a great conversation
- Jason DeBoer-Moran
Second Comment: I would use part of the money to get my SxSW travel fund off the ground for next year. The other part I would put towards paying off my travel to ETech this year.
- Jason DeBoer-Moran
If I win, either way, I'll make a donation to kiva.org, and use the rest to invest in my business.
- Phil Ripperger
Well, I fell in love this year and I'm saving money for an engagement ring. So I'll be using it for that!
- Ben Pettit
My wife and daughter live in Ohio, and I took a career job in Virginia. It being difficult to sell a house in Ohio, I would put any and all moneys toward that goal.
- Shawn Lockard
if i win the prize, I will spend my money to build a new and free web 2.0 web project (i will anounce it here)
- Abdullah Özgün
and with the money, i would probably invest in getting a new computer for me and the family, the one i'm using now is 7 years old and i could barely start it up to write this
- Austin Garrod
Very interesting to read some of the comments and start the conversation. I would use it to help offset expenses for bringing an 11yr old girl from Egypt to the Philadelphia Shriners for surgery. She suffers from arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (amc--multiple joint contractures and fixed limbs). For dolagy her knees are folded up around her shoulders with arms locked straight at her...
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- margaret chaidez
Lost my job last year after 3 yrs and checked my 401K yesterday and had a whole $77 in the account. Will use the cash for the mortgage and training. Thank you!
- David L. Crooks
I'll be using the money to fly to the bay area to see if it's worth it to quit my job and follow my dream.
- Mike
I will be using the money to travel around and report about it in a daily videoblog.
- Jens Christian Freund
I would use the $$ to kick my fledgling start-up into gear. Even without your money would love to talk to you about it.
- Philip
Marketing at its finest! Excellent idea Robert.
- Simply Boulder
Really not sure what I'd use it for. Probably bills, but most likely I'd see something shiny, realize I have $$$ in my wallet and just spend it :)
- Hal Thompson
I'll use the money to fund my random venture over the summer.
- Hung
I'll use the money to buy a DSLR and attempt to learn how to be a photographer
- Ryan
I have no idea what I would do with the money, but it would likely end up in a project for my kids school....
- Samuel DeVore
I will take 750$ and use it for my project and I will give 1000$ part back to you for another contest. Maybe I can win it again... :)
- Ömer Faruk Kurt
If I could be chosen to receive the $1750, I'd give it all to Kiva.org to support women entrepreneurs who need technology to build their businesses. the condition is that you join me for drinks/dinner at Presidio Social Club.
- Lydia Sugarman
I would use it towards the downpayment for a new house J
- Eber Irigoyen
I will use the $1000 to create a quick prototype of a friendfeed like social network (of course better, but can't tell you the secret yet) and put aside $750 to hosting at mosso for the next 7.5 months.
- Jeffrey Yan
I'd use the money to make my commute much greener - either for a good bike or an electric scooter. Additionally, I would purchase through a nearby vendor so the buy is also helpful for our local economy.
- Paul Marino
Hurrah for free money. If i won the money i would take my wife to paris disney as were both disney nuts and are feeling very broke and in need of a holiday. Anything i had left woudl go towards my macbook fund
- Jamie Vidamour
My wife is going back to school to become a physical therapist and I'm trying to update my resume/portfolio in case I need to look for a new job in web marketing, and we need new computers to replace the 6 y.o. desktop and 3y.o. laptop that gets daily BSoDs.
- Benjamin Lipsman
Half goes to Heifer International and half goes towards paying down personal loans. :)
- Rylan
with that money we would hire 4 programmers for 1 month in eastern europe to develop a product that would change the world of e-commerce ;)
- Alensa
I would use the money to pay one of my brother's bills. The tech sector in MN is not in good shape.
- Matthew McCowan
I wouldn't mind the money, I would put it in my pool of cash that I'm growing for a startup. Thanks for giving the chance!
- Tim Broder
I'll use half the money to help me and my family pay some bills and get a small breather from the recession. I'll donate the other half to the jQuery project to help foster more development of their projects like jQuery UI and to help with their infrastructure costs.
- Ralph Whitbeck
I would like to pay some pending bills, also I would like to share the money with a cultural association here in Costa Rica
- Víctor
I would use the money to makeup for market losses on March 16th
- srinivasufeed
I would use the money to hire a designer to design a good looking website for a Jewellery store site that I'm working for my wife. She's currently using blogspot along with google checkout(http://lajouels.blogspot.com/) and has being asking for a website for ages.
- Praveen
I will fund my childrens picture book startup (http://www.memetales.com) and have 1. one of my cool illustrators create a super cool illustration of you or 2. have one of my writers include you as a character in one of my picture books. 2 cool offers - personalized just for YOU!! Imagine that !! You pick 1 or 2. (picking both would probably cost me as much as the prize money ;))
- Maya
With either of the prizes I would put a tiny bit away, and use the rest to buy some film equipment/time to finish my series about artists in the DC area called "The Form Appears". I'm guessing I should write something here about give the money to a non-profit doing amazing work for the planet, but honestly, it would just be used for my own artistic needs.
- Emmett
I'd create the Scoble Blogger Scholarship. I'm just getting established as a pro blogger. I would use the money to invest in my business to take me to the next step. I would pledge to double the money this time next year and make it available to another blogger in a similar position, with the proviso that they would also continue to pay it forward.
- Mike Cliffe Jones
probably would use it to knock of a bit of a 30k hospital bill. Or decorate my 5 yo daughters room. Nah .. definitely the room, if we can get the house lol
- vanweerd
I'd get my 15 seconds of internet fame, and laugh at my fortune. I would not forget the little people.
- Viajero
If I win, I'm going to donate the money to SproutPoint, a local non-profit org that helps business people refine their business plans, and seeds them with investment capital. The only way out of this recession is if we rebuild the economy with hard-working entrepreneurs.
- Rob Stevens
I'd use it for a new MacBook, which of course I would use to spend lots of time following @scobleizer on twitter, friendfeed, and anything else
- Chris Brakebill
though I should note I'm not as obsessive and creepers of a follower as that made me sound. just love the good content @scobleizer puts out
- Chris Brakebill
Thomas: I am not paid by, nor compensated by friendfeed in any way. I push friendfeed because it's the best service out there. Period.
- Robert Scoble
Tough times the last few months have forced us to cut contributions to our child's 529 college fund to a bare minimum. I'd use this to catch-up for her sake.
- Bill Day
This must be the all time record for comments! Great idea.
- Victor Ryden
i'm in for the $1k. i haven't read all the comments, but my two cents says give one of the other amounts to margaret!
- Scott Sorheim
would use the $$ for much-needed computer upgrade
- b Anthony
In case you're not following me yet on FF, find me here.
- Scott Mace
Robert, agree with FF being the best service out there. Thanks for promoting it and thus getting more people involved and more great content shared and commented on. :-)
- Kol Tregaskes
great. I will buy lots of books on Amazon :)
- Maria Podolyak
If you choose me, I ask that Rackspace donate's the money directly to OLPC. Enable everyone!
- David Lynch
Chris: no. I'll post the winners on friendfeed and have them email me.
- Robert Scoble
If it's not too late, I'd love the extra funds; both sons need dental work and the employer's dental coverage is pretty slim.
- Jill O'Neill
If I win, I would use the money to go see my son and granddaughter.
- Sandra
Wow, Robert, this thread is incredible! I would use the money to pay for some improvements to my home and to pursue a nonprofit idea I'm trying to grow.
- asiriusgeek
Count me in! Well ,I'll order Kindle 2 and plan a vacation to Europe!
- Krishnamoorthy
If I win second prize, I will send money back to you! :)
- Vlad Rafeyev
With $1750, I'd repair the windshield on our 2000 Impala and then pay off the remaining debt on our "overdraft protection" credit card.
- Daniel J. Pritchett
This is great! I've been working on helping very small businesses (pizza shops, dry cleaners, bowling alleys, etc) use SM tools to promote with very little overhead. A lot of shops have gone out of business recently because they didn't know how to promote outside of the Yellow Pages. If I were to win, I'd use the money to help these businesses with some basic costs like reprinting a menu to mention their facebook fan page, some hosting for a blog or a webcam. I don't charge for my services.
- Dave Ferrick
Robert, the $1000 would be nice, but having you visit my site plexav.com to see a demonstration would be even better.
- Kenneth Stein
Lets see. I will use the money to move and integrate 12 different but related business entity websites that are in desperate need of integration. Then I will utilize FF and similar aggregation services to help gather the necessary expertise and tutorials to accomplish our optimization and social integration goals. After that I will provide you with a report on the process and results.
- Eric Logan
My wife and I are a statistic, but we break the trend. We were "friends with benefits" in college and she got pregnant. I married her. Not because she was pregnant but because I realized that's what I wanted all along. This June we will have been married 9 years and we have 4 amazing sons between us. For our anniversary this June I want to re-propose to her and tell her I want to renew our vows for our 10th anniversary the following year. I love her so much and it's time she has some proper wedding photos!
- George Clingerman
How I would use the money: I would have Robert donate the money to a charity, to be decided later. Or perhaps to low income student athletes in California who may have to 'pay to play' this year due to budget cuts.
- Rodfather
Hmm. I haven't got a sob story that would make anyone sob on my behalf. And yet I would like to take your money, Robert, so very badly. If I were to win, I would be tempted to use the money for a good cause but ultimately, after putting away money for taxes, I would end up spending the remainder on fripperies and possibly airfare someplace that is not here. I would have a very good time (but nothing illegal!) and might even send you a post card. Or in your case, a tweet. I could do both, I suppose.
- Carolyn Jewel
Hello Robert. If i win i'll use the money to hire a coder to create part of the platform for www.chartempire.com.
- Frangino Lucarini
I'll donate the money to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) food pantry in St. Louis, which has also become a facility that provides medical / vision care and training (in addition to feeding several thousand people each week) in the most hard-pressed neighborhoods in the metro area. We'll then use the money to improve the OLPH infrastructure (basic stuff - network switches, nics, etc.) that supports that medical / vision care, as well as the training. The labor is donated by local tech entrepreneurs.
- Bob Lozano
Many people are saying they will donate to charity and this kind of stuff, but I will be honest. I will use about 150 to buy a new printer - I really need it for college, it is a pain to ask my neighbor to print stuff all the time. 450 will go to 6 months of my grandma's medicine fund, so I don't have to worry about it. The rest I will probably save to buy a Palm Pre when it comes out or something cool and amazing.
- Kiko Cherman
I would use the $$ to make a dent in the pile of debt that is looming over my head and making my life hell!! Not a very exciting use of the money... but getting out of this debt would make a BIG difference in my life!!
- Meredith
I would use the money to help fund the tools I need to take my startup to the next level.
- William Spaetzel
With $1750 I'd finally get a laptop that wasn't owned by an employer.
- Richard Byrne
To my new FriendFeed friend - always remember: "a friend in need is a friend in deed" but a "friend with money is the friend we need"
- Huw Pendry
There's only one thing that's been on my mind that the money could go towards: An Open Source Command Center which will be named "0pie: Reb0rn". The current 0pie isn't doing so well, with a 40lb monitor that flickers in a way that really seizes you, and RAM that was considered top of the line when Megabytes were the highest feasible unit of measure. However! 0pie: Reb0rn will surpass...
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- David Wynn
from fftogo
I'd buy something nice, like a vacation, for my mom.
- John Piekos
I have a feeling this just made me an accesory to a crime.
- Steve C
Nice! I would add the money to what I'm saving to buy a garage for my house.
- Orville Chomer
I would GIVE the money to my former admin who's husband is hospitalized awaiting a heart transplant.
- Bob Stewart
Hi Robert. Not one person above me said PLEASE I would like 2 win because........ can I remind everyone that manners cost nothing so may I be the first to say please count me in to your generous offer and Thanks
- garth
I would give my fiance the money so she could register for real estate training.
- Ryan
I would use the money to help buy monitors and computer to have a good setup to kickstart my graphic design freelancing career. I'm very poor and won't be able to afford it for YEARS.
- courto
A thousand bucks is plenty. How would I use it? First I'm going to get myself a Flip Mino HD that I read about on your blog. I'm running the Mexico City Marathon in August and that Flip looks the perfect way to record my effort! I'll even get it in custom colours to match the Marathon blog I'm doing! That takes care of $200. Another $300 will get me the Canon SX1 instead of the SX10 I'm about to buy. The rest will go to the charity I'm raising cash for by running the marathon.
- Gary
I'm from Costa Rica, I'm Sculpture from UCR, in case you think on me, I'll use that money to help me and my friends to get tools and work materials, maybe you can get some of our sculptures in spirit of fairness! :)
- Mauricio
Hope everyone here for the money sticks around for the people! I would love to win the money - I would buy my first Mac ever, the new Mini looks amazing! Pick up a Kindle and some books and pay for our family vacation before the new baby arrives! I will also renew the domain and actually write on my secret identity's parody site. DM Tygerdave on Twitter if you need to know the site before you decide :) Thanks for doing this and pluging friendfeed at the same time!
- David Knight
I would use the money to buy a new lens or two for my Canon
- Marcus McCurdy
It's very generous of you to do this giveaway Robert! I'd use it to help keep my wife's new law practice wiith some additional marketing. She just got set up in her little office but is still working on building the business. She does Immigration law. Her Twitter handle is @mainstlawyer.
- Jesse P. Luna
I would use it to pay for my Flight Instructor rating training.
- Louis Bourque
i am in! i would use the other money to promote a new online project that i am working on that deals with the graphic design. thanks.
- Ethan Bodnar
Hi, i'm Jose Daniel from Costa Rica, i work in web programming. I hope win the money to start a little personal projects. By the way, in this moment i have not job so would be nice the prize :)
- Jose Daniel
I would use the money to start a company in my spare time
- John Munro
I'd use it to help pay for my wife's medical school expenses - loans topping $250k...
- Dave
If I win the $1750 I will buy me a Nikon D300.
- Philipp Mertens
Want to create great conversation? Start giving stuff away! I would use the money to finally finish my iPhone development project by hiring some graphic designers to customize graphics for the program and then release it via a Scoble announcement!
- Matthew Strickland
If I win the money I would use it to continue my studies in Reiki healing and teaching, so I could assist in healing people in these tough times.
- Louise
Robert, if I win, I'll give half to the Charity Smackdown cause I'm supporting, Stand Up To Cancer (see: http://charitysmackdown.com/team_SU... ). The rest will help 'stimulate my local economy' - food from the green market, some purchases at local stores, probably pay the plumber to fix something that's been on the list for a while.
- Howard Greenstein
Hey Robert- Thanks for the offer and I gladly accept the possibility of winning! Normally I am a giver and have been all my life, but this time, due to my financial situation, I have to be a receiver. So I would share the money with myself. But that will help along the road to be able to give back again. It's all good! Thanks to you for being a giver!
- Candace Davenport
Congratulations. You made me log into FriendFeed this week.
- maczter
Sweet. Free money! I'll take me some.
- Jason Packham
With $1750 I'd use it to travel to California and try to get my startup in Y Combinator. Even if I don't, $1750 would be enough to fund my business in Mexico for 3 months!
- Mariano
Robert, I'll use the $ to take a trip to SF to meet YOU! if you take me up on it I'll pay you for a few minutes of your advice :)
- Francois
Robert, thanks for sharing... I'll take the money and give it to the hard working developers (2) of our Startup www.kontexto.com They deserve a bonus and due to the economic times and our need to be frugal we haven't given anyone extra $. These guys deserve a little extra for all their hard work behind the scene - David http://friendfeed.com/dclarke
- David Clarke
If I win the money I will (1) give some to family members in need, (2) purchase a computer for myself (using a very, very old one), (3) save some for the future and (4) fund some acting career necessities, i.e. classes, etc. Thank you for this opportunity!!!
- Cynthia Fellowes
You are very generous to be doing this. Ignore the haters!!!
- Cynthia Fellowes
I'd buy an iphone to start doing dev work for cross platform (bb, symbian, etc) apps.
- Ben Vear
If i would win id buy as many good engineering books as i can find ( The art of electronics, the art of computer programming, blodgett), Buy some propper tools like a good soldering iron, power supply, occiloscope and a microcontroller programmer, get loads of components and start learning to make cool electronics stuff.
- Pim de Groot
I'll buy the arcadexl.com website on sale on sitepoint and then donate the adsense earnings to my Kiva account
- Dave Nixon
If I won, I would use it to be able to get some of the gear that I've been looking at and try to learn how to develop on it. I've been trying to piece together the parts to be able to build a smaller linux computer to do what the droboshare does (the drobo's not as interesting if you're technically minded). As a student, that gear's hard to come by.
- robbie nakamura
I would give up $1 greasy McChicken sandwiches and bump up to $2.50 Subway sandwiches--this might help me make better decisions--you know, more veggies for better brain power. :)
- exoticat
I would use the money to buy a new Macbook and a Flip Mino HD!
- Jon Victorino
Good Stuff! I do like the XML API - definitely a universal interface.
- Terza
I'll pay a UI person to work on my pet project, i suck at it.
- mehdi
If I win, I'll stimulate the economy by hiring someone to fix my roof.
- Roy Jacobsen
I'm ready. I could use it to pay for ridiculous prescription costs.
- Jen (SquirrelGirl)
I'll buy myself a Kindle 2 and give the rest to Rocky B.
- Michael Krakovskiy
For $1750, a Kindle 2, some e-books to go with it, and maybe a nice Canon lens. :)
- J Wang
If I won the money I would buy a HP MediaSmart home server. My wife and I just got married, and suddenly we have gigs and gigs of photos and videos that we want to keep forever. The idea of automatic, incremental backups gets me all aflutter. I love technology that makes life easier :)
- Tony Fendall
I'd give $750 to my Fav charity, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, @MLFNOW, and Split the $1000 between my two children to start a college fund.
- Karen
I could come up with no good reason - except that I probably would get myself the Wii and one more console and probably a NAS server - the rest (f anything remains) can go to some charity. Oh and get a drobo too if I can:)
- Brijesh
I would use it to upgrade my teenage son's Mac and camera equipment for his stop-motion Lego movie.
- MaDBooM
I would celebrate the crash of the GBP against the USD as I convert it over to spend in Harrods
- Emma Dunstone
I will get myself a new laptop that doesn't take 10 minutes to start up, and by the way I'm a teacher that taught four sections of a "Thinking and Writing: A Blog of One's Own" at a state college, using (among other readings) your Corporate Weblog Manifesto and Scobleizer--I want to equip myself to further use social media for fun and education.
- Tracy Mendham
I will spend the money on my wife and mother of our young kids. A day of pampering at a spa, new clothes, nice meal, etc.
- Clif Mims
Robert, I would use the money to but my 17 YO daughter her first car....or at least a down payment on one.. Nothing fancy, just something to get around in.
- Nick
I would use the money to buy a decent server and some memory upgrades for the Linux Lab we are setting up at a local community center. It's all donated hardware and will be used for computer literacy in the underprivileged North Charleston community. http://www.csclug.org/...
- Dan T
I would tithe to Kiva and use the rest for my startup (change the world, baby!)
- Toby Hede
If I get to win the $1750 - will use this for my airfare to attend JavaOne this June and post regular updates here on FF on what is happening inside the conference.
- Rom Feria
For $1000, this will be enough to start my iPhone App Dev company. :D
- Rom Feria
$1,750 would be great to put toward training for leadership training: http://klemmer.com/worksho.... I'm launching a business to train rookies on using social media and more advanced users how to tie it all together. This training on leadership is to equip me to better serve them.
- Courtney Engle
i have a great idea for a twitter reader, but dont have the money or coding skills to build it, btw congrats on the new job scoble, cant wait to see the new site/content
- patrick
Looking forward to more Scobleizer blog posts soon. Are you going to be able to keep up your blog with the new Rackspace gig?
- Jack Nork
I can only wish you get more paid gigs :) I would use the money ( along with my small nest egg) to start a direct to doorstep solution/service company.
- Mohan Ramkumar
Random wins! I'll jumpstart my freelance biz...
- Derek Markham
I just want the $1000, and I'll finally buy a DSLR I've been craving for a while now.
- Mike Estes
If I win I'll spend the money exclusively on a device that allows me to liveblog (videos, photos, etc) from my trip to Tahiti this year. This is my lifetime dream vacation, which is already booked, and I want to have a device that allows me to upload instantly (so, no computer in between, no transfer of memory cards and then upload, just straight upload!) anything and anytime I want to :) Of course, it must be able to allow me to follow up comments from people who check it :)
- Vitor Spencer
Robert, I'll use it to contact as many local/national government as i can. :) Building an app that allows citizens to help each other fill out those god-awfull form's, by implementing a Forum style plug-in on the webpages of local and national government bodies. I'd use it to take time off from the dayjob and convince as many municipalities and agencies of my plan!
- Tom
OMG Tom, brilliant freaking idea. I have a notebook full of forms for my aged parents and trust me, the gov really needs to get into this century, such as programs talking to other programs and not so much repeating of information.
- Janet
Robert, I'd give the $$ to a friend of mine in California who is down on his luck, got laid off from the school system, lost his house, and has kids to support. He has finally decided that the only recession-proof job in California is to become a wildfire firefighter, but is in desparate need of some bridge cash until he gets his certification in June. His family is living in a friend's...
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- Marc Monplaisir
wtf! I'm upset at the possibility of someone getting scammed here.
- Suvarshi Bhadra
Well how can you resist an offer like that. I will use the money to help my sister who is struggling to pay for her last semesters in college so she can get her degree.
- Andromeda Edison
Thanx for this hope u gave us first of all. I use the money for a laptop or macbook because my computer is killin me. But to be honest im not really expecting to win anything.Im tired of hoping and losing even this kind of comment & win style events always..Anyway thanx a lot again..
- Bilal
That's a brilliant idea to create a viral impact. I wish Robert go on a vacation and celebrate this with a bottle of champaign and cheer for all the users.
- irem erman
If I win the $1750 I will buy me a new pc :) thanks.
- Oğuzhan Başar
hacı bizim para vardı ne oldu o ? bu kadar yorumu okutma bana. kazandıysam el salla.
- Ahmet Kakıcı
12 saat oldu. ne mektup geliyor ne haber senden, söyle de bileyim bıktın mı benden :)
- Ahmet Kakıcı
I'd use the money to set up a comfortable home workspace.
- Ian Yang
Wow, Robert, I'm ready to win. For $1000, this will be enough to start my personal iPhone App Dev studio; For $1750, this will be enough to start both iPhone App Dev and Android Dev studio :-)
- Yingfeng Zhang
spend the money create another friendfeed.
- xiawinter
new friendfeed?twitter? oh,I will send some special gifts to you from China,Robert,if I win the $1750 .haha ,I am not kidding. I really like the friendfeed.
- 老巫师
I'd get a new macbook and a mac mini for myself, buy a little something special for the girlfriend, and save the rest for my summer in NOLA and grad school
- Chris Brakebill
Good luck everyone. Spread the love and the money :)
- Nir Ben Yona
You're nuts... anyway I'd use the money to buy a new porch... or perhaps go to Velocity (not sure my boss won't think 3 days if San Jose is too much like a holiday - I know get a new boss)
- Andy Davies
So, with Roberts money I'd pay down a debt & buy a domain/hosting for a web app I'm building to try and earn some more $. Thnx Robert.
- Mr K
from Nambu
That should be simple - I will buy a Mac Pro, and if some more money left, buy a nice sized LCD display to go with it
- Anand Sharma
My one comment - money would be used for a mouth make-over.
- Randal
I'm in, as for the reason should I not win the random drawing, pc parts and save the rest for the new iphone.
- Michael Breslin
THIS CONTEST HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR A WHILE. THE PRIZES HAVE ALREADY BEEN HANDED OUT. CONGRATULATIONS to everyone. But this is now closed.
- Robert Scoble
Robert, perhaps putting that notice in the first comment or the original message itself might be even better.
- Chris, Taskerrific Guy
If I had my druthers, I would get my wife a new set of hooters. But, since my wife thinks most of my ideas are juvenile and self serving, I'll end up saving the money or something responsible.
- Demian Vonder Kuhlen
from Nambu
How would I use the money...hmmm well my wife wants to take the kids to Texas to see her sister or there are about a million home improvement projects that I have at home and at my parents
- Brian Allen
I would use the money to buy my mom a basic laptop. I would hand-deliver the laptop and give her some basic lessons on connecting to free wireless (probably at her public library). Naturally, my internet instruction would include such basics as "beware strangers on the internet -- and some are stranger than most" and "even your dog is a celebrity on the internet" and "blackmailing neighborhood teens via facebook and myspace".
- JoJo
I need money, I used to be a stick-up kid / So I think of all the devious things I did / I used to roll up--"this is a hold up; ain’t nothing funny / Stop smiling, and still! don’t nothing move but the money"...
- Uche Ogbuji
I will happily take your money. Most will go to a good cause. Okay, all of it will. Me :-) --->
- Robert Kenney
I would like to win the money in order to use it to cover the remaining $1,250 I will owe Drexel University after scholarships and federal loans, Fall '09.
- Andrew Leahey
Brilliant! I love watching the social experiment evolve... I'm a pro photographer dreaming up my next career as a content producer. I would use my winnings as a piece of the cost to purchase a Red camera. http://www.red.com/epic_sc...
- Michael Angelo Truncale
give it to a little girl going to school who need it.
- Can Turanlı
I"ll use the money to buy two airline tickets from NY to SC so that both of my granddaughters could come to stay with me for the summer. If anythings left over, I really could use an external hard drive.
- LeighaB
I'm in, winnings will go towards a new Mac Pro.
- timepilot
What would i do with $1,750? Pretty simple. I will establish a limited in Hong Kong and a branch office in Taipei. This would give me a visa and work-permit for Hong Kong and Taiwan and the blogosphere the chance to get always the hottest hands on and news from the Netbook and mobile computing hot spots in Asia. So yeah, i would use the money to establish a company in Hong Kong and i would even send you copies of all the documents and let you know about the success of it.;)
- Sascha Pallenberg
i would buy a Mac, so i could be cool, too ;) since the contest is over, i'm afraid i have to stay uncool :( Or buy an HP.... :)
- Marco Schmidt
I'll donate $1,750 to Austin Free-Net, which teaches Austinites with limited means how to use the Internet to improve their lives (find jobs, get healthcare information, stay in touch with family ...) www.austinfree.net
- John Sirman
I will start my phone system support website to deliver cost effective dialing and installation for small to medium business that needs a break from their local phone company.
- Aaron S
.With the prize i think i can donate more then half for charity to People of Abruzzo that are victims of Earthquake in italy, then pay hosting of website for another year and buy a 2nd-hand reflex... I'm Sincere, and sincerly i know it's near to impossible to win, but for sure will be the best thread ever :)
- CantorJF
Did you make a bet with Michael Arrington for $4,500 that you would get 1000+ replies on Friendfeed to prove him that people do use this? i would pay of debt - the best investment.
- CJPhoto
We are three 20 somethings who have been working on a web start-up here in Seattle for the last 18 months. We've taken a salary at less than $2,000 per month for this whole time to make this work, we are that passionate that the idea will impact the Food Industry. Building a B2B platform for the food industry that is one part business, one part networking, two parts sourcing with the potential to integrate the social web with Food Manufacturers. The money would tie us over to round 1 of funding.
- Matthew Wall
Hi Robert. Great contest. i would give the money to our local animal shelter. I went in there a few weeks ago and saw their desperate need for cat litter and dog supplies
- Mike
I would use the money to start building a photography business.
- Evan Travers
Happily commenting for $1k and use the other money to go Zorbing in New Zealand with my Flip Mino recording the man-girl scream coming out of my face.
- Dutch Driver
Should I win the money would be donated to the Janesville, WI food pantry which has been hit hard with the GM plant closings. Too many children and adults (and their pets) going to sleep hungry.
- Dave Martin
I would use the money to follow in your footsteps and purchase a camera for how-to and web related videos.
- Damond Nollan
Wow! Sounds good to me! Will this thread be used in some way?
- jcunwired
Depends on the health of my fiancee, who is going through second bout with Lyme disease. I will either need the money to pay for meds that insurance will not, or if her health is better put it towards the coveted Canon 5D MKII.
- jcunwired
Wow, as I leave my comment, there are 1,510+ comments ahead of me. I would get a digicam so as to be able to interview peeps around town and upload to the Special Sections portals. Create community, let voices REALLY be heard.
- Denise
To Tweet or not to. I will use the winnings to purchase a Netbook so I can finally have a mobile computer for class. My Dell died 2weeks outside warranty. I'll also use it pay down my Charter Bill.
- Adi
If I win the Money I am going to buy a 60 inch pioneer plasma.
- John Wood
The money will most definitely be used to pay bills. And buy food. I'd also probably but a secondary monitor for Friendfeed. Real-time is real neat.
- Matthew
Pick me Robert, pick me! I promise to give it all to KIVA.com *and* match it with my own money.
- Joseph
Why me? I promise to give it all to KIVA.com (or Charity:Water or Gates Foundation) *and* match it with equal amount of my own money.
- Joseph
Rebuild my circa 1999 website, get logo redesigned, build it out and link to anywhere my investor wishes. Build in more social media tools, perhaps Y!OS and G's Friend Connect.
- Mike Valentine
There's no way to win anything with this huge number of people , but thanks mr .Robert Scoble for this quiz .
- ahmed nabil
i think the confusion about this post lies in the inability for FriendFeed to appropriately show a date and time stamp on each comment. I just figured it out that you have to scroll the mouse of the comment bubble to see the date and time stamp of the comment... they should make it more visible.
- Jason Pollock
If I won, I'd give the money to donorschoose.org because it's obscene that in the US, public schools don't have money for pencils & paper. & my employer would match the donation. & I'd get a nice little tax writeoff for myself. :D
- amygeek
You are a developer's dream beta tester ! Way to push a system to its limits !
- Benoit Cazenave
This giveaway is over. Has been over. Ugh.
- Mattie Kenny
This makes a Thursday that much better. I would use the money to fly myself and the family back home to throw my son his first birthday party. =)
- Robert de Castro
I would buy iPods and cameras for students in my sixth grade class in Tucson, AZ. 7 Kodak Zi6 models and 14 iPod Touch models. Or 7 iPods with $1750
- Joel Zehring
That's certainly a cynical strategy for getting comments... but I love cynicism! How will I spend it? Sending my GF and I back to DisneyWorld!
- Ciaoenrico
I would use it to pay Obama's tax increases. No spend it to stimulate the economy. No pay new taxes on health insurance. Naw, buy a Mac or I-phone. I-phone, friend feed hard to use on the Dare. 10% to charity though.
- wowfreeze.blogspot.com
Is this the record for the most comments ever? I'll use the money to replace the lens that was stolen by a United employee at ORD on the way from SFO. I will invest the remainder in stocks; if I show profit, I'll hold a similar contest to give away the profit.
- Hiro Asari
I'd use some of the money to get my 4 year old into music class. Its not super expensive but beyond my reach right now. Neither myself or his mother are musically inclined at all. But he is.
- Capn' One Eye - adrift
============= with the money, Il register a lot of domains, and not only .com ! I'l start new websites, new web app services. I want at least one of them to be that BIG one. I have an idea. Just not that money. :] ......... If money enough, Il commission userscripts, to facilitate internet browsing in general ! ....... I'm open to share in the results. ================
- Petr Buben
If you still reading it means you did not like any of the 1575+ comments here. This is a very good reason to pick me. Second comment about what I am going to do with this money; probably will go to a holiday, order a champagne and remember you.
- Jacque
Ultimate worst topic: Brett Farve Twittering about Manny Ramirez.
- Richard Hoskins
Dvorak. Always have him on please. You and him ARE TWiT. Wil Harris is also very enjoyable. So is Calacanis. Cory Doctorow also.
- Emil Alexander Swenson
star trek twit wound be timely, will levar and veronica
- Todd Proffitt
Oprah, Dr. Phil, Rachel Ray, and most important of anyone else in the world -- Tyra.
- Walter Lounsbery
With upcoming Hubble service mission, Bad Astronomer Phil Plait and Trek tie in with Levar Burton.
- Doug Torneden
Dvorak, Norton, Rose, and Calacanis...
- Gary Hise
We haven't heard Molly Wood on TWiT in a while.
- Matt Chilcote
Dvorak, Curry, Calacanis, Patrick Norton, and yes cigars and wine
- Aris/Theft
Has Curry ever been on TWiT? I'd love to see Worley on, Dvorak possibly, but if you get those two, maybe add some other old TechTV'ers if possible. Calacan would probably be good too.
- Chris
Molly, Dvorak, WilW, Jason Howell is under exposed, Tom Green, Harry Shearer, Veronica, mix it up Alex A sans Kevin, Merlin, yes please Merlin. And a bit less wine...
- Tom Hofstatter
(Buzz Out Loud + No Agenda)*GDGT Weekly/YLNT = TWiT
- MacNeurotic
0. for a systm geek round: patrick norton (in the house this time, no wandering around & connection issues), dave randolph, and david caulkins 1. stephen fry, conan o'brien, jimmy fallon for a talk show host round (if you can get them), 2. as gunny wallen put it 'no social media experts'.
- sɹǝɥʇɐǝɟʞɔɐןq
How about Bwana and Patrick. They can do impersonations of each other.
- Joe Dearman
Anyone related to Star Trek I guess ... wonder if you can get JJ Abrams though :p
- Clarence Chiang
although very unlikely, would be funny to have george lucas & a round of star trek actors. heh :p
- sɹǝɥʇɐǝɟʞɔɐןq
I don't like listening to people act like they know everything and yes I'm talking about Brian Cooley .. I agree with all the other choices though
- John Blanton
from twhirl
It's always funny how one person's favorite is another person's worst nightmare :) I always enjoy Dvorak, Patrick and Veronica.
- Jeff
Pete Cashmore was cranky and great although probably not popular. Ryan Block and Will Harris are always good. Worley and Molly are very good. Curry would be fun since he is opinionated. Basically choose folks who are very knowledgeable or Type A. No squeeky women who start each sentence with "um" or "well".
- Techboy2000
Wil W pls, he's a fan of both Twit and Star Trek...
- Denverken
Check out Andrew Dubber of New Music Strategies: http://newmusicstrategies.com/ He's a New Zealander living in Birmingham, England, and he specializes in all sorts of ideas on how musicians can find a market and fans online.
- Darren Landrum
Leonard Nimoy, Wil Harris, Dvorak, Molly Wood
- chipster621
Patrick Norton, Lisa Bettany, and some Star Trek with new movie out so will wheaton & Levar Burton
- Matt Pollari
Winer, Gilmore, Calacanis and Doctorow - that should be fun.
- Geoff Schaadt
Wil Harris, Andy Walker and some of the old gang from The Lab. Someone to talk the effects of technology in the entertainment field such as theatre and concerts
- Stephen Dean
Looking over the list, 95% of them are already on, or have been on the TWiT network. Lets get a little more imaginative. Like Josh Topolsky though.
- Bill Heslin
Steve Gillmor, Merlin Mann and Jason Calacanis.
- Wo
Kevin Rose, I know you don't like having him on, but he is nice to see every once and a while. Veronica Belmont would be nice again, Patrick, Maybe John.
- Dakota O'Neill
Sam Ramji, Open Source Director at MS. Talk about cognitive dissonance! Very smart guy and excellent speaker. I can introduce you if you want.
- John Kordyback
Josh Topoksky, Geoff Farinha (up and coming podcaster)
- Shawn Roberts
I really enjoyed Twit 188 with Becky Worley and Devorak. Calacanis is good too. Not a fan of P Norton
- Allison
Wil Wheaton and Levar Burton would be awesome.
- Jason Elliott
John C, Rose, Norton, and Worley. Second list is John C, Harris, Swood, and Curry.
- Kacy
Leo - I'd like to hear from Bret, et al, from FriendFeed and what they've experienced, learned from the very first major outage they have suffered (due to their colo provider losing power)
- Robert J Taylor
Daniel Suarez, author of Daemon… just finished it… awesome.
- Mike Meiners
Heard about that Daniel Suarez. Looking on Audible right now for download (Insert Audible Ad here Leo) LOL
- Bill Heslin
Molly and Lisa--Star Trek geeks; Brian; and Patrick but, as has been stated, only if he's in the house otherwise he leaves early/gets disconnected/gets called away. No more than four
- MikeNNN
Definitely could use me some Molly Wood. Also, Veronica was nice. Hell, make it an all BOL show, bring in Jason and Tom too. And I agree with John, Gruber would be sweet.
- Mike Nayyar
another new suggestion considering the fate of 3d realms: 1UP.com editor Garnett Lee - friend of Patrick, frequent Cranky Geeks guest and all around smart dude on tech subjects
- winston smith
I love the new product reviews like Pogoplug and sling iphone and using eye-fi for instant slide show from camera! LESS ALCOHOL!
- Stephan Romeo
Jason Calocanis - Star Trek Guys are a good Idea too
- Shane Burgess
How has no one said Molly Wood? She hasn't been on in a while. She definitely has a great amount of geek cred.
- Chris Kourmoulakis
Chris, Molly has been all over this biz!
- Mike Nayyar
Patrick Norton, Jason Calicanius, Or perhaps Bwana? Levar Burton is always awesome too.
- Crystal Tillman
For selfish purpose, I'd love to come on and talk about how we're using social networking to help America's homeless. But aside from that (and pardon the plug), I like Baron's choice, Trent Reznor would make for an interesting guest given the present circumstances with Apple. I also would love to see Molly Wood.
- Brandon Mendelson
John C. Dvorak of COURSE, Becky Worley (who seems very insightful and is able to hold her own with John) and lots of wine. Do not under any circumstances allow Calacanis on to do any more impressions, god that's annoying.
- Barry Ferg
Love to hear Pogue if you can get him. If not, bring back Brushwood!
- Joseph
Calacanis is always interesting and how about Levar Burton and Sarah Lane Wil Harris too
- Shaun
FriendFeed crew, MG Siegler, Mark Spencer, Scoble, Joshua Schachter, Kevin Rose, Veronica Belmont, Lisa Bettany, Bwana, Jeff Pulver, Dvorak, Brian Brushwood, Gary Vaynerchuk !
- Jay Neff
I totally think I should be on - I could explain my new theory that explains how dinosaurs aren't actually extinct, but instead exist in a parallel dimension where, among other things, purple is a flavor.
- Chrimmus Tad
Devorak, Shwood, Patrick Norton & Cali Lewis
- Anthony
Shwood, Wil Harris, Robert Heron, and Patrick Norton!
- Brandon Kester
Just get Dvorak and Jason Calacanis together again. Both are insightful, headstrong and controversial.
- Dave Senior
dvorak, calacanis, veronica belmont
- Brian Waters
Calacanis, Veronica, Levar and Dvorak of course
- John Gardiner
Interesting to hear what a tech-savvy VC has to say about the state of innovation in tech - what is likely to get funding - who's under presure - where money helps innovate - where VC money offers no advantage etc etc
- Ian Horley
Still on the VC theme, Guy Kawazaki is a great orator, but not sure how good a pundit he is, or how tech savvy he is http://www.guykawasaki.com/ - I think he s in your neck of teh woods too!
- Ian Horley
why not. the mythbusters vs the ghost hunters
- sɹǝɥʇɐǝɟʞɔɐןq
I enjoy the usual suspects but I really was impressed by the recent appearance of Becky Worley. She really brought some new freshness to the show.
- Mark Krynsky
Anyone that will talk about tech and not swine flu. Dvorak, Patrick, Roger, Veronica.
- keith
I would like to hear Bwana again. Also Levar Burton is always good.
- Dylan Newstead
Kate Russell from click in the uk to add new edgy tech? dvorak of course, and any trekkies for the new movie, steve gibson to make seriously nerdy, how about roz on her new row
- Rob Williams
Bring John C. Dvorak and Jason together please! They are both great to hear in the same episode.
- Pigon (Piotr Golebiowski)
Adam Curry, not that bad of a guy Leo... Less Ryan Block, More Calacanis, More Wil Harris
- Jim Edwards
How about a Blast From the Past! A show on the old Computer Chronicles and maybe get Stewart Cheifet as a guest. I know it's history, and not really a new tech idea, but if not on TWiT maybe on another show. Maybe TDoT - These Decades of Tech, history of where it all started, with guests like Steve Jobs, Woz, Gates (he's retired now also) Capt. Crunch etc.. There is a lot of history there! just an idea.
- HamRadioActive
Discuss Apple's rumored acquisition of EA. Good idea/not, why/why not? With Kevin Rose (Apple Fanboy), Dvorak (Not so much of an Apple Fanboy) and Alex Albrecht (gamer, TRS etc).
- Michel
Louis Gray. He should start a podcast of his own. Perhaps, you could encourage him to start one.
- Michael Fidler
Leo - I would be honored and willing to discuss ANY topic you might toss in my direction. Ukiah, Sebastapol, ... all lie near and dear to my heart. any interest in interviewing a 10 year veteran of the enterprise software biz? name the time/place and i'm there. i appreciate everything you do @leo
- Brian Daniel Eisenberg
Kevin Rose, Sarah Lane, Calacanis, Patrick Norton, Martin Sargent and no Dvorak.
- Michael Sarge
Hey Leo, looked at Square Space thinking about changing but have a question about my domain, i think you said it's not problem to go straight to your www but do they now take over the hosting for the domain and or email, i still would like to use my own domain and my own email extention, and i just signed up with 1and1 to have imap support, does square space have imap support, not sure how that would all work.
- Charles Moore
How about how the white house could have saved 300k and a job. To do the Air Force One Photo - hire someone to photoshop a pricture of AF1 over the SoL - why did we actually need to take the picture?
- Laurence Gold
Molly. Tom Merritt, Dvorak, Veronica, ... how to choose? Good luck making sense of all the suggestions! Oh, and Jono Bacon! ;)
- Bert Van Vreckem
Dvorak/Norton are the best. Molly Wood/Meritt/Veronica are always great, as is Shwood. Wild card Morgan Webb would be neat, but people have been asking for her for almost too long.
- Victor Z
Me. Of course. Bon week-end à tous ; )
- Didier Lahely
I'd really like to see you take it to the next level and turn it into the tech equivalent of the Sunday news shows, ala This Week, Meet the Press, etc. That is, try to get more of the folks who've actually made news in tech this week on the show, combined with analysis of why what's happened this week matters. Just getting a bunch of hosts from TWiT shows and other media outlets talking about who knows whom and promoting their stuff is less appealing to me.
- Ken Sheppardson
Levar Burton - May I also add perhaps an iPhone/BB/C-phone app review/recommendation section of the show - I value the panels input on such things
- Tyler Johnston
Jerry Pournelle, Levar B or Peter Rojas. Spare us the bubble gum ones like iJustine or Lisa Bettany. Shopping exclusively at an Apple Store and being cute != tech expert/panelist.
- Adi
Always love to hear perspectives from Dvorak, Norton, Calacanis, Belmont, Wheaton & Burton, lets add Adam Curry, Economist Paul Krugman and actor Jeff Goldblum to the mix
- Dan Beyer
Molly Wood, Robert Llewellyn, Sarah Lane and maybe Dvorak
- Molly, "sorry"
Molly Wood & Steve Gibson. It would be rant-astic!
- tamahome
Jerry Pournelle, Molly Wood and John C. Dvorak - Joe Gilbert
- Joe Gilbert
Dvorak's New World Symphony would do rather nicely - Antonin Dvorak
- David Blumenstein
wow... thanks for the love everyone! my favorite guests to be on with are Dvorak and Kevin Rose. I feel like those shows really rock.
- Jason Calacanis
Scoble, Calcanis, Gillmor, Winer and Arrington mud wrestling in pink blancmange! - Make us laugh and then they'll all be friends again!
- Jan Simmonds
Dvoracanis part 2! And Miley Cyrus. Or maybe Paul Thurrott & Andy Ihnatko, plus Kevin Rose.
- Thunderwing
from twhirl
Or Adam Curry, Alex Jones & Michael Savage. Oh, wait, that would be a special episode of No Agenda. Sorry, my bad.
- Thunderwing
from twhirl
Lisa Bettany, Jason Calacanis and Dvorak. Always. It'd be nice to see Paul Thurrott on TWiT, he's always great and it was a big MS week what with the RC.
- Henrik
After listening to todays Gilmore Gang, anybody that sounds more professional then that group would be better.
- John Wallace
It would be an honor to be on the show... www.cyberstudies.org
- Shane Tilton
Here it is the ultimate Twit Group. Leo, Patrick, Dvorak,Brian Brushwood,& Jason Calacanis
- Tom Rowbotham
what about major nelson from the xbox team
- Brad Reiter
"Benford's law, also called the first-digit law, states that in lists of numbers from many real-life sources of data, the leading digit is distributed in a specific, non-uniform way. According to this law, the first digit is 1 almost one third of the time, and larger digits occur as the leading digit with lower and lower frequency, to the point where 9 as a first digit occurs less than one time in twenty. The basis for this "law" is that the values of real-world measurements are often distributed logarithmically, thus the logarithm of this set of measurements is generally distributed uniformly."
- DeWitt Clinton
from Bookmarklet
Oh, kick ass. @MarkusQ explains why this applies to primes in a 140 character tweet, and it actually makes perfect sense: "There are steadily fewer primes as n grows; therefore for primes length x+1 more will match /1.{x}/ than /2.{x}/ , so on to /9.{x}/" (http://twitter.com/MarkusQ...)
- DeWitt Clinton
More importantly, I'm glad SOMEONE is going after email again. Gmail was an improvement (Thanks Paul!) but is no where near where things should be. It still baffles me as to why someone hasn't added simple little things yet, like parsing for notification emails and adding favicons, or adding photos to the inbox view, or showing me live data from the web about a person alongside any email. Xoopit is doing some interesting stuff here, but it is barely the tip of the iceberg.
- Dave Morin
I'm may be out on a limb here, but based on modern social capabilities I think permission based email (are you a friend based on any number of social networks) and filtering is way overdue. Remember challenge (mailblocks - I think AOL acquired) response to prevent spam? How about a challenge system that says, "I can't delivery your email to Dave because you're not on his approved...
more...
- Dave
A number of startups tried this (including my own circa 1999/2000) but the senders get highly annoyed by challenges.
- Ray Cromwell
Yeah, not clear that challenges are the right way to do it. But, it seems like creating a better filter using the social graph as a corpus is a rock solid idea. I've talked about this a few times before with some folks, but never seen it done that well. GMail's user reported spam implementation is what makes it so great...
- Dave Morin
So is Facebook going to buy this and use it for messaging? ;-)
- Jesse Stay
Nope! Just a great developer doing interesting things.
- Dave Morin
Like we need another challenge-based social-network inside mailboxes. I long for elm-like simplicity AND ability to tag, and unobtrusively suppress display of all but [selected gist] of a message. Plus stats/ trend functions like being able to click on a respondent's name and seeing a browsable history of past exchanges; mutual most frequently used keywords (auto-extracted tags);...
more...
- ianf ⌘
Sorry, Louis, I went a bit mad, hehe But I finally got round to sorting these out this morning and tidied up the descriptions. :-) FF-Searches is vijay's group btw. He's hiding here: http://beta.friendfeed.com/dffrnt
- Kol Tregaskes
Haha, Matt. My preferred nickname is 'Krazy' actually, I got given it when I worked in the computer games industry. :-) Ah, those where the days.
- Kol Tregaskes
Using the new interface. It has more pros than cons at this point so I won't be going back to the old interface. I do hope they listen to some of the suggestions we've had about it, though. It's great but it has a long way to go.
- Akiva Moskovitz
I am giving the new beta layout a good try, liking it too!
- Allen Harkleroad
Getting used to feeding off the new interface, yesterday I was feeding from normal and using beta for my discussions and DMs.
- FFing Enigma (aka Tina)
Using the beta interface. I like the direction FF is taking the UI.
- Kevin Whalen
beta too, a question how could a third-party interface render the same beta one ?
- abdellah
I still haven't gotten any DMs yet. Either it's that or I don't see them.
- Tamar Weinberg
I'm using AJ Batac's style skin to view the new beta interface. Frankly, the colors the FF staff came up with for the new interface by default are garish, to say the least. And what Akiva said. I'm pretty sure the staff is listening, given the amount of noise folks have made about the interface, yesterday.
- Helen Sventitsky
I use Twhirl for both FF and Twitter, and frankly prefer it for both.
- Bob M. Montgomery
from twhirl
Old. I got tired of things like the disappearing Hide button and having to manually refresh my real-time feed to get it to, y'know, *feed*. When the kinks are ironed out a bit more, I'll be back to beta.
- tinypants - Hagitha of FF
I'm giving the new interface a shot, using it exclusively for a week or two, until I vomit in my mouth and stop using FF complely again until the next major "improvement" attempt.
- Dossy Shiobara
New on computer, old on iPhone. Real-time isn't viable on it...wonder how they'll address that in the long run? New interface, but static?
- Jandy, ConcertMaven of FF
Beta. Figured I might as well get used to it and watch how it progresses. Some checking back to the old for reference.
- Rebecca
I've been using the beta for the most part since yesterday evening. Sometimes, though, I load the old one out of habit (I put a link to the beta in my toolbar, but keep clicking the regular FF link instead).
- Penguin It's Cold Outside
new beta. works very well after tuning my lists
- Cee Bee
Mostly on iPhone app (since beta became available haven't spent much time at computer). I hope to rectify this tonight & tomorrow and will give the new UI a real trial by immersion. I can't imagine wanting something close to the new UI on my iPhone though ....
- David HC Soul
Today I stayed with the beta. Getting used to it. Using filters better.
- Bryan R. Adams
Old, new scrolls by too fast. Old real time is slower than beta. May get around to using filters once second beta is out.
- Rui Pereira
Referrer logs seem to indicate half and half. I'm still switching back and forth myself.
- Bruce Lewis
I'm using the Beta and loving it. I only jump to the old when I want to check my stats.
- Mathew™ one of a kind
++vijay The new sticks with me, but the old must be kept too, as a memorial of everything it did already have in its core emotional engine. That's if we definitively change the state of the app instead of simply improving it.
- ElijahBailey-Zu of FF <0,
The Beta is heavy and does not work smoothly in my office, still using old UI most of the time.
- Parth Awasthi
The new beta interface at home, fftogo.com on my phone
- Michael Hocter
I'm hopping back and forth. The new functionality of the Beta is fun, but I don't like the look at all so I end up back on the old after a bit.
- Joe Pierce
My time is split between FF on a computer and the mobile version on my phone. I've used the beta interface periodically when I want to use one of the new features that doesn't have a UI in the live version.
- Andy Bakun
Beta - I never find any advantage with sticking with an old version. Best to jump right in.
- Steve Isaacs
Beta and occasional visits to the old interface for "still" missing/phased-out features
- Merry Xmas FFeeders - AJ
I keep going back and forth between the two places...
- Bindu Reddy
Even though I wrote this piece & totally see the point, I was definitely a little creeped out by the prospect of my pending death & who should get a my online content. I also had to have a quick chat with mom, because she was a little disturbed that I marked her as a verifier (which means she would have to verify to LL that I was in fact dead).
- Jennifer Van Grove
We've been talking about this at DataPortability.org as a basic right, something that TOS/EULAs should guarantee: That sites like facebook or gmail or quickbooks will acknowledge your wishes and empower your executors/heirs after you die or if you should become unavailable (coma, vegetative state, prolonged spiritual retreat). Still working on boilerplate.
- Phil Wolff
wouldn't that be making it all the more creepy than it sometimes already is? I wouldn't want to receive an email from my wife 2 months after she has passed away, just 'coz she had a deal with GMail earlier?
- Anurag Gupta
@Phil that sounds really smart...def keep us posted on that :)
- Jennifer Van Grove
Something similar to this has been collecting dust in my Ideas folder for 2 years. A friend died and I saw the madness play out before me. The guy was a "Social Engineer" (FBI says "Suspect" though did nothing illegal) and made a good living online compiling lead lists for extremely niche headhunters. I'm sure he had assorted Paypal accts, unpaid invoices, etc that his wife didn't know about. Sad.
- Craig Johnson
Craig...oh wow thx for sharing that story, that's certainly an appropriate use case for the app though.
- Jennifer Van Grove
I think about it occasionally and haven't seen anyone with an elegant solution (yet.)
- Anthony Citrano
I sent a JoVE paper to somone else and they said they need a login to get there and that it would cost thousands of dollars: http://www.jove.com/index...
- Björn Brembs
Someone pulling your leg? I'm listening to how the flies need to be inserted from home at the moment.
- Cameron Neylon
sh*t spoke too soon - it stopped and then asked for a subscription - not looking good - one day free then $US19 a day, $2400 institutional
- Cameron Neylon
text is still accessible but video is not...checking Jean-Claude's paper now
- Cameron Neylon
Interesting: from here I can get to the video my friend could not view....
- Björn Brembs
Something strange going on - I get the same time out on a couple of other videos just after the introduction but on JCs it seems to run through, except when I played with the timing bar it suddenly threw a subscription notice at me...chances of anyone paying for a subscription must be next to nill surely?
- Cameron Neylon
Really strange: I remember having to log in when I first watched the video I linked to above. I didn't bother much. But now I can access all videos without logging even in with a browser I've never been to jove.com with...
- Björn Brembs
It is April 1. Could be related to that?
- Deepak Singh
'solved' the issue with the browser. Done correctly, I now also can't access the videos without logging in.
- Björn Brembs
Seems an odd sort of April fools - and one that will get people's backs up seriously. I couldn't see anything on the subscription page that made it look like a joke. And it seems bizarre to do it with no announcement.
- Cameron Neylon
@deepak: possibly, but as I said, I've noticed some login before. Plus, who would prevent access to their own site as a joke?
- Björn Brembs
That would actually be a very courageous joke indeed!!!
- Björn Brembs
It is a strange one, but today I don't take anything at face value
- Deepak Singh
I heard that Nature is going open access, starting today. Can anyone confirm?
- Paulo Nuin
On another note, I can watch any video without any login or registration. Just sayin ...
- Paulo Nuin
@Paulo: with a browser that has never been to jove.com?
- Björn Brembs
I might have accessed it in the past. A couple of months ago maybe.
- Paulo Nuin
I can access all videos without logging in when I use IE8 which imported all my Firefox settings. I cannot watch any videos with Safari, which I never use.
- Björn Brembs
If this is an April Fool's joke then it is a very elaborate one. The submission page now lists separate prices depending on whether you want to publish with "open access option" or not. There is also a 10 page license agreement as a PDF file.
- Lars Juhl Jensen
Bjoern, sorry, but we are indeed closing access. Not an April Fool's joke. We've been trying to get universities to subscribe to us, but nobody seems to be taking us seriously and, given our situation, being free is just not sustainable. However, we are now discussing how to best provide a good blend of access and subscription. For example, authors definitely should have access to their own articles. If you have any other suggestions, all would be welcome.
- Nikita Bernstein
Hmm, that's too bad. I'm not really sure what to say at this point.
- Björn Brembs
Bjoern, I'll shoot you an email. The situation is more complex than it might seem and we've gone through a lot of deliberation prior to deciding to closing access. A lot also will depend on how our revenue streams line up going forward. BTW, I am sorry you feel left out of this discussion. This is something that we should have told you about and didn't not because we intended to hide anything from you, but because things have been incredibly hectic.
- Nikita Bernstein
Surely papers published as open access must remain open access and only new papers will be closed. Anyone read their copyright agreements?
- Andrew Lang
Tried with publications from 2007 - also cannot see these videos
- Lars Juhl Jensen
I can see any video, from any publication date.
- Paulo Nuin
Can you see the complete videos, Paulo? I can see the beginning of all videos, only after a while does the subscription message come up.
- Lars Juhl Jensen
I can watch some videos in their entirety, some others I see the subscription warning.
- Paulo Nuin
Where's the "Don't like" link when you need it?
- Ricardo Vidal
Clicked "Like" to spread the news, but it feels wrong
- Lars Juhl Jensen
Someone made a good point about this on Twitter: what will stop scientists from simply moving to YouTube or the like?
- Noah Gray
@Noah The fact that a YouTube video does not count as a publication on your CV. But technically it would certainly work.
- Lars Juhl Jensen
But if you don't have anyone watching your videos why would you make/publish them?
- Paulo Nuin
May simply be in the end that the level of production values at JoVE is unsustainable commercially. If so it isn't the first casualty and it won't be the last. But I really can't see how they will gain subscriptions by going closed. They need a different revenue model because it is far too adventurous on a tight library budget.
- Cameron Neylon
The JoVE videos do look very good. Long before Mendeley, I toyed with the idea of starting a video biography production company, so I looked into the cost structure a bit more. Always wondered how JoVE could cover the production costs with $1,500.
- Victor / Mendeley Team
Always seemed to me that targeted advertising would be the way to go for JoVE. Particularly in molecular biology the brand and the details of the procedure can make a difference. So being able to order directly at the instructions would be appealing to the user and high value to the advertiser. Challenge is in getting the balance of those things right.
- Cameron Neylon
@Cameron - that's exactly the case. We are not covering our burn rate now and we are a for-profit that is trying to scale our production, so, if we don't make money, we simply won't survive :\
- Nikita Bernstein
@Cameron As far as subscriptions, we cost very little so, if scientists ask for us, people do indeed subscribe.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Victor With respect to covering our costs - you are absolutely right. In most cases that doesn't cover our costs and, when it does, the margin is very small and not enough to cover our burn rate. Not sustainable.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Cameron With respect to advertising, we are working on it. My hope is that advertising will eclipse what we would make from subscription enabling (and possibly forcing us) to be completely (or almost completely) open. However, that's not the present reality on the ground :\
- Nikita Bernstein
Also, with respect to OA articles - we do have some articles that are OA (and will be publishing more) and those will not be behind the subscription firewall. Right now there is actually a number of videos that we've left outside of the firewall.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Nikita - problem is that your biggest advocates are mainly OA advocates as well. Most people who believe in new media for science communication are at some level. Equally your loudest viewers and the people you want to advocate for subscriptions are likely to be forward thinking and OA-leaning. I worry you've just lost most of your cheerleaders..
- Cameron Neylon
As some of you know, I currently blog for JoVE:- http://jove-blog.blogspot.com/ One of the main reasons that I became interested in JoVE was due to being an OA advocate. Since this new development is (also) news to me, Nikita, I too would be obliged if you would also shoot me an email. I wish to mull this over before I consider what to mention in my next JoVE blog post
- Graham Steel
Apparently JoVE is not big on opening data for insiders too.
- Paulo Nuin
I will be very interested to see what SciVee does in the future based on this announcement... and whether people will be more likely to use SciVee, both to "publish" and to consume science video...
- Shirley Wu
This also underscores the fact that sustainability is a problem for open efforts. JoVE is a great idea and we loved it for the OA especially, but now they're in trouble and the only viable solution they can find is to go closed - and off goes the peanut gallery. Is there something more proactive we can do to help, if not JoVE now, other efforts like them from abandoning an open model?
- Shirley Wu
Am I the only one thinking this is an April 1 joke?
- Egon Willighagen
@Shirley Perhaps we should encourage the larger OA efforts (which for ideological and legal reasons are never going to "go closed"), like PLoS/PLoS ONE, to accept articles in the JoVE format. That has a greater likelihood of being sustainable.
- Chris Patil
@Graham, we owe you an apology as well. Will email you.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Egon Note Nikita's comments above; he is the co-founder and CTO of JoVE. April 1 etiquette generally holds that if you're called on a joke, you should come clean. From what Nikita is saying, this sounds real.
- Chris Patil
I'm not sure what can be done in this case. I was hoping to line up some papers but I'm less sure now. I think one central problem is that lots of these efforts are going to fail until someone gets, not just the right business model, but the right place and the right time. In the more general case I think it goes back to that critical friend thing - up front being critical about business models and how they will scale - behind supporting and contributing the papers that helps that happen.
- Cameron Neylon
I didn't know that April Fool's had an "etiquette' protocol. Good to know.
- Paulo Nuin
Guys, look, we are trying to do as much as we can. Consider - we are not the first to try, but we are the first to get as far as we did. Two of the reasons for our success are: 1) production capacity and 2) money to sustain it. We are a for-profit, which enabled us to move quickly, but also makes it difficult to maintain production without revenue streams. If you have suggestions on how we can build out revenues, we are all ears.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Cameron - people love us not because of how we deliver content, but because of the nature of our content that saves countless hours and it's a sad reality that OA in this case is not sustainable or scalable. We have spoken to a lot of people and people do understand our situation. Having said that, you are right: for those who supported us because they thought we were OA, we may lose them. But we actually didn't promote ourselves as OA - we promoted ourselves as a new unique tool.
- Nikita Bernstein
Nikita, I think that's part of the problem - we have suggestions but not the knowledge (certainly on my part) of building these things and making them happen on the ground. Which is great for blue skies perhaps but maybe not so good for keeping a cashflow running. I guess this is the bit where the lofty ideals hit the road and we have to really see what works?
- Cameron Neylon
On a more philosophical note, I think the present OA model is just as ridiculous as the subscription model and it's just a case of lesser evil. People who publish should be paid to publish rather than paying to publish. An ideal scenario I think may be that, once we generate revenue through advertising, to compensate scientists for the work they do. This opens a lot of interesting questions, but I think this would be a good direction to take. Just a thought.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Shirley Thanks. I would love to hear ideas on business models that could be applied. I think the best way to help us is to try to get adoption by universities so that we get solid footing. Then we would be in a good position to open up a lot of our content... may be I am wrong.
- Nikita Bernstein
Also, just FYI, we have had a lot of concern over research being published that people do not want to have easy access. For instance animal models. Having subscription significantly limits exposure.
- Nikita Bernstein
Sorry - comments crossing. My gut feeling is that those people who like the radical approach to content delivery in the context of a traditional format are generally pretty OA-leaning. But I have not data to back that I'm prepared to admit. But my question would be if subscription access is any more scalable, particularly if you take a hit on submission rates?
- Cameron Neylon
Let me see if I understand correctly: you start an Open Access journal, which is for profit. OA advocates jump on the bandwagon and make your journal noticeable online and offline. Everything is great, hunky-dory. Then one day internally you decide that the model you built for it cannot be sustained. You don't tell anyone from the OA advocate community that helped you. And finally, you come on a public forum asking for suggestions on how to build a revenue? Why should I suggest something for free when ...
- Paulo Nuin
... are going to charge for my access?
- Paulo Nuin
for a minute not concentrating on whether/how to switch from open to closed, in any case this should have been communicated much more openly and clearly - any business should communicate with stakeholders. This is really not good, and will give anti-OA folks ammunition.
- Christina Pikas
@Christina I agree. This is a failing on our part. We should have been more proactive. The only thing I can say in my defense is that we are swamped with so many things that it's difficult to cover all the bases.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Paulo Let me clear something up. We didn't start an Open Access journal. We started a scientific video publication that we kept freely accessible for as long as we could. The relationship with OA was organic when people assumed that us providing free access was same as open access. Initially we ourselves didn't understand all the implication of OA, but tried to steer clear of the term. Having said that, I feel like we are in a catch-22: we don't want to betray people like you who supported us. On the
- Nikita Bernstein
other hand, we don't really have a choice. BTW, I didn't realize how strong the OA sentiment is with respect to JoVE until I read this thread. But, be that as it may, I fully admit that we should have communicated much better than we have. I mean, having people who work with us unaware of this transition is, frankly, embarassing. But we do what we can. Right now our resources are already incredibly stretched and the only thing I can offer is a huge apology for this oversight :\
- Nikita Bernstein
I am racking my brains here. Obviously, JoVE is not cheap to run and they need to be able to make money. Like some, I believe that the pay wall won't solve their problems (not cause it's closed, but I don't think people perceive sufficient value). I don't think advertising will do it either. Their CPM's are probably not high enough to attract sufficiently large ad buys. It could be the basis for a freemium model. Nikita, have you thought about white labeling your platform and recording crews?
- Deepak Singh
controversial decision risking the public image of the company, JoVE built a professional science video making team around the US. maybe that could be the solution for the revenue hunger outside JoVE
- Attila Csordas
@Nikita, you say that the journal was just "freely available" and never "open access". But when I go to the Internet Archive and look at the 25 January 2008 version of your About JoVE page, it reads: "With participation of scientists from leading research institutions, the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) was established as a new, open access tool in life science publication and communication."
- Lars Juhl Jensen
You may not have intended to brand yourself as an OA journal but I think most people who have been supportive (myself included) did so precisely because you were OA. I certainly would have never submitted an article if the journal was not OA. To avoid confusion going forward you might want to consider closing JoVE and starting with a new brand built on a closed model.
- Jean-Claude Bradley
@Lars I'm now dying to hear the distinction between "open access" and "Open Access". Can you use the Internet Archive to establish exactly when the edit was made? If they thought better of using the term relatively quickly, that's one thing, but if they removed the term yesterday, that's another.
- Chris Patil
I cannot nail down the precise dates, but the words "open access" occurred on the "About JoVE" page on both 24 November 2007 and 25 January 2008. In other words, they were there for at least 2 months.
- Lars Juhl Jensen
@Jean-Claude What we are planning on doing is offering OA for people who wish to pay to cover the production costs. Your articles have and will remain OA as well as quite a few other articles. In that sense we will not turn away from the OA model offering an opportunity for scientists to decide how they wish to publish your work. What we are closing access to is our content that we subsidized either partially or fully.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Lars - Yup. That was before we realized what Open Access entailed. If I remember correctly, we removed shortly after.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Jean-Claude: I don't think people have been supportive because they thought we were OA. Perhaps some. But most were excited about the opportunity to see science and reduce the amount of time and effort they spend on reproducing and understanding prior work. After all, OA is a model where the author pays vs. subscription being a model where the institution pays. In the long run, it doesn't really matter who pays to the consumer scientist if a problem is solved.
- Nikita Bernstein
By the way, we did hope that the OA model would work and that we would get money from the corporate site, which is who really should be paying for this. And, if the recession didn't hit, perhaps that would have been the case.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Jean-Claude: starting another journal from a marketing perspective would be very very difficult. We toyed with the idea of doing JoVE and JoVE OA to clearly differentiate between the two. But I think that, once we label the videos appropriately, this would be the effect.
- Nikita Bernstein
Jesus, give a journal a break. JoVE's an admirable endeavour that's broken a lot of ground. They were open access.... it wasn't sustainable... so they had to rethink. Unfortunate but what would people prefer - that they go bankrupt?
- Euan
Attila, Deepak, we are actually doing that to an extent. Doesn't make sense to white-label completely, because then we become a production house, which is difficult to scale, market, and we begin to compete in a different market, etc.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Deepak: We are not looking to get individual subscribers, but universities.
- Nikita Bernstein
The Official JoVE Blog, 16 November 2008: "....Finally, JoVE is an example of an Open Access journal with some Web2.0 capabilities, like the ability to leave comments and label them as agreeing or disagreeing with the authors. The final article can now also serve as a location for continuing the scientific conversation".
- Lars Juhl Jensen
@Lars- Double-ouch. @Euan- It is perfectly sensible to change models. I think that much of this reaction stems from the manner in which this information was disseminated....ff is a great tool, but not appropriate for revealing major organizational changes that significantly affect your users in a neg manner.
- Noah Gray
A mixed market model could work (pay for OA) but then presumably costs would have to be much much higher? And I'm sure you're already working on bringing down production costs as far as is possible. Is there a risk here of muddling what the value proposition is (or have we already muddled it?). Is the value to "readers" in which case its not a journal but an educational resource, or is to the author, who is disseminating research.
- Cameron Neylon
@Euan, that is the big question for me: was JoVE ever Open Access? Does the copyright of the videos still belong to the authors?
- Lars Juhl Jensen
Seems to me that you're in a position where you need both to break even which is creating a conflict that is difficult to resolve.
- Cameron Neylon
Thanks Euan, I called the Karma Police and they told me to post this (honestly) ++THIS THREAD AT SOME POINT WAS interrupted BY A MUSICAL INTERLUDE++ (40 or so comments ago would have been the most appropriate time). http://www.youtube.com/watch...
- Graham Steel
@Noah: Agreed, although at this point I feel I am doing damage control rather than breaking the news. @Lars: we did and we will continue to have open access content, we are just not OA across the board. We have 3 types of content: OA, Free, Subscription. What's changing is the balance.
- Nikita Bernstein
Nikita I am relieved to hear that my article will remain OA - that is something that probably should have been brought up in the first part of a general announcement to avoid all this confusion.
- Jean-Claude Bradley
Nikita - if you have done your marketing research and you have come to the conclusion that the OA component was relatively unimportant to the contributors - and that libraries will be quick to pay for institutional subscriptions then your new plan should work.
- Jean-Claude Bradley
JCB - I'd like to see the results of that particular marketing survey, as well.
- Mr. Gunn
us$2400 institutional rate isn't chicken feed these days. Most libraries right now are scrambling not to have to cut rather than subscribe to new things. The best strategy would be to get several faculty from different departments all to make the case to the library that it's needed. It would help if they'd already published some content in JoVE. Also, you would probably need to have usage reporting in place before we would consider subscribing.
- John Dupuis
This JoVE news is a reminder that we should talk more about the business models behind our Web 2.0 tools for scientists. If they are not sustainable, even the best technologies and lots of users will not be enough. Somebody has to pay for this stuff...
- Martin Fenner
Yes, Martin, I agree with you. But most of the scientist here don't have "more than 8 years of experience in development and marketing of Web-based applications".
- Paulo Nuin
This JoVE news obviously should have been communicated differently. But I will start to look more carefully at the sustainability of these tools for scientists, and not just if they are free. And how does FriendFeed make money?
- Martin Fenner
Is FF a scientific journal? Has it ever marketed itself (even for one day) as being a Open Access scientific journal? No, FF is a company, just like JoVE, but we make the distinction that FF needs money to survive. Just a matter of how we perceive things, companies.
- Paulo Nuin
Wow! And this only got started because a friend could not get access. I'll talk to our library and see what the chances are that they subscribe. I'm an OA advocate, but it would be dogmatic to insist on OA if it's not sustainable.
- Björn Brembs
I agree that if it fails move to some other model. But a lot of people here were caught by surprise.
- Paulo Nuin
@Jean-Claude: I am glad that's resolved. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
- Nikita Bernstein
I agree with John Dupuis; this may be hard to sell to libraries who are cutting - in some cases severely cutting - subscriptions without a lot of push from faculty. In addition to usage reporting, we'd also ask questions about whether we get permanent access to content if JoVE folded - i.e. will you be participating in Portico or another preservation program or will you give us the files so that we can provide access.
- Sarah
I have to say, I am fascinated by this discussion...
- Nikita Bernstein
I am glad you guys see the predicament that we found ourselves in... if you have any ideas, please feel free to shoot me an email at nikitab@jove.com. Again, very sorry for the way the news broke, however unintentional it may have been. Rest assured that this will be one lesson we will definitely learn from.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Nikita, this discussion reminds me of the section in Joshua Porter's book on social web apps about how organizations should and shouldn't respond when they mess up. I don't remember the exact points, but you're getting the right gist, so kudos there...
- Andrew Su
about my previous comment about preservation - that's also - obviously - a question that libraries should be asking OA journals as well. But if we're giving a publisher money, loss of access feels a lot closer to home.
- Sarah
JoVE to a degree faces some of the difficulties print publications face. Cost of production. The reason I proposed the white label (and I understand the challenges there as well) was trying to recover some of those costs. The question is, what value do people put into production quality? I am a strong believer in Peter Drucker's price-based costing philosphy for such services. What is that price that people (whoever the target market is) are willing to pay? Cost structure should follow from there.
- Deepak Singh
I'm with @Euan in that JoVE should be given some slack. JoVE tried and are still trying to sustain a new approach to scientific dissemination in a recession.
- Michael Barton
@Nikita Could you consider selling a stake in JoVE to PLoS or Google for example? The advertising along side open access might not be sustainable at present, but perhaps in the longer term.
- Michael Barton
It would be sad to see Jove go away , Would I pay for it or ask my library to pay for it , Probably not. It seems like the open access model works only if production costs are low. Sadly Joves high quality for "free" was not sustainable.
- Hari
@Deepak: I understand what you mean and we considered it - it's just a difficult and risky direction to take that forces a change in our core competency.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Michael: Thanks. As for selling stake in JoVE, sure. If the price is right, I don't see a problem with that. :)
- Nikita Bernstein
I think a lot of this also needs to be seen in the light of Sean Eddy's recent book review at PLoS Biology, also see David Crotty's blog post on that. But there are really three questions that play out here. What do we want? What does it cost? And the bottom line at the moment, can we afford it? Or I guess can it be made affordable? Its not clear to me that we can afford the high quality video production
- Cameron Neylon
Nikita, definitely understand. Just throwing out ideas with the limited information I have. Know how tough it is to run any kind of profitable business and do right by your user base.
- Deepak Singh
@Sarah: with respect to reliability - all these questions have already been discussed. If you'd like to know more, let me know and I can put you in touch with Moshe. @Deepak: Thanks! I really appreciate it! All new thoughts and ideas are definitely welcome :)
- Nikita Bernstein
@Hari: the open access model works best if production costs are low, and low production costs are not easy to achieve with video formats (nor paper, for that matter), so publishing based on online platforms which allow much of the formatting to be automated (e.g. Wikis, or anything based on TeX, particularly with suitable templates, dunno to what extent this is possible for video content) has to be explored more fully. This would allow authors to concentrate on content, and reduce publisher's running costs.
- Daniel Mietchen
After a good night's sleep, this still feels like a major defeat and setback to me. However, I must agree with the argument that a closed access video methods journal is better than no video methods journal, sad as that may be.
- Björn Brembs
I still feel the nub of the question is what level of video production is affordable. At the end of the day it is all "funder pays" regardless of what stream it comes from. All this talk of subscription versus author pays just shifts the pain around a bit. It still hurts.
- Cameron Neylon
Cameron is right, in a way, but aren't there many more readers than contributors? Or is that a fallacy? What I mean is that for any given venue, the operating costs are distributed among more shoulders if the recipients are paying than when the (relatively few) contributors are paying. However, on the whole, everybody in science is both contributor and recipient. How can one solve that? Sounds like a computational problem to me...
- Björn Brembs
To me there are following entities: government, industry, provider, consumer, publisher. Like so: http://yfrog.com/05fundi.... OA is when the government pays. Subscription is when content consumer pays. And then there are situations when the industry pays for publication (reasons may be marketing, PR, etc.). I think which model will win really depends on the specific content market being covered. I don't think our moving to charge the consumer should discredit OA altogether.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Nikita, did you consider partnering up with some arts or film (or science communication, or even science) schools, which might help to (i) run the production at lower costs, (ii) provide you with a pool of experienced people to recruit from (iii) grow the market for science videos.
- Daniel Mietchen
@Nikita But for science the situation is special in that the "consumers" and the "producers" are all scientists. And they are all mostly funded by the same "funders" (governments or trusts). So I am a bit worried that your move will not bring you any benefit. There will not be any extra money from your consumers and producers in total. This is why I agree a lot with Deepak. The only way to regard sustainability is to look at the costs.
- Anders Norgaard
@Nikita - Ander's point is basically mine. Those consumers are the libraries who are paying subscriptions, whose costs are top sliced from my grants (well they would be if I got any). Whether "I" pay up front or afterwards "I" still pay. Obviously it is the government who pays but its me to a large extent that makes a decision as to whether it is worth paying, whether I am paying an OA fee or deciding whether I want to ask the library to cut another journal so I can see yours.
- Cameron Neylon
I am getting the impression from most of the comments here that everyone has come to the conclusion that OA is fundamentally unworkable. Does that mean PLoS is about to fail? If not then as MB says perhaps a partnership with a group like PLoS might make sense?
- Jean-Claude Bradley
@JCB Just to be clear, I'm not among those who thinks OA is unworkable. PLoS is doing great. This incident clearly illustrates the importance of building OA into the business model rather than simply acting in a quasi-OA way until you burn through your initial funding. It has to be sustainable from the beginning, and that takes a very specific kind of strategy.
- Chris Patil
And he has a good point. I was going to ask the question about copyright transfers but it got lost in the heat of the moment. For that matter there must be some performance rights releases involved as well presumably? PyriteOA is a good one though...
- Cameron Neylon
@Daniel: lots of bureaucracy, little advantage. We have no problem with talent pool. Such a partnership doesn't help significantly with market access.
- Nikita Bernstein
@JCB: I also don't think OA is unworkable. I think the model supporting publishing really depends on context: costs, demand, etc.
- Nikita Bernstein
@Anders: you can link anything to everything citing a zero-sum game - not constructive IMHO. Subscription is better for us because revenue is a function of demand rather than production (i.e. 1 video brings revenue with every subscription we sell). We are already very efficient in our production. Hard to cut costs. Impossible to cut to levels scientists can pay. If scientists could pay 10-20K per video to publish OA, no problem!
- Nikita Bernstein
For those who've talked about the prohibitive cost of high-quality video production, I've just been contacted by someone developing another video site for scientists, and they've put up a how-to video which might be of interest: http://www.youtube.com/watch...
- Shirley Wu
@shirley: "this video has been removed by the user"...?
- Björn Brembs
Yes, unfortunately he took it down to make some changes - i'll repost when it's back up. Bad timing!
- Shirley Wu
it is too bad that they had to change the business model but I hope in any case that the journal survives and does well. If they were operating within the safety of a larger publishing house maybe they could have grown to a size that is sustainable by advertisement+authors fees. I hope I am wrong but growing the reader base of this journal using an institutional subscription model will be thought.
- Pedro Beltrao
@Nikita, did you think about using video advertisement like Hulu or other video companies use for their content ? Having short video ads before/after the content. Overlays with links to the products mentioned in the video. Maybe producing some of these video ads yourselves for profit.
- Pedro Beltrao
@pedro: some of your suggestions have been implemented (like prodcing some of these videos as ads). However, often institutions will not allow advertisements with their publications...
- Björn Brembs
But if the advertisement comes before or after the video (publication) then it's like having advertisement on the back pages of a paper journal. The advertisement is not in the middle of the video, and not a product placement.
- Paulo Nuin
@Pedro, yes, we are actually working on it now. The problem is that online advertising is a difficult place to make a lot of money on and it is even more difficult given the high segmentation of our content and audience. Which is not to say that it can't be done, but it's a lot harder than we thought it would be. This is actually what we were hoping would enable us to avoid going to the subscription model, but it didn't pan out... yet...
- Nikita Bernstein
@Bjorn, @Paulo - yes, it is like having the page ads and I don't think there will be problems.
- Nikita Bernstein
FriendFeed is designed for SERIOUS discussion only. As such, I'm going to automatically delete all "April Fools" entries, as well as any comment that lacks meaningful substance and insight.
Yeah, cause I never make any serious comments. :p
- Alex Scoble
Sounds good. Each and every post I make is of significant importance (usually related to kittens), I don't like to see it sullied by being displayed along with marriage/baby announcements and family matters.
- Ted Roden
Ok, I see that Paul's accounbt is hacked too :(
- directeur
The joke would be if you actually did it (if only for a day). I'd spend all day on friendfeed, and I'm sure others would too.
- Ivan Kirigin
Please will you add a "Not Serious" button to the "Comment - Like - Hide - More" tools? It could overlay a nice 'not serious' rubber stamp image over the posting.
- Robin Barooah
Attention friendfeeders attempting to april fool - your gags are visible here in the UK where it is WAY past midday, which, by the ancient and traditional British law of the april fool, renders YOU to be the fool. Gertcha :-)
- Slappy Line
So, Paul, what are YOUR views of a stimulus strategy vs. a regulatory strategy? And note that Slippy is watching, so your response will have worldwide repercussions, especially in the commodities market for bacon. (I didn't say that.)
- John E. Bredehoft
Hehe. Serious discussion!!! U joking right??
- Roberto Bonini
hehe Seems some people will lose their whole profiles (not that I can complain :P
- BCK
Ken, I wrote the guy in charge of the internet and he gave me his password so I could look at Region 1. You wait til I tell the rest of the UK that the internet is more than just lithographs of gentlemen in top hats astride their penny-farthing bicycles and saucy stories about what the butler saw. Tally ho!
- Slappy Line
Based on this we may need to do a survey to see how many only want to be serious all the time! Then we can give them a "only show me serious stuff" filtering option and make everyone happy. Lol @Ken Sheppardson's Regional Internet comment.
- Internet Strategist
Don't people come here for an argument? Serious abuse is down the hall.
- Robin Barooah
The European Parliament may be about to surrender absolute power over the Internet to the telecom operators. Under the false premise that market and competition rules will solve all problems, MEPs are about to agree to "Net discrimination" in amendments pushed by AT&T, the UK and French governments.
- Michel Bauwens
"Unbeknownst to him however, one of his ski bindings was damaged earlier in the day, and Meyer hadn't gone very far at all before the binding gave way, leaving him flying down the mountain on just one ski." -- Potentially greatest movie ever.
- Christopher Sacca
from Bookmarklet
"If you are doing it right, there is a good chance you will throw away most of the code every 6 - 18 months."
- Benjamin Golub
Hmm. Not sure I like that advice at all, even though I hear it from time to time. On the contrary, I prefer "write code as if someone else will have to maintain it 10 years from now, because if you're successful, they will."
- DeWitt Clinton
I don't think I'd mind if Jason said "if you're doing it right, there is a good chance you'll iterate on your idea every 6-18 months."
- DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt: are those 2 things mutually exclusive? I took that quote to mean that your product should evolve and with it must evolve the code. FriendFeed has gone through a number of backend iterations since it's launched for example.
- Benjamin Golub
Psychologically, yes, there is a difference. If you only write code like it is a short-lifespan prototype, you'll get something sloppy that no one else will want to maintain. Good code can be repurposed when the product changes. I know I use code here that was written 10 years ago for entirely different purposes.
- DeWitt Clinton
I don't think it's unreasonable to throw away code that quickly, either. Technologies and concepts change and evolve: the stuff that we're using now for our product didn't exist 18 months ago, much less 10 years ago. I think if you do it right, you're throwing away portions of the code every iteration of your product, where iterations are done rapidly, so you're not doing a massive re-write every 18 months.
- Mark Trapp
DeWitt, I think a good practice is to not code in a bubble in the first place: rather than one person writing code for some future person he'll never meet, there should be multiple people collaborating. Having many eyeballs looking at code all the time helps not only in keeping everyone and the code honest and good, but it makes all bugs shallow.
- Mark Trapp
+1 to that, Mark. I'm not sure how old the mandatory code review culture is at Google, but I'm guessing it existed since the earliest Paul, Amit, Craig, Jeff, etc., days, and that plays a big part in why we're still running their code.
- DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt - In almost every project I've worked on there were major chunks that needed to be rewritten to deal with a new scale, new direction or new ideas. I'm not advocating chucking code for the fun of it or writing unmaintainable code, but in practice, particularly at a start-up, plans and code change quickly.
- Jason Shellen
Sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy. : )
- DeWitt Clinton
What can I say DeWitt... it's seems to have worked for me. :)
- Jason Shellen