I've heard this a lot lately: "I need more traffic. I need more traffic. I need more traffic. " And I listen to the people who are saying it to me and I think, "No, you don't. Your website and/or product and/or process sucks. Why tell more people about that? So they can have a craptastic experience and tell all of their friends? Right. Let's fix the experience first, THEN tell people." - Shey

Another great resource to follow is Alertbox: Jakob Nielsen's newsletter on web usability. http://www.useit.com/alertbox/ - Hao Chen

I chose LibraryThing and am not satisfied. I chose it mainly because of its better (IMHO) DB architecture (more fields, more custom data can be entered, different editions of the same book are linked with each other) and the fact that it had an API – which I thought was a good thing to get my content out again but I was wrong. The API can do nothing but create links to content on LibraryThing. Your library's RSS feed only contains your most recent books, not your entire library. At least there's decent CSV export. For me, the ability to get my data out in a mashup-able format is one of the most important criteria. - Ole Begemann

You might also want to look at http://www.shelfmates.com/, which is fairly new AFAIK. - Ole Begemann

Thanks Ole, I'll look into it - Shey

twhirl is the only AIR app I've seen worth using but I really like it - tsudohnimh

I've played the both Twhirl and Feedalizr a bit, but always seem to drift back to web interfaces. Among other things, it lets me juice the font sizes a bit -- which i need these days. - Chris Baskind

Scott, what's your specs, because on both my Mac's Twhirl doesn't even show up in the top 5 memory users where as FF is always on top. Maybe it's just me, but I've got no issues with AIR apps aside from some of them being a little wide on my screen. Twhirl, Plurkair, Alerththingy, Feedalizer are all usable apps. - Duncan Riley

I tried several Air apps too, and they were either buggy and/or slowed down my computer to a crawl, which is also buggy come to think of it. - Kambiz Kamrani

I use Adobe AIR on Linux, which could be part of the problem. I really cannot stand AIR apps. Really. It's just that they are so out of place and weird. - possible248

Only to find that they either deleted the post or that Twitter ate the Tweet. argh. - Shey

http://pixdaus.com/single.php?... - Mitchell Tsai via Bookmarklet

this begs for a Caption Contest :) - Steven Hodson

This is my KISS impersonation. - Judy Jones

go ahead, make my day? - Harry Myhre

"You don't want to know what I just licked." - possible248

I keep seeing more and churches using social media for outreach. Very cool. - Leslie

Cool -- interested in seeing the progress you're making, on both fronts - Shey

Isn't that the new hip theme some guys is charging, like, $87 for? Bah. Crazy. I'll stick with the free stuff. ;-) - Ken Sheppardson

I have to agree: Thesis looks great. And I don't mind paying for something which saves me work. - Chris Baskind via feedalizr

Sounds interesting, do you have a post on this? - Shey

shey - I will on Channel 10 at some point. I don't control what gets posted when over there. (That's at on10.net, or just my stuff at http://on10.net/blogs/sarahint...) - Sarah Perez

k, thanks! - Shey

I meant on FriendFeed, of course. - Dewald Pretorius

Hi, I created a Greasemonkey script to do this job, would you like to try it out and give me some feedbacks? http://thetinybit.com/Project/... - Yu-Jie Lin

Yu-Jie, I'd be interested in FF translation GM script using Google Translate API...even if it is a bit slow. - Hao Chen

@Hao Chen, ok, give me few days to try. - Yu-Jie Lin

I would LOVE to see translation - it's a shame we don't look to that more. It's never the case that I don't "care" what someone says in a foreign language, I may just not understand. - Vince DeGeorge

I will buy a 3G iPhone. Most definitely. The #1 thing I do on my iPhone is participate in the Web, and having a faster one will be worth the expense. - Robert Scoble

Sorry, I won't be getting an iPhone now either. I didn't get one when they first came out and still not getting one. Maybe if someone wants to send me one to demo/test and write about I might be more inclined to consider the phone. - Paul W. Swansen

I live in Canada and I am *not* happy. Rogers is asking for a 3 yr contract and doesn't even order unilimted data for the high priced plans!!! They are taking both consumers and Apple for a royal ride eh? - Kamath via twhirl

Can't afford one. More specifically, things I want or need more keep taking priority over one. I guess it helps that I'm never more than five minutes away from an Internet-connected computer, and don't like monthly fees. - Garrett Guillotte

AT&T doesn't support 3G in my area, so I can forget it - Randy via twhirl

Meh, needs friendfeed, also Native OS X would be nice. good post though. - Bjorn Tipling

what is this twitter AIR app #1000 :) those things things mate more the bunnies! - (jeff)isageek

ah! and I was wondering why my twitter vanity search hit on that topic as I do not like the air apps. but grouping actually would be a reason to try it out. problem: as long as twitter decimates the request rates it is unreliable, but a first step in the right direction. will download it now ;) - Nicole Simon

Louis, I think you're right - there is still innovation happening around Twitter, fortunately. The fact is there is still a huge audience on Twitter and that audience still has the potential to be monetized. I'm even building something around Twitter at the moment. There is still that threat though, that developers could leave if Twitter keeps neglecting them - it's in the back of the mind - Jesse Stay

"feels" like Twhirl. Wish it had FF support...if it does it wasn't obvious from the website. I agree with others that I'd really like to see these Adobe air apps with some better skins - Rob Neville via twhirl

It's an interesting theory and it is reasonable. But over the long run I think it has more to do with the individual reader's tendencies than the blogger's behaviour. I've tried to describe my commenting tendencies here: http://www.sheysmith.com/2008/... Of course, this only matters if you care where the comments are made; which I don't. :) - Shey

In my case, if I'm mobile, it's much easier to comment on FriendFeed (via fftogo). - Ontario Emperor via fftogo

"It's an interesting theory and it is reasonable. But over the long run I think it has more to do with the individual reader's tendencies than the blogger's behaviour. I've tried to describe my commenting tendencies here: http://www.sheysmith.com/2008/...... Of course, this only matters if you care where the comments are made, which I don't. :)" - Shey

I keep secretly wishing I hit some sort of usage limit so I have to walk away. Damn you Friendfeed and your scalability! - Mark Trapp

It's a lot harder for me to walk away from FriendFeed than Twitter. - Michelle Martinez

time consumption is simply the manual behavior. Get an auto refresher and save a micro second. ;) then again, if you want to remain aware, you have to read everything! - thecolor

use twhirl and updates come automatically to your desktop... no need of refresh, layout is awesome (discussions, etc) - Gustavo Munoz via twhirl

If we could get paid for using FriendFeed, wouldn't we all have our own private islands? - possible248

We use to live in Phoenix for two years when I was stationed at Luke AFB, and two years in Tucson when we were at Davis-Monthan AFB and we loved it. Yes it was pretty hot for the kids to play on the toys at the park in the summer but the rest of the year made up for it. I really miss it there. - Paul L. McCord Jr.

Damp here in San Francisco (at least in my hood). Light mist making everything cool and wet. - Hutch Carpenter

It's worth the hell in the summer for the 8 or 9 months of pretty much perfect weather. I love wearing shorts in January. - Tad Donaghe

that's nuts. you can cook hot dogs on the roof of your car if your propane runs out - Cee Bee

hot and soon to be muggie later. But that pig died so that I could have those baby back ribs! I will not let him/her down :D - Earl E Morningwood

huh? - Shey

@Shey: As a comparison, Normal Python would probably do them in about 18 milliseconds (or less) - Yuvi

Okay, I take it back. Just a single bit of optimization made it into 1.8 secs. - Yuvi

Heh, i made the pancakes from scratch and i mean from scratch, flour and all - Gordon Swaby

That's impressive! It looks awesome! - Michelle Martinez

I always make mine from scratch. Don't have them very often but when I do they have to be done right. It is kind of like buying ice cream. If I am going to indulge I am not going to buy some bargain brand. - Michael Tefft

YES! Breakfast is for WINNERS! - Thomas Hawk

Indeed; but actually it wasn't for abreakfast it was a late night "snack" - Gordon Swaby

From the page: "My wish is simple (and, unfortunately, rife with cliche): disagree without being disagreeable, argue passionately for your view but always remember that it is possible to see a different solution to the same problem." - Shey

I wish everyone who took part in a political discussion on FriendFeed or other social venues heeded your words, myself included. Happy Independence Day. - Michael Tefft

Michael +1 - Shey

lol @paul we are all guilty at some point or another - thinking the worst of those who are different from us is unfortunately a universal constant that we all battle against - Marco

But what about unpatriotic commies? Don't they deserve and ear too. Share the love baby. I know have it in you. Silliness aside, much agreed that we could all learn from each other. But no thanks on DC. The traffic there is insane and the monuments make me randy. - Boo

lmao i spent 6 months in la in 2006 and i'm still debating which city's traffic is worse. Interesting observation on the monuments - would definitely explain a good deal of the behavior - Marco

"A new study of nations’ vulnerability to the impacts of global warming found Canada was the most secure, while the Comoros Islands, off the coast of Africa, are least equipped to deal with future dangers." - Shey via Bookmarklet

Is it just me or is the list more or less divided in terms of development? Doesn't it seem to suggest that all the developed countries will get by and the rest of the world will not? How is Japan in that list when the factors are popln density, land area and agriculture? - Parth Awasthi via twhirl

@Jason ROFL - Shey

I guess I'm moving to Yellowknife, NT, though the south pacific looks like a better place - clarke

Shey: Exactly my point. The list ignores the first few factors, it concentrates heavily on - 'a healthy economy, few development and health challenges and excellent public institutions'. The counterpart to global warming is fiercer winters - not exactly great for agriculture. Low popln - won't people migrate in the event of an apocalypse?It ignores the dependence of the food cycle on plants and of plants on the sun. Most studies reveal the tropics as our best bet despite higher chances of imminent flooding. - Parth Awasthi

posting on FriendFeed == Microblogging , IMHO - Peter Dawson

I would agree with Peter. Included in that would also be Twitter, Pownce, Plurk, Identi.ca - Shey

I beleive microblogging has largely been associated with Twitter and to a leser extent FriendFeed (many people view FF as an aggregator). I do not think it replaces blogging but can expand the blogging experience. - Karen Swim via Alert Thingy

more dramatic? - Shey

because saying July 4th makes it just another day in July. The 4th of July is much more of an event. And we do like to make it quite an event. - Lindsay Donaghe

Yup could be to add gravitas. - Chris Nixon

Happy Independence Day to all those involved BTW - Chris Nixon

It's more poetic sounding. - Kirk Kittell

"Bell Mobility will try to undercut sales of Rogers Wireless Inc.'s much-anticipated iPhone by selling a similar-looking device for less, complete with a cheaper monthly subscriber fee." - Shey via Bookmarklet

gotta luv competition. For once, I applaud Bell Canada! - Eddy Cole