Although there is a huge buzz about social media currently, social media has been around for a long time.

Email was the earliest form of Internet social media - although in modern parlance mailing lists (such as Mailman) may be a more accurate representation of what a social media environment could be as they allow two-way communication between a defined group of members for a defined purpose. Weblogs (blogs) like this one and the thousands of others out there are also social media environments because readers can post comments which stimulates dialogue within that community.

Examples of social media applications are Google Groups (reference, social networking), Wikipedia (reference), MySpace (social networking), Facebook (social networking), Youmeo (social network aggregation), Last.fm (personal music), YouTube (social networking and video sharing), Avatars United (social networking), Second Life (virtual reality), Flickr (photo sharing), Twitter (social networking and microblogging), and other microblogs such as Jaiku and Pownce. Many of these social media services can be integrated via social network aggregation platforms like Mybloglog and Plaxo.

Further reading: 15 Free Social Media White Papers and Ebooks

In future posts I will be discussing how to apply social media to your company’s marketing strategy (or decide if you should) and how to understand the impact on your brand from social media environments.

As Mashable suggests “the concept is far more interesting than the execution…”

Although Kwyno is looking to offer a command line to the web, it still is tied to the way information is presented at present. The brief outline from Mashable suggests that you are essentially configuring your account to set up your own preferred sources - e.g. CNN for news, etc - and then issuing short commands (i.e. text messages) to the service to return information packaged for your device.

Until the semantic web truly takes hold, a command line for the web will be one of those early-adopter technologies. Once key parts of the Web become semantic (the tipping point) then tools such as Kwyno will come into their own. They will allow us to access information anywhere - from old tech mobile phones who can only send SMS messages, through to fully enabled mobile devices such as the iPhone. These applications will no longer need to rely on a pre-defined configuration set by the account holder, but can tap into true relevancy engines, pull semantic data and wrap it for the user.

We are seeing shifts towards a different information age, and while the Web as a whole may take a while to catch up, we are in the transition to the next phase of the Web. First came the text-based web page, then came the graphical browser, now we are building innovative web applications (the Web 2.0 era), and next is the socio-semantic web. Are you ready?

WANTED: A Command Line for the Web

However, there are enabling technologies out there that can make the dated mobile telephone more accessible.

One is already in place - visual voicemail on the iPhone.

This is brilliant. I can see all my saved voicemails as a list and just tap the one I want to listen to again. If I have 10 voicemails, I don’t have to listen to the first 9 before I get to the one I want to listen to - number 10. I know I can “skip” voicemails on a traditional phone, but I still have to start listening to each voicemail chronologically. Painful and unnecessary.

OK, I am fortunate to own an iPhone, but other mobile owners who don’t have such a great enabling piece of technology are limited by the old school telephony methods.

So, please, please, please invest in voice-to-text technology. It’s been around for years and is very good now. In fact, there are companies that are already offering this technology. You can pay a subscription fee to divert your voicemails to an automated service that listens to your message and converts it into a text message, and then forwards this to your cell phone. You can still dial in and listen to your voicemail but you also have a text message with a transcript.

Having an SMS is a brilliant enabler - it means you don’t have to listen to the voicemails (makes you more efficient), plus it also provides a mechanism where hard of hearing people can use a mobile more effectively. It also leverages mobile phones’ ability to recognise telephone numbers in SMS messages so you can quickly dial them, instead of needing pen and paper to jot down the number that your best friend just left you when you are in the middle of the park.

It also helps busy execs access messages when they probably shouldn’t - quickly scanning an SMS while they’re in a meeting (at least they don’t have to nip out and listen to the message).

OK, OK, OK - I know you are going to tell me that companies like www.spinvox.com (from 20p per message) are already offering this in the UK, and www.hullomail.com (currently free) will be soon, but why does it take independent entrepreneurs to solve a problem that could easily be solved at source by the mobile operators? We also need sensible pricing - if I only got a few voicemails 20p per message doesn’t seem to bad, but you only need 5 a day and you’re spending a whole price plan again just to get SMS message conversions.

If you offered this service at source, as a mobile owner I could simply add your service to my existing talk plan and “job done”. I wouldn’t need to remember to dial a different message centre to receive my voicemails (if I wanted to listen to them), or have to check an email account to get at my MP3s. I could just hit the “check voicemail [1]” key and there they were. No reprogramming, no redirecting, just straight through. Plus I get the text messages.

So, dear mobile operator, why aren’t you offering this service yet?

It’s 2008 and there are so many enabling technologies, but there is such a lack of integrated enabling technologies. Please hurry up and make our lives simpler!

Image via Wikipedia

A few years ago I listened to analysts talking about the “virtual business.” They envisaged a world of mobile workers who could tap in to their corporate networks from anywhere. There wasn’t much substance on this future vision, and certainly not to the extent that mobile workers now enjoy with technologies enabled by Cloud Computing.

Back in 2001 when I set up my first web company, it was always my ideal that the company should be truly virtual and not be tied specifically to any physical office space. While it is important for people to come together to build ideas, this can be done in any space that provides the correct tools - which for us means whiteboards and notebooks.

I still value physical interaction with people for certain meetings as you get a visual feedback which you cannot get on the Web. You can see all of the participants’ body language, and it is much easier to be completely inclusive in such arrangements. Virtual meetings - using Skype and whiteboarding technologies - are OK in some situations, but not all.

However, these meetings do not make up the bulk of the day to day work - this is spent with the computer either writing, desigining or programming. And, as long as the computer is present with the right tools, this can be done anywhere. As long as the files are there also.

This is where the Cloud comes in (see also previous post: Cloud Computing vs Dedicated Servers).

My original intention was to embrace Cloud Computing and adopt an application to manage the replication and synchronisation of my business files across multiple computers - namely the office PC and the laptop - without actually needing to physically connect the two.

Initial reviews of available systems revealed two main contenders - SugarSync and DropBox. The former appeared a more mature product and with a wider functional base, so I decided this would be my synchronisation tool of choice - subject to testing it out of course. Ever the skeptic!

SugarSync

So, about a moth ago I installed SugarSync to provide a cloud-based store for all my work files. The set-up is simple - create an account online and then install the SugarSync client on all computers that need to be kept synchronised. SugarSync then ensures that all selected folders are replicated across all computers linked to that account so all your files are everywhere, as well as stored online in the Cloud. You can also configure SugarSync as a straight backup tool so that copies of the files are stored only in the Cloud but not replicated to each computer. Personally I opted for full synchronisation to make sure there is always a backup and I don’t need to be online when I need to access my files.

So how was this to change my life?

The main benefit would be that all my files would be accessible to me at any time - even from a mobile phone or any Internet connected computer. I no longer would have to depend on USB memory sticks to carry around a sub-set of my files and find myself caught out when somebody calls and I need something I don’t have.

This would make working much easier - I just open my computer and get on with work. A few minutes after I have saved the file (usually), SugarSync would back the file up in the Cloud and is then ready to send it to all the other computers I have connected to the account when they are switched on and the SugarSync client is running.

Was it easy making the transition? Essentially yes.

SugarSync set-up is easy - just create an online account and install the software.

I started with a sub-set of my files - about 5Gb of data - large enough to be a good test, but not committing everything. This took a few days to push up into the Cloud because upstream data rates are quite slow in the UK. Once the files were there, I installed SugarSync on the second computer (laptop) and started the download. This was much quicker and only took a few hours. I tidied up a few duplicates and manually merged in the contents of my memory sticks and let SugarSync sort out the synchronisation which it appeared to do without a hitch.

However …

There were some teething problems with the install on the Vista machine which I did not discover until a few days later. This required a re-install and created a swathe of files in limbo. SugarSync support is very slow and generally takes a few days to provide responses to support tickets. Also, there is no user manual explaining the basics - such as the “reclaim storage” option - and what to do in these situations. Nor could I find anything online. There is also no community support or forums. Consequently, in the intervening days there was a lot of faith held in the accuracy of the data held in the Cloud and what had actually been synchronised on my computers.

After three days I received a response which “explained” what the “reclaim storage” option was about. Unfortunately, the response didn’t really clarify the situation and after a couple of weeks trying to resolve it I resorted to gambling with SugarSync and trying out something that could have been easily addressed.

Here is a summary for anybody experiencing a similar dilema with reclaim storage:

SugarSync explanation:

The files shown under “Reclaim Storage” are the files you have deleted from your computer. Files don’t get corrupted or deleted on the storage server. Some files stay in your account [on the SugarSync server] even after deletion. You can delete them safely. Your data will not be affected in any way. [That's a direct quote]

My interpretation:

I can only guess at how these orphans appear, since deleted files actually appear in the “deleted files” folder.

Idea 1: SugarSync maintains up to 4 previous versions of the file you synchronise so that you can roll back to a previous version. When you delete files they are moved to the “deleted items” folder, but previous versions could be orphaned and appear in the “reclaim storage”.

Idea 2: Because I had to reinstall the software, create a new link between the laptop and the Clound, and delete the old link via the online control panel, the resulting rescan picks up some of the old associations but also creates new ones. These new ones cause the old data to become orphaned.

Reality:

SugarSync doesn’t work properly. I had to re-install SugarSync on my Vista machine a few times (this is the Sharpcast support team’s answer to most of your problems), and when you do this you have to link your computer to the SugarSync account again and delete the previous computer relationship online. This then causes SugarSync to re-scan the machine and it often uploads/downloads some files again. It also fills up your desktop recycle bin with old copies of hundreds of updated files if you have a large data set.

It would be nice to be able to trust that SugarSync is doing its job properly (as Sharpcast asks you to do), but after two weeks of not getting a straight answer to the problem and being told to (yet again) re-install the software, I took fate into my own hands and discovered that you can selectively delete or archive files from the “reclaim storage” list of files. I chose to delete 2 files I knew I could find easily in my 5Gb of data and deleted them permanently. I waited a few hours and checked to see that the original files were still safe - as SugarSync claimed they would be.

Unfortunately, one of the files - a client proposal - had been deleted. Since only 1 file was affected I could easily recover it from the recycle bin on my desktop. However, the “reclaim files” dialogue lists thousands of files and folders in my case, and given that SugarSync has just been proven to delete files that it shouldn’t, I have now stopped SugarSync synchronising any data between my computers for fear of loss of any further data.

This problem may not be a direct consequence of SugarSync, and may be due to my Vista Home installation on the laptop potentially conflicting with the XP Pro installation on my base computer. Of course I am looking at all angles here - but the bottom line is that SugarSync doesn’t work in my operating environment.

Other Solutions

These all work in much the same way as SugarSync - in the sense of you create an online account and install the desktop client software, so I won’t cover this part of the process again here.

DropBox

My initial reaction was that the team at DropBox are much more open with their product. Sharpcast are clearly in the “old school” in that the product is a black box and you just have to take it on trust that it works. Their blog is essentially release notes rather than communication, the latter approach being better aligned with a product embracing cloud-based computing IMHO.

I was pleased by the DropBox documentation and the explanation of what it’s actually doing in order to synchronise your data, unlike SugarSync which doesn’t even appear to have a user manual. DropBox also has active user forums where you can get fast responses to issues from other users.

DropBox also has a nice feature where you can share sub-folders with other people and so collaborate on files over the web in true virtual teams. SugarSync is a closed system for you alone, although you can “send” files to people but once you do they are outside of the synchronisation control loop (this is basically an email tool).

The downside is that DropBox currently only works from within a single root folder called “My DropBox” which is created under your “My Documents” folder. All files which you require to be synchronised must be located in this folder. I have about 30Gb of data that I would like to keep synchronised and don’t really want to move the files. DropBox do plan to extend this in the future to allow you to use your pre-existing folders but it’s not available at the time of writing.

MobileMe

I had a quick look at MobileMe from Apple. However, file synchronisation doesn’t appear to be built in at present (according to the website) and the system only provides an iDisk feature where you can drop/upload files to create an online copy. However, I am told by a customer who uses it that it does support full synchronisation and that they use it regularly (see * in table below). Also, the account is limited to 20Gb which is not sufficient space for my files :(.

The email, calendar and PIM-related synchronisation are excellent, but since I already have these features through Emissary Mail this would be duplication of effort and potentially lead to confusion!

Live Mesh

I then looked at Live Mesh from Microsoft. This is currently a tech preview (alpha) release and only offers a 5Gb free version at present. However, the interface is much easier to understand and the development blog is much more open that Sharpcast’s. There is even a post on tombstone files - which sounds very much like the problem I could have been experiencing with SugarSync.

Live Mesh is Windows-only at the moment, but Mac and mobile versions are on their way. It’s early days, but as a Windows user I hope the operating system integration is going to make the software more reliable in synchronising my files. Live Mesh also allows collaboration via public folders which will help working with my PA and other team members. Plus it has a built in remote desktop feature not present in other replication tools which gives you full access to other computers fully connected to the mesh.

From a perspective of vision, Live Mesh appears the most capable product long-term. It embodies both the synchronisation and replication features with cloud storage plus principles of mesh computing by allowing you to connect to the peer computers in the mesh itself, so extending the reach beyond the cloud. The current level of issue management (i.e. what to do with file synchronisation conflicts) is much more transparent and it works!

When a file conflict occurs - for example when you edit a file on multiple machines - Live Mesh shows a dialogue that allows you to choose which file to keep, or you can view the files and decide what to do.

The only issue I have with Live Mesh at the moment is that it summarises what it has done - e.g. “Edward Terry added 16 files in the folder Mesh Quickshare” - but there is no way to find out which 16 files. When you are dealing with large amounts of data, it would be good to be able to access the details to verify manually that everything is as it should be. Live Mesh has also (on two occasions) appeared to have performed a large update of files and folders even though nothing was actually changed in the folders it identified. I am not sure if this is just the desktop catching up with the Cloud, or something to do with the local computer time changing, but it was a bit confusing. All the files appear to be present and accounted for, so I am hoping this is just the “news” feature of Silverlight catching up with reality.

Function Comparison

In conclusion

It’s still early days for Cloud-based systems and the file deletion by SugarSync is a serious blow to the credibility/stability of an application you are basically trusting your business to.

I can’t speak for the reliability of DropBox or MobileMe as I haven’t tried them.

Live Mesh is still only a “tech preview”, but appears more reliable even at this early stage. The online reporting explains what is happening more clearly and Microsoft’s recent fix for tombstones is very timely. It would benefit from a little more detail in the audit trail as “20 folders added” is a little brief - a link to show you which ones would be a nice addition.

My initial experience with cloud storage is positive overall and I will continue to pursue this route. Once the products mature and the minor issues I have experienced are resolved through better support and refined interfaces, these technologies will help more people be truly mobile and the idea of the ubiquitous Internet will help transform how we do business together.

Go Further

• What will Happen to the Web if Cloud Computing Really Succeeds?
• SugarSync
• MobileMe
• DropBox
• LiveMesh
• A five-part Backup Strategy

The Web is evolving.

In the beginning we translated our physical brands - literature, logos, typographic style, grammatical style, imagery - directly on to the web. Our online presence was a mirror of our offline one. For larger corporates it was a very controlled environment and anything outside this permitted representation was stamped on.

However, the Web allows people to be people. It allows them to interact in ways and with tools that are not available in the physical world. The Web is a very different place. Blogs, podcasts, tweets and all manner of social, human expression have found their way into our way of life.

Already today, companies are being identified by their personality on the Web - through such posts as personal blogs, tweets, videos, podcasts, etc - which puts a human face on the organisation. And in time, a company will be known by the sum of the facets of its presence on the Web instead of just a corporate site.

If this will be the case, will we need a corporate/company website? And if so, what would it look like?

Putting my scrying hat on, I think the corporate website of the future will effectively be a mashup of the different facets of its personality on the web, with judicious filters and content aggregators applied so that a visitor to the “official” website of the business - suitably branded of course - gets to see the one-page corporate marketing spiel (a summary of what the company actually does) and contact details, plus different streams of information that, in themselves, identify the company (provide the digital fingerprint) to people interested in interacting with it.

The filters exist not to hide information, but to heuristically select the most relevant content from the multiple facets and present them to the site visitor. The filters therefore build a stable version of the fluid facets of the brand which becomes the corporate website. If we look at the number of Twitter conversations, blog posts, video casts, social media site posts, etc, that could be happening at any one time we can very easily become overloaded with information, especially minutiae, and we would not want people visiting our “official” virtual home to be overwhelmed and confused. Therefore, we filter to provide them a virtual tip-of-the-iceberg insight into our company.

Should the visitor wish to dig further, they can follow links to all the relevant streams. The filtering technology we use will also be dynamic, and would self-learn so that it adjusts according to what people are looking for - our websites would in effect be self-aware and shift according to the preferences of our visitors, dynamically adjusting filters in quantum steps as patterns of interest change.

This is Web 3.0. And it’s already happening.

You can integrate your Twitter posts with Facebook so they appear in your profile. You can plug in your Twitter posts to Wordpress (I have), and you can grab the RSS feed from anything and parse it to reproduce the content elsewhere - as an example, see our company home page which has the last 5 blog posts. Twitter also lets you track key words so that you can filter updates and receive relevant information - not just everything.

We’re still in the early days of Web 3.0, but there is a quantum shift on the horizon and we need to be ready for how pervasive this shift will be in our physical lives, and ready for it in our organisations digital ones. There is a lot of research being conducted into the role social media will play in our corporate future and I will be following this to see how close to my vision Web 3.0 comes.

We live in interesting times!

Go further:
Does a digital business really need a corporate website?
6 Emerging Trends CIOs Should Care About

As we sit on the cusp of 2007 we can look forward to the Web being more readily accessible on our old friend the television (see also “battle for the living room“). With Microsoft’s Xbox 360 already capable of Internet access and bundled with an Ethernet port ready for high speed web access, Nintendo’s Wii gaining a variant of the Opera browser and Sony’s forthcoming Playstation 3 also being web enabled, we can look forward to more people using their entertainment console and their TV to access the Web.

While most of this access will be for game, video, film and on-demand TV content initially, the capability and bandwidth is now in place to make using the TV a viable mechanism to access the Web. Add to this the growing number of Portable Media Players (PMPs) which are becoming web-enabled with built-in browser software (such as Archos) and we have a wider array of devices capable of connecting to the Internet. The growing ubiquity of wireless access also allows these new devices more freedom to roam and encourages people to make use of the Web wherever they are and on whichever device they choose.

Fortunately the technological barriers that many of what used to be called “edge” devices (because they were on the “edge” of the network or the “bleeding edge” of technology) are also being removed making it easier to get access without needing a PhD to figure out how to configure the settings. Mobile networks such as 3 (three.co.uk) have also introduced flat-fee Internet access meaning you don’t pay extortionate charges for surfing the web with your mobile.

The end result: ease of use and practical access from anywhere.

But does it mean we will?

We will see a growing trend in access from devices other than the desktop, with wireless and mobile access from a laptop leading the field (as it has been) for true Web access. New portable devices such as Nokia’s E61, Archos and Sony’s PSP will start to feature as Internet devices, although the latter 2 will be more media surfing machines rather than devices people might use to go shopping, check the next train home or check the latest news. Home entertainment consoles will lead the foray into making the home a networked environment with access to the Web, but again it will be media led rather than general surfing.

However, with the ability to contextually link content within media streamed to the home entertainment system to content on the Web, it won’t be long before we are buying the products we see placed in our favourite TV programmes with just the touch of a (red) button in much the same way that we can access additional content via the (red) button on our remote today.

The technological tipping point is already here, but the cultural one is some way behind - people will need to have (or be influenced to have) the desire to surf the web using devices other than the desktop before they actually do. The networked future portrayed in films such as The Truman Show, Demolition Man, and Minority Report is not far ahead of us and we should look to steer our Web presence towards the inevitable future.

It also helped by reading this article from which the above table (showing other alternatives) was snaffled.