Category Archives: UK

Products, Technology, UK

Social Networks in the UK

While visiting the UK a few years ago I was amazed that all everyone talked about (except for the weather and house prices) was a web site called friendsreunited.co.uk.

The point of that web site was to link up with old long lost friends; it seemed at the time that the country was doing nothing with it’s time except looking up ex-girlfriends.  Even my parents had created accounts which is massive.

TechCrunch UK  now reports that the country is hooked on Facebook…

TechCrunch UK » Facebook leads the rise of social nets in UK, but niche players have a window

Can someone please do a social study on why the British are so easily hooked on social networks? Is it related to tea consumption?

What happened to FriendsReunited.co.uk? Does anyone still use it?

France, Politics, UK, US

It’s not just the toilets…

I left the UK 12 years ago and haven’t looked back. This rings so true…

Flushed with shame at Britain | Alice Miles – Times Online

In my experience whenever you point things like this out in the UK you get one of two responses…

– “Well, it would be worse in X country”

– “Well there is no other way of doing it”

The first response shows the slide towards the “you’re either with us or against us” nationalism of Fox News and the second shows a complete lack of fight or belief that they can or should push for change.

I have an old friend who often says”why don’t they just make it work?” about trains, the NHS and other problems. The toilets could be fixed if someone cared.

On a related point; I saw this yesterday…

“The unhappiest emigrants were in France, and the United States, with nearly 19 per cent and 14 per cent respectively disappointed with their new life.”

This is the unhappiest? I bet that more than 19% of people were unhappy with a move within the UK.

Technology, UK, US

Can you hear the boom? That’s the Scoble effect…

Scoble’s done something and got his Facebook account blocked. My bet was that he was getting his contacts out to put in another system. TechCrunch UK reports it here…

TechCrunch UK » Blog Archive » Facebook blocks Scoble for downloading his contacts

The Facebook people are currently asleep, this will probably be out of control by the time that they wake up. Scoble can blog quicker than they can react.

It’s a pity that Facebook isn’t on the NASDAQ because I’d like to measure the Scoble effect!

IT, News, Technology, UK

But what about corporate IT?

Nick Carr has a good article in The Guardian about how consumer IT is now a service.

The big switch may turn off jobs | Technology | The Guardian

Of course he’s right, but he doesn’t talk about how this is going to affect corporate IT departments. Most IT staff are not running dating sites or YouTube; they’re running payroll and finance applications for corporations.

UK

A New Year in London…

“I realise what the night could be like – thousands of people will be intent on drinking until they fall over. The streets could be running with glittering steams of spilled drinks, urine and blood. The blue strobes of police and ambulance vehicles and the lights of takeaway shops will provide the illumination.”

‘I’m a glutton for punishment’ | Newsblog | Guardian Unlimited

France, News, Politics, UK

When you don’t know your subject; write professionally.

blog.pmarca.com: When non-technologists write about technology

This post reminds me of something that my Dad used to say; “I’ve never read an article about a subject that I know well that was correct”.  It always made me wonder but I’ve spent years since reading articles about subjects I know looking for the exception; I’ve not found it.

The Economist is an extreme of this, I read it for over a decade and was subscribed for years. Then I realized that all articles about technology, the UK and France annoyed me because of their gross oversimplification and constant application of “Economist hope” over experience. However, the rest of the paper made sense.

Then I got thinking…

If that’s the case, does it mean that the worst written articles were always on the subjects that I knew best, or simply that I agreed with the other articles because I didn’t understand the situation and the Economist was over simplifying it?

In the end I unsubscribed and read more blogs instead!

France, News, Products, UK, US

BusinessWeek: Top 100 Global Brands

1 Comment

It’s time for the annual nonsense list of brands…

BusinessWeek Online: Top 100 Global Brands

Some quick notes;

  • There are no valuable brands in China, India or anywhere outside the western world. I’m sure that Tata, Wipro, Mittal, Haier, CIC and a few others would beg to disagree.
  • When they saw that the Microsoft brand is worth 58 billon dollars, what does it get Microsoft?
    • Since when has anyone bought a product just because it was a Microsoft product?
    • Can these companies lauch into new markets because of the strength of their brand? No. Microsoft has spent a fortune getting over the brand name in video games; Coke has trouble getting out the black sugered water market and Nescafe isn’t going to start selling anything but coffee.

From here the list looks like the Top 100 middle American brands that mean something to the baby boomers.

UK

Why not dine in Didcot this evening?

Why not dine in Didcot this evening?

If you were advertising eating out; wouldn’t you put the advert in front of something nice to look at.

Update: On second thoughts, I take it back. It might well be the best view of Didcot. Look here.

IT, Technology, UK

Woman found canoeist photo via Google

Woman found canoeist photo via Google | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited
What a fantastic advert for Google and the internet. The best part is that you can do the search yourself.

Searching the internet is going to become a job description sooner or later.