Why is the technology world so obsessed with fruit?

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This is a classic. The One Ronnie show on BBC has an awesome skit playing on how current technology is so often described by fruit.

I laughed until I cried.

Random thoughts on changing web platforms and blogging

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I’m back writing on my blog after 2 1/2 weeks break. For the first time ever for my personal blog, I’m using a WordPress interface.

I’ve used several platforms for my blog since I launched in 2002, with the last three years on an increasingly dated version of Movable Type.

So over the holirday period I bit the bullet on technology on several fronts:
* We moved my blog, including over 1,000 posts since 2002, onto WordPress. We currently have 4 Movable Type and 8 or so Worsdpress sites, and are starting to shift to to WordPress only.
* We migrated all the blog comments from Movable Type to Disqus which will be the commenting platform from now.
* We shifted my web host from Media Temple to Rackspace, moving 20 or so websites including blogs, companies, books, events, forums and more.
* We moved all our email over to Google Apps.
* We are about to start using Zoho Projects, having paid for and barely used Basecamp for two years.

I’ll hope to get back later to say a bit more about the reasons for all this. But for now I though I’d share just a few prominent thoughts about the experience.

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Holiday time!

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That’s it – work done for the year.

We’re heading off to Melbourne for Christmas with Victoria’s family, then up to a cabin in the rainforests of the Dandenongs for a week.

I’m back to work on January 10, and looking forward to a fabulous 2011!

I’ll be occasionally checking email or you can always speak to Julie at the office if anything urgent.

ExaTrend of the 2010s: Everything Media

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Excerpt from the list of ExaTrends of the 2010s:

EVERYTHING MEDIA

What we knew as media has exploded far beyond its traditional boundaries to encompass most social activity, how organizations function, and indeed the creation of almost all economic value. Even as newspaper extinction proceeds apace, the best media operators will thrive..

See the full 3 page framework including the Map of the Decade, full descriptions of the ExaTrends of the Decade, and the 11 themes of the Zeitgeist of 2011 by clicking on the image:

ExaTrends of the Decade and Zeitgeist for 2011:

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MySpace’s new strategy: building a new and valuable space in social content

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I just caught up for a coffee with Nick Love, head of MySpace and IGN Australia. I haven’t been following MySpace closely for a while, so it was interesting to hear how it has repositioned. Here are a few thoughts and pointers from public information.

As it happens AllThingsD yesterday put up an interesting article Trying Out a Revamped Myspace which includes this brief video review – well worth watching:

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Top 10 posts of the year on social media

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Continuing my sequence of top posts from this year, today I have selected the 10 most popular and interesting posts on social media I’ve written this year.

1. We are fast learning how to create “enhanced serendipity”

Reflections on the meaning of serendipity and why it essential we strive to enhance it.

“Serendipity is one of the most beautiful words in the English language. It originates from the story of “the Three Princes of Serendip”, which tells the tale of three princes who had the faculty of making happy and unexpected discoveries (see more on the story here).”

2. Some thoughts on why Australians are #1 globally on social media usage (from a slow start)

Following news that Australians are ranked #1 in the world in their usage of social networks, 6 reasons why Australians have caught up on social media.

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ExaTrend of the 2010s: Energy Switch

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Excerpt from the list of ExaTrends of the 2010s:

ENERGY SWITCH

The way we use energy will change faster than ever before in human history. Renewable energy sources, electric cars, and strict energy accounting, driven in part by carbon taxes on fossil fuels, will transform transportation and large chunks of the economy, faster than we currently imagine.

See the full 3 page framework including the Map of the Decade, full descriptions of the ExaTrends of the Decade, and the 11 themes of the Zeitgeist of 2011 by clicking on the image:

ExaTrends of the Decade and Zeitgeist for 2011:

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11 themes of the Zeitgeist for 2011

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Our recently launch Map of the Decade triptych comprised three parts: the Map of the Decade, details on the ExaTrends of the Decade, and the 11 themes of the Zeitgeist for 2011.

I think may have been a mistake to put the Map of the Decade and Zeitgeist themes in the one document, as many only see the front page and don’t get to the Zeitgeist themes, and they come from quite different perspectives (1 year as against 10 years). As such, I’ve taken out the Zeitgeist themes here, with the image and full text below. Click on the image to download the complete pdf – go to page 3 for descriptions of the Zeitgeist themes.

Zeitgeist for 2011

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ZEITGEIST:2011

1. Networked or Not?

We are all facing a fundamental choice that will shape our lives. Many dive headlong into a world of always-on connection, open social networks, and oversharing. A few cry halt and choose to live only in the old world of tight-knit personal communication. The result is a divided society.

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ExaTrend of the 2010s: Economic Power Shift

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Excerpt from the list of ExaTrends of the 2010s:

ECONOMIC POWER SHIFT

The sheer weight of China’s burgeoning economy together with India’s rise will change the business world’s center of gravity. The Far East will fund the continued profligate spending of the West. The weightless economy based on innovation, media, and professional services will dominate growth.

See the full 3 page framework including the Map of the Decade, full descriptions of the ExaTrends of the Decade, and the 11 themes of the Zeitgeist of 2011 by clicking on the image:

ExaTrends of the Decade and Zeitgeist for 2011:

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Highlights from 2010: Keynote speech videos, slides, and reviews

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Continuing a series of review posts of 2010, here are notes from some of my keynotes this year. Given how intense my speaking schedule has been this year I have only been able to blog about a fraction of them. Here are a selection of blog content from my keynotes in 2010 in chronological order.

Opening Keynote at Hillross conference: How reputation measurement will transform professional services

“One of the central themes of my talk was the increasing importance of reputation for professionals…. Easier assessment of the reputation of suppliers will have a significant impact on the global economy…. over the coming decade we can expect to see substantial changes in how professionals are found.”

Designing and running executive offsites and retreats in Asia

“I am just back from Phuket in Thailand where I facilitated the offsite session of the top 120 executives of a major professional services firm in Asia…. While executive offsite sessions are common to business around the world, there are a few specific dynamics to take into account for organizers of retreats in Asia.”

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