I’ve just created my first WordPress sidebar widget!
Thank you! thank you!
Seriously, I really just figured out how to create a wrapper for Alex King’s Twitter Tools WordPress Plugin, and one of Twitter’s JavaScript Badges. The plugin is built into my current theme; the net result is displayed on the sidebar, right below my “About” information.
You can view my Twitter Profile here.
Now this has little to do about being an email client, which is something I think will disappear in the coming years, but really about a big development in communications tools for productivity workers. Yes Microsoft is at it again, playing its hand at convergence, and positioning itself to again enter and then dominate a market.
While the established incumbents (Avaya, Cisco, Nortel, Siemens, etc…) have little to fear in the short term from Microsoft. The long term, on the other hand, is where Microsoft traditionally kicks ass. The advantage that the current situation presents for the existing vendors is that they have Microsoft’s playbook to learn from and adapt to, long before Microsoft’s product matures and penetrates the market to the point where they are no longer relevant. To do this, Microsoft has to have missed important features in the product, has stability problems out of the gate, does not scale well, and so on. Further, current vendors also need to take their existing products and cut costs, trim the need for hardwired phones, promote the utility of softphones, and demonstrate QoS on their system over Microsoft’s.
If the current vendors don’t change and adapt to the Microsoft “threat”, they’ll follow the same trend as other software and service markets Microsoft has entered. Microsoft dominates a market because it brings “good enough” functionality to large numbers of customers, at very competitive pricing.
No matter what, this is an important move by Microsoft, and will bring the competition to the IP Telephony market that it has long been missing. Innovation by all parties should follow with better products at better price points. The integration of VoIP (along with IM and Web Conferencing) into the Office System family products will bring another level of productivity and efficiency to productivity workers.
Via: ars technica – New Office Communications Server 2007—most important communications tool since Outlook?
So I guess I’ve been finding a lot of news items to link to over the past week. I got around to taking a look at my blog and all I found was mainly links. Sorry about that – getting too caught up in Twittering and reading news to have written some decent posts.
We’ll try to rectify that this week.
I’ve been thinking quite a bit on how to handle my Twitter page in addition to my blog. I’ve always had issues posting “inane” posts about myself or what I’m doing, preferring to post about news topics, items of interest personally or commenting on discussions in the blogosphere.
Since joining Twitter about two weeks ago and watching the Twitter explosion at SXSW 2007, I’ve started formulating a plan going forward. Similar to how Steve Rubel is balancing Twitter/blogging, I’m going to Twitter about daily events, opinions, comments, and things going on in the Twittershpere, and then will keep posting on my blog about things of interest that take more explanation and time.
My blog will be refocused back to writing about things of interest, commenting & interacting in the ongoing conversations in the blogosphere, and be an extension of my interests. It may be technical at times, it may be about hobbies and relaxation, but it will continue to have more robust content.
My Twitter page, however, will be the day-to-day stuff and interactions with my Twitter “friends”. There is a live conversation going on at Twitter, similar to attending a meeting where there is many discussions happening at once. Depending on who you follow or include as friends to your account, the discussion can range depending on the interests and whims of the group.
If you haven’t tried Twitter, I’d recommend gathering a group of friends and associates and get them all on the service. It’s amazing what kind of news and information get traded in real time – better than IM as you’re conversing as a group rather than one on one.
There’s NO valid argument against the SAVE America Act.
My bill would make it easy to vote.
And hard to cheat.
As soon as DHS is fully funded (as it should be within 48 hours), the Senate should resume consideration of it—and stay on the bill until it passes.
Pass it on.
How are Democrats cheating in L.A.?
Let me show you…
There are 26 registered voters at this toilet in Los Angeles.
I’m not kidding. I have the voter records. See for yourself. The only thing here is a stinky port-a john inside an empty parking lot.
No homes. No mailboxes.
As governor, the State Capitol will stand for unity and common sense.
In addition to the POW/MIA flag that has long flown over the State Capitol, we will fly two flags when I am governor: the Wisconsin state flag and the American flag.
That’s it. No politics.
