Francine Hardaway's Blog

Google's new Platform: or, the closest I come to breaking news

I would not like to be Microsoft(MSFT) tonight. After investing heavily in Facebook, Mr. Softie will have to "face" the fact that Google's(GOOG) new social networking API will be a strong competitor for Facebook's platform.

Now I don't know squat about APIs, but I do know that anything that makes it easier for a developer to repurpose his content (or use the same widget) over several social networks will be a success. And by taking in social networks like Hi5 and Xing, Google goes global. I read all this at Gigaom, the website of a man I truly respect. I wish he had less concern for breaking this news and more for analyzing it, because he certainly would have done a better job of judging the impact of Google's release on Facebook than I will.

I have only long experience on my side. This tells me: If something works in more than one place, it will be more useful.

From Om's post, I see that this is useful for the developer. But let's say I already have provided Slide or RockYou with whatever they need from me for their Facebook app. Does that mean I already have populated that app in Plaxo, LinkedIn and Xing? For me, the use, that's a huge time saving. One thing I already hate about being on multiple social networks is having to GO THERE and respond to things. If the same widget did it everywhere, I'd have more time for dogs, yoga, and helping entrepreneurs get going.

Oh, and Google hit 700 today. Even my dog knows this was the reason.

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The World According to Google

Google VP of Engineering Doug Merrill came to Phoenix and spoke to the Arizona Technology Council about the future of advertising as Google sees it. Here's my take on what he was trying to tell us, in addition to the fact that he's going to hire every engineer in Arizona:

feeding everyone

feeding everyone
Originally uploaded by hardaway

Volunteers feed thousands who are waiting for the surgery. Both patients and volunteers come from all over to Bodh Gaya, the place where Buddha received enlightenment, to be treated at the eye camp. Even though all surgeries are done outdoors, there are no infections.

day after surgery

day after surgery
Originally uploaded by hardaway

Here they are the day after the surgery, waiting to be checked out by the doctor. hard to believe I had the same thing.

ready for surgery

ready for surgery
Originally uploaded by hardaway

I thought they had a process at Barnett Dulaney Perkins until I saw how they move people through in India. These people are waiting for cataract surgery at the Eye Camp in Bodh Gaya, 2005.

A Brighter World

Update:

The Zen of the "Poke"

Every once in a while, a blogger uses real brainpower on something totally trivial, producing an exquisite post. Dave McClure has done this in his post on The Zen of the Poke. Starting with the two 50,000 ft meanings of the poke: "hey, how are 'ya?" and "i'd like to stick it in you," he breaks the poke into ever more subtle meanings, until -- as you already suspected -- it could mean just about anything, as the developers of Facebook intended. Makes you remember that Facebook, now used by sensible adults to find business colleagues, was invented by college kids for their own fun. Facebook is so hyper-cathected, in the words of my former therapist, that we have to remember its roots.

Bionic Woman: Play by Play of my Cataract Surgery

Wondering where I had this done? At the Barnett-Dulaney Eye Center where they specialize in it. Surgeon? Scott Perkins. He has done over 35,000 of these. Takes him 5 minutes per eye.