My little sidebar guy is quickly becoming a MetPal...   I've posted a new message about Met's bizzare fashion sense.

Jeremy Zawodny wrote about Yahoo! Groups recently and group management in general has been something on my mind.

My life is full of groups...lots of groups, maybe too many, that I participate in the management of in some way.  Let's see, I'm sort of the information and process coordinator here at USV, for starters.  I run a 25 pair mentoring program for NYSSA with over 100 alumni.  nexyNY is over 100 people.  I help Sandy with the Hoboken Cove Boathouse.  I'm the co-Chair of the Fordham Young Alumni Committee.  I run two softball teams and a dodgeball team.  That's not to mention I'm also on a football team and a softball team that I don't run, volunteer at the Downtown Boathouse, and actively take part in my high school's alumni listserv for people in business.

Obviously, being able to leverage technology to manage this monstrosity of a life I've created for myself is crucial.

And thus far, doing so has been a miserable failure.

Is it me?  I don't think so.  I think the current offering of group management tools come so far short of their potential.

The problem is that none of them is wide enough in scope to prevent the need for most groups to use two, three, four, or a dozen tools at once...making management of the tools almost as difficult as management of the group. 

It shouldn't have to be this way either, as most groups basically want to accomplish the same things.  They want to communicate and organize , and they want to do so in a way that is self-sustaining.

Now, how they specifically execute those goals differ from group to group, but someone should be able to build a service that is flexible enough to give people choice and tailor the service to their own needs.  Not every group needs a web page at their own domain to post pictures on and not every group needs a listserv, but the fact that there are exactly zero web services that offer both is just ridiculous.  There's a huge hole in the market and its being filled by Yahoo! Groups, Evite, Typepad, snot, and duct tape, among countless other web services that accomplish one narrow task.

Meetup probably comes the closest to being an all-in-one, but it doesn't allow much branded customization.  It doesn't make a lot of sense for me to use Meetup to manage my alumni committee...its more for the organizing and discovery of groups where you don't walk in already having the people for the group (like finding German speaking stay at home mom knitters in Saskachawan).  It doesn't sit seemlessly in the background either.  If you want to use their tools, which is probably the most complete set around, you're on Meetup...and for some groups trying to create their own brand, like nextNY, this isn't  a good fit, not to mention that it doesn't plug in with Flickr, LinkedIn, del.icio.us, etc.

Anyway, here's what I think an all-in-one service needs.  Jeremy, are you listening?

Prerequisits
Signup has to be really easy and managers need better tools to track activity post signup.  Who is signed up, who is getting emails, what they've signed up for, etc...that should be the first thing managers see on their group homepage.  Sometimes I feel like the same 20 people contribute to my listserv and I never know if the other 80 are even getting my mail or opening it.

Walkthrough...I'm amazed at how many people still can't get the whole reply all nature of listservs. Add on top of that general unfamiliarity of wikis, tagging, etc. And whatever you build, it needs good tutorial that gives real live examples of why and how someone would use any of these tools.

This app should be comprehensive, but feel lightweight.  So, while it might have a lot of tools, it shouldn't feel too heavy if you're only using one or two of them.

Organize
Groups need management...sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Excel has long outlived its usefulness as a way to keep your group info list. Jotspot has the Tracker, but it hasn't really been fully integrated into the rest of the service. Plus., its not outward facing.  I have to type someone in..there's no signup page that automatically populates the sheet.  Groups need a simple database with flexible fields that can be updated from anywhere by the members themselves. It should have fields that are only viewable to some people and it should also been integrated with the rest of the sites features, including profiles. 

Profiles should mostly be generated by the use of the site, with the ability for users to add more. This way, even if I don't add to my profile, you can see that CEONYC has attended 2 offline events of the group, took part in three listserv discussions, and is currently seeking developers for a new startup via a job post e-mail.

Maybe the most important aspect of a group is its own self-sufficiency.  That means the storage of a knowledgebase.  For more sophisticated groups, that means the retention of a charter, meeting minutes, etc.  For other groups, it could be just quick notes on who you call at the local American Legion to rent a space for a meeting.  Notes should be wiki-like and documents should be easily organized with access controls. 

Groups also need Evite functionality, but it should be made even simpler. A lot of people don't have the time to go to evite or they're emailing from mobile phones. Members should be able to respond just by writing back with a yes or a no and then their message. Autoexporting events to this group's blog, Outlook, other blogs, upcoming, etc would also be nice.  RSVPs should build the member attendence record.

Communicate

The idea of evites brings to light the fundamental problem with listservs. Not every listserv email is the same. This is why groups struggle with not knowing whether default replies should go to the group or to the person. That's because the answer really is, "It depends." A group discussion should have very different charactoristics than and invite. I may want replyalls on a debate, but not to hear, "Sorry, I can't make it." Someone else might never want replyalls. That's why groups should be given to the tools to easily create different types of messages that only go to certain subgroups--subgroups whose members can organize themselves into.  So the fringe members will only get events while the managers will get internal discussions.  E-mail types in groups generally include discussions, event notices, job postings, and idea proposals.  Each of these e-mails should be formatted differently, dictating different types of interaction around them.

Some groups want to also communicate with the outside world with a website. A great group tool would allow the creation of a domain mapped website. The site should enable easy publishing of blogs, events, photos, q and a, the listserv or member profiles....basicially anything going on on the inside should have the option of being flipped to the outside and placed wherever they want with little widgets.  So, one groups front page could be mostly discussion and photos, while another could be more event focused.  None of this should require anyone to see any HTML.

So that's what I've got so far anyway.

Thoughts? Ideas?

I used to love both Firefox and Gmail, but lately, they've really taken a turn for the worse.

Ever since I upgraded to Firefox 1.5, it keeps crashing on me... something it NEVER did.  It seriously crashes on me about twice a day now.  I almost want to uninstall and figure out if I can go backwards.  It always happens when I have more than one browser window up (I hate browser tabs... sorry... ALT+TAB is hardwired into my head.)  What gives?

And Gmail... well, its full of spam now.  I get TONS of messages from individuals in far off nations asking for my bank account number.  They're not even the least bit clever...  no idea why this problem isn't being nipped in the bud.  I keep clicking the "report spam" button, but apparently, that's secretly the "Send me more of this shit" button in disguise.

Whatever "improvements" have gone into Firefox and Gmail lately, they're not worth it, because now they're worse than before.  Like New Coke or Terminator 3, sometimes, you should just leave well enough alone. 

Our host for the Union Square Ventures blog was having some issues and we started the following thread:

Me:  What's going on?

 

Them: There were a few issues with your mt.cfg file which I was able to clear up for you.  It appears that it was edited improperly, but you should be able to log into the interface as of now.

 

Me: Why did that happen?  We didn't do any editing...  I wouldn't even know where to find that file.

 

Them: To be honest, it is hard to say.  There was a single character on one line that was causing the problem.  The evidence appears to add up to something we may have done.  Since I was the only staff member working on this last week, it was likely me who made the mistake.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Well, at least they're honest.

Adam Rubin has another great post at the NY Daily News Mets blog...    This one has the results of an interview he did with David Wright and what Wright's "All Youth" team looks like.  Here's a funny exchange about his choice at third:

Wright picked one player who could beat him out for the starting nod at third base in the All-Star Game.

As Wright began, he said: “Give me Miguel Cabrera.”

“To play outfield?” I asked.

“Is he playing third base?” Wright said.

“Yes.”

“I’ll play outfield,” Wright continued.

Technology can be a very powerful thing.  A computer and an internet connection can give you the tools to create very positive change in the world around you...   right at your fingertips.

Or, in my case, they can be weapons of self destruction.

I have two traits that, when combined with the ease of publication and distribution afforded me by blogging and e-mail, have come back to bite me time and time again.  One day, I think I'll learn.

First is that I'm very "principled".  When stuff bothers me, I always say something about it and make an issue of it.  I think, more than anything else, its because I never think that the people around me make enough of an issue with things.  Sometimes, I've spoken out for people and defended them, or defended issues I believe in...and its a good thing.  Too often, I find myself wandering too far ahead of the crowd and putting myself out there alone without backup or a leg to stand on.

Second, my tone is... well... call it what you will...  abrasive, snarky, threatening...  I mean, it never seems that way to me, but it certainly comes off that way to others.  Sometimes, I'll read an e-mail twice, think its fine, and then wind up totally pissing someone off...  and somehow still not know why.  I've never really concerned myself with style.  Style is style, but content is what really matters to me, so I've never really had trouble dealing with difficult people.  I had a finance teacher that would routinely say obnoxious things, but at the end of the day, he was the best teacher I've ever had, hands down... and that's all I cared about.  However, not everyone works that way and I need to do a much better job of realizing that.

So today's lesson comes when I was supposed to play with a team of people in a big dodgeball tournament with a lot of tech firms tomorrow afternoon.  There was an entry fee, which is fine, but then I balked that non-members of this venue would have to pay $25 each for a "day pass" to use the "facilities" even though we were already paying to rent the space.  So, I went around the organizer, straight to the venue and e-mailed them.  I basically said, "Hey, we're not even going to use the other facilities, and you know what, you guys are getting a lot of publicity out of this because its going to be full of bloggers... so how about some free passes."

Well, that was the jist of what I was trying to say anyway.  I think the part about how my blog gets more traffic than the venue's website was probably overkill... definately.

The result?

The venue passed it back to the organizer, who then decided that, probably rightfully so, that I was more trouble than my participation was worth, and poof, we're out on our butts.   Booted from the tourney!

We were so excited... I had  a whole team together that was all pumped to play... I've been talking about it for days...   and now nobody on my team can play because of my own stupidity.

Sucks.

I suck.

Its amazing that any of you still read what I write...   

Liam Neeson has a great line in Batman Begins that didn't quite resonate with me until yesterday:

"You haven't beaten me.  You've sacrificed sure footing for a killing stroke."

I think this is a great lesson for anyone tempted to monetize a service too quickly and sacrifice adoption and uptake of a product... or to change the direction of your product to take advatage of short term revenue opportunities.  Its very easy to pick low hanging fruit, but you also need to "mind your surroundings" and think about whether or not quick payback sets you up to still take advantage of the larger market opportunity.

BTW...  I've heard about the possibilities of a sequal to this movie...   I'll cast my vote right now for Scarlett Johansson as Harley Quinn should they follow a Joker storyline.

Today's weather in NYC: 

Got this note from my high school's listserv of alumni in business...

"I am seeking information about entry into financial analysts programs and other areas of the finance market.  I am a recent college graduate and would appreciate any insight on how to get my resume to the right people.  Thank you for your time."

Here's my response:

     I think the best way to get the information and help you are looking for is to start with what you know and what you've done.  "information about entry into financial analysts programs and other areas of the finance market." is a book's worth (or several books worth) of information.  I think most professionals are more willing to help those who show ambition in some way... who give as much as they ask for.

     So, perhaps something along the lines of, "I graduated from X and took part in x activity in college, where I developed in interest in X part of the finance market.  I was reading X the other day and it said that there were going to be more opportunities in X part of the market versus X.  I would like to know if this is a generally accepted view of the market and would be very excited to speak with a professional about this who works in that area."

   So what does this approach accomplish?

1)  It shows you've been doing your homework and have a track record of taking an active interest in the subject.  Otherwise, you will give people the impression (which I'm sure is incorrect) that you haven't done anything in finance before and you're just realizing that you're graduating college in a month and need a job.  Obviously your interest in finance stems from somewhere... tell people about that in a way that reflects your own unique perspective and ambition.
2)  It doesn't mention anything about jobs.  Not every contact will be good for a job and not everyone wants to be made to feel like their time is only worthwhile if they can get you a job.  You should be focused on building relationships with people who know you and are impressed with you.  Jobs will flow from that whether or not you ever ask one one explicitly.
3) It leaves open the possibility that someone might respond to this even if they can't offer you a job, but they might be able to give you some useful insight.
4) It encourages more people to participate with less.  Instead of asking for one person to write a novel, the more you ask specific questions about certain areas, the more people you'll get to respond with "Yeah, that makes sense b/c X... check out this other resource for more information."

So I've been e-mailing with a Jesuit scholastic (someone who is studying to become a priest) about some family values issues and I wanted to blog my response to something he said about beliefs and how I arrive at them:

"Going to be tough to chat via phone...    have a very busy schedule over the next few days.  Plus, admittedly, I'm a writer.  I kind of hate the phone and do my best thinging when I can sit, go back to something, think about it...  I find the phone to be unecessarily syncronous when my brain doesn't work that way.

Plus, this is the way the Paul did it, right?  :)   He would have made a great blogger.

I'm sure we'll run into different definitions of the word faith, but here's one from the Catholic Encyclopedia that seems that you would go on that I have a lot of trouble with.

"...faith must necessarily result in a body of dogmatic beliefs....Objectively, it stands for the sum of truths revealed by God in Scripture and tradition and which the Church presents to us in a brief form in her creeds..."

"That such Divine faith is necessary, follows from the fact of Divine revelation. For revelation means that the Supreme Truth has spoken to man and revealed to him truths which are not in themselves evident to the human mind. We must, then, either reject revelation altogether, or accept it by faith; that is, we must submit our intellect to truths which we cannot understand, but which come to us on Divine authority."

The problem I have, where this breaks down for me and where it breaks down for a lot of Catholics, or people in general, is that once you get to the point where religion needs to be explained to you by someone with a lot more schooling that you, you don't trust it... because you know that no one is infallable and we are all subject to our own biases.  Religion has been used to exploit people, as an excuse to start wars (not talking about today), and as an instrument of fear.  (You should see V for Vendetta, btw...)  Individual faith doesn't have those negative charactoristics, or at least not to the same extent.  If I base my faith on what I believe in my heart and my innate sense of right and wrong, while it is no doubt subject to my own biases, I also don't get the sense that I am using religion to justify an end.  Whereas, when you have Divine Revelation explained to you by others that seems to contradict what's in your heart, people get a little suspicious.

So, you could tell me that there is Divine revelation that dictates what family means, but I say that, to me, family is love and support and I see the best kind of love and support in a multitude of different arrangements and architectures.  I believe that...   it is my own personal faith that it is acceptable to God.  Scholars and experts could point out otherwise, but then again, some Church scholars thought the world was flat at one point, too, and that notions of a round world were contrary to scripture.  Such is the result when imperfect people try and interpret the Divine."

New Chelsea Boathouse, originally uploaded by ceonyc.

This is up on 27th...wonder if they'll have it done by summer.

Its all clear to me now.

All the recent news about the dangers of MySpace?

Its all arch-conservative propoganda spread by the very company that owns it, News Corp.

Who better positioned to own a web property popular among kids than the very same media company that the most conservative parents get their news from?

Now every parent in America is telling their kids not to go on MySpace because its dangerous and full of sex.

Thanks mom... what was that site again?  My... Space...  dot... com.  Ok, got it.  I'll never go on it.  Never ever.   ;)

Clearly, the man has children.

Someone just sent me this:

On Wednesday of this week, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in
the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.

There's an article in the WSJ today on how web ads are being placed next to "racy" or "inappropriate" content.

Racy?  Inappropriate?  On the internet???  Nooooo...

"Last month, Verizon Communications Inc. was surprised to find one of its Internet ads on a MySpace.com page with photos of scantily clad women."

"Scantily clad women", or as most cellphone companies refer to them, "paying customers who pay for Sean Paul ringtones." 

You know, that's funny... now that I think of it, I went to buy a ringtone the other day, and it asked me if I had sexy pictures of myself on the internet.   Since all my pictures are sexy, I clicked yes.  I got this bizzare message saying, "Sorry, we only sell ringtones to the Amish." 

Now I know its from this advertiser backlash against the sexy.

"Walt Disney Co. was unaware that its ad was next to an article about male sexual performance on About.com."

That's terrible, because there's no way that article was being read by 45 year old dads who have ever purchased Disney DVDs for their kids.

"Jobs Web site Monster.com didn't realize its spot was on a site that appeared to be offering unauthorized downloads of copyrighted music and videos."

Ok, I'll give you that one.  Illegal sites are another thing.  Just thank God sexy isn't illegal!

Here's another:

"...and the Christian Children's Fund ad ended up next to an article about a sexual position in the sex section of About.com, which is owned by New York Times Co."

So, here's a question...   What if that ad wound up generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations for their cause?  Would they still have yanked it?

Good thing we'll never have to answer that question because people who read about sex never ever donate to charity, those heathens!  :\

Look, if its something illegal, like child porn, or illegal music, that's one thing, but not advertising next to MySpace's user generated content??  To me, that's kind of a slap in the face.  If a girl wants to show her thong on MySpace and Verizon doesn't want to advertise next to it, that's like Verizon saying, "We'd like you to buy our phones, but we don't want anyone who wants to see your slammin' booty to buy them." 

Frankly, I think MySpacers should boycott Verizon.  I wouldn't buy a product from any company that's embarrassed to be associated with my slammin' booty. 

Sweet...

The Mets win, and Xavier Nady chips in 4 hits to provide me with some great false hope about my fantasy baseball season, and then I get a great link from Oberkirch:

Ballbug! Memeorandum for baseball!

Cool!

So its Opening Day and the Daily News has a blogger liveblogging the rainy start to the season.

In honor of the season's start, I've updated my SitePal message with a message about the Mets' Kaz Matsui.

BTW...  Tonight is also opening night for my ZogSports softball team.  We're now called "Waiting for Turiansky" in honor of Eric Turiansky, who signed up to play with us last year, but never showed.  Before every game, he'd send us a message saying, "No, seriously, I'm really going to play this time!  Can't wait to meet all of you!"

Eric Turiansky.  Games: 0.   At-bats: 0.  Humor: Priceless.

Link: Micro Persuasion: Technorati Adds MySpace Blogs.

It was only a matter of time before someone went in there and started crawling around.  I'd love to see someone build some cool cross social network searching...