Joe's Random Blog

The Problems With Google Buzz Reveal More Than Problems With Google Buzz

2010-02-16T22:45:00.002-05:00

Google needs to do a heck of a lot more than fix the problems with Buzz to earn back my trust. The launch of Buzz revealed some serious problems with how Google views my personal information. They clearly think that they can use my personal and private information across their products without my permission. That as a default, to give a new product a jumpstart, they can seed it with private customer information. If they were a bank, and they launched a new credit card, and they sent that card to all of my bill payment addresses, then they'd be out of business today. This is no different. I'm looking for a Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Reader replacement unless Google assures me that there will be no more sharing across products.

Indianapolis Star. The Good News is You're on the Front Page of Google. The Bad News Is You Have a Typo.

2010-02-16T10:39:00.001-05:00

How Adobe Should Respond to Apple

2010-02-15T12:44:00.001-05:00

Maybe killing Flash on the iPhone is a good thing for Adobe.

How about building a killer HTML 5.0 Developer platform to enable
Flash-like interactions and video on the iPhone and elsewhere. This
would dis-intermediate the Apple App Store for simple apps.

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/adobe_prepares_for_a_world_without_apples_blessing.php#comment-190264

How to get re-invited to TED, by Robert Scoble

2010-02-15T12:35:00.000-05:00

How to get re-invited to TED, by Robert Scoble: 1. Get invited to TED. 2. Attend TED. 3. Write glowing review of TED and how, really, it is elitist, and that's what's so great about it. 4. Mention 45 times how you can't afford it and that you are certainly *not* going to get re-invited for free, thus daring the organizers to prove you wrong. http://scobleizer.com/2010/02/14/the-elephants-in-the-room-at-ted/

My Comments for "NYTimes misuses Kindle Review stats to attack the Kindle"

2009-12-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

My comments for NYTimes misuses Kindle Review stats to attack the Kindle. Why can't somebody who does not own a Kindle review it? Most consumer electronics are reviewed buy reviewers who don't own one. They could have tried it. Can't one base their review on why they would not choose to buy one? Would you review a car you test drove and say it's too small? Probably. DRM is a serious problem. Why can't I read my Kindle books on a better reader if one comes out? I own a Kindle, by the way, and I'd probably give it a 3-star rating. It's a Kindle 2. The screen is like reading a soggy newspaper (to quote Nicholson Baker), and it's too hard to get my own stuff on it. I enjoy reading my Kindle books on my iPhone more than the Kindle.

"You In" Bugs Me

2009-12-16T09:46:00.001-05:00

So Yahoo has a new site where you're supposed to do something kind and
then tell everybody about it on Facebook and Twitter. While I like the
intentions, it would be nice if these random acts of kindness were
anonymous. There's already enough self promotion going on in Facebook
and Twitter.

http://kindness.yahoo.com/

Joe Ranft Featured in BusinessWeek Article on ResearchGATE

2009-12-08T15:50:00.003-05:00

File this under shameless self-promotion. BusinessWeek recently featured ResearchGATE , one of my recent clients in a nice profile: ResearchGATE and Its Savvy Use of the Web. Here's a quote on my work with them:

One of the keys to the site's popularity and accessibility is the attention its creators have paid to navigation and ease of use. Joe Ranft, a Boston-based design consultant who helped out with the site, says an important move was publishing basic information about ResearchGATE on each of its pages, so people who found the material via a Web search understand where they have landed and are encouraged to join the community. It's also clear on the pages that membership is free, which encourages people from poor countries to join.

My response to Jason Calacanis: "Is there any way for America to "win" in Afghanistan? Is Obama's surge meaningless? What other options do we have?"

2009-12-02T13:02:00.003-05:00

My response to Jason Calacanis on Mahalo here: Is there any way for America to "win" in Afghanistan? Is Obama's surge meaningless? What other options do we have? I tried to post a response but received an error, which I posted here: http://twitpic.com/rurd6

I agree. And if we leave the region entirely, then that will stop terrorism against us. Terrorism is about territory. It's not because anybody hates the way we live. They don't care about us, unless we're occupying land they consider theirs, like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan. Let's shut down all those bases, end those wars, and spend that money on energy independence. That's about $300 Billion per year we could be investing on energy innovation and independence.

Free Design Improvement for Facebook

2009-11-25T08:52:00.001-05:00

The Facebook news feed bugs me now. When I get to the bottom, and I
click "Older Posts," they load on the bottom of the page. I'd rather
just have a new page. Facebook should change the link to "Next Page"
and "Previous Page". I know Facebook is intent on copying Twitter
exactly, but loading the older messages on the same page is less
usable, and creates a super long page. A new page is better.

Ugliest Building in Brookline

2009-11-22T13:02:00.000-05:00

This building is going up in Brookline Village. It's so ugly my six
year old asked if it was a jail. Why was this approved by the town?

Ticketmaster's Broken Search

2009-11-16T19:05:00.001-05:00

So I'm looking for tickets for a play in New York, and I try to use
the search feature. Here's the result. It should be a little smarter
and know I'm looking for New York.

Steven Levitt Agrees With Belichick's Decision

2009-11-16T17:01:00.000-05:00

I am a bit obsessed here about this decision. At the moment I really
disagreed but now I am totally won over. Steven Levitt agrees on his
Freakonomics blog.

NYT: Blogs - Freakonomics - Bill Belichick Is Great

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/freakonomics/21859

Moneyball: Why Belichick went for it

2009-11-16T13:48:00.001-05:00

So I have been racking my brains over why Bill Belichick went for it
on 4th and 2. And all you need to do is look at a few probabilities
from his perspective.

1. Likelihood the Patriots win the game with a first down. 100%.

2. Likelihood Indianapolis scores if the Patriot punt. 70%.

3. Likelihood Indianapolis scores if the Patriots do not get the
first down. 80%.

So he basically decided the 100% chance to win was worth the risk of
giving Indianapolis a slightly greater chance of winning.

Logical, maybe. Still hard to stomach.

Sent from my iPhone

Nice Facebook Fan Widget on Newsweek.com

2009-11-15T12:27:00.001-05:00

This Newsweek widget is the best integration I've seen so far of
integrating Facebook into a Web site.

http://www.newsweek.com/

Use a Bungee Cord to Chop Wood More Effeciently [MacGyver Tip]

2009-11-14T16:07:00.000-05:00

Sent to you via Google Reader

Use a Bungee Cord to Chop Wood More Effeciently [MacGyver Tip]

Chopping wood is a satisfying, yet laborious, task. Give yourself an efficiency boost with this simple bungee cord organization video tip.

Photo by Muffet.

When chopping large diameter logs into more manageable and fireplace-friendly sizes, it can be a pain to keep all the pieces upright as you split them. Check out the video below to see how an the simple addition of a bungee cord means you'll spend more time chopping and less time setting up logs to be split.

[YouTube Video]

Bungee cord or not, that guy is a wood-chopping machine. Have a tip or trick related to chopping wood or heating your home with it? Let's hear about it in the comments.

Splitting Firewood [via Re-Nest]

Sent from my iPhone

Re: sooner than i expected but not really surprising....AI

2009-11-13T10:07:00.001-05:00

I'm sure Stephen A. Smith will also come out in favor of AI. Do they
wonder why no team wanted him? Why he's only making $3 million? If
he's so great, wouldn't teams be beating down his door? He plays no
defense and will not participate in an offense. The league has really
changed and left him behind. It's no longer just a run and gun league.
Offenses have structure. Players have roles. If you drop a guy like
Iverson into an offense, and he just stars driving, shooting, looking
for fouls, not playing defense, it's going to take the rest of the
team out of game.

I do wonder why the Grizzlies did not play him. My impression was he
was there to sell season tickets. Maybe he did that.

On Nov 13, 2009, at 9:12 AM, David Kohn wrote:

> wilbon is a suckup to AI. that column should have slammed him. instead
> it treats AI like rational person.
>
> On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 8:35 AM, Joe Ranft <jranft@gmail.com> wrote:
>> So predictable. Wilbon thinks he will end up on the cavs.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Nov 12, 2009, at 3:22 PM, David Kohn <djkohn@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> AI:
>>>
>>> http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/arash_markazi/11/08/iverson.grizzlies/index.html
>>

Comments on "Against 'Moneyball' | The New Republic"

2009-10-18T12:34:00.001-04:00

Comments on Against 'Moneyball' | The New Republic Shared via AddThis Interesting. Bissinger looks through the narrow lens of payroll to disprove Moneyball, but it was really never about payroll. Well, it was when the top teams were paying for players who were not Billy Beane type players, but now I'd say the high payroll teams look for the same things that Beane looks for: OBP instead of AVG, OPS, and in pitchers few walks and more strikeouts. Stealing, bunting, pitching out, and sacrafice outs in general are downplayed for hitters, as are ERA and Wins for pitchers. A simple study would be to look at the the current playoff rosters and how they do in those Moneyball statistics, compared to ten years ago. Bissinger won't do that, because it would take some time, and he's more of a spitball thrower.

Smart. Google Search suggesting direct URL's

2009-10-05T12:03:00.001-04:00

I just noticed this. If I enter a query for a term with a Web site,
then Google Search autosuggest will suggest that site and also take me
directly to off the first suggestion. This should cut down on
competitors bidding for each other's brand names.

Yahoo! is for You! Unless You! Use Xoopit for GMail

2009-10-02T16:01:00.001-04:00

I just received this from Xoopit. Yahoo is shutting down the connection to Gmail, probably killing off most of Xoopit's user base. That's smart business.

Begin forwarded message:

From: "xoopit@xoopit.com" <xoopit@xoopit.com>
Date: October 2, 2009 3:14:56 PM EDT
To: "jranft@gmail.com" <jranft@gmail.com>
Subject: Xoopit for Gmail is closing. Here's the info you'll need.
Reply-To: xoopit@xoopit.com

Dear Xoopit for Gmail user,
We will be officially turning off Xoopit for Gmail on November 13, 2009, to focus our efforts on making My Photos for Yahoo! Mail an amazing product and bring those features to all Yahoo! Mail users. Given our focus, we decided we cannot adequately support the Xoopit for Gmail product and give you a great experience in the future. Here are some details to guide you through this transition.
Do I need to download any files or pictures?
Most Xoopit for Gmail users follow standard Gmail conventions and choose to archive—not delete—mail. In this case all of your data should still be accessible via Gmail. If you have ever posted to a blog from Xoopit you should download those photos and host them on another site (e.g., Flickr). If you do not download these photos by November 13, 2009, you will no longer be able to access them through Xoopit.
Are there Gmail features that can help me?
Yes! The following Gmail Labs features may help with your migration away from Xoopit.

Search AutoComplete

YouTube previews in mail

Picasa previews in mail

Flickr previews in mail

Google Search

You can also do searches like "filename:(jpg OR png)" (to see all the emails that have photo attachments) or "has:attachments" (for all the emails with attachments). See Gmail's page on Advanced Search for more details. You won't have the exact same experience as Xoopit, but it will help.

To help you through this transition, we've compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions and resources here.
Thank you for using Xoopit for Gmail. We'll miss you!
The Xoopit team

You were sent this because you are a Xoopit for Gmail user. Click here to unsubscribe from future mailings.

Does Google Fast Flip Steal Content From Other Sites?

2009-09-15T08:39:00.004-04:00

UPDATE: My friend Phil Terry, CEO of Creative Good, and host of the awesome Customer Experience Councils, informs me that yes, Google is sharing revenue. Here's a link to CNET's details on the service. If I take full web pages from other sites, then frame them, and run my own ads within the frames, I'm pretty sure that's stealing.

But if I do this and I'm Google, then it's innovation called Google Fast Flip.

Does Google share the ad revenue on these pages with the site that's framed?

NYT: Boston Tries to Shed Longtime Reputation as Cyclists' Minefield

2009-08-09T07:14:00.002-04:00

The Times covers Boston's attempts to become more bike friendly. I have been a consistent bike commuter for 8 years or so, and the only real improvements I've seen are in Brookline, which has added miles of bike lanes. The bike lanes through Kenmore Square are not well thought out and more dangerous than just taking a lane if traffic.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=418529&f=2

Comments for "Berlin Subdues the Fixie Menance, Can Boston Follow Suit?"

2009-07-06T15:15:00.003-04:00

Bostonist recently posted a snarky, and slightly deserved, piece directed at fixed gear cycles and their riders. As a fixie rider, I felt I had to respond.

You're really talking about three different things here. Single speed is a bike with no gears. Most children start on one. Then off of that, you have two modes: fixed-gear and flywheel.
I ride a single speed that has been in fixed-gear mode and also flywheel mode. It has a hub on the back wheel that does both. This is called a flip-flop hub.
I ride a single speed because it's lighter, quieter, and overall just more simple. No gears. No shock absorbers. Really, why do you need 18 gears in Boston? It's the cycling equivalent of an SUV.
I like the fixed-gear mode because it's a better workout. You must peddle every inch of the way. No coasting. To go up hills, you just stand up and peddle without help from the bike.
Sure, single speed bikes are trendy, but for the same reason that other simple things are trendy, really for the same reason that other trendy things are trendy. Does following trends make one a tool? I have to say that even though I was following a trend when I bought my single speed from Broadway Bikes in Cambridge (a great bike shop, by the way), I really do prefer it now over my clunky mountain bike.
Most of the hostility here is misdirected at cyclist who do not follow the basic rules of the road. I'll count myself in there as well. I sometimes go through red lights, down the wrong way on a one way street, and jump up on an unused sidewalk if I need to. But I use common sense. Many of the cyclist who are dangerous, zooming through red lights downtown on a $2,000 track bike with no brakes, are just not following common sense.

My Comments for "Dear Malcolm: Why So Threatened?"

2009-06-29T23:29:00.003-04:00

Here are my comments for Chris Anderson's piece on Epicenter. "Dear Malcolm: Why So Threatened?" I hardly think Malcolm Gladwell is threatened by Chris Anderson, by the way.

I agree. You’ve found the new model. But I do worry about quality. Part-time writers blogging in their spare time will not have the time (or perhaps the talent, but most certainly the time) to crank out the quality of content we’re used to in paid publications.

A more relevant example of the future of high quality journalism is talkingpointsmemo.com or politico.com.

Also, I still believe in some sort of micropayment model for the future. iTunes has that figured out for music, movies, tv shows, and iPhone apps. Just get my payment information once, then charge me small amounts without transaction screens. I don’t think I’d pay per article, but a couple of bucks a month, for quality like The New Yorker or The New York Times, would work. It’s still a lot less money for most of those publications though.

Comments for Jon Gruber's "Apple’s Secrecy" on www.daringfireball.net

2009-06-24T09:06:00.003-04:00

Jon Gruber posted an interesting piece about the NY Times and Apple's secrecy. You can read it here: http://daringfireball.net/2009/06/apples_secrecy.

Mr. Gruber does not post comments on his blog. If he did, here's mine.

You seem to be connecting Apple's success with their penchant for secrecy with the following conclusion:

Yes, Apple is far more secretive than most companies, but they’re also far more successful. Measured by profit and revenue and growth, wouldn’t it make more sense to argue that most companies should act more like Apple, rather than the other way around?

I don't think it's possible to credit Apple's secrecy with their success. Don't get be wrong, I'm a big fan of Apple. I'm typing this on a MacBook Pro. I'm listening to The Style Council on my iPhone. Until recently, I owned a large amount of Apple stock. It's a great company from top to bottom. Great products, great people.

But I do think that Apple's secrecy about Steve Jobs' health has not helped. It's created a huge amount of ambiguity about succession at Apple, especially with regard to their long-term product direction, which my gut tells me is where Steve Jobs adds the most value. Sure, he can be gone for six months and the company does not miss a beat. But without him, I doubt the company's ability to create that next great thing we all want in three years, or five years. I also doubt Apple's ability to stay focused and simple.

Here's a mini-example. The 13-inch MacBook Pro. Why did it start as a MacBook and then become a MacBook Pro? As a MacBook it not fit in with the rest of the line in look - plastic, colored bodies. It was more clearly a Pro in look and not in power, aluminum body. And then they switched it to a Pro. This is confusing. Something you'd see at Dell or Acer, not Apple. It revealed a lack of product discipline that's rare for Apple.

Without Steve Jobs, I would fear that after two-years or so, we'd start to see this lack of discipline that we see at other companies, too many products, confusing names and features.

Don't Confuse Great Graphic Design with a Great User Experience

2009-06-16T14:17:00.001-04:00