A new video from Michael Wesch, the University of Kansas prof who brought us the thought provoking video Web 2.0 … The Machine is Us/ing Us. This latest short video examines our relationship with information, and how the web has changed it from a relationship based on physical constraints (storage, location, media) to a relationship based on content.
From Seth Godin, who continues to amaze me:
1. Fire the committee. No great website in history has been conceived of by more than three people. Not one. This is a dealbreaker.2. Change the interaction. What makes great websites great is that they are simultaneously effortless and new at the same time. That means that the site teaches you a new thing or new interaction or new connection, but you know how to use it right away. (Hey, if doing this were easy, everyone would do it.)
3. Less. Fewer words, fewer pages, less fine print.
4. What works, works. Theory is irrelevant.
5. Patience. Some sites test great and work great from the start. (Great if you can find one). Others need people to use them and adjust to them. At some point, your gut tells you to launch. Then stick with it, despite the critics, as you gain traction.
6. Measure. If you’re not improving, if the yield is negative… kill it.
7. Insight is good, clever is bad. Many websites say, “look at me.” Your goal ought to be to say, “here’s what you were looking for.”
8. If you hire a professional: hire a great one. The best one. Let her do her job. 10 mediocre website consultants working in perfect harmony can’t do the work of one rock star.
9. One voice, one vision.
10. Don’t settle.
I’ve been having a lot of fun painting with my daughters, Zoë, age 6, and Ella, age 4. We’ve been producing some startlingly beautiful things. We’re learning so much from each other. I’m learning to paint with the abandon of a 4 year old, and the kids are experimenting and learning new techniques.
We went through about 75 sheets of watercolour paper over the weekend. Initially, I had fits of anxiety at the thought of letting my kids use my fancy paper and nice brushes. But at one point, I realized that the paper only cost 25 bucks, that the paint cost less than 10 – cheaper than going to a movie, and far more rewarding.
Here are a couple of my favorites. I’ve posted more to my flickr account.
By Zoe, age 6
By Peter, age 37
By Peter, age 37
By Ella, age 4