Social networking websites ask you to define who is and isn’t your friend — and your answers are visible to everyone. Friends, friendsters, and top 8: Writing community into being on social network sites echoes some thoughts I’ve been having lately. Thanks to Memex 1.1 for the pointer.
Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the Internet!
This image is the most accurate map of the Internet yet. See Technology Review for an explanation and closer-up images. Thanks to Memex 1.1 for the pointer.
Snarky and Sarcastic
If you ever thought that I was snarky and sarcastic, try this post from Yeast Radio. Beware, there are naughty words.
Social media and ERP
Speaking of Hugh MacLeod, he’s just posted some interesting thoughts on how social media will affect ERP software. Sounds geeky, but it’s really about how this new stuff will change the corporate world.
Is iPhone really such important news?
I wasn’t going to write anything about Apple’s new iPhone, because I knew it’d be analyzed to death pretty much everywhere else. But this blog posting (picture below) sums it up so nicely I just have to tell you.
Thanks to Hugh MacLeod for the pointer — and for linking to the more important news.
MYOB, you’re dumped! Hello NetAccounts
Marc Lehmann, you just scored your business Saasu a new customer because you commented on my gripes about MYOB. We’ve just made the decision to run my business with NetAccounts.
Marc, there was a steady flow of “Gee, wow!” moments as we looked at how NetAccounts might work for us — I’ll come back to that. But what really made the difference was how your company communicates. Especially when compared with MYOB…
- MYOB only ever communicate with me to ask for money. Once, they were quite aggressive about it.
- MYOB don’t reply to emails.
- You have to wade through so much clutter to find what you want on their website.
Imagine MYOB were a person. You’d say something to them, but they’d never respond. Instead, they’d just be talking at you — either asking for money or telling you how good they were. Constantly.
You, on the other hand, joined a conversation about MYOB by talking about your product — but you added another insight and kept the conversation alive. “Well,” I thought, “if they’ve won an award and they’re clueful about blogs, maybe I should look at their product.” So I did.
And while NetAccounts certainly looked capable of doing what we needed — gawd, our accounting needs aren’t rocket science! — it was the quality and sincerity of your communication which persuaded me to take a proper look.
- Your online demos are voiced by you, not some slick presenterdroid. This is reassuring.
- Your website won’t win a design award, but there’s no clutter and so far I’ve quickly found everything I’ve looked for.
- Saasu speaks in simple, direct language. You don’t shout about “Your business will be transformed”, you show me how I use your tool to do everyday things.
Imagine Saasu were a person. They’d be conversational, straightforward, to-the-point. All elements which build trust. All characteristics of someone you’d actually want to be involved with your business.
I’ll certainly have more to say about NetAccounts while I set it up over the weekend. But for now, my office manager Virginia Bridger had this to say after an hour or so poking around:
It’s a program that’s obviously been built knowing that human beings are going to be using it.
Oh, and Marc? I’ve just used your logo without asking first. I’m guessing that you won’t mind, given the context. 😉