Word-whore. I write 'em. I talk 'em. Information, politics, media, and the cybers. I drink. I use bad words. All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal. All hail Eris! Vive les poissons rouges sauvages!
The irony about the CeBIT email flood is that it makes them look desperate — yet their PR person told me yesterday that at this point, three weeks out from the start, they’ve already got more registrations than they did on opening day last year. So why do the emails keep coming? My guess is that at some point weeks ago, some executive somewhere signed off on a marketing plan, and now everyone’s dutifully following it. How… old-fashioned.
Hannover Fairs, the organisers of the CeBIT Australia IT trade show, must be shitting themselves about poor ticket sales or something. They certainly seem desperate.
These guys are spammy at the best of times, sending at least one email a week every week. But this year I’ve received three “Exclusive Limited Offer: Free Exhibition Entry” emails this month alone, plus today another one via the Australian Computer Society — yeah, that’s fuckin’ exclusive, eh? They’ve emailed a “Dear Bloggers” media release and phoned. Gawd!
I was underwhelmed last year and annoyed with the marketing wank-words.
Do these shows actually achieve anything any more? I mean, if you’ve got a new IT product you just tell TechCrunch and the geek world’s blogosphere of feral goldfish do the rest, right? Why herd everyone into a room, except to fuel an industry of hangers-on who make t-shirts and lame promotional giveaways?
[P.S. I am actually going. If nothing else I can collect some high-grade sarcasm for my podcast. But enough with the spam already, Hannover!]
My interwebby links for 27 April 2008 through 28 April 2008, according to UTC time, apparently:
Continue reading “Links for 27 April 2008 through 28 April 2008”
“Always follow procedure,” I tell every new contractor or employee. “You can’t remember everything, no matter how intelligent you are. Always cross-check.” Measure twice, cut once. All very, very good advice.
But this morning I knew that the 1GB memory stick I had in stock would be compatible with the client’s computer. I know my memory specs, all is under control. I am a professional. And besides, we’re in a hurry.
Um, what’s that burning smell…?
The result of today’s professionalism? One fried memory stick. One fried motherboard. A client’s computer which must now be replaced at my expense. A thousand dollars out of pocket and a day’s work lost.