Andrew Shuttleworth Web HQ

Mail Moves to Gmail, Feeds to Google Reader

Over the last couple of months I've completed a couple of big software/service migrations:

1) I moved from using MS Outlook and a Hosted Microsoft Exchange service to Gmail for mail and Plaxo for calendar and contacts. The main incentive for the move was to be able to handle large volumes of email more efficiently and effectively, but also I didn't see the Outlook/Exchange solution keeping web trends and I see see things will only get worse rather than better (although I wish Xobni was around when I was an Outlook user). Here's a few specific items I listed off the top of my head.

• Basically unlimited storage (i.e. nearly 7GB and counting with Gmail). No need to worry about archiving.
• Tagging data rather than using folders (i.e. Gmail again)
• Web interface has option to remember password (I always have to enter with Outlook online)
• Online store integrates directly with web services (e.g import address book to social media services or sync with services like Plaxo). With Exchange everything has to go via Outlook or CSV.
• Toolbars and additional functionality in web interface (e.g. LinkedIn toolbar which displays a logo next to email sender's name so you can easily see there profile). Again with Exchange I have to go via Outlook.
• Mobile interface for email
• Auto linking addresses to maps
• Being able to publish a calendar (without using a desktop client like Outlook)
• Easily being able to create appointments from an email using web interface

The reasons I'm using Plaxo rather than Google for calendar and contacts are a) The Plaxo sync client for Windows Mobile works better than any of the Google sync clients I tried b) Managing contacts in Google is not user friendly and I haven't had much luck getting all my contacts into Google. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Google resolves these problems and gets my custom for these services too.

2) I moved from using Newsgator (after being a loyal user for many years) to Google Reader. I just didn't see enough innovation and new enhancements from Newsgator (as an individual user - I think they may be focusing on corporates). Although their FeedDemon software is functionally very nice, everything these days happens in the browser. When it came down to it - I just wasn't able to keep pace with the volume of feeds I wanted to read. Now in Google Reader I'm catching up and adding more feeds. I have 10,000+ unread posts to catch up on, but I'm skim reading the latest posts and forgetting the rest. There are still some enhancements I'd like to see in Google Reader though:

• Sharing groups (i.e. Can share a specific items with a predefined group of friends)
• Easier ways to find friends using Google Reader (currently it's somewhat strangely dependent on whether they are contacts in Google Chat)
• One click subscribe (without leaving site you are viewing) or add tags & confirm in pop-up window
• Easier tagging (Comma separated input with auto-suggestion)
• Renaming tags
• Get RSS feeds, blog rolls and 'clips' for tag combinations (and, or, not)
• Better filtering in subscriptions management page (Currently does a fuzzy match of a number of fields which is sometimes not desirable)
• Collapse All option in folders list
• Auto resizing large pictures in blog entries so they fit within one screen + link to full size version
• Tag groups (Is there a best practice organization or standard for tagging?)
• Google toolbar of Firefox button that shows whether you are already subscribed to the feed of the page you are viewing (a la Google Bookmark button for Google Toolbar)
• Starring feeds (Currently you can only star posts. I created a !!!FavoriteFeeds tag to work around this though.
• Finally I sense that there would be some benefit of integration between bookmarks and feeds. For example, it would be useful to be able to browse the feeds from all sites you have bookmarked and be able to subscribe. Conversely, it would be useful to automatically see bookmarks for the sites belonging to the feeds you are following. Similar enhancements could apply for Google History too. (Del.icio.us still has may custom for bookmarks but I'm sensing it may only be a matter of time until I switch to Google for bookmarks too).
• NEW (2008/05/08): Mark items as read from Google Reader 'Home' page.
• NEW (2008/05/08): Subscribe to feed but automatically mark all posts as read (Usefull for blogs you want in your blogroll and in Reader search results, but with new posts not popping up all the time).

It takes a little while to migrate to a new service, get things organized and get over the learning curve so that your productivity equals and then surpasses the service you were previously using. For services you only use a little it's not such a big issue, but for mission critical services you use every day like email, calendar, contacts and news it can be challenging so it's important to time and plan the move. This is just for a one person business. I can understand why it's difficult for larger organizations to change so fast.

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Twitsig and Twitter Balloon - Create a graphic of your current Twitter status

A nice recommendation from the Twitter blog, Twitsig is a very simple and user friendly tool for creating a graphic of your latest Twitter update. Looks something like this ...

The first commenter on the Twitter blog post says that Twitsig doesn't support UTF-8 though, so no Japanese, Chinese etc. character support.

Here's an alternative developed by Korelab. Looks like it's developed in Japan and does support double byte characters. The design is quite configurable and you can also skip back to older Tweets and refresh.

follow AndrewShuttleworth at http://twitter.com
developed by korelab

Google Maps-Like Version of Social Media Information Flow Map

Browsing 100 Things To Do With Google Mashups I came across '55. Make your own Google Map out of any map'. A few minutes later thanks to maplib.net (affiliate link) and there's now an alternative convenient way to view the map from within a browser. Anyone can add markers and comments in the same way as you can on Google Maps. Click on 'More' at the top right to get links to the full screen version and do more with the map. (Note: I'm currently working on v0.4 of the mind map and there are quite a few changes'.

(If you see something other than the map above it's a bug. Please follow this link.

Managing Your To Do List When You Have Hundreds of Things To Do

Over the past few weeks I've been asked a number of time advice on how to manage a to-do list when you have a large number of things to do. The short answer is I don't believe there is any possible system that can help you when you simply have too many 'important' things to do. You just have to cut down the workload. I've got a bad habit of taking on too many things, getting too busy, cutting out some of the things hence freeing up time, then having a little extra time I take on more things. A viscious circle I'm slowly learning to get out of by saying 'no' to some requests. Having said that I'm sure you still want to be hyper productive and get as many things done in as possible. I think everyone will find there own unique system. There are certain core principles that help (basically treating tasks as a project, splitting into small steps and focusing on addressing the next step) and Getting Things Done is he best book I can personally recommend for learning these.

Anyway, here's the system I currently use ...

Social Media Information Flow - The Complexity of the Web 2.0 World

This may be a bit more extreme than the average person's social media information flow, but I created a diagram (using MindManager) showing how the information I create flows through the online world.

In the current version (v0.1 see end of post for latest version info) there are 12+ different types and sources of content from events to photos to comments and more. All this content can be re-used using either RSS or APIs. Therefore I can re-channel information from many sources into, among others, Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo Pulse, Spock, my Skype mood and onto my website (using a Plaxo Pulse widget). This enables me to use the 'best tool for the job' for each type of content, but ensure that it is also made available on the platforms that the majority of my friends and connections are using. (Making it convenient for them of course greatly increases the chance they will actually see it).

Profilactic deserves a special mention for being the tool that aggregates all the RSS feeds into one, although most content can also be pulled into Facebook directly using applications. It's also better to add feeds directly to Plaxo Pulse rather than just pulling in the Profilactic feed so that Plaxo knows what type of information it is dealin with. Twitterfeed is the tool that takes the Profilactic feed and pumps it into Twitter, which then automatically updates my Facebook status. Twype is the magic that takes my latest Twitters and changes my Skype mood.

This is the first version and I wouldn't call it final. Some of the relationships have been omitted or simplified (the yellow nodes), as the chart just got too complicated with all the direct relationships. There is a lot more to be added. I also need to go and check I haven't missed any major types of content and do a bit of tidying up to make it easier to read.

I tried quite a few tools before deciding on MindManager, an d overall I was very pleased with the way it worked. The nodes are all linked and the favicons are pulled in automatically. For the next version I may use less floating topics and turn them into subtopics so hopefully the auto layout will work a bit better.

Overall, it was very helpful to see an overview of how my online information flows. I managed to get rid of some redundant channels along the way and am in a good position to consolidate and make sensible decisions about how to share information from now on. It does show the complexity consumers are dealing with in the Web 2.0 world, and it will be interesting to see how the leading services help us deal with this. Facebook is of course the best example to date.

You can download the file as a pdf, png (graphic), mmap, or xmmap xml file. (For the mmap file, you may have to right-click-save. If you want any other versions that MindManager exports to, let me know).

Updates

Jan. 8 2008 - v0.3.1 upload. Important changes include:

• Used MindManager's RSS map part functionality to start to import feed content directly into the map. Just two examples added and shown at the moment - del.icio.us and CoComment. These sub topics cover other parts of the map (which is good otherwise the map would repaginate too much) but the branches can be open and closed as necessary.
• Added a sub-map and for sites that don't import the content, but do link to my profiles on other sites. Added link relationships for sites that do import content and also link back to it.
• Started to create map parts so that I can easily add new formatted sections to the map. Was previously using the format painter. Also added some more icons and gave names to these icons. MindManager has great filtering functionality, so if I mark up the map well I will easily be able to hide and display different parts as required.
• Add a 'To Do' section. Still lots of things to add. Also wondering whether I could use this map to create an APML profile for myself.

Jan. 7 2008 - I uploaded version 0.2 which has a few small additions but most importantly a mobile layer.

Location, Location, Location

I'm really getting excited about some of the location based web services we are seeing appearing. I really need a laptop with inbuilt GPS and wireless to make the most of them. Mmmm, gotta work on that one. For the time being Plazes is the service I'm finding most user friendly. Their software runs in the system tray. You have to set locations manually the first time but then it seems to recognize when you revisit the place. They have most of the features you'd expect from a good Web 2.0 service, except the ability to import your address book to look up which of your friends are already registered with the service. Below is a map showing where I last checked in.

My latest location tagged del.icio.us bookmarks are here and below.

Joblet - Japan Developed Service for Advertising Jobs in an Intelligent Way

Joblet is a Japan developed service. Employers submit jobs to the service and these jobs are then displayed on widgets across the Joblet network of web sites. Employers pay for each qualifying resume they receive or optionally - new in the latest release - on a pay per click basis. Bloggers and site owners make money when people clicking through from their site and additionally when those people apply for a job.

The service is naturally a good additional strategy to using recruiters - who although potentially effective charge around 30% of an annual salary - simply not possible for many smaller companies . Job listings sites are also quite expensive and these sites also largely attract active job seekers, whereas the Joblet model puts jobs in front of passive job seekers who are potentially more interesting candidates. Site owners can also customize the widget so that only jobs relevant to their site content are displayed.

Joblet is developed by www.theplant.jp, a bunch of cool people (and good friends of mine) in central Tokyo who are also the company behind www.asoboo.com and have been big supporters of the monthly www.Tokyo2Point0.net event.

Below are samples of two of the widgets available. CSS customization is an option for the latter.

You can also see the widget at www.thejapanjobsearch.com - an experimental site I put together using Google Pages with embedded del.icio.us link roll widgets (so that it only takes around 5 seconds to add sites), listing a large number of Japan job sites and resources along with a Google Custom Search Engine so that you can search all the sites from one place.
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Jobletの求人

Looking forward to new Typepad Features in 2008

I'm a big fan of Typepad (used to create this site). I find it the best combination of ease of use while still allowing a good level of control and customization. As it's a hosted service their is zero hassle installing and maintaining, and it's well worth the reasonable prices.

Here's a snippet from their latest newsletter & blog entry giving us a taste of some of the exciting new features to come in 2008:

Looking ahead, you’ll see more improvements this year than in any other year of TypePad’s history, reflecting our commitment to keep TypePad as the world’s most powerful hosted blogging service. Six Apart has been the pioneer in blogging for more than six years, and this year we’re focusing that expertise into TypePad, where the community will benefit from the innovations in Movable Type 4 and Vox and new resources from the sale of LiveJournal. We’ll deliver the most professional and extensive theme gallery available anywhere, as well as better stats and an improved dashboard, community features to engage your readers, and premium services and support to help you build, design, grow, and profit from your site. We won’t spoil all of the surprises here, but you will hear from us regularly about what to expect throughout the year.

Looking forward to the new themes (and maybe some of my readers are too ;-)

Blogging for Busy People: How to start and continue blogging for a total time investment of 15 minutes or less!

I hear from so many people that they don't have time to blog. We all know the benefits of blogging - building your personal brand, keeping your friends and network up-to-date with what you are doing, attracting new connections. The good news is that with all the web services out there, you can start and continue blogging for a total time investment of 15 minutes or less. Give yourself and hour and you will be prolific blogger.

How? Read on.

My Next Big Thing .... US and Yahoo! ?

It's getting close to a total of 10 years that I've been in Japan. I've achieved so many of my goals and more here, especially over the last two years having founded, run and experimented with CVP.

But now it's time to find and experience my next big thing. There are so many opportunities in Japan, and so many things I could do, but I'm also looking outside Japan for maybe even bigger opportunities for personal development and lifestyle challenge.

Just so happens that as I was thinking about my plans for next year and beyond, a mail drops into my box advertising a position at Yahoo! Inc. in Sunnyvale California, helping manage communication, relationships and projects between Yahoo! US and Yahoo! Japan. What could be more perfect? My localization industry origins, my 10 year Japan project experience, my passion for the internet, and my recognized role as a connector.

So I applied for the job and at the same time started to get feedback from my close friends. "I'm thinking of moving to the US. Here's the position .... ".