Google stitching threads

Google may have been a slow starter in the Social Networking field but their certainly making up ground. The MySpace agreement “Myspace deal gives Google access to “oblivious teenager” demographic” along with “Google and Viacom’s MTV Networks to Test
New Online Video Distribution Model” seem like an obvious coupling.
Obtain content to embed advertizing into add a large target audience…. equals revenue growth. And oh by the way click fraud isn’t really a problem since you can’t accelerate the video feed.

 

Robert Scoble @ LIFT06; Will listening reduce flame wars?

I’m listening to Robert Scoble talk at LIFT06. In listening to him talk about how Microsoft is listening to customers thoughts throughout the blogosphere (I presume they’re also listening to comments which would be good), I wonder if this will eventually lead to a civilizing of the blogosphere. If individuals are really being heard then maybe they’ll “act” /write like it. I hope that this can help to reduce “flaming” defaming (I know given that I’ve lived with the net for 27 years you’d think I’d remember that flame wars have been around as long as email) but maybe just maybe this time we can make the net more intimate and personal not a shield to hide behind.

An insightful counterpoint to my hope is a Wired news report out today on understanding the tone of email.

I tend to think that email is probably less well prepared than blog entries or comments, hopefully given that blogs are inherently public people will think more abut them.

It’s worth watching Robert’s talk. Microsoft is doing themselves a world of good with Robert, he’s a credit to the company, hopefully he can help change their attitude (more open) and thereby improve their image.

 

About time….

Michael Arrington has Google’s latest salvo in the open API wars:

Google Taunts Skype, Releases GTalk API

Posted by Michael Arrington | Discussion: 22 comments

Google has just released a set of components called Libjingle that allow third party applications to interact with Google Talk. The components, which include some source code, are being released under a very liberal license allowing for free incorporation into commercial and non-commercial software.

It’s about time that Google started opening their API to commercial applications. This should be avery interesting time for all.  As other’s have noted this gets even more interesting with the integration of AOL IM and Gtalk – I presume this will mean that any Jabber client with Libjingle integration can talk to any AOL IM client?