Disqus - Latest Comments for jonathanmacdonald

Re: Don’t Hate The Plug-and-Plays

Jonathan MacDonald — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 03:51:40 -0000

I'm really happy you wrote this. It pretty much sums up what I observed and couldn't quite order the words together as eloquently! I've noticed a significant volume of blamestorming - finger pointing in a way that separates, rather than actions that bring us together (e.g. Pink Heart). So, well done for nailing it in this piece. By the way - I was the guy who said thank you to you for your video advice, as you were in the really long chain walking into Center Camp. Keep up the inspiration man...

Re: Weekend Rock Question: What's the Best Album of 2014 So Far?

Jonathan MacDonald — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 02:48:29 -0000

Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie - by a long way. To be ignored no longer, and destined for even greater things ;)

Re: Cameron ‘Porn’ Advisor’s website ‘hacked’ – Threatens/Libels Blogger

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 06:53:19 -0000

Personally I'm pleased you wrote this as it saved me from writing pretty much the same thing. Spot on.

Re: A Call to Boycott U.S. Tech Platforms Over the NSA's PRISM Surveillance

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 05:48:33 -0000

I've made all the points I can make :-)

Re: A Call to Boycott U.S. Tech Platforms Over the NSA's PRISM Surveillance

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 02:36:18 -0000

Gerd, I attest it *does* matter that one questions whether PRISM is all that's going on, along with the other 3 defining questions. The reason it matters is because once those thoughts have developed in an author's head, it is exceedingly unlikely the result would be the headline featuring 'A Call To Boycott U.S Tech Platforms'. Avoiding the real questions suggests the headline is linkbait and primarily in place for promotional reasons. Knowing you as I do I think it would be unfortunate if that were the interpretation buddy.

Re: A Call to Boycott U.S. Tech Platforms Over the NSA's PRISM Surveillance

Jonathan MacDonald — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 18:05:53 -0000

Gerd, we've been friends for quite a while but I have to mention my concerns here. However, I admire the fact you got HBR to publish anything of yours...I've been comprehensively rejected by them for years, so kudos :) As it happens, the nearest I got was to critique another article in a similar way here: http://www.jonathanmacdonal...

Anyway, my issue is that your perspective on this Prism saga is perhaps missing the larger points at play.

The way I see it is that the Prism saga is actually split into a four defining questions:

1. Is Prism all that is going on?

Assuming that Prism exists as reported, do you think it is a fair or complete portrait of what is actually happening in the surveillance and security world? When commenting on the situation we may be tempted to speak in finite terms - in other words, classing the Prism saga as the entire situation.

Some could argue that we only see leaked information that is allowed to be seen. Others could even argue that the Prism saga is designed for the bad guys to feel the heat, allowing a certain level of healthy paranoia amongst the innocent public. This point could follow the logic that those that are most guilty should be most concerned, but regardless the question still remains: do you think Prism is all that is going on?

2. Is surveillance necessary?

Here I'm referring to all types of 'snooping', 'spying' and 'monitoring' as surveillance. The judgement call one needs to make is whether a certain level of surveillance is necessary to ensure the security of our countries. There are many types of surveillance for different reasons, but in the context of the Prism saga this is allegedly surveillance of personal information.

Some could argue there is probably a line past which surveillance is an abuse of Civil Liberties but even if we assume there is a line in place, the question still remains: do you think surveillance is necessary?

3. Should the public know everything that is going on?

Many speak of total transparency but we should examine whether that would give us more or less comfort in the security of our countries. If you think we should have the basic human right to know, it is worth considering whether it would genuinely benefit our lives.

Some could argue that our level of happiness is partly due to knowing as much as we feel comfortable knowing. Even though some would claim that ignorance is sometimes bliss, the question still remains: should the public know everything that is going on?

4. Do you have faith or trust in the people who look after our security?

Many people think the Government run the country. Others think it is rich business people or perhaps a Royal family or two. Depending on your version, the Latin phrase "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" (Who will guard the guards themselves?) springs to mind. Wherever you feel the control is, the level of faith or trust in that control is a major factor in forming a position on the Prism saga.

Some could argue that the surveillance itself isn't as much of an issue as how the information is used and by whom. It may be that the bigger picture is far more ugly or more positive, if we were to know who was pulling the strings. We could try and logically work it out, or prefer to believe in a certain version, but either way the question still remains: do you have faith or trust in the people who look after our security?These are the 4 defining questions (as I've also posted here: http://www.jonathanmacdonal.... This isn't to do with the the USA being an 'enemy', nor is it about making a judgement on answers that only each individual can decide. I think it is dangerous to approach a country Ad Hominem where we all, me included, are blatantly ignorant of the facts.

Re: Thom Yorke albums pulled from Spotify - artists paid 'f*ck all', says Godrich

Jonathan MacDonald — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 01:35:29 -0000

When I exited the music industry my parting shot as a senior exec was that everything is changing and we need to find new models that work. The Music Industry Manifesto sums it up: http://www.musicindustryman...

Re: Unplug Your Weekend Or Ruin Your Life

Jonathan MacDonald — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 07:06:08 -0000

Well said and good timing pre-weekend! The need to unplug is pandemic. The amount of distraction we have is critically limiting our ability to discover and/or do what we really care about. I also address it in this TED talk: http://tedxtalks.ted.com/vi...

Re: Think Your Office Is Soulless? Check Out This Amazon Fulfillment Center

Jonathan MacDonald — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 08:51:46 -0000

I get the reasoning behind this article. The fear of a soul-free future is something I also share, however I find it a stretch to frame this warehouse operation in the same category. What Amazon have done presents what could be seen as best-in-class in terms of efficiency and process. I know several Fortune 10 companies who have pretty much identical ambitions and systems. I think we the argument made would have been even more powerful if it separated the loss of human jobs to robots away from a crystal clean super-efficient factory line process which, if you were running a factory line process, you'd probably aspire to in all honesty.

Re: Little Data Makes Big Data More Powerful

Jonathan MacDonald — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:35:54 -0000

I agree and would welcome the chance to co-author a piece on it with you, as currently the topic is largely overlooked..

Re: Little Data Makes Big Data More Powerful

Jonathan MacDonald — Sun, 05 May 2013 03:26:03 -0000

Good post Mark. I believe it's vital to point out the value in the smaller information to at least try and add context to the hype around big data - especially for those who seek to use data for commercial advantage.

For those I think it's also worth bringing another perspective into the mix and that is of the levels of accuracy involved. This is directly to the point you end with regarding telling customers more about themselves.

The common opinion is that info published is reality and the publisher has real-life attributes. The reality is largely different of course - not that many in advertising, marketing and research would like it highlighted.

Rather than ramble on here, I've written about it below in case it's of value: http://www.jonathanmacdonal... and here: http://www.jonathanmacdonal...

Re: Guys Like This Could Kill Google Glass Before It Ever Begins

Jonathan MacDonald — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:35:55 -0000

Recently I sat opposite +Robert Scoble who was wearing Google Glasses and as we spoke he made a gesture on the Glass frame that may or may not have taken a picture or recorded the subsequent conversation. Alternatively he may have checked an incoming message, been toying with his new gadget or all of the above.

Knowing him a little bit I'm not actually concerned either way as he isn't a sociopath. Plus, everything I may have said to him I'd be comfortable with being on the record.

Either way, the Google Glass privacy subject has become a debate...to a mass debate level.

Without commenting on any particular commentators (other than Scoble who has treated me and others with ongoing respect) the debate is now centred around whether a wearable technology (in this case Google Glass) is capable of recording private lives and is that OK? What does it mean and is privacy over? Etc.

On one side of the debate there's an argument that we now live in public and should assume everything is recorded, on the other there's an argument that our lives are mainly mundane and there's no point in recording our pointless existence.

To add a dimension to the Google Glass privacy debate, there's an argument that the technology isn't capable of being as sneaky as we fear, however some also argue it already is.

At the time of writing the debate of Google Glass and privacy is gaining such momentum it has reached a point where the commentary is so nuanced it may be hard to historically un-pick the context of what was (is) being said.

So here's a de-noise of the Google Glass privacy debate. For the record.

As of May 2013 the debate has inadvertently transcended into two of Aristotles non linguistic fallacies.

Yes, the conversation itself is fundamentally flawed in its reasoning. Here's how:

1. *The Non Sequitur*

This is also known as 'Affirming the Consequent" and is an incorrect assumption where A means B so B must mean A.

"If I'm in London then I'm in England so if I'm in England then I'm in London"

Put into the context of Google Glass:

"If privacy can be exploited with Google Glass then Google Glass exploits privacy"

2. *Secundum Quid Et Simpliciter*

This is also known as 'In Certain Respect' and is an incorrect assumption based on A being an attribute of B so therefore A is an attribute of C.

"There is money in my pocket, so there is always money in my pocket"

Put into the context of Google Glass:

"If Google Glass can't record private conversations easily today then it's not a risk to privacy in the future"

Due to these two fallacies the current argumentation is fruitless to follow and to reason.

In reality the Google Glass and Privacy question is a question of ethics.

Assuming it is possible, is it right to record data without the other person or entity knowing?

This singular question is purely subjective and contextual, thus infinite and non-conclusive.

As far as to whether Google Glass can be instructed to perform 'privacy invading stuff' now or in the future, the question remains in place regardless due to the fact that the product does not instruct the 'privacy invading stuff'.

The rest is noise, leaving only the ethical question as signal upon which to discuss, remembering there is no conclusion as each person's ethical values are individual.

Google Glass Privacy De-Noised.

Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

http://www.jonathanmacdonal...

Re: Google Glass Ban, will it be banned in Public? a privacy threat!

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:28:47 -0000

um...I get the gist of this, and I'm a big fan of identity protection and citizen rights...however, the point you're raising seems to be only vaguely linked to the glasses themselves.

Sure, anyone with a device who records you without you knowing is essentially 'breaching' your privacy, but then so is the holiday snapper whose photo you happen to be in. So are the street view cars, or the video blogger downtown. Then there's the people who get a phone out at a party and record people dancing.

I think we should take care not to knee-jerk a McCarthy witch hunt over a specific item that is, at best, around 70 physical centimeters away from another item that can do practically the same thing...and the point about whether people know or don't know, or that a phone is kept in your pocket until you need it, is a shaky start to an argument that shakes to death as the paragraphs progress.

Re: Evernote for Mac Update: Save Time with Quick Note

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:39:38 -0000

hmmm...if, like me, you just make text based lists then this is (at best) incremental innovation from what's possible already with google tasks (http://hints.macworld.com/a... - i'm a big fan of evernote but to be honest this is a nudge on the dial rather than the kind of progression i'd expect....but i guess the trunk is the place to look for that

Re: Big Data: Overhyped And Overpaid? - by Matt Asay

Jonathan MacDonald — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:33:47 -0000

For more reading Google the term 'big data disaster'

Re: Why Are Dead People Liking Stuff On Facebook? - by Bernard Meisler

Jonathan MacDonald — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:10:29 -0000

Great article. This realisation should be a warning sign for all industries toying with big data sets in social media. Do a Google search for this phrase 'the Fallacy of singular personas' for more on this..

Re: Big Data Is Not the New Oil

Jonathan MacDonald — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:20:39 -0000

Good post - I've been thinking along the same lines re ethics and data exploitation. Here's some supplementary thoughts: http://thejonathanmacdonald... and http://thejonathanmacdonald... and http://thejonathanmacdonald...

Re: Google Chrome Releases to Align Across Platforms; Including Android – Starting Next Year

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:06:00 -0000

I agree. Chrome has been a pain and is slower than Firefox on mobile and desktop in my opinion. The new Firefox beta is quicker still. Chrome doesn't just need to catch up with itself, it's competition is running faster still. In a fox-like manner. Bearing in mind of course that Mozilla incoporate a similar way to development as Android has - yet the Chrome 'experiments' aren't seemingly linked to improvement on the basics, like speed, reliability and compatibility - elements that are hygiene rather than nice-to-have.

Re: Google Chrome Releases to Align Across Platforms; Including Android – Starting Next Year

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:06:43 -0000

Re: Samsung open sources Galaxy S3 source code

Jonathan MacDonald — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:18:49 -0000

Wise words, especially the last sentence about not being hampered by open source. i wrote about that particular point in a piece called The Fallacy of Presumed Centralisation: http://www.jonathanmacdonal... - hope this adds to the conversation value

Re: Apple and the "Little Dutch Boy" Strategy

Jonathan MacDonald — Sat, 12 May 2012 11:36:27 -0000

I like the first comment here from Glenn (with a minor adjustment by me to spare blushes): Four options: Bad communicator doing good, good communicator doing good, bad communicator doing bad, bad communicator doing bad

I'm of the mind that the little Dutch boy analogy is in itself signifying a tendency to be reactive rather than pro-active. The ultimate way of fixing the analogy is to elevate oneself from being in a position to either redirect, reuse, or restrict the water at an earlier stage.

It seems that if an organisation is to be commentated on with regards to their ability to plug holes, one could argue a wider context is demanded with regards to their ultimate belief system and holistic purpose.

Then, under that circumstance, the analogy becomes moot.

Re: Altimeter Open Research Report: The Rise of Digital Influence

Jonathan MacDonald — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:53:33 -0000

...and in other news...the fallacy of presumed influence...http://www.jonathanmacdonald.com/?...

Re: Just In Case You Are Wondering

Jonathan MacDonald — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 18:19:20 -0000

I can assure you it means actual content :)

Such a shame people prefer the infographics though...

Re: Your Fill In The Blanks Social Media Bandwagon Blog Post

Jonathan MacDonald — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:40:13 -0000

nice one Dave and thanks Olivier for tweeting....only thing missing is an acronym that can be used as a buzz word and (critically) stands for something that is at least 30000 years old in terms of methodology (like WOM or some such...)

Re: It Is Within

Jonathan MacDonald — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:50:42 -0000

Great pointers - thanks buddy!

Disqus - Latest Comments for jonathanmacdonald

Re: Don’t Hate The Plug-and-Plays

Re: Weekend Rock Question: What&#039;s the Best Album of 2014 So Far?

Re: Cameron ‘Porn’ Advisor’s website ‘hacked’ – Threatens/Libels Blogger

Re: A Call to Boycott U.S. Tech Platforms Over the NSA's PRISM Surveillance

Re: A Call to Boycott U.S. Tech Platforms Over the NSA's PRISM Surveillance

Re: A Call to Boycott U.S. Tech Platforms Over the NSA's PRISM Surveillance

Re: Thom Yorke albums pulled from Spotify - artists paid 'f*ck all', says Godrich

Re: Unplug Your Weekend Or Ruin Your Life

Re: Think Your Office Is Soulless? Check Out This Amazon Fulfillment Center

Re: Little Data Makes Big Data More Powerful

Re: Little Data Makes Big Data More Powerful

Re: Guys Like This Could Kill Google Glass Before It Ever Begins

Re: Google Glass Ban, will it be banned in Public? a privacy threat!

Re: Evernote for Mac Update: Save Time with Quick Note

Re: Big Data: Overhyped And Overpaid? - by Matt Asay

Re: Why Are Dead People Liking Stuff On Facebook? - by Bernard Meisler

Re: Big Data Is Not the New Oil

Re: Google Chrome Releases to Align Across Platforms; Including Android – Starting Next Year

Re: Google Chrome Releases to Align Across Platforms; Including Android – Starting Next Year

Re: Samsung open sources Galaxy S3 source code

Re: Apple and the "Little Dutch Boy" Strategy

Re: Altimeter Open Research Report: The Rise of Digital Influence

Re: Just In Case You Are Wondering

Re: Your Fill In The Blanks Social Media Bandwagon Blog Post

Re: It Is Within

Re: Weekend Rock Question: What's the Best Album of 2014 So Far?