Disqus - Latest Comments for Martin Ringlein

Re: Twitter Could Save Your Life in a Disaster

Martin Ringlein — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:18:21 -0000

What is a "brilliant" idea worth if there is no realistic strategy for execution? Hey, how about a magic pill that stops disasters from happening in the first place?

Isn't one of the largest hurdles to this concept the issue of connectivity? Granted it was almost 7 years ago, but during 9-11, having a cell phone would be a great thought but was relatively useless to anyone in NYC and many in the Washington, D.C. area. The service providers can't sustain emergency disaster scenario where large amounts of individuals are trying to access at the same time.

Twitter during a school shooting is interesting (assuming the students use twitter), but Twitter for disaster on a large scale -- useless not because of Twitter but because of connectivity.

Re: Twitter Could Save Your Life in a Disaster

Martin Ringlein — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:13:10 -0000

Yeah ... in response to your title. The only lives that twitter is saving is that of the geek that can't "live" without it.

Andrew makes a great point ... if Twitter can't survive Jobs, how is it going to hold up against a real disaster.

People have been talking about the implementation of a Twitter like app since the UVA shootings ... again, worthless thought until there is some sustainable execution strategy. But hey, it gives us a reason to use the word "Twitter".

Re: The Epitome of Faux “Social Media Experts”

Martin Ringlein — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:13:33 -0000

I am with Kathleen -- well... I want to be believe that is the case, but the pessimistic side of me tells me she is legit.

I recently wrote about this very topic, The Social Media Expert Plague.

It seems more and more there is this emergence of two worlds colliding: those that are social on the web and those that profit from social activity on the web. I at least like that she is both building connections and using Twitter in the way it was intended. I get annoyed with the spammers that essentially use Twitter as an RSS feed and auto-twitter everything.

Hell, i am waiting for the application that auto-Twitters when I've twittered.

@mediaexpert represents a decline in the social web and this emerging force could be the death of open social media with a push to more closed door, invite-only applications that are slowly becoming more and more popular in the forum world. Forums will one of the first social media outlets and for the past decade have become so over saturated with noise that the best are now elitist invite-only environments.

Re: Virginia-Based My.com Launches Social Network

Martin Ringlein — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:09:08 -0000

Good domains don't make a good business plan.

Re: Clearspring Acquires AddThis

Martin Ringlein — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:48:45 -0000

I remember "AddThis" back in 2006; it definitely started to become a recognizable standard ... but the organization ultimately let it die and didn't have the relationships to have it implemented in the main stream at a fast enough pace to keep up with the evolving industry. I wonder if Clearspring can save it.

ShareThis is by far the new king of the hill within this space; that little green icon has become recognizable industry wide. Should be interesting for sure.

Re: The Collapse of the Conference Bubble

Martin Ringlein — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:41:05 -0000

I think the conference collapse is only in relation to this "social media"; which is proving to be less and less of a sustainable business model for these "social media experts" ... An Event Apart in Chicago just sold out; in record time.

When you have events like InterAct2008 hosted and presented by individuals who don't yet understand the industry their conference appeals too; failure is imminent. When conferences are more about being social and networking and less about learning and education; is it even a conference anymore?

Re: The Collapse of the Conference Bubble

Martin Ringlein — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:40:00 -0000

I like that you polled your audience, I think, like speaking at a conference, hosting a conference is about knowing your audience. Position yourself accordingly, set expectations and success will come from that.

Re: 44 Web Designers to follow on Twitter

Martin Ringlein — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:28:32 -0000

Oh man, if only it were top 45, I know I would have made the list (is what I tell myself to sleep at night).

Re: 44 Web Designers to follow on Twitter

Martin Ringlein — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:16:58 -0000

I agree with Bradley. This is just a "who's who" of the "cool" in hopes that they Twitter, comment or further spread the article around (all a part of the ego'ness Bradley had mentioned).

Carson doesn't mention why any of the above mentioned are worth following and some of the above mentioned are actually not that active on Twitter at all and provide no professional insight -- mostly personal.

Carson just listed "hey, here are really cool people and their Twitter accounts" -- not much of an article to me. The "what" is easy, but where is the "why" or the "how" you got to this list?

I think the overwhelming Twitter plug on this is what is making me more and more agree with Bradley.

Re: 2007/11/05/dc-mashmeet/

Martin Ringlein — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:44:57 -0000

This is awesome! The DC community has been growing at a ridiculous rate and events like this being in DC are terrific! Can't wait.

Re: 2008/04/16/stop-twitter-spam/

Martin Ringlein — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:33:28 -0000

@stopthespam is the problem. Using a "personal" social conversational tool as a loud speaker for their own organizational agenda. Regardless of the intent or subject matter; you are less about the conversation and more about self-promotion (promotion of anything is still promotion). You are using Twitter as a marketing/promotional forum. It isn't "what are you doing" ... it is "what are you complaining about that you want as many people as possible to know about"; which "sucks".

You want the masses to change user behavior and are upset because it "sucks" you have to change your behavior to help combat "your issue". Stop asking the masses to change and reach out to Twitter. They can help; perhaps adding an RSS feed for followers will keep you informed and not having to use email notifications.

Twitter Spam sucks, but the people with the largest voice are often times the largest problem.

Re: 2008/04/16/stop-twitter-spam/

Martin Ringlein — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:49:33 -0000

"If I piss off a few people like you along the way - so be it."

That is exactly what the Twitter spammer say! Walk like duck, talk like a duck, must be a?

I see all sides, I know you have good intentions, but it is like protesting to stop protesters. Or sending hate mail to stop someone from sending hate mail ... just adding to the problem.

Good luck in stopping Twitter spam -- it will be around longer than telemarketers. And people will keep picking up the phone and buying crap.

Re: Mashable and Blurb Announce SXSW Bash

Martin Ringlein — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:17:35 -0000

Wasn't there already a Blub part on the 16th at the Tap room and a Mashable Party on the 16th at Six Lounge? Are you just combining the two parties? Because having one less party than we were going to have doesn't sound like good news at all.

Re: SXSW09 Planning…and it’s still 08

Martin Ringlein — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:56:26 -0000

Great round-up of panels.

Also, that is awesome about co-working at SXSW -- I am excited to hear what you guys come up with. Let me know if I can help out in any way; I'm so envious of what you guys are doing up there in Philly.

Re: HugeType for the iPhone

Martin Ringlein — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:24:14 -0000

Thanks for the HugeType mention. We had a lot of fun building it ... and its been fun using it as well. Glad you like it!

Re: Crispin Porter + Bogusky Has No Integrity For Design

Martin Ringlein — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:54:14 -0000

I don't condone spec work; nor do I participate or seek it out myself.

However, I think a lot of designers fail to see why agencies use spec or seek it out. It isn't to get a polished result; none of us are that naive -- are you? Spec within agencies or organizations is often used as a cheap outsourced mechanism for creative brainstorming. A way to see what 100 other "designers" take on it might be -- who knows, there may or may not be a gem in there, but there will definitely be talking points. There are take-aways from what is stereotypical, what is "stock", what is "common" -- when 50% of the "designers" came up with the same concept, it is too basic of a concept, one worth avoiding.

Most often, spec work is used for the poor quality it produces -- to get the shit out of the way first to ensure an more efficient and productive working process for seasoned and talented designers getting paid fair to over-fair market value for their work.

I mean really, what is a $1,000.00 if it saves even 5 hours of creative brainstorming on common-place ideas; the obvious ideas and concepts that we all think of that are never the "perfect" solution.

Those that participate on spec are rarely any good; but that is an amazing "research" pool of obviously off-the-cuff ideas worth paying $1,000 for to have on a list of "what not to do".

Re: Crispin Porter + Bogusky Has No Integrity For Design

Martin Ringlein — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:13:56 -0000

@Peter,

Think about a usability test -- you bring in 10 people, give them $100 and free pizza. We don't take their opinions at face value; we use that knowledge as research when creating our solution. Now picture spec work in the same manner -- you get a hand full of designs and use that knowledge in the designs as research; not as the end solution.

The use of spec work really isn't about the cost savings of using a 'cheaper alternative' to a design solution. The use of spec work is about up-front research and testing (in the context of design among 'designers') to save time, thus money, when 'professional' designers actually tackle the issue to create the solution.

Spec work NEVER claims that just because you win your work will be used; there is a winner because there is a contest -- but rarely (among large agencies and organizations that use spec work) is the work that won the work that is actually used.

Re: Crispin Porter + Bogusky Has No Integrity For Design

Martin Ringlein — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:35:09 -0000

@Peter (I hope are back-and-forth isn't annoying anyone),

I agree with you -- I completely see both sides. I just *feel* that there is often times too much ignorance coming from the design community about "spec" and the nature of its true use (with respect to how larger organizations and agencies use it, most often).

Is the issue with the agency or with the "designers" using these platforms as a mechanism to make money? They are (often times) producing quick, non-thought-out, unorganized, unusable, aesthetically-challenged, visually-off-putting solutions that have the potential to be used inappropriately in the wrong hands.

If the lady at the grocery store offers me a free sample of an chicken nugget and asks me "what did you think" and if I reply with "needs more salt" -- no one is telling the company to add more salt to product because of my, one persons, take.

Spec should be used as research. Some organizations abuse that and some designers abuse that -- some would say, "thats life".

Re: Crispin Porter + Bogusky Has No Integrity For Design

Martin Ringlein — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:39:45 -0000

@Rachel,

I agree with you, I said in my first comment, "there may or may not be a gem in there".

But the research isn't happening from the "designers" on the spec site; so no "decent" wage required; they are the Guinea Pigs (or test subjects) -- the research happens when the professional designers (making a decent wage) take that input collect, process it and use it as a mechanism for designing a proper solution.

Think of it like a mood board. A social collective mood board from varying individuals who consider themselves to be knowledgeable in the subject of "design". You're not making the mood board; you're just the resource to its creation.

Re: Crispin Porter + Bogusky Has No Integrity For Design

Martin Ringlein — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:10:10 -0000

Sorry! I am done ranting.

@Peter, thanks for the great write-up and continued discussion.