Disqus - Latest Comments for Ken Camp

Re: Funny predictions for 2008… from the blogosphere

Ken Camp — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:23:53 -0000

Actually I've been using Skype since two months after it was released. I use it almost every day at this point. I'm almost always online on Skype somewhere or another. I'm just not always visible. The truth is that Sheryl and I typically have a Skype channel open between us about 6 hours a day.

Re: Influencing the political process for advancment of technology

Ken Camp — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 09:40:40 -0000

Richard, didn't know if you'd make it back to see my response to yout thoughtful comments or not, so I dropped over here. I'll copy my comment from those comments back here. I confess that I don't often talk to people I feel really understand the nuance of all the technical, social and political issues surrounding the evolution of telecom-related technologies. As a result, I often shoot from the hip, and my thoughts don't come out fully developed or quite as intended. The post you commented on is surely one of those. Anyway, here's what I said over there.

First to Netheads and Bellheads. I agree the terms both carry negative connotations. But theyre well understood. I could have said circuit-switchers and packet-switchers, but thats less valid. I could have said telecommuncations industry (even using legacy) and ISPs, but thats not really valid and overlooks all the CLECs crushed by the telcos. I picked those terms because they create a specific perception, although youre right, I could have done better.

Interesting also because I dont know which I am 17 years with AT&T living through divestiture firsthand. Really odd because I built and managed the largest StarLAN anyone had ever seen on the planet for a time. Yes, 1 Mbps coaxial. Back in the day. Ive been a system architect for voice and dat netwotrks, packet and circuit. I full appreciate Erlang-B traffic measures, the busy hour and the nuance of voice systems, but Ive designed global packet networks too. In a sense I am neither Bellhead or Nethead, or some hybrid of the two in some fashion.

I agree that today the people I mentioned, Jeff Pulver, David Isenberg and Tom Evslin are as much mouthpieces and marketers of a cause as anything else. Although David did work in a technical role in Bell Labs years ago. I use them as examples of voices crying out for change. And I feel they sometimes cry out too much rather than bring about change by engaging in the process. That was my real point.

Technologist who view the big picture and see through the sham of net neutrality and such, need to be encouraged to act as influencers in the politics of the telecommunications environment more. The telcos of old know how to influence politics to their benefit. They do it every day. The other side, (are they the progressives of technologoy with the major telcos being the fundamentalists?), seems too often to try and influence change by talking louder. We, the Netheads for lack of a better term, doa lousy job of teaching courting, and leading the political power base where we want them to be. It seems to easy to stand on the sidelines of politics and shriek you just dont get it in their direction. Easier than engaging and changing how they think.

Ok,its still early here and I havent quite worked ou tmy thoughts. Need more coffee and have a meeting to run to. I want to think on this some more. One of these days Ill articulate my thoughts more clearly.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment and give me something to noodle around with. I really appreciate it.

Re: Influencing the political process for advancment of technology

Ken Camp — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 23:44:48 -0000

Thanks Richard. I don't want to paste the response I just left back here as I feel like I'm spamming duplication. I just skimmed the comments about SMS and need to read them thoroughly and go check that other link mentioned.

SMS is so interesting because in many ways it demonstrates how backward we are in the US, especially the adult population. When SMS takes off here, it wll be huge. It's already a huge global market with revenues that the IM folks just won't ever see.

Re: The consequences of leaving a word out

Ken Camp — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 21:35:54 -0000

Richard,

I don't often comment on net neutrality because it's become a rather boring issue of flogging for me. Your comment at the end - It’s the height of arrogance for people unschooled in packet network engineering to denounce engineers for telling the truth, but that arrogance is the essence of net neutrality advocacy. - struck a chord because it's an argument I've had with some of those folks more than once. It's also an argument they quickly back away from. I've given up on pointing out their misconceptions because banging my head on that wall merely gives me a headache.

Mostly just wanted to say thanks for keeping a view of reality in the discussion. I think it's a pointless discussion and a lose-lose proposition. I wish it would just face away myself.

Re: Share YOUR Social Networking Success Stories

Ken Camp — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:59:37 -0000

Chris,

I have a social networking success story that I can't share broadly right now. It's sort of a special event that's going to happen at VON. That's one reason I sked if you were going to VON. But it once that happens it will be widely shared. ;-)

Re: Share YOUR Social Networking Success Stories

Ken Camp — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:03:50 -0000

I'll b e doing a short talk at VON.x in San Jose on Real World Impact of Social Media. it will be on multiple live-streams via QIK (I think 4 at this point). The talk will demonstrate a real world example of a success story, and there will be more to follow afterwards.

Re: Is Web 2.0 a Bubble?

Ken Camp — Sat, 19 Nov 2005 21:56:44 -0000

ceejayoz, that would be the Dense Definition Web. Because from there we could move up to the Ultra Dense Definition Web.

Re: Microsoft releases WMF update

Ken Camp — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 21:36:56 -0000

Kudos to Microsoft for going forward with a release out of cycle from the "patch Tuesday" routine. That was warranted. But as much credit goes to SANS for the pressure on Microsoft to do this. If SANS hadn't been as vocal about it, it would not have rolled early. SANS reputation added pressure to Microsoft to perfom, and kudos to MS for stepping up and showing they can when the pressure is on.

Re: TechMeme not going for most linked blogs anymore

Ken Camp — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:05:33 -0000

I've never felt Techmeme added value. It was simply a noise aggregator. This just bears out that opinion.

Re: Nokia vs. iPhone - The Real Problem

Ken Camp — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:29:26 -0000

The iPhone is a revolutionary disruption to be sure. It disrupted the iPod market and put every potential buyer of a high-end iPod on hold. Apple disrupted their own revenue chain. The iPhone is an interesting new twist on the iPod and by the way, it can make phone calls if you agree to lock in to a two year contract with a single carrier.

The iPhone isn't disruptive to the telecom industry on the whole. It isn't even a blip on the industry's radar. It's a marginal sidetrack for mobile handset providers. And while the interface is slick and will re-energize interest in PDAs, which have touch screens, as opposed to smartphones that don't. It will fill a niche and it will lead to some new evolutionary re-introductions of things like touch screens. Then again, my N800, paired with damn near any bluetooth phone has a touch screen.

Evolutionary. Mildly interesting, but ephemeral and not revolutionary in any way. I've said that since the day it was introduced. I won't be queeuing up to get another device to clutter the desk drawer two months after I bought it.

I'm sure it will do well. Then I expect some backlash. Just doesn't impress me a whole lot.