Point - N - Click

In response to Steve Rubel’s question: “What feeds should be default in IE7 and Longhorn“, I like when programs give me a clearly-written option to install extra things, but otherwise leave everything plain-as-vanilla by default. I could see the question arise during installation (or even later) if I would enjoy the chance to select from several well-established RSS feeds across a small spectrum. Not too vast to blow-away the new user, but with some interesting categories. To me, a few selected feeds under headings such as these would be good:

• News
• Technology
• Politics / Government
  (does my city have an RSS newsfeed? How can I get more involved in my community?)
• Entertainment (Movies & Music)
• Living / Lifestyle / Travel
• Health
• …and maybe some light shopping links

Finally, I would love a well-written, easy-access audiovisual presentation from Microsoft explaining lightly what an RSS feed actually is, how to use them, why it’s valuable to the everyday user, and how to spot one. One thing is incredibly clear: when Microsoft wants to promote an idea or a concept, they do an exceptional job.

«soapbox»None of us fully know where RSS is going, but we know its very nature restricts confinement. Please, Microsoft, be a team-player in the larger RSS landscape on this one. Don’t try and cage it up or force it to obey you. Let the people choose. Just give us the tools and show us how to use them.«/soapbox»

At Steve Rubel’s suggestion, I am here, trying out Yahoo!360. I like social software, and this sure looks easy and simple enough to use.

More than anything, how extensible is the framework? Will I be able to trackback to other sites (and allow them to trackback to me?) Can I add my own HTML in the sidebar?

Bring it on, Yahoo! You’ve done a great job in the past, but don’t box me in too tightly, please!

See my trial at: http://360.yahoo.com/theloseweightguy

Seth Godin writes about our interesting, quirky sensitivity to certain things. He’s right:

Shark attack is like cancer. The phrase alone gets you to sit up and take notice, to have a sharp intake of breath, to hope that everything is okay.

Cancer kills about as many Americans as heart disease, but we react completely differently to news about a friend or a colleague with one disease or the other. We ostracize smokers but few people are serious enough about heart disease to become vegetarians… very different reactions to similar disease-causing lifestyle choices.

He goes on to explain that people’s perceptions of things often drive their value. “You may have the greatest thing ever,” he continues, “but if it doesn’t match a prevailing worldview in the market where you hope to tell your story, you’re invisible.” Very, very true.

This is why I like person-to-person marketing. This is why I like blogging and reading blogs. Because there’s more of what is and not as much of the “worldview” that Seth writes about. When it comes right down to it–if you really connect to the individual–real communication can happen and we can get on with our lives instead of stare in shock at the latest horrendous, cataclysmic event.

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