Taking a page of from Jason Calacanis’s book, here are some random thoughts I had while drinking a Leffe Blonde Ale.
- Good customer service and customer experience is such an important aspect of a good business. Recently, I’ve had these various experiences with companies like AT&T, Zip Car, and American Express. I leave feeling so good about the companies. I feel so good that I wanna tell my friends about it. I quickly become an evangelist for the companies and for the people behind the businesses.
- It’s one thing to have a great and innovative idea but its an entirely different thing to have an innovative idea that non early adopters are able to wrap their heads around. It’s so important to be using a metaphor that works well with everyone.
- When you’re running an online community, you have to set the example. You have to be the party organizer. You have to talk to everyone and greet everyone.
- I’m starting to use Digg some more. I’m not really sure what’s been different about it. Maybe my expectations have changed. The site has changed quite a bit. It has matured a little bit.
- I kind of agree with Steve Ballmer. I think that Facebook is a fad. BUT BUT BUT… i don’t think social networking is a fad.
- I don’t think cable tv is done yet. I wanted to think it was. I spent a year without Cable TV. Watching TV on the computer is just not the same. I now have Cable TV again. I think with rev 2 or rev 3 of the Apple TV everything could change. First, the price needs to come down and it needs to be compatible with standard def tv’s.
- To continue on the future of tv, if Joost were to do a deal with Tivo and put Joost on Tivos that could be HOT.
Oatmeal Stout - Justin Thorp's blog 
1. doing the *expected* thing is far cheaper and vastly superior to any advertising.
2. yeah. Imagine a baker saying you can’t use our products to make toast without a license.
3. communities are hard, but work on 1. and 2. and they’ll do the rest
4. Love Diggnation! Saw it recorded last night. I most never use the site.
5. Rule: never agree with Steve Balmer. He’s the fad.
6. kill yout TV.
7. Joost needs 2. Imagine the mashups you could do if they weren’t so closed down. Looking at the people involved, I can only imagine they’re cooking something really cool up.
I do some of my best thinking over a beer, point three is becoming very obvious to me, but there is a danger of overdoing, not everyone in a community needs their hand holding. Communities grow and peer respect can mean a lot more
Steve Ballmer’s rationale seems to be hollow. The core of the claim revolves around Facebook only appealing to a certain segment of the population. Ergo facebook is a fad. However, this runs up against 2 core realities:
1) Niche marketing does make something a fad. Most marketing folks would beg to disagree with that premise.
2) His argument would mean that cartoons or kids toys are fads.
3) Marketers, app developers, and other communities now want Facebook to succeed. Facebook seems to get lots of media love too.
With an open (API) platform, Facebook is positioned to dominate competitors in the Social Networking market.
The larger question is how Facebook will compete (or collaborate with) with Google.