DanThornton

Tech, Geekery, Pop Culture, Miscellaneous

Is it goodbye to Ello, another niche network gone?

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I’ve never invested a huge amount of time into Ello, a social network for creatives which launched in 2014. But I did appreciate the idea of a community which promised to never show adverts or sell user data, and found an audience for some of my personal projects.

Even if it was funded by VCs from the start, which always seemed like a potential issue for the future. Particularly as it explored selling merchandise, affiliate revenues, collaboration and hiring options, and other ideas to bring in revenue before it was eventually acquired by Talenthouse in 2018. And seemingly shut recently in 2023, with an error message on the homepage, and the status page inaccessible for a few days.

Is it goodbye to Ello, another niche network gone?

I’m old enough to remember a time when social networks were springing up like daisies on a Spring lawn. Particularly in the ‘microblogging’ era of Twitter competitors launching on an almost weekly basis, and then being cut down regularly by the need to actually generate some kind of profit rather than growth metrics.

It’s why there’s a nostalgic, early-web feel to the current 2023 resurgence of Twitter alternatives as a billionaire turns it into a right wing bin fire. I don’t have any problem with someone having different political views to my own, or polite and respectful debate based on facts, but that’s very different to endless Blue Tick spam and pile-ons.

It’s also why I’m wary of committing much time and effort into any new social network with VC funding and investors. The need for financial returns means the timeline to carve out revenue against the big players will be limited by the requirement for payouts or acquisition. I’m not judging anyone who needs money to run their service, but it adds an extra challenge from the start.

The Fediverse gives me some hope for the future, whether it’s Mastodon, Pixelfed, Calckey, or something new being built on a federated system which means you’re not relying on a single point of failure due to an acqusition, or funding disappearing etc.

But it’s also why you should self-host your central identity. You should back up any of your valuable content, and anything you want to refer back to from other people. And ultimately, the internet is an ephemeral as a Snapchat message or Instagram Story, just over a longer period due to link rot, domains expiring, or storage limits running out.

It’s why physical objects haven’t disappeared, and vinyl, film cameras, diaries and notebooks continue to sell (and see various resurgences and sales growth). There’s been a return to physical communities after pandemic lockdowns and restrictions, and maybe that’ll continue. Hopefully with the right measures in place so that the vulnerable, immuno-compromised and anyone concerned about the growing number of problems associated with Covid infection can attend safely.

But it’s also why I still get a little sad whenever an online community or network closes, especially without warning and the chance for anyone to export their content or transfer their communities elsewhere.

Update July 4th, 2023:

Strangely, Ello appears to be back up and running, with no information or acknowledgement of the downtime. So it may have been a temporary technical glitch or error, which isn’t particularly reassuring for anyone who is investing lots of time and effort into creating and sharing content there.

But it’s definitely good news if you had anything on there which you wanted to back up and avoid losing forever.

Update July 27th, 2023:

And it’s gone again…

A Social Media Filter Bubble Is OK Right Now…

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The idea of a filter bubble has spread over recent years. It was first coined by Eli Pariser and became the title of his 2011 book on the subject, explaining how algorithms on search and social media sites can mean we get served things we already agree with.

And generally that’s a bad thing if you want to be able to see the whole of an issue, and experience counter-viewpoints. Otherwise, you can find yourself in an echo chamber with only people and sources who share your views, and in some cases that can lead to all sorts of problems with potentially fake or dangerous opinions being amplified.

There’s a lot of writing available looking at the effects of personalised recommendations, along with academic research and a lengthy Wikipedia page to start from.

Typically as a writer, occasional journalist, blogger and fan of losing myself in endless research, I’d agree with the view that being in a filter bubble will have a negative impact on your information about the world around you, and possibly cause you to cling onto things which are proven rubbish. And I’ve seen enough articles and studies of radicisation to realise there are real risks to being cocooned withing a specific ideology.

A Social Media Filter Bubble Is OK Right Now...
A Social Media Filter Bubble Is OK Right Now…

But these aren’t normal times. And I’ve already found that one of the best ways to lower stress, and cope more positively with the current pandemic lockdown is to remove myself from the 24/7 news cycle.

Once a day, I’ll check a couple of reasonably reputable news websites, and flick through the latest advice from the NHS and relevant medical organisations. That takes about 10 minutes, and means I can avoid the constant repetition of flimsy factual reporting that makes the basis for most TV and online journalism at the moment.

And that has definitely helped.

Sadly what I can’t avoid is social media. It’s a big part of my work for research, networking, and sharing various things I’m involved with. And despite the fact most of my networks are based around friends and shared professional or leisure interests, that doesn’t stop pandemics and politics rearing their ugly heads.

I’ve tried engaging with politics via social media for several years. And come away realising that it’s better for my mental health if I just raise the funds to spend on targetted social media advertising instead if I want to change anyone’s opinion.

Meanwhile am I really going to benefit from the coronavirus medical knowledge and opinions of someone who works in retail, marketing, as an estate agent or builder? Only if what they’re sharing specifically applies to the industry they’re in, which isn’t usually the case.

I’ve never unfriends or blocked people for having differing views to me on social media. Often I’ve been intrigued to find out what led to their opinions, and why they feel so strongly in a particular way.

But not now. I’ve got the energy to keep working (especially as somehow we’re ineligible for pretty much all support), looking after myself and my girlfriend, and virtually keeping close to family and friends. If that means deleting, blocking or muting people who insist on posting conspiracy theory memes, opinion-based rants, or grabbing the chance to troll and attack anyone they feel like, then I think a social media filter bubble is OK right now…

(Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash)

Awesome books in the Amazon Spring Sale

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I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. When I was young, my parents and some of my teachers did a lot to encourage me, and part of my routine as a child was to spend an hour or more engrossed in a book before I went to sleep.

It’s been vitally important in becoming a better writer, marketer and communicator. And I’m constantly being tempted and encouraged by the combination of a Kindle and Amazon’s one-click purchase and delivery over wifi. I still enjoy browsing bookstores and comic book shops when I get the chance, but having almost instant access to such a wide variety of niche topics and authors still amazes me.

Looking at my purchases over the years since I was given a Kindle, I’ve noticed the price point for impulse purchases tends to be around the £3 mark. I’ll sometimes pay more for an eBook if it’s something particularly useful for work, or accept the short wait for a secondhand print edition, but I usually can’t justify paying much larger amounts for something which I know costs almost nothing to store and transmit.

So I’m always interested in Kindle deals and sales – and the current Spring Sale which runs until April 4th has some brilliant books in in which I thought were worth highlighting as they cover business, marketing, motivation and also inspirational fiction. I’ve marked the ones I bought earlier this week to read, the ones I’ve already consumed, and the ones I’ve owned for a while and recommend.

 

Already Owned: Pattern Recognition by William Gibson – £1.99

I’m a big fan of science fiction, especially as it often informs the approach technologists take to the future. And William Gibson is the legendary author of a number of cyberpunk classics which have certainly had an influence on hackers, techies and innovation.

But Pattern Recognition is based in the current day, which makes it far more accessible to anyone turned away by the idea of science fiction. It still integrates the use of present and imminent tech in a fairly fast-moving tale which contains the usual Gibson level of detail when describing objects and surroundings. It’s the Otaku level of descriptions which I love, whether it’s street in London, an item of clothing or a piece of antique technology. And it’s just £1.99 for the Kindle Edition in the sale.

Pattern Recognition by William Gibson – £1.99

 

Already Owned: Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson – £0.99

I was lucky enough to be sent a copy of this when it was published by Seth Godin’s The Domino Project. It was particularly appreciated as I studied American Literature for my degree, and Emerson was obviously a notable part of that.

All of the Domino Project books were designed to be relatively short, to allow you to read them quickly. But also to have long-lasting effects on how you think and act, especially with regards to motivation and business. The fact that Self-Reliance was written almost 200 years ago hasn’t changed the insight and inspiration contained in it, and this edition includes relevant quotes about the effect of the book by various industrial and influential people since. And it’s less than £1.

Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson – £0.99

 

Just Finished: The Liberation of Loch Fyne Oysters by David Erdal – £0.99

I picked this up for three reasons. The first is that I’ve dined in one of the first Loch Fyne Restaurants, as it’s in Oundle near Peterborough, so I recognised the name. Secondly, it covers the history of the firm from founding and particularly when it became an employee owned company. And thirdly, it was less than a quid.

The author is head of a partnership that was set up to assist employee owned companies, and is able to provide a wealth of context around the Loch Fyne example, including other employee-owned businesses throughout the years, the benefits, and the pitfalls. It may seem easy to become employee owned, go open source, or latch onto other similar concepts, but it’s certainly no guarantee of success without a  lot of hard work and most importantly, a change in mindset. Well worth reading as a very human introduction to the concept for any business owner.

The Liberation of Loch Fyne Oysters by David Erdal – £0.99

 

Currently Reading: Organizations Don’t Tweet, People Do by Euan Semple – £2.19

I was quite surprised to see this available for such a cheap price as it was released fairly recently by Euan, who I’m pleased to say I’ve met and chatted with a lot online. I recommend keeping an eye on his blog, The Obvious? in addition to picking up this book. Having worked in a senior role at the BBC, he’s since consulted with a range of large businesses on the introduction and integration of social media tools.

I’ve only just started reading the book itself, but it follows the same style as Euan expresses in person and on his site – it’s about the people and approach you take, rather than the choice of specific social media tool. Thinking about your business needs and objectives in the right way, and the right approaches means you can cope with the constant changes in technology in a calm and positive way.

Organizations Don’t Tweet, People Do by Euan Semple – £2.19

 

To Read:

How to Create a Mind: The Secret of Human Thought Revealed by Ray Kurzeil – £2.09
The future involves a far greater integration between computer AI and human endeavour. And as an author, inventor, futurist and current Director of Engineering at Google, Kurzweil has been long recognised as one of the most insightful and influential people in this area. I honestly can’t wait to read this one!

Digital Disruption: Unleashing the Next Wave of Innovation by James McQuivey – £0.99

James McQuivey is a VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester. And picking up this book for less than a pound is definitely cheaper than buying a Forrester report! Plus the blurb on the Amazon page picks out some interesting examples of disruption from the book covering some wildly different industries, which is always a great way to become inspired.

Finance for Non-Financial Managers: In a Week: Teach Yourself by Roger Mason – £1.99

There’s definitely a balance in running a business between awareness of every important aspect, and bringing in the right resources to take care of areas which aren’t your strength, or become time sinks. I’m well aware that I’ll probably never become an accountant, and the finest detail of our finances require specialist help – my time is better spent elsewhere.

At the same time, as a business owner, I need to understand and be comfortable with all the financial requirements, and know what’s going on at any point in the process – and be able to dig into the finer detail as needed. So I’m always looking for resources which can help me to overcome any gaps in my knowledge, and reluctance to step away from the creative side to ensure that my business is stable and able to grow effectively.

 

There are hundreds of other books in the sale, and I’d love to know your thoughts on any that you pick up and read, or anything I’ve missed from the list above.