People can get tech information anywhere...Back to the fight...

"Technology is so common and is a commodity that you can get the information, tools and support you need anywhere." I have begun to hear this quote more and more, it disturbs me greatly!

Yes there is a portion of technology that can be treated as a commodity, but what about the strategy and making sure it is meeting the needs of your organization. The national nonprofit I work for is considering not offering technology information or resources from it's national office. They think that the local affiliates (branches, orgs whatever you call them) can get the tech advice they need from anyone, why should we offer specific resources beyond that?

My response is, "Please wait a second while I try to contain the pressure in my head before instantaneous combustion." Just kidding, well sort of.

Then I gather my thoughts and say, a tool is more effective when used properly and is as only as good as the person using it. Technology is a tool that has much more power and potential when correctly adapted to the intended purpose with a careful strategy.

So what use can we, as IT staff, add beyond keeping the "Commodity" running? Well we have a unique perspective on how to achieve the mission and our goals through the better use of our people, process and tools. We can add value by identifying ways of leveraging the newest and already existing tools to make the dreams of others a reality.

But hey what do I know, maybe they are right, technology is simple, just write it off.

Web 2.0, is it destroying the arts and media?

I have no idea how I feel about this article, but it was so weird to read and try to keep up with the thoughts behind it. HMM.....

Web 2.0
The second generation of the Internet has arrived. It's worse than you think.
by Andrew Keen

As good as being there?

Gavin Clabaugh writes about whether virtual can replace in person and I agree, but I do wonder. Recently TechSoup and a bunch of others launched the nonprofit commons within Second Life, but I found it interesting that they hosted a live group in their office as well.

So I have seen a trend of mixing the virtual with the in person. I dont forsee virtual replacing that live in-person conference anytime soon. But what if groups like NTEN helped facilitate mixed adventures. Groups would gather into smaller groups at a central location (driving or public transportation, not flying) in cities all across the country, then they would dial into the national event together. So you would meet the regional people, still have in-person contact, but participate in a national event. YES, there are still limitations, but maybe that would help fill the gap between that long year waiting for the next NTEN NTC. (although there webcasts seem to be working for that too)

It is amazing to me that with all of these advances in technology, that you can still share a lot more information in person, with a couple simple words, a strong handshake, a smile and a wink than with an email, webcast or any other technology....

New, Only 4 geeks, want it, need it, hate it

I was doing some digging for a presentation about what is new in technology and what works within my organization when I realized an interesting cycle that things seem to go through. I doubt I am the first to see this, but here is my thought.

When a new (soon to be useful) tool comes out, people are excited cause it's new. But often only the true geeks run out and get it at first. Then examples come out about how useful or effective it is. Then everybody wants it. Then somewhere along the lines it transforms from want to need, but very quickly after need, it seems to build a growing group of people who hate it.

For example the telephone. The first people got one, but had noone to call. Then the number grew. More people wanted it. Then it was a need. Now I hate answering the phone cause it is just another sales man or I am just busy doing nothing.

Email - loved it till spam and overload
Internet - loved it till too many ads and porn
Even good old snail mail is useless - ads and bills
Cell phones - Love the freedom, but they can find me anywhere
Television - Fun, but nothing to watch on over a million channels
Electricity - need it for everything hate paying for it
Computers - Awesome, but do I have to spend so much time on them

But then as I thought that through, it is not the technology that is to blame for us eventually hating it. But then during that hate or need it phase, there always seems to be a push for change or invention\innovation of the next big thing.

Applying this back to the theme of my blog though. How does this apply to my nonprofit being successful for so long without pushing technology? Well many of our orgs have the same approach of we will wait till others already do it. Our organization is a people to people org so the drive to be cutting edge tech probably will never happen. But since we have had this wait and see approach while the rate of tech change has exponentially increased we have missed the boat a few times over.

Anyway, hope to be able to post next week. In the meantime here is a funny (if youre a geek) article about robots:
http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/robots/dn8490

Anonymous on Facebook? just for fun

Taking a break from any real content or post this week to share that I am now anonymous on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=663365016&ref=mf.

I joined the NTEN and NPTech groups and made a friend already, Deborah Elizabeth Finn the Cyber-Yenta herself of the ISF. Thanks Deborah, I only wish my blog was as amazing as yours.

Interested to see if an anonymous presence on Facebook will expand who reads this random blog.

Other Random cool things to share:

Using Facebook and MySpace for Advocacy and Fundraising: An interview with Carie Lewis, HSUS - cool blog entry from Wild Apricot

Not sure this is cool at all or even ok that someone so popular is giving in to so much advertising and PR work, but Guy Kawaski does a Facebook Friday with a new app each week.