Open peer-to-peer markets

Business Software Development 4 Comments

The following is a crude, first attempt to try and define a way for an online market to operate that is entirely decentralized (i.e. there is no central exchange).

In addition to describing some of the mechanisms that would allow such a market to operate, I am also calling for a) the establishment of a foundation or industry association to ensure that standards are created for the necessary systems, and b) the voluntary acceptance of some level of regulation (i.e. government) by the virtual market community. I’ll make cases for both below. Continue reading →

Currency as incentivation

Business Software Development 1 Comment

I was going to write a short article on some of the challenges that face virtual currencies in order to obtain main street acceptance, along with some possible solutions. Some of the possible solutions turned out to be interesting, and highly “disruptive” business models, and its a bit premature to discuss them in an open forum. Continue reading →

The three phases of the internet

Software Development Technology 4 Comments

Forget what some people are calling Web3.0.

The first phase of the internet involved taking real world information, and moving it into a digital, connected format – i.e. making web pages.

The second phase of the internet involved taking that newly minted digital stuff, and bringing humanity into the picture (i.e. web pages that are “social”).

The third phase of the internet will involve taking “stuff” that was originally digital, and making it “live” in the real world. All that mobile phone geo-location stuff is just a tiny (and honestly, not very interesting) part of that.

Addendum:

The fourth phase of the internet is already upon us as well, and interestingly enough its as much about hardware as software. This phase involves breaking the physical constraints of the internet and allowing it to work seamlessly through ad-hoc, peer-to-peer, wireless networks (i.e. there’s no ISP and no phone company involved, except maybe for the long lines). This also involves replacing TCP/IP with DTN – especially if humanity is going to do anything useful in the rest of the solar system.

The danger of lock-in

Business Software Development 2 Comments

Lock-in refers to a situation where prior decisions make it very difficult to change things later on. Lock-in exists in many areas, but it is in the technical sphere where it is often felt the hardest. A bad decision today can literally make life difficult for oneself – and many, many others – for a great many years. Continue reading →

All the gold in the world

Business 5 Comments

I don’t claim to fully understand the economic rationale behind the fierce arguments in the US at the moment regarding gold-backed currencies. A number of very smart people have weighed in on each side. The point I wanted to make is a bit different though; it likely is not original, but I can’t find a source right now. Continue reading →

Disintermediation!

Business 2 Comments

There’s nothing new about disintermediation – the removal of intermediaries in business. Its part of the age old battle between middlemen and those who wish to cut them out of the picture. The internet was supposed to cause disintermediation on a large scale, but all it did was redraw the battle lines a bit.

The reason I mention the word is because I’ve been brainstorming business models with a client lately, and we’ve come up with some doozies. Not the usual groceries direct stuff. I’m talking chunks of the financial industry. We’re willing to do coffee with interested parties…

Strategy for Facebook (Part 2)

Business Social Media No Comments

For part 1 of this article, see here.

In part 1, we looked at some of the issues that may effect Facebook’s future growth and profitability, as well as some of the strategic decisions they could make to counter them. Continue reading →

Strategy for Facebook (Part 1)

Business Social Media No Comments

As Facebook gets closer to an IPO (and corporate maturity), we’re starting to get a clearer picture of where they are aiming, and what their actual competitive landscape looks like.

The recent (silly) spat with Google is an indication that they view the folks in Mountainview as their primary competitor, but there are also other, less visible tensions – for instance the difficult that they’re having in persuading app companies to adopt Facebook Credits. These are likely to come to the foreground as Facebook strives to increase its revenue (and profitability) once it goes public.

Continue reading →

Interesting developments in addressability

Technology No Comments

I just spotted the following article via slashdot that discusses manufacturers starting to give each and every lightbulb that they produce an IPv6 address.

Its an interesting development in something that I talked about a few years back (see here).

I think eventually virtually everything will have an IP address. Whether that is a good or bad thing is an entirely different question.