Category: tech

Free Web Advice: TalkTalk

Ten days ago I got a cold-call from TalkTalk. They called me on a number which is registered with the TPS and I have no existing business relationship with them so they should not have called that number. In this situation most people, and this includes me, will probably just be mildly rude to the… Continue reading Free Web Advice: TalkTalk

Free Web Advice: VirginMedia

I’m not a web designer, but I’ve been working in this industry since before there were web sites so I like to think I know a bit about what does and doesn’t work as far as web site usability goes. It’s mainly the stuff which doesn’t work that stands out. And there’s so much of… Continue reading Free Web Advice: VirginMedia

Social Networking 101

If you have a blog and a Twitter account then it’s nice to feed your tweets onto the front page of your blog. It can be an effective way to let your friends see what you’re saying in both places. If, however, you later delete your Twitter account then it’s probably a good idea to… Continue reading Social Networking 101

Opentech Approaches

This year’s Opentech conference is this coming Saturday at ULU. It’s earlier than usual this year, so it might have crept up on you a bit. I’m speaking at the conference again this year and I’ve been promoted to the main room. I’m on in the 4-5pm session speaking for twenty minutes on “Watching the… Continue reading Opentech Approaches

Independent URLs

Today Twitter got very excited about a story on the Independent web site. Actually, it wasn’t the story that got people excited, it was the URL that was being shared for the story. The story was some nonsense about Kate Middleton’s face being seen in a jelly bean. The URL was: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/utter-PR-fiction-but-people-love-this-shit-so-fuck-it-lets-just-print-it-2269573.html And if you… Continue reading Independent URLs

Moonfruit and Techcrunch

For the past few weeks I’ve been working with Moonfruit. They have been working to replace their rather aging web site with something that looks a lot more contemporary. Today was the day that the new version went live. And it was also the day that I got an interesting lesson in how marketing works… Continue reading Moonfruit and Techcrunch

Where’s Your Data

We hear a lot of talk about how cloud computing is the future. Those of us who still run some of our own internet infrastructure are increasingly seen as slightly eccentric and old-fashioned. Why would anyone host their own mail server when we have Gmail or run their own blog when there is WordPress or… Continue reading Where’s Your Data

Email From The PM

We’re all, no doubt, used to getting 419 scams in email. I get several a day, but they’re not often as brazen as this. PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE TREASURY AND MINISTER FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM. Our ref: ATM/13470/IDR Your ref:…Date: 14/09/2010 IMMEDIATE PAYMENT NOTIFICATION I am The Rt Hon David Cameron MP,Prime Minister,… Continue reading Email From The PM

Opentech 2010

On Saturday I was at the Opentech conference. Some brief notes about the sessions I saw. The day was sponsored by data.gov.uk, so it seemed polite to see one of their sessions first. I watched Richard Stirling and friends talk about some of the work they’re doing on releasing lots and lots of linked data.… Continue reading Opentech 2010