So I was asked indirectly and want to clarify something.
The first thing I think of, whenever I read a Cool By Association blog post, is the killer feature that is the ’skip this’ keyboard shortcut in my feed reader. J if you happen to use Google Reader. Love it.
Once in a while, I’ll pick on a low hanging fruit, either for sheer entertainment value (read: I ran out of good ideas), or to make a point. Otherwise, delete, delete, delete.
But as a courtesy, I want to offer some advise on how not to write a buzzword compliant roadkill blog post:
- If you’re not cool, that’s fine, hire someone who is.
- Cool is page views, good products are sticky. Focus on sticky.
- But, it doesn’t hurt to experiment, and mistakes are just that.
- It all boils down to how I contextualize correlated information by map-reducing megadata collections of syndicated pub/sub contents streaming into my feed aggregator using bayesian filters. In plain English, it’s the subtext.
- Do some research before hitting submit.
Do
When you write: We looked at JSON and we’re planning to revise our APIs in the next major release so we can reduce the complexity of clients handling the data we deliver.
What I read: You write like a PR intern, but I’m glad the next release will be easier to use.
What I take with me: Sweet.
Don’t
When you write: We’re just delivering a prototype that maps XML Schema documents into JSON with support for namespaces, attribute groups and derivation by restriction.
What I read: I like JSON, it’s simple. XML Schema is not. The whole point of over-complicating JSON … I don’t get it.
What I take with me: Someone at marketing asked for buzzword compliance, product management was too weak to defend features that matter.
Do
When you write: We just experimented with Twitter and Facebook and learned that … You should look at those too. We’re looking at some ideas, potentially for the next release.
What I read: Innovation happens elsewhere, and you’re looking outside your narrow niche and direct competitors for influence. Cross pollination is a great source for innovation. Measure twice, cut once.
What I take with me: With or without this feature, I bet your next release will rock!
Don’t
When you write: iPhone is all the rage today and in the next release of our order management system we’ll use our Enterprise Presence Collaborative Server to deliver an innovative UI optimized for the iPhone form-factor and rendering capabilities.
What I read: It’s order management! You’re either running out of good ideas, or reporting to a PHB.
What I take with me: No one is buying your product at face value.
Also, Don’t
When you write: It’s no secret Facebook is all about the social graph, and our next release offers ways to connect sales and engineering through a social graph contextualized around milestones and Agile iterations.
What I read: Facebook is about recreation. Iterations are work. And I already know all my team members and what’s on the roadmap. I don’t have a social graph problem to solve, but I do wish you would spend some time fixing bugs in the current release that annoy me daily.
What I take with me: You don’t get Facebook. You don’t get development teams. You don’t get what your customers need.
Last point
Did you notice that Apple, Twitter, Facebook or for that matter any cool you associate with never links back to you? It’s not personal. They’re just on a deadline to create original stuff that will end up being cool. So do the same.
Even as an SEO strategy (read: no one likes me, so let me be obnoxious), your money is best spent elsewhere. When was the last time anyone searched ‘agile milestone link:facebook.com’?
Chipping the web – from the simple, complexity — Chip’s Quips