Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Problems with apps

I was in two minds about posting today. However, a story about Google+ caught my attention.

I have no doubt that Google+ will accelerate Facebook's decline, something that I have written about before. However, Google+ along with other new variants simply makes me feel more out apped than ever.

App, such a friendly little term, a shortening of the old term application. Yet now apps have come to consume the world.

I don't know about you, but my world is littered with old apps that seemed like a good idea at the time. I find them again whenever I do a web search on my own name. There they are, still in existence on the web even though it is years since I last looked. They send me plaintive messages from time to time. Jim, we have missed you! Don't be a stranger!

Even with apps I do remember, I very rarely use them. GoogleDocs, for example, or Plaxo. I joined the first in 2007, the second earlier than that, but have rarely been back. Plaxo was a good way of keeping contacts up to date, but this ended some time ago.

I really need to go through and do some pruning. With apps that I keep, I really need to work out how best to use them, to maintain their currency.  Otherwise, they just become more dead wood. 

My problem is, however, that this adds just another load. Ah well!

Postscript

I see that Google+ has seized 10 million+ users in two weeks. Sounds good, I know, yet there is a long way before this translates into real strength. You see, before I would switch I would need a reason, and being new is not enough.   

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree Jim, but not only that - you've given me an idea for 'an app'. I might try to develop an app which cleans up unwanted/unused apps.

The basic version would need to be free, with lots of flashing lights, and the 'pro' version would need to be actually useful - but I could work towards that, given funding. Of course, this would need to be entirely different to Microsoft's own "you haven't used that desktop icon for three minutes - may I delete it for you" cr-app.

re your own name search: I gave up on that after I discovered the top hit was some multiple murderer on death row in Texas (probably dead by now) followed by some guy in Aus who was/is the head of a high flying software company. It's a bit deflating to find that the 2.2 million hits returned in 0.67 seconds don't include yourself.

(Mind you, I gave up after the first million or so, looking for myself)

kvd

Jim Belshaw said...

I do like the idea of that app, KVD. I am sure that there is a VC around to fund you!

On the search, how about a a head of a highflying software company whose problems with apps (and facebook)turns him into a mass murderer who finally wins on appeal when judge rules justifiable homicide!

Anonymous said...

An apptitude for murder; I'd buy that judge a drink.

You know, with all this overviewing of our digital ditherings, I really do think there should be a digital 'place', totally sacrosanct, for people to digitally scream "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to put up with it anymore".

Psychologists have always suggested it is a good thing to let your feelings out; but do it online, and you are marked for life.

kvd

Jim Belshaw said...

I fear that you will just have to do your screams in private, KVD!

Anonymous said...

Postscript:

"When Mark Zuckerberg was asked about his thoughts on Google+, the Facebook founder said: "I view a lot of this as validation as to how the next five years are going to play out."

He's correct about validation of the original concept, but talking about "the next five years"?

As my daughter used to say when she was a kid: "seriously unreal, Dad".

kvd

Jim Belshaw said...

Seriously unreal, indeed.