Fast Talk Response -

Gary Mason — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:07:12 -0400

No.

The only huge mistake is not giving their users the ability to customize their profile pages like MySpace does. That way, we wouldn't have to hear people complain that they like the old design better...

Get over it. It's gone.

Fast Talk Response -

Gary Mason — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:37:35 -0400

I wouldn't say they rub me the wrong way, but they do give me reason to ignore them all completely. Especially when I get an ad for education opportunities in a career that I have already. I understand their model, and I understand how it works and certainly marketing people love the idea of targeted marketing. The only problem is that it's really only useful for Facebook's wallet.

Fast Talk Response -

Gary Mason — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 18:36:01 -0400

In order to gauge or even speculate on the effectiveness of an ad, you first have to understand what it was trying to accomplish. Which I'm sad to say, eluded me completely.

Fast Talk Response -

Gary Mason — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:52:38 -0400

The same way they did in the late 80's when the same labels started to release single cassette tapes.

It's just another avenue to get customers that want a lower price point to get exactly what they want. I bet there are statistics out there somewhere that state that iTunes has increased the revenues of labels because of single track sales. Not to mention whole album sales, since you now have the opportunity to hear a snippet of each song before you buy it.

Fast Talk Response -

Gary Mason — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:48:59 -0400

As technology evolves, and the tastes of people change, particularly how they want their chosen "content" EVERY industry will have to adapt. The recording industry won't cease to exist, it will just evolve into something different that it used, or may currently be.

If 10,000 musicians decide to buy Macs and record their own music and distribute it themselves, guess what, they have become the recording industry. The generators of the musical content.

Fast Talk Response -

Gary Mason — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:15:57 -0400

Living in the Seattle area, I have known my share of Microsoft employees. One thing is clear, there is a big disconnect between the people RUNNING Microsoft and the people that MAKE Microsoft.

Everything they do is fragmented. Their OS, their products, their advertising, their management. What Microsoft needs to do is get rid of Steve Balmer and get someone that has his/her eye on how to connect with their customers, rather than a guy that still believes that he can control them.

The 90's are over Steve!

Comment on Node ant

Gary Mason — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:56:13 -0400

Here's an interesting thought... maybe "valuable" should be used to describe the social networking site with the highest response rate to online advertising. You can tally the advertising dollars spent... but that only tells you what we already know, and that is that major brands will ALWAYS gravitate toward what's hot, for fear of being left behind the "trend wave", and social networks are the hot place to be.

Comment on Node ant

Gary Mason — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:07:27 -0400

Hulu will generate more revenue for sure, mainly because they are getting advertising dollars from all the major brands. Not to mention the fact that they have created a model where advertising is a main component, integrated into the content, allowing them to charge a lot more.

YouTube will remain more popular because let's face it... everyone likes to see rednecks accidently set themselves on fire.

Fast Talk Response -

Gary Mason — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:56:51 -0400

I wonder if this question has different answers based on the income of the buyer. Whereas people with less income, are less concerned with form and more concerned with function first and price second. Whereas people with more money to throw around want both form and function as equal partners.

But my general answer is of course it does! Form is even more relevant in an Apple iPod world where form is on an equal par with function.

Comment on Node ant

Gary Mason — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:45:47 -0400

Every generation thinks it's going to change the world. Every generation also thinks that the one that came before them just doesn't get it like they do. Annoying, yes, but it's a good thing! The trouble is, more and more younger people come to work with a sense of entitlement that makes them think one year of experience gives them the understanding to be involved in the conversations about how to run the company, or what is and isn't important to be doing.