27.7.2010 von joergkrause.

es ist Sommer, fast Urlaub und etwas ruhiger, also Zeit für eine Idee zum Zeitvertrieb. Das Spiel kann jeder spielen, der einen RSA SecurID Token hat. Es heißt „Token Bingo“. 

Es geht so: Man setzt sich zusammen um einen Tisch und jeder guckt auf seinen Token. Wenn eine interessante Zahlenkombination auftaucht, ruft man Bingo! Und alle legen den Token auf den Tisch. Die beste Kombination gewinnt. Der Einsatz pro Runde beträgt z.B. 10 Cent. Mit drei bis sechs Leuten macht es am meisten Spaß. 

Gewinnt der, der Bingo gerufen hat, gewinnt er den Pott. Verliert der, der Bingo gerufen hat, legen alle außer dem, der besser war, den vereinbarten Betrag nach. 

Der Token zeigt immer 6 Zahlen an. Die werden folgendermaßen bewertet: 

• Full House:                             AAAAAA (sechs gleiche Zahlen)
• Große Straße:                        123456
• Große Straße rückwärts:       654321
• Kleine Straße:                        12345X
• Kleine Straße rückwärts:       X54321
• Kleine Straße ohne Anfang: 23456X
• Kleine Straße rückwärts:       X65432
• Fünfer:                                   AAAAAY oder XAAAAA (vorn besser, höhere Zahl gewinnt)
• Vierer:                                    AAAAXY oder XAAAAY oder XYAAAA (weiter vorn besser, höhere Zahl gewinnt) 
• Voller:                                     AAAXBB (in jeder Kombination, bei Gleichstand gewinnen höhere Zahlen, wenn immer noch gleich der höhere Dreier)                        Beispiel:          222688 oder 7734442
• Paar:                                   AAXYBB oder AAXBBY oder AABBXY oder so, größeres AA gewinnt, je dichter die Paare beieinander, je besser
• Dreier:                                    AAAXYZ (Drei in Folge irgendwo, je weiter vorn je besser, je höher je besser)1
• Paar:                                   AAXYZA
• Strickmuster:                         ABABAB oder ABABXY (drei Muster besser als zwei, größeres A gewinnt) 
• Chance:                                 der höchste Wert über alle sechs Ziffern gewinnt: 347899 ist mehr als 299991                        Wichtig:           Chance muss vor dem Aufdecken zusammen mit Bingo! angesagt werden, also „Bingo! Chance!“ 

Solche Muster treten relativ häufig auf, was viel Spaß bringt, weil z.B. ein Paar sehr leicht zu toppen ist. Außerdem ist das Spiel sehr schnell, weil die Zahlen ja nur ein paar Sekunden im Display stehen.  Und nun viel Spaß! Noch ein Tipp: Da beim Spiel oft alle Token in der Mitte liegen, kommt es leicht zu Verwechslungen. Das ist blöd. Also sollten die Token vorher markiert werden.

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16.5.2010 von joergkrause.

Believe it or not, I’m 45 years old. It’s May, and my next birthday is coming closer. I’m almost satisfied with my life and the recent talks to some friends that suffer from their age and place in life confirmed to me that there is no need to suffer from midlife crisis. However, looking ahead, things are not that clear.

From now and under the current condition I get retiered in 23 years. Probably I like to work a few years more, I don’t know. Whether we talk about 23 or 25 years, it’s nearly a quarter century. Is it the right time to dream or is it the right time to start living a dream? I’m pretty sure, that it’s enough time to climb any hill, hit any target, and get whatever I want. It’s time to go ahead and start another period.

I’m smart enough to not take to much risk for the next step. This might delay the next adventure but it will not stop me. It’s just about to keep my dream running. Not sure what I’m talking about? I’ll post some news as soon as I have something more real.

Today I read an article about a venture capital firm in California that invites hackers to a contest. If they succeed, the get a direct contact to some other VC or business angles. They pay $11.000 for a six week marathon where they have to create at least a prototype of their upcoming business. Sometime I wish to be 25 again, with no liabilities, and with the same number of ideas and dreams. I would join for sure. However, with all the relations, engagements, and contracts that prevent me from doing just what I want it’s quite different. The way I have to go will not be that straight, obvisously. It never has been, by the way.

 But I’m sure I’ll find the right way.

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6.4.2010 von joergkrause.

Being a content provider is easy in the Web 2.0 world. Using social networks you can easily share everything you like amoung your friends and even everybody else. Share your documents or thougts through a blog to a broader audience is easy either. Both is a great way to send a message - for whatever reason.

I’m an author and write articles and books for several years. I do this not just to have fun or share my experience and knowledge. I’m not altruistic, to be honest. I do this because I get paid. It’s not that much. I cannot live from my writing. But it’s an additional income that I like and need. Most authors are not full-time writers. But only few get paid at least a bit, such as me. I know that there are an amzaing number of people who work hard every day and would be able to write and share their valuable experience and knowledge too. The only thing is, that they can’t sacrifice the little amount of time to write for nothing but fun.

I remember the time I worked with Linux. “Have fun” was part ofthe greating once the startup sequence was done. People who know me know theat I’m committed to Microsoft technology meanwhile. It is, because I can’t live from fun. I need money. I love money. Honestly, I work because I get paid. The most things I do I like to do as well, which is great and I think it’s because I feel mostly happy.

The thing I want to write about today is that even the smallest income for a work would be a great step forward in a Web 2.0 world. What if you get a few dollars, pounds, or euros for every article you published in your blog. Sure, some try to add things such as Google AdSense to their pages. This could bring a few bucks. However, most people never get enough leads to their pages to a get a single penny. This is the truth. Again, like any former period, few make the money and the masses get nothing (but fun). The “fun” thing is new. The remaining part is like it has been for centuries.

Would it be time to rethink this? I guess so. What if you share whatever you like to share - content of any sort of media (written articles, books, fiction or non-fiction, videos) and you get some money back. Sure, nobody cruises through the net seeking where to pay money for content. But big providers make money. Google makes a lot money with all your content. Do you know? Even Technorati, Blogger, and all the thousands of pages make money. Do they share? Yes, they share content. No, they don’t share money. That’s not fair. Period.

I think about a project that changes the rules radically. Content has to be free. Additional services could be charged. But a site collecting, organizing, and enhancing content makes money from reades, advertisers, partners, or other publishers.  What if this site shares the income with the authors. You’re not an author? You’re an artist, such as an designer, you make videos, pictures, music? Add your service and get paid for being the one who as improved the quality, added a better presentation, made a distinct summary or whatever to move the content to a professional level.

You see the direction? Most content on the web is radiculous bad. I don’t talk about fun videos on Youtube. They might have their audience. I mean, what if you produce a video showing how to build a sophisticated wall in your garden, using what the local do-it-yourself store provides. Make a series of such videos to help them doing things better. Share it. It’s not fun, it’s a professional work eventually.

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13.3.2010 von joergkrause.

Let’s imagine what’s going on after the Web 2.0 hype is through and the industry is seeking the next big thing. What about web 4.0 or 6.0? Could it happen?

The Past

Almost every proposed look into the future starts with a look back.

Pre Web

Before the Web that we see today the Arpa network (ARPANET) was there, later a project of DARPA. 

Web 1.0

Since some people used Web 2.0  the former mostly hyperlink driven “Internet” became Web 1.0. It’s primary properties are:

• Static HTML
• Hyperlinks that connect pages
• Simple full-text search through all content

Web 2.0

Some people call it “Livenet”, social network, or interactive web. It’s primary focus is the ability to let people participate in creating content and extending the realm of sites. The primary properties are.

• Mashups - sites link together by using particular features
• Blogosphere - blogs allow people to express and share their thoughts without using specific software
• Ajax and interactivity - immediate response allows more complex applications breaking the barriers of HTML
• Full-text search with ranking an grouping - Search engines become smarter, the rank and group results
• Online apps - some simple apps that require installation are now coming from a browser, no installation required

Web 3.0

I call it the “Evernet”. It’s already emerging. It’s primary appearance is it’s availablity, everywhere, permanently, mobile. While mobile devices play an otstanding role the backend has emerged too:

• Mobile devices drive this web

All devices become integrated, such as TV, refrigerators, digital radio, dish washers, smart home technologies, …

• Sematic search - search engine are able to understand the content
• Online apps and local apps mergeL; people will no longer work online or offline but both 
• Mashups emerge to content - snippets from website will targeted by links and still stay interactive

Web 4.0

The Web 3.0 is just a successor of Web 2.0, and it’s seems to be easy to extrapolate from there. The step after is quite harder to imagine. I’ll give it a try anyway and call it “Allnet”. There are a lot things I wish I had today, but it’s a long way:

• Total availability - augmented spots allow instant access even if no mobile device is handy. Some examples:
  • Interactive schedules for busses and trains
  • Interactive and connected labels for goods in shops
  • Ability to load any device at any gas station, kiosk, airport, bus station, shop, terminal, …
• Total connectivity - Access any device around you any time; no what’s your plane, train, tram, bus, ship is telling you. Some examples:
  • Available services or food
  • Changes in the schedule
  • Currently available connections, on-the-fly optimization of an itinerary
  • Instant orders from any location to any location (order while you’re travelling to any location you’re currently stay)
• Augmented Reality becomes device independent
  • Mashups appear on the street, where you’re currently
  • Public ads become personalized

Web 5.0

Still not well enough integrated? What’s coming next. That’s easy, after Web 4.0 we see Web 5.0 at the horizon. I call it “Singulanet”. Being dependend on a mobile device (3.0) or on the presens of things around you (4.0) is still a mess. Having the web integrated with you (your body) seems a logical step. And here it is:

• Bio-integrated devices - access sounds by a device implemented in your ear, see videos in the palm of your hand, have the state of your social network under the skin of your wrist
• Human connectivity - Want to send a message to a peer? Touch her. Point on her. Want to stop somebody sending messages? A dislike gesture would be enough.
• No more devices, no more battery issues (your body is strong enough to feed the chips), 24/7 connectivity

The name is because the singularity of human and machines. 

Web 6.0

Please, share your thoughts what’s coming next with me. 

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7.2.2010 von admin.

Today

Today we’re working on computers in a simple and technological driven way. To deal with a document we still create a file on disc (whether it’s on a network server or local doen’t make a difference for me), open an application to manipulate it and save and so on.

However, as an enduser, I don’t care about files, storage location, and application. I think in tasks. My current task is “write a letter”, “create a blog entry”, “fill in a form”. Terms like “File”, “Storage”, “Save” must be vanished out of our heads to get the next step end evolve properly.

What can you do today. Rethink your application design! Is it possible to hide the tech level? Could you manage to save without having the user asked to save (think OneNote)? Could you help him to organize his information in a way that is straight to his or her behavior?

Tomorrow

Each day one opens an “master application” to do some tasks. She or he sees some entries, ordered by last access time with links to creation time. The visible part represents the flow of work, not the physical representation on a disc. The task even has a name and a typical icon to address the focal point of the task (write, calculate, form data). Clicking the entry opens the right application (don’t care which one). So the view into your data is your daily task list. However, one need more information, probably from elder data. Think of all the PDFs and DOCs and whatever polluting your disc. These have to be reside in the cloud. Everything you got from the net pollutes your environment and wastes your time and storage space. Send it back where it comes from. Finding it again is a question a search engine or bookmark manager could handle much better than NTFS.

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7.1.2010 von joergkrause.

When looking at the behavior of digital natives I feel the power of an ever connected community. Store your thoughts and they get spread widely through your network. It makes us a bit more like parts of a swarm then before. Instead of having a close relation to only a few, we get a wider range of contacts. Some of them, and the chance is higher than ever to find more compatible ones, would be good enough to get closer to. At the end of the day this is directly related to the techniques we invent and develop day by day.

I think that this will have an impact on our labor world, too. Currently most employers recognize the usage of such connecting tools like messenger and partly email as an annoying time consumer. Time is eaten as in Langoliers (a Stephen King based TV episode). Though, communicating is essential for practical work. That leads me to the conclusion. Office and knowledge workers are supposed to communicate. It avoids mistakes. It clarify things that aren’t frankly open at all. It makes our work life stronger and smoother.

Usually people complain about not having enough time to do their work. If they would organize themselves better, use the network that exists around them, and delegate tasks as well as gather tasks that fit their personal possibilities better, they would save more time than the maintenance of their network cost.

Digital native do this by default. For digital immigrants it’s time to think about a shift. Shift to new tools and gadgets, but don’t see this as a tool or gadget but as a valuable part of your life.

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12.12.2009 von joergkrause.

How could an OS look like in the future?

Do we do everything in the cloud?

Are you tired of installing applications, re-Install, remove, add again, need another app for all the different file types (what the heck is a file type?). Why the hell do I need to distinguish between XLS and DOC and whatever to simply do a task? 

Today’s OS’ are primitive disc handler with tons of useless features. Let’s imagine a future where we open a computer (it’s always on, of course), see what’s done in the past and what’s next scheduled and start working. All on one surface - the work surface. You do tasks here. Write a letter, decide after 30 mins to send the letter as email. Doesn’t matter, still same surface. Send it. Get an reply. Still same surface. Work on the reply. A college asks to get a hard copy. Decide to print it. Still same surface. Want to add a table and have some havy calculation there (think: Excel). Still same surface. Wonna share the table with another collegue and work together, say “share with John” and get a instant messenger connection. Work on it. It’s late, close the computer.

Do NOT think: Where to store? How to connect? What application? What version? Backup? Save? …

I don’t believe that cloud computing is our current 42. However, it’s a part of the game. Start working will do things locally. Do a task, add it. Don’t think “application”. Think in modules, simple tasks.

Think, we split all the Office products, Readers, Server, and so on into thousands of different tasks. Once we need tasks, we add it to our environment and still work on the same major document. Don’t care about file types. All is in one, “The Document I’m currently working on”! In consists of written text, tables, gantt charts, planning features, emails, links to the cloud, whatever. It can do, what you need. This, not more. In one place.

Finally, you have a timeline of tasks, in the past (to remember), in the present (currently working on), and in the future (scheduled things). What does an appointment in Outlook distinguishs to a Word file? Technically nothing, both are bits and bytes. Technically everything, format, type, linked application, behavior of the environment, tools… You see what I mean? It doesn’t make sense to have more than one application: The FINAL OS! Call it Oz…

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