Avatar photoSteven Savage

Weekly Challenge: Pre-Conflict Perspectives

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With great power comes the chance for great stupidity.

OK it's not exactly the touching saying we all associate with Spider Man, but it's a sad truth.  Power, from the power of physical force to the subtleties of charisma to the abilities granted from knowledge, gives us not just the ability to do things, but the ability to do very stupid things that have incredible impact.

The difference between doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing is often a matter of degree.  You need wisdom to know that degree.

So your exercise this week is to figure out where you may do something very, very stupid.  You know, beyond the other things you've done.

  1. List all the top 3 to 5 things you are good at or have influence in – skills you have, leadership you perform in your fandom, someone's ear you have.
  2. Now for each, ask how you could take those skills too far and cause damage.  Could your leadership at work end up pitting departments against each other if you keep up your rah-rah attitude?  Could your next novel be even better selling if you pandered a bit, but you know that would take you in the direction of being hack.

Think of what you could do – so you know when to stop before a benefit becomes a problem.

– Steven Savage

Book Update 2/22/2010

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OK the latest update of the book:

  • I had to reset the layout – again – because I found some issues with PDF conversion.
  • The cover was tweaked slightly.
  • I have ordered a test copy.  I already found some layout/paging errors before it even shipped, so live and learn.

What I've learned:

  • Go over proofs very, very carefully.
  • Pay attention to any alerts from your word processor.
  • Pixelmator for Mac is a good, cheap Photoshop substitute.
  • Doing cover and layout work at the end was a lousy idea.  This is probably best done during a book's writing/production to both help you plan ahead and act as a break.  Put together they are frustrating.

The book still looks like it'll be out late March/early April, on Lulu, and the available through other outlets 4-8 weeks after that.

– Steven Savage

The Tribes Of Gadgets

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My wife has an Android.  My co-workers have iPhones.  I'm a recent Mac convert.  These issues and more come up in discussions among people, in banter, and on serious work subjects.

In each case, I begin to notice something about  people as they discuss their smartphone or computer or whatever gadget they use.  There's a tribal feel to it.

People identify with the tech they use.  Android users can swap stories about their experiences.  Mac users trade tips and advice, and even mock the image of Apple users.  Cell phone plans are discussed, printers are rated, and USB brands discussed.

Think of these social groups as Gadget Tribes – or Gadgetribes.

Stand back for a moment and think about the gadgets you use.  Do you identify with them, with other users?  Do you have friends you trade tips with, or forums you hang out on reguarly?  Does the subject come up in conversation when you whip out your DS or your iPhone?

Are you part of any Gadgetribes?

I think what we witness with Gadgetribes is identification with technology that's always been there, but that is far more widespread due to increased use of technology, and deeper due to the power that new technologies bring us.  This use, this depth of power, makes Gadgets unavoidable and desirable for us.  Humanity's social nature of course – and our need to share experience – means we form tribes around our gadgets.

For progeeks, the Gadgetribe phenomena is important:

  • It means that, professionally, if we can identify with others who are part of the same Gadgetribe, we can more easily establish rapport.
  • Being aware of Gadgetribe identification can tell us when we're tuning out others due to their being part of another tribe.
  • Understanding that deep identification can help us understand the loyalty and identification we want products we work on to have.
  • It represents the continuation of the classic identification with technology we've seen in the days of car enthusiasts and the like – but we need to realize its power and depth.
  • We can better understand conflicts and identification that people may have over seemingly trivial matters.

Keep an eye out for Gadgetribes, and you'll see them.

Once you see them, you can ask what it means for you as a progeek.

– Steven Savage