Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
I hear a lot of talk lately about "gamifictation" – adding gamelike elements to non-gaming software and services. It may be achievements, titles, even controls – and the goal of course is to get people interested and using the software and services.
Let me state frankly that this is a great idea. I'm bang alongside it, and I wanted to explore just why I think it works, and why we need to pay attention to it:
As I noted in my last column on the subject, the Production Revolution (the ability technology gives us to make many media and technical products) isn't going to make everyone an instant author/artist/whatever. There were multiple limits, and the first limit I noted was some people don't have time time.
So let me continue, depressingly, on another factor that's going to keep the talented from realizing their goals. Technical Skill.
(After reading "Starstruck" I began asking can geeks/progeeks be celebrities. This was actually a fun speculation, and I wanted to write it up).
So, my progeeks and profanes and protaku, can we working nerds, technophiles, and geekonomists be celebrities? Can we breathe the same air of awesomeness that the truly famous do, can we confuse paparazzi with our "Let the Wookie Win" T-shirts? In short, can we be beloved and admired and followed?
The answer is literally, yes, no, and maybe.